A word of caution

...we all know not to open the door to strangers

...we hear all the time to ask for identification when someone comes knocking

...we hear all the time how people push their way into someone's home causing havoc (to put it mildly ~ it's still early here and I'm just now having my coffee)

...This morning shortly before 9 a.m. the doorbell rang

...It's the fellow from the Mosquito Abatement Department of the County (he has to go around and check swimming pools and any other types of standing water to make sure there are no baby 'squitos or adult ones that will breed)

..."Go to the gate and let yourself in and I'll meet you"

...NOW:

1. I didn't ask for identification at the door
2. I allowed him to let himself in the gate (which is normally locked)
3. I met him at the gate (by myself still in jammies and hair looking like the mice had a field day)
4. I walked around the back yard to the pool and back to the gate with him talking all the while
5. I left the door to the house unlocked and probably cracked open


AND:

For not one nano second of time did I think anything about anything except that this guy was checking my pool (which is empty by the way so no problem)

He did not know if I was by my self or not (I wasn't)

I didn't know if he was by himself

I never once thought how easy it would have been for someone to come to my door ~ gain entrance (even through the gate to the backyard) ~ have accomplices waiting for entrance.

I preach and preach to my daughters the importance of keeping your doors locked and not letting anyone in without identification (even if you are expecting them). ~ And now here I "done and did it".

It was at least a half hour before I even realized what I had done and to me that is scary.