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Rorey

(8,445 posts)
Sat Apr 10, 2021, 02:41 PM Apr 2021

If you never hear from me again

I'm breaking my own rule and allowing someone I don't know to come to my place to pick up some firewood that I listed for free at the usual online place.

A couple of years ago I allowed someone to come by and pick up something I was giving away that was too heavy for me to transport, and it got to be a scary situation. I slept with my bear spray on my bedside table that night. I swore off ever again letting a stranger on my property, but here I am, possibly being a fool.

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Rorey

(8,445 posts)
3. Normally I'd ask my son to come by
Sat Apr 10, 2021, 02:54 PM
Apr 2021

But he got his second Pfizer shot yesterday afternoon and is feeling the effects.

I live on a circle and everyone can see everyone's front yard, and I also have cameras. I think it'll be okay. I'm going to tell them I locked my dog in the house so he wouldn't attack them. I don't really have a dog anymore, but the giant dog door is still in my back door, so it's a plausible story.

I guess it wouldn't hurt to have my pepper spray in my pocket.

I guess I'll also pull out my old trick of talking to someone inside the house as I'm going outside. Nobody is in my house. I live alone, but they won't know that. I used to do that trick when I traveled alone and stayed in hotels. Whenever I left my hotel room I'd always say, "I'll be back in a few minutes" to the nobody in my room so it wasn't obvious that I was alone. Maybe that seems stupid, but I figured it couldn't hurt.


2naSalit

(86,061 posts)
15. Those are reasonable preparations.
Sat Apr 10, 2021, 06:59 PM
Apr 2021

When I used be a road warrior in a semi, I used to leave the curtain to the bunk rolled down and the bunk light on and pretend there was someone in there. It always worked.

samnsara

(17,570 posts)
2. yikes! Be safe! I live in the mtns and Fed Ex is the only one who ventures up here..
Sat Apr 10, 2021, 02:51 PM
Apr 2021

..UPS ties my boxes on a tree out by the road. Im alone a lot as well.. and NO curtains..as i live in the forest and i have 4 dogs..2 Goldens who will invite anyone in and 2 terriers who bark at EVERTHING ( because they are terriers)... I do have guns up here but if i ever had to use them I would probably shoot my foot off. I have Alexa in all the rooms and I thought if anyone ever breaks in I will instruct them all to play willie nelson full blast and start up both the robot vacs. If ya cant kill em then mess with em...

Rorey

(8,445 posts)
4. That's hilarious!!!
Sat Apr 10, 2021, 03:00 PM
Apr 2021

Dogs are great. I've just got these non-helpful cats now.

I used to have a Rottie who loved everyone. I know if someone was actually attacking me, he would have killed them. But he wouldn't have prevented anyone from coming into my house.

Editing to add: That Rottie probably wouldn't really have killed anyone. Twice he put his mouth on people's arms when he thought they were a threat. Once it was my daughter's boyfriend playing around with my youngest son. The other time it was my then-husband's arm when he playfully grabbed me. He didn't bite down, but he let it be known that he could.


Rorey

(8,445 posts)
10. I guess you really don't know until it happens
Sat Apr 10, 2021, 04:40 PM
Apr 2021

Maybe the fact that there were two dogs in the last scenario made a difference.

I'm still pretty sure that my son's dog - really my DIL's dog - would have destroyed anyone who dared to set foot in their house.

I also remember a time when my chow/shepherd mix once came running at me in attack mode when I brought our rolling trash receptacle into the back yard. He had been a guard dog for seven years before we got him, and he never forgot that job. I thought I was a goner at that point, but he finally realized it was me.

But you never really know what'll happen, as that video shows.

Whatever the case, I don't think this person is coming who wanted the wood. They said in the email they'd come in about an hour, and that was three hours ago. I didn't give them my address. I just gave them my phone number and said to call or text. At this point, I'm no longer going to deal with it. I just thought the wood could be of use to someone, rather than just sitting here. I did want to get rid of it, but it's not like it's really in the way.

If we're ever not on a red flag warning, maybe I'll burn it myself in my firepit.

MerryHolidays

(7,715 posts)
6. Alexa has some home security skills
Sat Apr 10, 2021, 03:24 PM
Apr 2021

Some are free, and others (including a monitored service) are for a fee of $50/year.

My favorites are the glass break detector and the dog barking!

Here's a link: https://gizmodo.com/alexa-can-now-bark-like-a-dog-to-scare-people-away-when-1846142970

Rorey

(8,445 posts)
12. That sounds great
Sat Apr 10, 2021, 04:51 PM
Apr 2021

I don't have Alexa, and don't really see a need for it right now. I've got a camera system that's stand-alone, so I don't have to pay fees. I mostly use it to monitor my porch so I know when the neighborhood beggar cat wants to be fed. In the 10 or so years that I've had it, I've seen two thieves in the neighborhood. Both were relatively minor incidents.

Whatever the case, it appears that the respondent to my ad wasn't too serious about it. I've given up. I've taken down the ad and will deal with that wood another time.

Thanks for the info on the Alexa. I do like the dog-barking thing!

Bayard

(21,806 posts)
19. We have 3 Great Pyrenees
Sun Apr 11, 2021, 12:05 PM
Apr 2021

Whose main job in life is to bark bigley. Two of them would invite anybody in and show them where the valuables are hidden if asked though. The third one is the unpredictable one. We keep our front road gate locked, and only put the dogs up when someone has an appointment (like the plumber yesterday).

Midnight Writer

(21,548 posts)
5. Snap a picture with your phone and send it to someone immediately.
Sat Apr 10, 2021, 03:10 PM
Apr 2021

Make sure he knows you've done it.

That way, he will know he's on the hook for any liability.

Rorey

(8,445 posts)
11. I thought about calling my neighbor
Sat Apr 10, 2021, 04:45 PM
Apr 2021

But she just gets so worried about things, and I don't want to alarm her.

As I said above, it has become a non-issue. Three hours ago they said they'd come to get it in an hour. Maybe they didn't like that i didn't give my exact address, telling them instead to call or text when they were on their way.

So I've locked up the gate again, and will just hang onto the wood for awhile longer.

Thanks for the input.

cyclonefence

(4,483 posts)
13. A tip I came across a long time ago
Sat Apr 10, 2021, 05:34 PM
Apr 2021

is to buy a really big dog bowl and a really big dog toy or leather "bone" and leave them on your porch.

Fla Dem

(23,352 posts)
17. Hey Rorey, See you've posted this morning. I guess you survived the wood being picked up.
Sun Apr 11, 2021, 11:17 AM
Apr 2021

Glad all worked out. S/h updated on this post for the folks that were concerned about you.

Rorey

(8,445 posts)
18. You're so sweet
Sun Apr 11, 2021, 11:44 AM
Apr 2021

They were a no-show, and that's just fine with me. I decided that I will figure out something else to do with that wood.

In the last email I got they asked me for my address. I replied by giving a general area of where I live, and asking them to call or text. Maybe that didn't sit right with them, or maybe they changed their minds. Given my nervousness about the prospect of strangers coming to my house, I decided that it's best to forget the whole thing.

I've got a fire pit, but I hardly ever light it up because we're almost always in a situation where we're not allowed to have an open fire. I got it when my son and his family were staying with me for a few months, thinking that my little grandson would enjoy roasting marshmallows or hot dogs or something. Then my daughter-in-law told me that she just didn't like fires because of the smoke smell, so I just never did the fire pit thing. I figured there was no point in causing her needless irritation. We've got a great relationship, so there's no point in messing that up.

Thanks for checking on me!

Bayard

(21,806 posts)
20. Mail it to me!
Sun Apr 11, 2021, 12:10 PM
Apr 2021

We always need firewood for the woodstove.

Seriously, glad you're okay.



I'm a bit concerned that we have some goats for sale on Craigslist. We are both retired, and Mr. Bayard is a pretty big guy, but you never know. When we had ducks for sale, it was easy to stuff them in a crate and meet someone somewhere.

Rorey

(8,445 posts)
21. If I had a truck, I'd deliver it
Sun Apr 11, 2021, 12:23 PM
Apr 2021

I've been giving away a lot of stuff on craigslist, and I usually just meet the recipient somewhere.

And, yeah, you never know. I know I'm getting more suspicious in this day and age, but I always wonder if someone is checking things out to come back and steal later. I decided a couple of years ago that I won't answer the door anymore unless I know who it is. I think I need a bigger "No Soliciting" sign because people often just walk right past it.

Good luck with your goats.

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