Thursday, January 15, 2009

Unlucky Duck

It started Tuesday. The unlucky part that is. Half way home from Pilates, I realize that the front tire, drivers side, is flat. This isn't good. I have less than 15 minutes to be home and logged onto my work site for an on-line chat with students.

CRAP.

I call Jay on the cell phone. Isn't that what you do when you are in trouble? Call your husband knowing that he will bail you out?

Well that's what I do. However, he was outside shoveling the 4-5 feet of snow that had fallen in the last few days. This time, no bail out.

I make a decision. Not a good one, I know, but a decision none the less.

Keep driving.

It will get me home, I know it will.

The tire will die a slow horrible death on the way there but I'll be home in time for my work commitment.

Yeah, so I panicked. I am good at okay? When you are good at something you go with it.

I made it home and immediately burst into tears as I got out of the van since Jay was standing there with a look on his face saying, dude, you know the tire is flat like a pancake, right?

Thankfully he wasn't mad and knowing him, I should have realized he wouldn't be. He just doesn't sweat the small stuff like that.

I was on a roll though. The next morning I trashed the stroller. Well actually I could put the blame on my lovely neighbors who never shovel their sidewalks. I guess if you never actually do anything but walk to and from your car, it might no occur to you that there are people who use the public sidewalks. But that's irrelevant. What is relevant is that Kamden, all 40 lbs of him, plus a jogging stroller plus 2 ft drifts of snow equals too much for the Wal-Mart stroller.

And if you are wondering why my four and half year old needs to ride in a stoller to walk exactly two blocks to drop Jack off at school, here's why. It's -857 degrees or some ridiculous temperature. I am cold. He walks exactly the pace of microscopic snail. That combination makes for much yelling that goes something like this:

KAMDEN! FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS HOLY, HURRY UP!

The neighbors, understandably, had started calling social services. At least they care about my children's well being. The sidewalk and my well being, not so much.

Jay managed to patch the stroller together. Dude is turning into McGyver.

So what else could possibly happen you might be asking. Well, that wasn't enough for me. Oh no. Today, after picking up Kamden and his buddy from preschool, I had to go and lock the keys in the car on our very own driveway.

Yes, I did.

Why? I guess I crave excitement.

What did I do next?

You guessed it, called Jay. He's going to need a cape and a theme song.

Of course, today, the van is in the shop, you know, getting new tires, on account of my brillance, so he's at work with no vehicle. He called in a favour and got a ride from a buddy to bail us out.

Us, who had taken refuge at Jack's school so that we wouldn't be ready for storage in liquid nitrogen. By the way, it costs $1,250 for a lifetime membership. Save yourself some money, die here in January. You'll be frozen for free. Of course I might run over you with my patched together stroller as I sprint home in the cold only to find I have locked myself out of my own house.

But for $1,250, isn't that a risk you are willing to take?

Wait, I have a better idea, someone freeze me and store me until winter has been abolished. Excuse me, while I go for a swim in some nitrogen.

Photobucket

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

What is is with the kids and the slow walking and why don't they walk that slow when you need them to?... like when you're window shopping at a jewelry store.

I'm sorry you've had such a tough time. I marvel at how you even leave you're home in that weather... I consider keeping my boys home when it's raining.

Natalie said...

okay, i can't even imagine that kind of cold!!! in texas we are all staying in because it is supposed to get down in the teens(F) tonight and not out of the 30s tomorrow. that is too cold for us thin skinned texans! oh and you know the bad things always come in threes so you should be done for a while!

Ashley said...

You and Amanda over at Kickyboots sound like you should have a party...the last few days have gone equally as good for you both.

Hope that's the end of your rotten days and things will start looking up. And besides, if you look up you don't have to see the snow (unless it's snowing and then I recommend closing your eyes).

Kellan said...

This was so funny, Kami - while I know I am laughing at your turmoils - sorry! I loved the cape and theme song part - tee hee! I too call my hubby to bail me out of any catastrophe like these!

Enjoyed this post - GREAT!

Take care - Kellan

Kristin said...

Oh man, when it rains it pours!!
I call Ian all the time to bail, me out, that is what husbands are for you are right!
Hope next week treats you better. :)

R Royal Family said...

I hate to laugh at your mis-fortune but LOL ;-) Logan was giving me a run down of the incident. Maybe you have been hanging around me for too long and my bad luck is rubbing off. hang in there next week will be better

tracey.becker1@gmail.com said...

Darling, Get a SLED. A cool little kid sled that you can strap him into and pull over all of the snowbanks. Really. It makes a world of difference. And you can still bundle him all up.

A SLED.

Unknown said...

Look at it this way, bad things happen in "threes" and you're done! YAY! : )

Hope the rest of the week is better!

Angella said...

I call Matthew ALL THE TIME. This is why we married Supermen, no?

Anonymous said...

Oh Kami, what a week!! You did make it all sound really entertaining and funny - although I'm positive you were NOT laughing at the time!

I do reckon you should got out and buy Jay a cape. He ROCKS!

P.S. This might make you feel better ... I too have driven home with a flat tire because I didn't want to change it myself. I *can* change a tyre, but it's hard work for me (the nuts are done up too tight!) and it's just a whole lot easier if somebody else (a.k.a. Rob) does it!

Dennis and Leslie said...

I am soooo sorry, I feel your pain, no really, just felt it the other day myself ;)

Hope your week gets better!

Gooooo Kami!!! sorry, just practicing again....

Laski said...

For all that is HOLY, you have had one heck of a day.

I like the image of the microscopic snail pace. That is awesome . . .

Here's to BETTER and WARMER days!!!!

Missed you!

Unknown said...

OH, HONEY...hang in there...have a drink, start a fire and RELAX!!

:)

Anonymous said...

Feeling your pain, we have all been there, next week will be better.

And strollers, well I put J in it until Apple was born, then we bought a double jogger. There was no way I could walk dogs, while pushing a baby and cheering J on to keep up. Strollers are GOOOOD.

AuntyTeeni said...

Whoa. That was a really bad experience. So many things can go wrong in such a short time. Well, you must be due for some good things is all I can say. Oh and here's a theme song for Jay:

J-aaaaaa-aaaaaa-aaayyyy!!
He's who you call when
things aren't going your
W-aaaaaa-aaaaaa-aayyyyy!!
He's the best when things go wrong
Makes you feel good when your day is long!
Whattaya say?????
It's J-aaaaa-aaaaaa-aaayyyy!!!

Let your kids sing it - they will come up with the correct tunage I'm sure. :) Love ya, Kami girl! :)

Alex Elliot said...

Sending a virtual hug to you. I've driving on a flat before for the same reason and that's also exactly why I make my younger one get in a stroller for the minute walk from the Y parking lot to the Y.

Alex Elliot said...

I meant to say "driven".