House clearing practice @ 1AM this morning

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Joined
Dec 25, 2007
Messages
9,934
Location
missouri
I have what some would call a 'sun room' at the back door entrance to the house. Not so much sun room as catch all room plus part is used for food pantry. Since no heat duct in there, the door into the kitchen is usually left slightly ajar at night. Just past 1AM this morning, that door closed waking me since my bedroom is in the basement directly below the doorway. Instantly 100% alert, I stayed silent listening for movement. There's a creaky stair tread 3 steps down the basement stairs and a squeak in the floor near the doorway past the kitchen so anyone taking either path was going to make noise. Nothing happened but I wasn't about to write it off w/o taking a look.
P95, flashlight, and house slippers and I'm sneaking up the stairs taking care to avoid step #3. Yep, door is closed-no question it was open when I went to bed. Checked outer door and outside but nothing there either. Went through rest of house and nothing else amiss. Heart rate returns to semi-normal and back to bed.
I have a good idea what the cause was: The wind had shifted to the south and a random wind gust pushed a bit of draft around the back door seal perfectly timed with the furnace fan kicking on created enough air movement to pull the door closed abruptly. I do remember the furnace fan was running when I awoke.
Oh, well just write it off to a training exercise.
 

RSIno1

Hunter
Joined
Sep 17, 2013
Messages
2,858
Location
Southern California
Lucky you didn't meet Hank the Tank in your larder.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/south-lake-tahoe-bear-california-hank-the-tank-breaks-into-home/
 
Joined
Dec 19, 2001
Messages
10,107
Location
Alaska, Idaho USA
Squeaks are your friends. Our house in Anchorage had 2 levels and that's what I listened for. My house here is one level and I don't believe there's a single squeak. When my 120 # Lab was alive, he would alert me to anything going on. Not always sure what he thought he heard but it certainly brought you to consciousness.
 
Joined
Dec 25, 2007
Messages
9,934
Location
missouri
I assume I developed the ability to go from sleep to full alert in the 'long ago and far away' period where failure to make that switch had serious consequences. We don't get much 'noise pollution' here so ANY strange sound brings me to full consciousness.
 
Joined
Dec 25, 2007
Messages
9,934
Location
missouri
"Second, if they get inside I'm not going looking for them. I'm going to let them come to me down that long narrow hallway."
Since I sleep in the basement anyone intruding on the main floor will follow the sounds of snoring to Grouch Attack's bedroom. The results of THAT will be enlightening for the intruder.
 
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