Why you should lock your doors...

Ok. So. I realize it's been a very long while since I've posted... over a month. I've had quite a bit to post about but I just haven't gotten around to it... despite George's daily "When are you going to update your blog?!"

I left you all with a cliffhanger on how my surgery would go and how the Friendship Festival went. But since I've had very little inquires on whether or not I survived (I'll assume you've been checking my facebook and realize I've been posting so I'm not dead) I figure you all know I'm alright. I've been very busy with homework. Going back to school full time has been semi-exhausting. I'm also still teaching about 15-20 hours a week, which some would refer to as "part-time". Between those classes, doing laundry, socializing, walking the dog and making the occasional home-cooked meal, I'm staying pretty busy! I can't tell you the admiration I have for mothers who go back to school! I am worn out from my life... I can't imagine doing this with a kid or two or three! They all deserve an award!!!

Today something happened to me that me made feel like I needed to blog about. Mostly for your entertainment. Trust me. This story is one of the best I have to date.

Today I woke up (though I slept in until a ridiculous time), did homework for several hours, went and taught a class, picked up a pie from the commissary to take to dinner at a friend's house, and then went to a 1st birthday party for one of our friends' daughters. This party was a little bit past my house. As I was leaving this party, it was getting dark. I was looking for my house, and then saw some flames.

Flames... as in...fire flames!!! Big ones. Then I thought... "that's an end unit. Oh my gosh... my house is an end unit. Oh my gosh! My house is on fire!!!" I completely panicked. I gunned the gas pedal and drove very quickly into my parking space.

Here are the thoughts going through my head... "Cheyenne! I've got to get to Cheyenne! I wonder whose car that is parked in my neighbors spot... Cheyenne! OMG, I've got to get to my dog! When's the last time we BBQ'ed... maybe the computer caught on fire... did I leave the stove on? Quick! Run up the stairs! My wedding photos are going to be ruined. I wonder whose bike that is? My furniture! Where's the wreath on my door? Oh good, voices! Firemen! The firemen are already at my house!" SO I swing open the door, run inside and then thoughts are... "My carpet is a different color... wait, where's my furniture... and who are these two guys doing karate in my living room. Oh... maybe my house isn't on fire. This isn't my house. And it's not on fire either. Oh my gosh, I'm at the WRONG HOUSE!!!"

So then I say to the guys who are looking at me, because I'm standing in their house... "This isn't my house." To which one of them who is still holding a karate pose says... "Okay." And then I say... "My house isn't on fire." And he responds... "Okay." Then I start repeating how sorry I am and I run out the door, closing it behind me. I run down the stairs, get in my car, drive to my correct home (one apartment entrance down...). I am laughing hysterically at this point. Who else could this possibly happen to?! Only ME! I can't believe I did that. I went to my friend's house and tell them this story (I was having dinner there and was bringing the afore mentioned pie) and they told me I had to blog about it. I am SO horribly embarrassed. I am also SO very thankful that my house wasn't on fire and neither was theirs. (It turns out they had a fire-pit on their balcony that was billowing some pretty big flames, but wasn't "on fire")

In my defense, all of the apartments here look the same. And... all of the cars look the same. (To an extent).

It's semi-common knowledge that some people who live on base do not lock their doors. It's a very safe place to live and it's not always necessary to do so. However... I am a door locker. I was raised this way and I am a firm believer in constant door locking! I am a cautious person! I can't help it! I always hope for the best, but plan for the worst. You just never know when a crazy person will think your house is on fire and come barging in unexpectedly.

I am SO thankful that it was two guys who acted very calmly about a crazy lady barging in (aka... ME) and not a poor mother of 4 whom I could have really startled! I am thankful it wasn't a couple doing something dirty... I'm thankful no one's home was on fire and all of our items are safe. I'm glad Cheyenne didn't suffer from (imaginary) smoke inhalation. I'm thankful that everything is okay! Besides my pride, nothing or no one was injured or hurt and nothing was damaged. But I must tell you... that was a really scary moment. I feel completely crazy. I spoke with my Mom on the phone this evening and she told me it only gets worse with age... while I realize I am still very young, with a birthday coming up this weekend (by the way... did you put my b-day present in the mail?!) I can't help but feel a little old and senile.

Lesson: Lock your doors. There are lots of crazy people out there. What if I was a big scary drunk person who tried to crawl into your bed... at a house that wasn't his in a bed that's not yours?! Just think about it! AND... LOCK YOUR DOORS! :)

Chelsea