One of those Days

Yup. It was one of those days. Everything is rolling along fine until 2:58 p.m.

2:58 Loading Lindsay and Hayden into the car for a XC meet...Lindsay's last one.

2:59 Locked out of the house.

Time I need to pick up Mallory from school: 3:10

Here's the thing. My new car has a "Smart Key". That means if you aren't smart, you should NOT have a smart key. (I guess that's moi). This key enables you to drive without putting a key in an ignition, you just have to have it somewhere in the car when you want to drive. It also enables you to forget if you took your keys out of your purse and if you forgot to return them to their spot in your purse until you try to push the button to start the car...and it won't.

(History: I've locked myself out of the house twice, now. Yes, that's 2 times. I am my mother's daughter. SLOW learner.)

3:00 Start calling all my friends I think I've made keys for.

Lori answers: I'm on the freeway and you're on speaker so talk loudly!

Deb's reply: Never mind.

Becky answers: Hello?

Deb: Do you have one of my house keys?

Becky: No, you never gave me one.

UGH. Time to call the husband. It's not going to be pretty.

Trying to ring Dave. 5 Times. No answer. At this point, I'm sweating. Lindsay's flustered and worried she's going to miss her last XC meet that she's so excited about. After all, she's 4 for 4 in medals, at this point. She's going for the sweep.

Dave: Right now. You're kidding?

Deb: Do I sound like I'm kidding...Dave...now! I know, I know, you can give me the lecture later. UGH...I have got to go...Lindsay just set off the house alarm and Brinks will be calling me any second.

Dave, again: You're kidding! Is she breaking the door down? (...and endless blah, blah, blah).

I look over at Lindsay and I wonder, verbally, how she managed do that?

Deb: "Lindsay...the dog is inside...can you imagine

how scared she is with that loud alarm going off?"

Lindsay, crying: I don't want to go anymore.

Deb: You better be crying! Now pull it together! (is that an oxymoron?) And, boy, you are going!!! I'm not going through all this for nothing! (Sidenote: the great thing about blogging is you see what a dork you are when you're emotional and have to report on your behavior publicly!)

At this point, Brinks has called, I've given them the lame story of how we locked ourselves out and we are trying to break into our own home. Flustered beyond belief, I'm angry that Mallory NEVER has her cell phone on. It's 3:17 pm. School has been out for 7 minutes! Finally, the phone rings. It's Mal.

Mallory: "Oh! I have a key! I'll start walking home."

Calling Becky: "Would you mind picking up Mallory and so we can turn off the house alarm before the police get here?"

Mallory arrives. I call Dave: "Never mind...Mallory is home...she has a key."

Dave, incredulous: (3rd time, same response): "You're kidding!"

Deb: Don't be mad. It's been this way for 15 years of marriage. Don't worry about coming to the XC meet.

Dave: "Oh. Don't worry, I won't!"

We get to the meet, miraculously, in plenty of time (after 3 more phone calls trying to find directions to this crazy place) -- the parking goes a mile and a half down the street for spectators. Perfect. Time to break some laws and park so I'm in violation of some code in the school parking lot. And others thought there were no more spaces left. Ha! There is NO WAY Hayden is walking that far.

First thing out of the car on the way to the field: Hayden trips over a tree root and skins his knee.

Of course.

Happy Ending: Mallory saves the day with the help of a friend, Becky. We get to the meet in plenty of time; Lindsay places 5th for her 5th consecutive medal. She beat a few girls she hadn't beaten before. She's happy. I'm exhausted. But, no parking ticket.

Thursday, 8:51 a.m. Agenda: Get house keys made, distribute to every body and their dog.

And so it goes...