Thanks for your kind words everyone. It does help to talk to someone, even if online.
I don't have a gun because I don't believe in firearms and don't want one. (Please don't flame me now.)
I do believe in other weapons and my brother is in marshall arts and able to get me a variety of things should I want.
I carry a small knife in my truck and my bed (don't tell the law). I'd like to have bigger ones actually.
I used to own a 125 lb dog, pitt/boxer but my ex owns him now courtesy of a divorce. I could have a dog in the house I rent, which is small and I've thought about it but my landlord doesn't approve and I'm not home that much at all and I think it would be mean to the dog to sit inside all the time. I would never chain a dog up in my backyard, I watched one die that way when younger, neglected.
You'd never believe it but I have a territorial cat and she is what helped me finalize my feelings that there was someone in my window. She warned me.
Actually, i put my face right up into the window while he was standing right there. I yelled at him too then the girly came out and I ran in the other room and called 911. Took my local police 10 minutes to get there so I'm glad he wasn't trying to do anything else to me.
He poked some holes in my screen and apparantly opened the crawl space under my house for some reason. That corner of the house that my bedroom is in is pitch black with no lighting and a 4 ft hedge next to it.
I"ll be installing lighting there even if the landlord doesn't offer or like it.
Thanks for all the ideas, I am thinking everything over! It is a total shame your right. I am hoping that like some of you said, he's flushed out because I saw him face to face and then the cops were out to my house invesitigating.
Have a great day.
Heather