M. went out on errands while I was at the gym this afternoon, leaving our bigger dogs on the patio and Riley crated.

From the gym, I realized I’d left my ring at home. I emailed him to remember to lock all three doors, something he doesn’t always do. He promised he would.

I headed home around 1pm. As I pulled onto our street, I noticed some guys blowing leaves off the street, and I had a little weird feeling. Gardeners normally don’t blow the street. I didn’t see their truck, either.

But then I saw a guy blowing in a driveway further down and thought, “ok, they’re legit.”

When I got home, M. had left the front door unlocked. As he does often. Even overnight. This makes me crazy. Not only because I’m paranoid, but because all my years alone taught me to always lock up well. It’s automatic for me. I close a door and lock it. A two-step process. Always. Like I wear a seatbelt: Get in, put it on. Always.

When M. got home around 3pm I talked with him about it. Again. How afraid it made me. How I could not check behind him every minute.

At 5pm, we went out to dance lesson and saw the Tampa PD crime scene unit van and a squad car at a house three doors down. We stopped to ask.

Here’s the story, and it freaked me out:

While I was walking into my house this afternoon, three guys had kicked in the door of the nearby house, stole all their electronics and Christmas gifts. At that same time. Three doors down.

We were told that the thieves were targeting homes without garages and without cars in driveways. The wife had gone out. Thank goodness she didn’t walk in on them.

And thank goodness they didn’t know that they wouldn’t have had to kick our door in. They could’ve just walked right in and cleaned us out. Because the dogs were on the patio. And Riley was in his crate.

(If they’d have hurt him…) And I would’ve walked right in on them.

But here’s the weird thing:

Why did I email from the gym to tell M. to lock up?

Why did I have that strange feeling as I saw those guys? I’ve seen guys with blowers a million times.

Instinct. I have it. And always have.

I hope there’s a lesson learned here.