A Quiet Boring Night-Yeah, Not So Much

It was a cold snowy night in January. I wasn’t an empty nester yet so I think I was probably looking forward to some ‘alone’ time (Funny how now I’d give anything for a houseful and less of that alone time!) My husband and youngest (a senior in high school at the time) had flown to Chicago to drive my second daughter’s car back home.

I had recently learned how to build a fire in the fireplace so I was gung ho on having a quiet weekend with the dogs, a fire in the fireplace, a candle burning, reading, and watching Friday Night Lights on Netflix (Great show to binge watch! Is this still on Netflix??!! If it is you should watch it!)
Anyway, it was a Saturday night and I was so relaxed, assuming my position on the couch (those same cushions in which my butt has left a hefty impression!) The dogs (two yellow labs-full brothers from different litters and just the sweetest boys!) were sleeping on the couch-they had not been allowed on the couch previously but that holiday season my son had taught them that the couch is their domain! 

All of a sudden there was a shadow at the back door (let me set the stage-to my right is all glass-a door and windows-leading to my fenced in backyard which was covered in feet of snow). At first I think it’s a reflection from the tv but all of a sudden I realize someone’s there! I get up and go to the door thinking it’s a friend of one of my daughters’-the “visitor” was wearing jeans tucked in to boots, a puffy vest, and had long hair-pretty typical attire of a teenager right?!

My visitor calls out to me “Let me in I’m cold.”  I’m kinda freaking out a little and let her know I’m calling the police. She replied, “OK.” An interesting response given she’s an intruder, but whatever. I call 911 and they keep me on the phone for the entire two minutes it takes for the police cars to arrive (quick response!! Shout out to our police department!) Now keep in mind I have two good size dogs who up until the police arrive have been happily, lazily sleeping on the couch-not one bark or eyebrow lifted when a stranger appears at my door, but the police arrive and they go nuts!

I let the police officers know she’s still standing at my back door (I’d been hiding behind a wall until the police arrived). They tell me to go back inside and they go around back. At this point I call my husband in Chicago to let him know what’s going on. My first words to him are “Don’t tell the girls.” I let him know that all is ok as the police are here and dealing with the intruder and we hang up. The first thing my husband does is tell the girls…

The police take her away and I go back to assuming my position on the couch and try to relax aka stop freaking out! I flip on the tv and the first thing that comes on is Home Alone-no thanks I think I’ll try to find something else. Umm, Nightmare on Elm Street not tonight thank you!

A few minute later my oldest daughter arrives (she’d been at the movies and her phone was off). Glad to have some company for a bit, I assure her I’m fine and tell her to go home. 

The next morning I find out the intruder had spent the night in jail as she was slightly very intoxicated (they found a bottle of vodka with only 1/4 left). She had been driving on the street behind me and her car had gotten stuck in the snow in someone’s driveway trying to turn around. No one was home at that house so she climbed the fence to my back yard, must have seen a light and knocked on my back door.

After this boring sounded great!

Some great shows to binge watch (hopefully intruder free!):

• Parenthood
• Dead To Me
• Gilmore Girls
• Narcos
• Madam Secretary
• Stranger Things
• The OA
• Schitt’s Creek
• and always, Friends

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