My neighbor

[Suze]

P.S. I was also wondering how big the bedside table was that a mace fit in there.

<giggle> Some maces aren't all that big you know.  Now the ones with the ball and chain -- Oh what a pic that turns up in my head.  And about the guns I agree, if you can't pull the trigger on another human, don't get a gun.  It will most likely be used on you

Just to add onto Suze post - Swords/knives are not playthings...

Renaissance Faire geek here (not SCA) and DH and I own quite a number of sharp and pointies.  Some are edged weapons and some are dull on purpose (stage combat).

We treat them like dangerous weapons.  They live in a locked gun cabinet that DH modified inside to hold his claymore (Scottish broadsword) and rapier (think 3 Musketeers) as well as my dagger collection.

Of course my 6'2" 300+lbs "built like an offensive lineman" DH could do serious damage to a burglar with or without a weapon.  But we lock our doors anyway. 

Better safe than sorry.

That sounds like the best place to keep them - instead of hanging on a wall.  One of our members homes was broken into and apart from the mundane things that they stole, They took the sword that he had been knighted with (for the non Society members out there - knighting is a VERY BIG DEAL, something to be strived for and earned)

He was more upset at that then the TV and VCR missing (which were brand new)

[Nuala]

Where do you keep your purse?   

My purse goes on a hook in the coat closet, which is not visible from the kitchen door (the one we use the most).

When we redid the kitchen, I included little drawers near the door for the keys.  This way we drop them near the door, but they are not visible, as a key hook would be.  So where does dh leave his wallet and keys?  On the counter, next to the drawer.  Visible from the outside.  Pretty much waving hello and saying "Take me!"

I will put his things in the drawer when I see them, and he always knows where to find them, but he can't seem to put in all that extra effort to open the drawer. 

[Suze]

Mine lives in the kitchen on a bar stool, in the winter UNDER my coat.

But you either have to go through the living room or the front garage to get to the kitchen, and both those outside doors are kept locked.

[Shoo]

I wonder if the OP is ever going to come back and tell us how she decided to handle this.

[Pixie]

I got in the habit of locking our door when we lived in Idaho.  We had this odd wind/ air pressure thing where our front door would just open.... with cats and small children, it was not good. So we always locked our door and put in a storm/screen door, just in case, which was also kept locked.   We rarely used our front door anyway, we came in through the garage and used the keypad for the automatic opener.   

As for my purse?   I don't carry one.  I have a small case which slips into my pocket and holds my debit card and driver's license, maybe a couple bucks..... but that's it.  It goes into a drawer on my desk when I come home with my keys and my smokes.   Hubby puts his hat, wallet, and keys in a kitchen cabinet  so they aren't sitting out making clutter.    All our doors are locked at all times except our back door while we are outside smoking.... we lock the door again when we come in.    Its just habit.

[Chivewarrior]

I locked my dorm room unless I was just down the hall using the bathroom, right from the first last year. Which is probably why I'm the only one who was bypassed by the thief.

[magicdomino]

Just a question for all of you that leave your doors unlocked.

Where do you keep your purse?   

My dining table is a powerful "stuff" magnet.  The purse is irresistibly drawn to it, accompanied by my tote bag and/or coat, where it lies hidden among newspapers, catalogs, and plastic bags with stuff that is going to the office or attic but hasn't made it yet.

[Buffy2424]

I'm not one of the ones with unlocked doors, but I keep my purse in the bathroom.  It's where I get ready, and where I have to go when I get home!

[DaeOne]

My keys hang on a hook by the back door, on an inner doorjamb. If you look in the window of the back door, you can't see the keys hanging up there. My purse ends up near the dining table. If company is coming, it eithers goes into a closet, or the sideboard.

Until just very recently, the back door stayed unlocked during the daytime. That changed, when two men raced through my front yard, one of them yelling at the other to stop. I ran outside, and asked them what they were doing in my yard. The one called for me to call 911, as he was chasing a thief. I did so, then followed them in the car. (Yes, I locked up when I left.)

Seems the guy had tried to steal a bike, but was chased off by the owner. Their running through my yard made me realize I have to keep all doors locked!

[kathrynne]

Doors locked and alarm system armed. Purse either in a second-floor bedroom or in the basement next to me when I'm home, and attack parrot out and flying around freely. I pity the fool who breaks in when I'm home alone--a macaw is not to be messed with if you're invading his home. They're pretty good for home security and far louder than a security system.

Then again, while in college I had two muggings, two attempted rapes and was robbed at gunpoint while working at a chicken joint. That was more than 25 years ago and I will always be aware and wary, if not downright paranoid.

[Venus193]

Anybody know whether the OP ever came back to read the rest of this thread?

[teenylee]

I didn't realize there would be so many responses! First of all, my neighbor does not have my key. I don't know who was saying that.

Second, yes, I know we should look our doors. Of course we learned our lesson.

We are currently renting. We are looking to buy a house... far away from this neighbor.

[Twik]

My dining table is a powerful "stuff" magnet.  The purse is irresistibly drawn to it, accompanied by my tote bag and/or coat, where it lies hidden among newspapers, catalogs, and plastic bags with stuff that is going to the office or attic but hasn't made it yet.

Gasp! I must have bought a matching table!

[aloe]

Me too...and good luck with your home search, teenylee.

[Sophia]

My dining table is a powerful "stuff" magnet.  The purse is irresistibly drawn to it, accompanied by my tote bag and/or coat, where it lies hidden among newspapers, catalogs, and plastic bags with stuff that is going to the office or attic but hasn't made it yet.

Gasp! I must have bought a matching table!

I have some friends who designed (with expert advice) their house.  Part of the expert advice was to build in a designated 'place to dump' stuff.  Because, whether designed in or not, there will be that place.  Mine is the kitchen table in the breakfast room which I never use.