At least I brought a hot lunch.

My morning started with my thunking myself in the forehead. Why? Because I locked myself out. I know how I did it. When I walk K- to school, I take my keys and cell phone with me. When I came in, I tossed my keys onto the kitchen table, as opposed to latching them onto my purse. I put my coat on, meant to put the keys into my pocket, scooped up my lunch, grabbed my camera and purse and out the door I went, checking the lock before I pulled it shut. I got out the door, gave my pocket a pat and it was flat. Drat. (Totally didn't meant to do that, but the rhyming was fun!)

I remembered that Hubs made a point of telling us this weekend that he had stowed a key away outside in case the neighbor had lost his. I knew where he said he put it, but it didn't appear accessible. I tried him on his cell. He didn't answer. I tried his work number. It was busy, but finally I got through. I got his boss, who had to call Hubs away from teaching so that he could tell me that the key he stowed away was his personal house key and that he TOOK IT BACK! Ugh! And, since Hubs was teaching a class, he couldn't get away.

Add to the locked out stress by knowing that I forgot to transfer my extra car key over to my new purse that I started using a few months ago. I was locked out and had no way to get anywhere other than on foot.

At least I had my cell.

I called work to tell them that I would be late. I called my friend Heather and asked if she would take me to work. She said that she'd be right there. I called my mother-in-law and asked if she or my father-in-law could pick me up from work and drive K- and me back home. She said that would be fine. Then, since Hubs had to work late, I called the neighbor to ask if he would be home on time. He has an extra house key, so that would save Hubs a trip out and back. He said that he wasn't working late, but bless his heart. I think that he was up in a telephone pole somewhere very near an operational train. I always call him at the worst times!

So, it all worked out and we ended up home. My mother-in-law remembered that she had a key to our house, so she sent my father-in-law along with that. We were able to get in without the neighbor. Hubs went and got TWO! copies of the house key and a little jibbit to keep it in. Apparently, we will be placing the jibbit in its super secret home tomorrow.

Let's just hope that I remember my keys until then.

Smiles in my day:
- Getting the tasks that I've "contractually obligated" myself to done. In other words, I have a calendar that I keep to when doing the Christmas decorating at work. It allows my boss to know what I'm doing and where. It keeps my upstairs organizer up-to-date on what my next pile o' needs will be. It lets my coworker in crime, Julia, know where to expect to be tripping over me next. It also keeps my sanity intact. If I can keep to what I have listed on that calendar, I'm good.
- Carving pumpkins. K- gutted her own. She needed help with the strings and some continual emotional support as she was telling me, "Mommy, this is gross! Ewww! I need you to do this for me! Mom! Can you do this, please?" I told her that I had 3 to do and she only had one. She ended up bucking up and doing a good job. She even carved it herself and did a bang-up job! (Yes, I'll post pictures, but I was too lazy today.)
- Heather being happy to take me to work and reminding me of the mouse story. It's one I have to share. One night, my phone rings and it is someone screaming on the phone. Finally, I figure out that it is Heather, though I have no idea what is going on. Between screams, I'm able to figure out that she had a mouse on the loose in her kitchen. Her husband was at a basketball game and wouldn't be home for another few hours. She said she had a trap. I told her to put it out. 15 minutes later, the phone rings. It is Heather. She is yelling into the phone again. This time, the mouse took the bait and was stuck to the trap. I told her to take it out. She said no way, no how. I told her to put something over it. She said that she put a bucket on top, but it was scratching against the side. Then I said, "Heather, do I need to come over there?" "Could you?" So, I drove on over half laughing all the way because clearly this was my husband's territory but if I left Heather with this mouse in her kitchen for a few hours, she'd probably have a nervous breakdown or at the very least, wake the kids with all the yelling. I came in, assessed the situation, grabbed a hunk of cardboard, slid it under the trap while keeping the bucket on top and went walking across the kitchen before Heather even realized that her floor was free of mouse. "Where do you want it?" She points, "Way over there! There is a gopher hole and I want you to push it into it. They'll like a mouse." That's what I did and apparently, the offending critter was gone from the trap before Ryan got home. When I got home the next evening, there was a gorgeous gift basket waiting for me. Heather and Ryan paid me for extermination with bath lovelies. As for me driving me to work? I'll pay Heather in brownies. The girl has a love for chocolate like me.

Have a nice night!