Community Chat

[LaterGator]

My dogs wanted to go outside and it was dark. They've been sprayed by skunks several times so I always check outside before I let them out. I took our spotlight and went out through the sliding glass door and pulled it shut behind me to check. I determined that it was okay for them to go out and as soon as I put my hand on the door handle, my German Shepherd jumped up on the door and caught the latch with his paw and locked the door with me on the outside and them on the inside.

Having no key outside, I panicked. There was one window I knew was not locked but it leads to a furnace room and the door between the furnace room and the house was also locked. By now I was freezing in my t-shirt and pants and sandals. I took the spotlight and walked to the side of the house where the garages are thinking maybe, just maybe I left the walk through door open there. No such luck. Just at that time, the UPS man pulled in with his truck (it was about 6:30 CT and it was dark) he asked me if I was okay and I told him what happened. He let me use his phone so I called my DH who is out of town. (Of course.) DH knew I was panicked and told me to go to the neighbors and ask Mr. Neighbor to come over and break a window. All of our locks are dead bolts. Mr. Neighbor wasn't comfortable with that so he called a locksmith.

The locksmith worked for about an hour to try and get the lock open and he said we have anti-bump locks so people can't put a key in and hit it with a hammer to open the locks. There are extra pins and springs in the locks. The locksmith could not get it open. Meanwhile, I'm out there freezing my patooties off and my toes were frozen. He finally said he could drill it open. I said do it. We can change the locks. Finally, about two hours later I'm back in the house and the dogs are wondering why I didn't let them out in the first place.

I've learned my lesson, there will be a key put outside somewhere just in case and I'll be leaving one with my neighbors. What an experience. However, I now know that no one can bump my locks open. Thank goodness for that. I'm still trying to get my toes warm.