This past weekend I attended the Pittsburgh Sisters in Crime Retreat 2011.  We stayed at That Dam Yough House http://www.thatdamyoughhouse.com in Confluence PA.

In the guest book, there's a number of references from past visitors about the Creepy Guy next door.  So we've been joking about it all weekend.  With that in mind, before we left, someone called out... "Is the back door locked?"  So I locked the handle and the deadbolt.

Off we went to wine and dine.  So there we were, wandering the streets of Confluence after a fantabulous dinner at The River's Edge Restaurant, returning to our home away from home.  One of us decided to wait to use the pristine potty at That Dam Yough House instead of the restaurant.  She will go unnamed, but her initials are Mary.  :-)

When we returned and tried to use the key, it wouldn't open the front door.  Upon further investigation we then discovered the back door dead bolt didn't match the key that opened the door knob.  We were locked out.

We called three numbers listed outside and go figure, no one answered.  Something had to be done.  It was colder then desired and we would all eventually need a bathroom.  Especially Mary.

Again because of the creepy guy, the night before we were sure to lock the windows we had opened.  So, six of us stood out front laughing about the fact that we now had "our story" to brag about all year.  Except, getting locked out didn't seem to be that interesting or as dangerous as flood waters lapping at your door.  But the cold, windy night air was doing wonderful things for Mary.  Remember Mary and the pristine potty?  The side of the house that was dark was looking like gold to her now.

Martha remembered she had left her upstairs window unlocked.  Just about the time they were ready to toss Jennifer up on the porch roof to enter the house somehow, I decided to look around.

I felt bad for Mary since I had been the one to actually throw the deadbolt on the back door.  SO I walked around peering at the windows we didn't open and found one left unlocked.  Thing was... we had to get past the new screen.  I played with with it and managed to slid it to the side and stick my finger in the middle of this long, skinny window.  Broke a nail too.

We eventually pried the screen out and elected Jennifer (the smallest one here) to be hoisted up into the house.  To say it was a laugh fest would be putting it lightly while I held up the heavy wooden blind and the rest of them shoved her through the window.

We couldn't log on fast enough to share "our retreat" story with you.
What we learned from this episode was...

1. Go to the bathroom before you leave anywhere.
2. Jennifer has specialized in B & E before having been shoved through other windows because of her size.
3. Make sure you have a "Jennifer" at every retreat to toss into an unlocked window.
4. But most important...check the keys someone gives you before you throw the lock.