locked out...

At 5:00 this morning, Amos asked to go conduct his major business outside.  Since the snow makes that process stress free for him, I wrapped a thin blanket around my pajamas and waited for him at the top of the steps.  In a flash, he was back beside me, and I rather giddily walked back to the door.

The rain forecasted for tomorrow, and the warmer temperatures of course, is going to wash away Amos' beloved covering of the dreaded GREEN grass.  Conducting major business is going to become a battle once more.  I shall heartily miss the snow and find myself looking forward to the next unexpected and unseasonal snowfall.

When I tried to open the door, the latch was locked.  Somehow, the security switch fell down after the storm door swung shut behind me.  Remember, this is 5:00 in the morning.  It was 12 degrees outside, with a wind chill of 0.  I was in my pajamas and without my phone.  I tried and tried and tried to force the door to open.  It wouldn't.  Reluctantly, I went to wake up my neighbor, to whom I had given keys to my house only a couple of months ago.

She would not wake up.
My feet were blue.
My hands were blue.
My face was red.
My beloved puppy dog was whimpering non-stop.

Apparently, her doorbell does not work.  And since she keeps her storm door locked at night, I could not knock directly on her front door.  I banged and banged against her house.  I walked back over to the side of the house where her bedroom is and called her name.  I banged and banged and banged against her house.  I walked back over to the side of the house where her bedroom is and called her name. I banged and banged and banged against her house.  I walked back over to the side of the house where her bedroom is and called her name.

Over thirty minutes later, I finally woke her.  I was shaking so hard I could barely talk, but she understood what I needed.  And she asked that I bring the key back to her later ... not right then.

I need to figure out how to fix or repair the back door storm door latch.  I need to figure out how to temporarily block the security switch.  And I need to figure out how to hide a key to my front door somewhere outside.

I think a part of me is still cold.  Amos surely is.  That or he is using his frigid ordeal as an excuse to spend the entire day beneath the covers, first the bedding and now the electric blanket and quilt.  I do not really blame him.  That's primarily where I have been all day.

A while ago, I locked myself out on the airing porch. I have now locked myself out on the back porch.  I am thinking it is probably good that the front storm door latch does not catch.  Else wise, I am most certain I would be locking myself out from there, too, in the near future.  SIGH.