Threatening Dogs & Pocketbook & Doorbells
We had to take the motor home to get a recall fixed on the engine, so we went on from there (Roanoke) to our hometown (Galax) and spent a few days. Several family members were able to get together for a picnic on the Blue Ridge Parkway. My mother was able to come, but was unable to climb the steps to view a little cabin way down in the valley below at Wild Cat Rocks (Doughton Park). My parents used to take us kids there many years ago and it has always been a special place for me. We stayed in park’s campground and one evening had hail for 30 minutes and severe thunder and lightning. We had just returned from a hike when this occurred. I am surely thankful we made it back before this storm hit.
Last month, in this journal, I must have offended some dogs when I said “I think one of the greatest hindrances to door knocking is dogs.” This month we had three dogs waiting for us in one yard. They were barking and cutting a shine as normal, but there was no fence around the yard so I thought it would be alright. I proceeded on to the door thinking Sandy was following, but she had stopped about halfway in the yard and kept the dogs at bay or vice versa. She said the big dog got her upper arm in its mouth for awhile, but did not break the skin. When I turned and saw what was going on, I shouted at the dogs and started toward them. Sandy started toward the road and the dogs was barking and waiting on me. As I passed between the dogs and a car I had my arm about chest high and the big one got my wrist, that is, all of it in its mouth with plenty of mouth left over! I kept walking, as best as I could, and talking to the dog as I do any such animal. Something like “Ahgg, get out of here” (calmly, [ha] but firmly). We are thankful we were not hurt and have determined to be more cautious as to which yards we enter and more careful what we write! HA!
The Pocketbook
Trouble was not over for Sandy! But first let me say that for years when Sandy would ask me to get something out of her pocket book I would just hand it to her, not knowing, but suspecting danger from it. Now I have even more reason to refuse to get anything out of it. When we got back to the “hot” car (and we were hot and sweaty) Sandy started looking for something in her pocket book. How she can ever find anything in it is beyond me, this is why I don’t even try! As she rambled around in it she gave out a squall! No, it wasn’t a dog in her pocket book, it was a wasp and it nailed her good.
Door Knocking
Over the years of doing some door knocking I have been amazed at the deplorable condition some people live in. Some are elderly and evidently neglected by their families or have no family. Some seem to be able to do better, but don’t. Some you know can do better, but won’t. And others, perhaps, are doing the best they can. Whatever the case, it is sad. One thing is for certain: they all need the gospel of Christ.
I am thankful for door bells as it would be rough on the knuckles to knock on 50 plus doors in a few hours. I am sure I can learn many things about door knocking from others and I hope to do so (I suppose most will come from “hard knocks”), but here are a few things that I practice. I ring the door bell and listen for it as sometimes they do not work. If it works and is a “normal” door bell I wait about 5 seconds and ring it again just in case the folks did not hear it the first time for some reason or another. I do not ring it more than twice. Often times you know people are home, because you see them or hear them, but they will not come to the door. That is fine with me, after all, it is their door, and I am the intruder. I hang the material and leave. By the way, we honor the people’s request of “No Trespassing” and “No Soliciting.”
Now some door bells are not “normal,” they evidently aspire to be a Mozart as they keep on and on. I do not give them encouragement by pushing “them” again. Enough is enough. We even ran across one door bell that played “Little Brown Jug.” I pity some door bells: some are hanging by their wires; other’s plastic covering is so old they even break when you touch them; and some are very bashful and hide from you. Sometimes there is a handle on the door and not a knob, so we fold over the material (not crease it) in order for it to “lock” under the handle. I prefer not doing this unless it is real secure (see last month). I prefer hanging it on almost anything more secure, but sometimes you have no choice. On many doors the door bell button is right beside the handle. One time we started to leave, but noticed the door bell kept on ringing. It was a “normal” door bell so we knew something was not right. Upon investigation we found the corner of the packet was pressing against the button. Now we make certain it is not touching anywhere close to the button as we do not want any irate home owners over the matter.
