Survived!!

I survived the week!! All the way from Monday mid-morning to Friday afternoon. It was quite a week too! I even got brave on Tuesday and took the kids grocery shopping and then on Thursday we ran an errand and stopped at Lowe's. I was looking for those little white pretend-a-fences that would maybe help the Hibiscus stay upright after our winds. But they were painting and we couldn't go back there. So we bought some weed-n-feed and some geraniums and a couple of rosemary bushes (I found 3 of them here in a year so I brought 1 all the way back from CA). We happily took our purchases and put them in the van - talking about how we needed to plant our froers in the ground so they can grow - like 2 & 3 year olds talk - Got all loaded, everyone strapped into car seats, put my purse and cell phone on the floor on the passenger side, and THE VAN WOULDN'T START. But being the ingenious person that I am - I figured that I could go and 1/wiggle the battery cables and see if they are loose and/or 2/ use my hammer and pound it into submission (I have found this method to work!!). So I grabbed the hammer, pulled the latch on the hood, jumped out of the van. Well, the person parked next to me had parked awful close, so I had to close my door to get around it. I opened the hood, grabbed the cable and I heard a "click" - OH, NO I recognize that "click". I dropped the hammer and ran for the door. It was locked. Now, I didn't know that if the battery wasn't connected and it gets connected, the automatic door locks - lock. So here I am in the parking lot at Lowe's, 4 kids strapped into carseats, and I can't call AAA because my cell phone is locked in the van with the keys. The lady parked next to me returned to her car and volunteered that if I call AAA they will look up my number if I can't get to my card. The problem was - I couldn't get to my phone, I can't leave the kids there to go back to the store, I can't do anything but try to talk the oldest one (3) into unbuckleing herself so she can push the button for me - but she won't! She gets in trouble for letting herself out of her seat!! Finally, years later (actually about 3 minutes) one of the ladies who were parked near me asked if I was locked out of my car and what the problem with going into Lowe's and using the phone was. When I explained, she went in and they sent a Lowe's security man out - he called the Sheriff's office. So withing a few minute 4, yes 4, police cars come screeching into the lot, lights flashing, and following them were the paramedics!! Up to the point the kids thought I was playing with them - you know how you do- with your face against a dirty window singing stupid songs like - the wheels on the bus go round and round. . . But when the sirens arrived and the cops started crawling all over the car and the paramedics had their faces pressed to the glass, they came UNGLUED!!! Now I've go 4 screaming kids, police everywhere, and a huge crowd of old women whispering. I don't know if they thought I'd left them in the car to go shopping or if they thought I'd kidnapped them, but there sure were a bunch of dirty looks and lots of pspspspsps. I wanted to crawl under the car. And stay there!! Seconds later, I heard that familiar "click" and knew that they had already unlocked the door - I crawled in - found cups and scooby snacks, and wiped everyone's noses and wiped the tears and then the paramedics climbed in and checked them all and found that they were not overheated or anything. Everyone was fine - except me!! I was sweating, embarrassed, red-faced and highly stressed! So anyhow, no one ever even asked what happened - not even the cop that stayed while I got the kids calmed down. I just had to sign a paper saying that I owned the car and they had my permission to break into it!! No license, no registration, just my signature. I guess that he figured, if it wasn't mine, I must've been outta my head to want to steal that particular vehicle!!

Thank the Lord that Papa got home on Friday. I don't think I was still quite over it. I took the little car and had my mammogram done Thursday night. Grammy kept the kids cause they were having a board meeting I wanted to attend right after the mamo appt. I wasn't getting back into that van just yet!

The Church had the Adams Family Trio as guests, bringing us some of that good old Southern Gospel music Friday night. I'd been looking forward to it all week. It was my reward for getting thru the week. The kids misbehaved so badly that we left after only 1/2 thru. I'd had it, couldn't take it any more. And neither could the people around me. They didn't need that either.

So Papa kept them today. Bev and I went over and cleaned the little house for the renters. I had HOURS without them. I cleaned everything I could think of. Bev even rearranged the furniture until she liked it better. I opened the back door and a frog jumped in!! I screamed so loud that Bev thought I'd hurt myself. We chased the stupid frog under the bed, up the wall, and over the headboard before SHE caught it and put it back outside with the warning not to come back. So I had a productive but relaxing morning and when I got home Keith had them all down for naps, so that worked too. Wonderful timing. Now all are in bed and I'm about ready to head that way too.

Diane