About a year after I moved into my current house, I was in my office (most people would use it as a dining room), late at night (around 11 pm) when I heard a noise. I live alone and wondered what the noise was. I opened the blinds and was startled to see someone standing RIGHT THERE in front of me, wearing a hooded coat, with the hood up. Not really thinking, and just reacting to my fear and shock, I loudly screamed "Who are you and what the f--- are you doing there?!?!" (Apparently fear makes me lose all semblance of propriety).

The person jumped almost as high as I had when I opened the blinds and called back through the window "I'm so sorry! I was chasing my dog. She is here in your shrubs, and I was trying to get her to come to me!" It was a woman. And sure enough, her dog, was in my shrubs, beside the window.

I replied "You scared the crap out of me!" She apologized again and I asked if she was ok or if she needed any help. She assured me she was fine.

Here's the thing. I own guns. I keep at least one loaded. And had the person made a move toward the window, I would have been going for the gun, hiding up in my bedroom, and dialing the police on the cell phone. I would not have shot through the window, but if someone breached my home's physical perimeter, with as much adrenaline as I had flowing, I would have shot anyone coming through the bedroom door. Again, I lived alone - it's not like a spouse would walk in unawares, and police are always smart enough to make their presence known.

Now? I have other people in the house with me, so I keep the guns under more locks and keys. I'd still call the police, but I would likely use a blunt object at closer range rather than a firearm. In fact, I really like the baseball bat cum mace idea mentioned above.

If someone is simply on the sidewalk, looking at my windows? I wouldn't worry much. But when they are right next to my window, seemingly looking in? Yes, I worried, I panicked, and I yelled like crazy with phone in hand. Had it been a man instead of a woman, I probably would not have calmed down or offered any help and probably would have told him to get the h--- off my property and leave the dog because I was calling the police.