Home Alone

I am such a chicken. I think growing up in the country you always hear about shootings, muggings, robbery and rape happening in cities and you sort of internalize it. Now that I am living in a city I am majorly paranoid. Not that bad things don't happen in the country but it does seem that way. My husband is out of town and I am home alone. I have my two dogs and three handguns and live in a gated community and I still am a little nervous. Actually I was doing really well until I leashed up the dogs to go on their last walk of the day. I always check the peep hole just to make sure no one is standing in front of my door (I told you I was paranoid). Tonight when I checked it I couldn't see anything. It was totally black. I looked again and again and still just blackness. I finally realized that the light in my hallway is dead (presumably it is just burnt out but who knows? Someone could have tampered with it). So I would have to walk out into pitch blackness and then turn and go out to the backyard where there would be a light. Never in the eight months that I have lived here has that light EVER been out and I find it creepy that the night I am alone the hallway is nothing but darkness. I called my mom and told her the scenario. A former New Yorker she immediately said to unleash the dogs, take up their water bowl and set my alarm for really early tomorrow. Under no circumstances was I to go outside. I know it is probably just a burnt out light but I am a pretty slender girl and I don't fool myself to think I could physically fight off someone if they grabbed me. I know it is such a gender stereotype to rely on your man to protect you but I do feel safer when he is here. Sorry that this is completely and utterly unfood related but I just had to vent!