Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Today

Today, I packed up my kids to drive to Amy's house. I packed up our lunches; I packed up my purse. I moved Tate's car seat so he could sit next to his sister. I checked all the downstairs windows and doors to be sure they were shut and locked. I climbed in the car and went to start it up and realized my keys were not in the ignition. ACK! Thinking they were in my purse, I dug through that. I checked the floor and the passenger seat. No keys. What can I do; I'm locked out!

I shamefully tried Mike's mobile phone (thankfully I had mine in my purse), voicemail.
I shamefully tried Mike's work phone, voicemail.
I started to get a little panicky and wondered if I should call Amy.
I looked up and saw the open window in Ellerie's room...right over the garage.

Maybe my neighbor had a ladder.

She did and she kindly helped me carry it across the street and helped me break into my own house. The last time I locked myself out (Yes, it's happened before. Don't laugh), I was thoughtful (or thoughtless, depending) enough to have left a ground floor window unlocked. So, while I may have looked like a doofus with my bum hanging out my front bedroom window as I tried to climb in, I did not have to confess my behavior to anyone else. This time, although slightly embarrassed at my silliness being exposed, I was feeling rather clever at having solved my troubles without Mike needing to leave work. "Won't he be impressed, " I thought. I know I was. Only, a little problem came up. I was inside the house, but no keys. I always hang them on the same little peg right inside the door. I knew they had to be SOMEWHERE. And, as it turns out, they WERE somewhere.


In the car.

THE. WHOLE. TIME.

Right down next to that car seat I had moved.
So I've got my keys, but my mind and my dignity?

GONE.



15 comments:

Artfulife said...

Oh you just made my day! I just giggled & giggled. How often do we find ourselves in this situation as moms? Dean just doesn't understand how I forget where my keys are. I tell him if he had as many kids to juggle, he would loose more than just his keys. After staying home a few days in a row, listening to the joyful sounds of screaming/hungry/whining children he now understands. Now if I could only get him to understand what it feels like to carry an extra 22 pounds around for 9 months I'd be in business ;)

Korana said...

I sooo can relate. I can't tell you how many times I've locked myself out. Thank God our trusted neighbors have a spare for us!

Kathy said...

Been there! Had to send a small child through a small opening to unlock the door. My keys and my purse were still inside.

Melissa Crowe said...

If I EVER knew we were two of kind, it's right now.

blue china studio happy said...

Oh that is too funny. I know it isn't nice to laugh at someone's troubles but what a humorous little post you wrote! It made me giggle too...glad it all worked out in the end.

One Photo said...

Oh just brilliant! That sounds like the sort of thing I would do in a bad state of momnesia. Just brilliant. I have in the past locked myself out of the house and have also been locked out by my then two year old, on a freezing cold winter day when I had no jacket on.....

It happens to the best of us is all I can say :-)

Jen said...

This is what my husband said after I read it to him, "Wow, that sounds like YOU!" Thank you for letting me know I'm not the only one. I lost my cell a few weeks back. Called my employer, had her look at her place. Looked all over the house, and my car. Called it with my home phone to see if it would ring and I could follow the ring. Nothing. Finally, later that night, went back out to the car and called it with my home phone. It was ringing, IN the kleenex box it fell into.

feather said...

okay, this is the story of my life. happens every day. no joke. usually, i find them hanging from my jeans pocket or already in the ignition. if i haven't lost my keys, i've lost my phone.

Nicola said...

LOL Oh, Elissa, I can just hear you trying to squeeze the humor out of an irritating situation. Blahhhh! I am sorry. Hope your outing was fun!

Oh and would it help that since having kids I have left my keys on the roof of the car only have Mike drive off and have to stop on the side of the FREEWAY to pick them up when we heard them fly off the car?
Yeah.
Nicola

beemahoney said...

Oh LISS! sounds like me so many times! - except not with the locked house (I don't have locks on the windows, and never lock any doors-don't have a key to any) Just the madness, the frantic looking for something - sounds like me! Sounds like everyone on here can relate!

Amber said...

LOVE IT! Sorry I am laughing at your expense. But it's only cause I can totally relate.

I once frantically tore the house apart looking for my keys. I was late to my class at the gym and was in full on panic mode thinking I would have to call a locksmith. Then Cora asked why I was running around like a crazy woman. I told her mommy was searching for her keys. She said (and I will never forget this), "well if you lost your keys, how did the car get started?" Um, right. Schooled by a then 2-yr-old.

You have not lost your mind or your sanity. You are what I like to refer to as a MOTHER.

Theresa said...

Dear, I have locked my keys in the car TWICE in my life, and in neither case did I have the excuse of having to keep track of anyone other than myself...

joanie said...

Oh Elissa, we've all been there! Some of us too often. It's nice of you to share your day with the rest of us. Gave me a good giggle!

Dana - Old Red Barn Co. said...

Can't.


Type.


Sorry.

Too.


Busy.


Laughing.


Hysterically!!!!

UK lass in US said...

Ha ha ha. (Sorry).

Hmm. Maybe I should give the neighbours a spare key.