state of mind

FDR was not talking about me

     I am referring to his "the only thing we have to fear, is fear itself" line in his fireside address.
     We have plenty of things to fear, and I do!  Feral cats, raccoons and skunks in the garage, burglars, scams, natural gas leaks, excessive cell phone radiation, burglars, ceiling fans spinning wildly out of control and decapitating me during my sleep, coyotes, burglars, bears, (although not the Chicago Bears because they don't seem very threatening lately), crowds, loneliness, strangers who yell random things on street corners, people who talk to themselves, terrorists and burglars.
     Did I mention burglars?
     Here's my nightly routine.  Play on computer, do blog, play on computer, go to bed.  Before going to bed check front door, patio door, make sure garage doors are down and outside door locked, lock garage door, recheck front door, patio door, garage door.......and then brush teeth and all that personal hygiene stuff.
     Finally, it's actually getting in the bed.
     That's when the problems start.  I keep hearing noises and thinking someone is at a door or window.  Frequently I get up and recheck the doors and windows.
     It is always nothing.  Thankfully, nothing.
     Last night at 11:45, after I had finally gotten to sleep, there was a huge crash and the sound of metal hitting something.
     Corki did not stir.  Jackie did not stir.  I could not tell which of them was snoring louder.
     I got up and checked the garage.  OK.
     Security light not on on the back, so no one was there.
     Looked in the pantry to see if something fell off a shelf.  Nada.
      The house was eerily quiet except for the creaking of my knees as I walked across the wooden floors.
     Finally I got to the east wing and looked in the spare bathroom and voila!!    The damn shower curtain rod had fallen!  Again!
     Prior to Julia coming home the rod had fallen  at least three times.  I kept tightening it and putting it back up.  The whole time Julia was here it was fine.
     Then last night, 5 days after it had been last touched, it came down with a thud.
     To say I was relieved would be an understatement.
     And it would be safe to say.......gonna look for a security system.
     I think it's time.