 | Over the river and through the woods, to Grandma's house we go
Current mood:  numb Yesterday, I took the boys to visit Grandma and Grandpa. Littleman's cousin (the one closest in age) was there, and the boys would get to play together and drive the battery-powered jeeps around the property. We planned to stay for dinner, get Littleman ready for bed and drive home at a reasonable bedtime, since Littleman had Montessori to get to this morning.
I brought a quilt I have been working on (read: a quilt that has been sitting around, that I keep meaning to work on) since I was pregnant with Sweetcheeks, and a book I am reading. Ha ha ha. Who was I kidding? It was one minor emergency after another. Potty training accidents, an episode with a goo-filled toy that sprung a leak all over Mr. Cheeks (is it toxic? did he eat any? I don't know. . .) and the resulting baths, a rebellious toddler and a tired baby who positively refuses to nap, and constant surviellance in a home that's not baby-proofed. By the time we'd finished dinner and I was helping clean up, I was ready to go. Probably, Grandma and Grandpa were looking forward to some peace as well. I got the boys ready to go and picked up a couple things to load in the car.
I couldn't find my keys. They were not on the table, and I remembered I'd seen them under the table on the floor when I was sweeping after dinner. (By the time I'd swept my pile into the dustpan and tossed it, I'd already forgotten about my keys. My attention span is SHOT). I figured Mr. Sweetcheeks had taken them when he was playing under the table. It had been less than an hour- they couldn't have gone far.
We turned that house upside down. We searched for three solid hours before giving up for the night and going to bed. (Isn't it fun to stay the night someplace when you absolutely did not pack for it? Especially with two young children? One of whom will be missing school in the morning because you can't find your keys?) Before turning in finally I had to tape plastic over my open car windows, since there was no way I could roll them up. I'm glad it didn't rain after all. Luckily Littleman slept well, but Sweetcheeks woke several times throughout the night. In the morning, we still couldn't find the keys.
After a few phone calls (Billy helped from home) we decided I should get to a Subaru dealership to have new keys made. I figured I'd get a couple copies, and not buy a new keyless entry remote since I still hoped my keys would turn up somewhere (and it would have cost $60!). Grandma decided to forgo a luncheon she was supposed to attend, and amidst my car alarm sounding I managed to remove the car seats from my car and install them in Grandma's van. (The car alarm shut itself off eventually, thank goodness). I'd not had breakfast, but we were in a hurry. We all drove the long way to the nearest Subaru dealer, and luckily it was pretty quick and painless to show them the required information and get the new keys made.
On the way back to Grandma's, Grandpa called to say he'd found my keys upstairs in his office. (!) We are still scratching our heads over that one. It can only have been Littleman or his cousin, who went upstairs with Grandma for just a couple minutes the night before. It doesn't take much. Though I am beginning to favor a more supernatural explanation, since I often have trouble finding my keys there and I do not have this problem elsewhere. Grandma and Grandpa have lost at least one key there and it's a total mystery. I think one of the spirits/ghosts who lives there must like keys, and enjoys moving them about to drive us crazy. Anyhow that's my explanation. ;)
SO, at least now I have a couple working spares, which I should have had to begin with. I fed the kids lunch and Grandma made her next appointment on time. I re-installed the car seats, loaded up the car and with the boys in their last clean articles of clothing (a shirt and underwear or diaper for each of them) we finally arrived home.
But wait! There's more! I get mostly unloaded, the kids are upstairs playing and I check my e-mail. Lo and behold, there's a reminder for a curriculum night at Littleman's school at 6 pm tonight. It's now 5:00. I'd completely forgotten. I really needed to be there, and I'd feel very guilty missing it because I've somehow managed to miss every other school presentation so far this year. I call, and discover they are not providing childcare. Argh. So I start phone calling, trying to find someone to watch the boys for an hour or so.
I do find a babysitter, I hastily pack the diaper bag and get them dressed, drop them off at my neighbor's house, and make the meeting (only 20 minutes late! Ha!). I'm glad I went- it was enjoyable and enlightening. Only a glass of wine would have improved things, LOL. I picked up happy boys from cheerful sitters (who watched the boys longer than an hour for me), paid my $20 and went home. Dinner, bath and bedtime later, I am finally at the end of my story here. Whew. I am glad to be home. |
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment