We've lived in our current house for almost twenty years. We bought it because it is one of the few places in Hermiston that has a view. Our three acres back up to the Umatilla River and a park. Our backyard looks over the river to the Hermiston Butte. We have neighbors on either side of us at a comfortable distance. It's quiet, but not isolated. It's a quick few minutes drive into town (if you don't get stopped at the light at the Mormon Church!)
We rarely lock the doors...usually only when we're going out of town. Last year when we went to San Diego for Christmas we had to search the house to find a key so we could lock the doors. We've never had a problem.
At Thanksgiving we went to Austin to see the grandchildren. We didn't have to search for a key because our son stayed home. Sometime while we were gone the spouse's workshop was robbed. We have no idea when it happened. When we first got home the spouse thought that he had just misplaced his binoculars. After several days of looking in all the places that he might have left them, he realized that he was missing a lot of other things too. When you look at the list of things that he knows are missing, you might wonder how he didn't know immediately that he had been robbed. But, in his defense, the shop is a large building separate from the house and it is filled from floor to ceiling with his tools and toys, including a 28 foot sailboat on a trailer, a refrigerator for beer, cable TV, wood stove, metal lathe, reloading bench, gun safe and wood working bench.
We were fortunate that the majority of the spouse's really pricey toys were in his gun safe. This has been an expensive lesson for us, but we've learned to recognize when the Universe is sending us a message. We don't need another lesson to learn that times have changed and even in small towns we have to lock our doors and not be so trusting. But I can't help but be sad that our trusting way of life is changing. We have a new doorknob with keypad entry installed on the shop door. After trying it out for a week, we've ordered additional knobs to install on the house exterior doors.
The new doorknobs lock automatically. To open the door you have to enter the access code on the keypad. Now every time I take out the trash I'll need to type in a code to get back in the house. Running back in the house for something I have forgotten will take a little longer. Remembering the new code...now that will be the real challenge.
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Well, that's just a drag. It's probably only a matter of time before we come home to find things missing too. I can't think of much that I'd be sorry to lose, really. The good antiques are all too heavy to steal. What would they take? My Tupperware that's overflowing its shelves?
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry to learn of your theft. As you know, I had a window broken out of my car to get my purse and lost a fair amount. Hopefully you have Homeowner's Insurance to replace what you lost, if you can figure out what it was. Yes, times have definitely changed, everywhere. It will not be going back to the way it was.
ReplyDeleteWhat a sad realization, when we discover that we aren't safe anymore. I am so sorry for your "lesson" and what you need to go through now because of it. For so many years, I've felt I live in a safe neighborhood, with plenty of neighbors looking out for us, as we do for them. Yet, I know it's only a matter of time before one day, one (or more) of us, will be violated in the same way. We have had car prowls, but they ended up being kids, not smart enough to not be caught down the road!
ReplyDeleteHopefully, you'll have an easier time remembering your code than I do! Too many passwords and codes these days for my brain to keep track of!
I'd probably spend a lot of time sitting outside on a rock trying to remember the code. We are apartment dwellers and one night Bob forgot to lock the car. The next morning it was evident someone had been in our car. All items in the glove compartment were laying neatly in the front seat. Other items were neatly organized in the floorboard. More than $30 in Chang was undisturbed. I promise you we've never forgot to lock the car since that experience.
ReplyDeleteWe rarely lock our doors. We had a tenant from California who stayed at our house when we were traveling - she locked and deadbolted every door in the house. Said she felt safe that way.
ReplyDeleteWe should probably lock our doors.
I know I'm far too trusting when it comes to this sort of thing. I need to take more care or I'll be sorry. Thanks for pointing this out.
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry you're having to take "big city" precautions, too! But I do understand. It's a terrible feeling to know someone has been in your house or workshop and taken things. It's the invasion almost more than the loss that hurts. We had a violent home invasion robbery by gang members in 2003 when we were still living in L.A. I think we were most upset about the invaders going through everything we owned and abusing our cats than we were about the items actually stolen. We have a keypad entry on our garage door now and use a number combination meaningful to us but that wouldn't occur to anyone else.
ReplyDeleteWe do lock our doors when we leave, and keep most of them locked even when we are here. Country and small town life is no safer that city and suburban living, I'm afraid.
ReplyDeleteThat's a bummer! Such a violation. Times have changed. I live in what would seem a safe, suburban town but always deadbolt my doors, even when I'm home. I've often had to explain why I do this to people who think it's silly. I guess they don't keep up on the rate of home robberies and petty theft in my town as well as I do. Besides, I know several people personally who have been home during the day and surprised robbers in their house searching for prescription meds. Unfortunately, that's the way the world is now, and it's better to be safe than sorry.
ReplyDeleteI'm really sorry, but glad for you that it wasn't worse. I'm also glad to find so many posts here after some time away. Congrats on another year blogging. Looking forward to reading more of your funny, insightful and wonderful writing.
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