damsel in distress.

Last night I got home at 10:00 PM. I was out for the evening, first at a church activity and then to china-mart. My husband had left the house the same time I did with my kids to go to his brother's house, and help with a computer problem. I got home and the porch light was off and I unloaded my things on the porch. I tried to make some noise like slamming the car doors. This way our loud large dogs will notify my husband someone is outside, and then I will get help with the groceries. :)

But.... my loud dogs never notified. They did not bark at all. I went up to the door and knocked softly so that the dogs would hear, but would not wake my (supposed to be) sleeping kids.

They did not bark when I knocked.  My dogs let me know when my neighbors get home, so I knew something was wrong. I then realized all the lights in the house were on, and I did not leave them on.  My first thought was my family and my dogs are dead inside my house. I fumbled for my keys, and realized I did not have the new key for the new security screen we just got. Not smart.

Then I realized that I did not have the garage door opener. Not smart.

We do not have a cell phone, so I ran next door to use my neighbors phone. I called my brother in law and asked should my husband be home by now? He wasn't sure. "What time did he leave"? He was not sure. So, then after the practical advice from my neighbor to call the police.... I called a friend of mine in the neighborhood that owns lots of guns. She did not answer.

I remembered that I just purchased a axe at china-mart, and it was sitting on my porch in the dark. I ran back home and fumbled for it in the bag, and ripped the cover off. I was about to go through the back yard to the back of the house when I hear my husband call my name. AAHHH!! I could have killed him!!

Turns out the whole clan was in the bathroom. UGH.

I made some very stupid decisions last night like not having my keys- and shopping so late.

I will never forget when I asked my husband if he ever gets freaked out while walking through a parking lot at night. He looked at me and puffed out a "no." As if to say "do you? how silly!"

Men and women might be on the same planet but I think in certain areas we view the world very differently. I want to be able to take care of myself and I do not want to be a damsel in distress.

 I am not some amazon-bush woman who "doesn't need a man."

I need a man, and I love men- especially my husband.

But I want to be able to take care of myself. I have been flirting with the idea of self defence classes, and shooting classes. I have a new found resolve to set the date, and stop saying "I need to do that."

Always being prepared is filling up my car when the tank reaches 1/2 empty instead of coasting to the gas station on fumes, always having all of my keys when I leave the house, having a full car emergency kit, putting my keys and purse and shoes in their designated places so that if i need to GO I am not dead because I couldn't find my keys. Not wearing flip flops all the time, but actual shoes. These are things I need to work on.   

 Why must she be naked? Seriously? Tied up and naked... that is just sad.

 Almost naked.

 Again with the naked?

 She is almost naked. ....but I do like her eyebrows.

How cool is this ninja spike.
I keep focusing on food storage, and that is important but I can not forget the simple truth that I can't eat if I'm dead....and I can't cook for my family if I am dead, and if that happens they will all die with out me.
Self defence and physical strength are an important part of self reliance.
So we better get to working out and learn how to better protect our bodies, or else we will end up naked and tied to a tree waiting for a man to save us, and that is no place I want to be.