For a few weeks now, I’ve been a little uneasy when it is time for me to go to sleep. Even with the Fort Knox type security system and a dog, I’m still a chicken. So, last night, before I went to bed, I was thankful for the rain. Rain is a wonderful sleep aid. Until that rain becomes a thunderstorm, and that storm wreaks havoc on your peaceful sleep.
2:46am. I woke up to the sound of my security system going off. I spring up, look at my alarm clock to see what time it is, grab my phone (for when the security system people call to see if I’m ok and I can yell, “NO!”) and turn on the lamp. Only the lamp doesn’t turn on. Blown bulb? I scurry over to my overhead light. Nothing. I turn around to look at my clock again. Blank. Oh hell.
For a moment there I was convinced that this was my Ashley Judd moment in Kiss the Girls (you know, when he cuts the power to her house while she’s asleep, and she runs down the stairs into her fish tank and he kidnaps her). To make matters worse, my phone didn’t ring. This was my thought process: Gulp, what happens if the power was cut while my alarm was going off? Is this why they aren’t calling me? What am I going to do? I’m stuck in my room, in the pitch black darkness, with nothing but my cell phone and my dog. Breathe, think, breathe. I know! I’ll call Ben. Sure, he lives an hour away, but he’ll know what to do!
That my friends, was a correct assumption. Sweet Ben (who gets mad, mad props for even answering his phone at 3:00am) suggested that I look out my window at the street lights, which were dark. Power outage, not power cut-age. Whew!
I still called my security system peeps to ask them what was up with my alarm sounding and them not calling. It had not sounded according to their computer, and my girl Darlene assured me that I was still being monitored because my system is a) wireless and b) has a battery backup.
Nevertheless, I’ve decided I’m arming myself. I know, I know, it goes against my mainly democratic belief system, but my dog and my cell phone aren’t going to cut it if this happens again.
thetightropeblog.com 
I got one a couple of years ago and even though it has only been shot at the range, I feel a little bit better knowing if someone comes after me I am not just a helpless chick!!
Sooooo scary! Hope you sleep better tonight, girl.
I would go with you to a concealed weapons class. I've wanted to do it for awhile and I know of one we could go to….
Any just who would you have pointed that gun at last night?
I've had one ever since I first lived alone about four years ago. It's definitely something I'm glad that my dad MADE me get. If you want tips on what to buy and where to go to practice, call Marcy…he'd love to chat with you about guns. Yes, he is sad, don't laugh.