You Just Have to Laugh or You'll Cry About It

And I did a little of both today.

Yesterday while I was cleaning the pool in preparation for the youth coming over, Nate and Neta decided it would be lots of fun to play in the fire pit. I didn't really notice what mischief they were getting into until I looked over and Nate had a gray haired old man look. They were dirty, which means they were having fun. I initially told them to stop, while I was still brushing the pool, and then when I got down, I looked at them and had to laugh. They were covered. Nate was still in his pajamas and Neta was just in a diaper. I took some pictures with my phone and then we went straight to the tub.

I tell you that little story, as a precursor to this one. I was going to put those pictures up on this blog yesterday, but then I canned some tomatoes and tried to clean my house and do a little laundry before mutual. So, the pictures, and whatever others ones were on my phone, with the intention of downloading them here, stayed on my phone.

This morning, it was supposed to rain, but it cleared up enough for me to take Nate and Neta rollerblading in the stroller after we dropped of Eric downtown. I was excited because I didn't go yesterday and tomorrow Eric has the car all day in southern Indiana. I really enjoy rollerblading with a stroller to help me keep my balance and the kids like seeing the ducks, we've seen a hot air balloon, planes and we always make "OOH-OOH!" noises under the street bridges to hear the echo.I also remembered bread, because we feed the ducks after I've done a loop on the canal (from Indiana Historical Society to NCAA, to the northernmost fountain and back), and I hadn't remembered when we went on Tuesday.

So, thankfully we find an unmetered parking space right on New York Street near the IHS building, I get out the stroller, put on the break so it won't roll away (very important as you will come to realize), unbuckle the kids, get them in the stroller, put on my blades and we start down the grassy hill and on our way.

I was 3/4 of the way done with our loop and we saw a good group of ducks, so I decided to stop. Kids got out and I set the stroller with two of the tree wheels in a mulchy area. Oh, let me mention that there was quite a bit of wind this morning as well; nothing to knock you over, but strong enough for some resistance while blading. Now, let me also say that I had put my keys in the stroller pocket, which I usually do, but I don't ever zip it closed. I had also set my phone on the sun viser, which I also usually do because it's usually folded back and acts as a pocket. Earlier on my route, I thought I should put the phone in my pocket in case someone called; I didn't think I would hear it, but I didn't do that. Shoulda-coulda-wouldas oh well too late now.

We got down on the sidewalk, stroller behind us, sat and took one of the two pieces of bread and started to feed the ducks. It's so fun to watch Nate and Neta feed the ducks and it's relaxing for me as well. We were just finishing the first piece of bread when Nate looked to the North of us and said "Ducks under water!" I looked and it wasn't ducks. It was the bottom of my two stroller wheels sticking out of the water. I take off my blades and socks and go over to pull out the soaking stroller. I hadn't put on the brake and now my phone and keys were with the fish and duck poop. I looked in and thought I saw the keys shining in the water, so I rolled my workout pants up and stepped into the "no swimming" canal to try to get what I saw with my toes. Just grass. Crap.

I had thought about not locking the car, but I locked it anyway. I could have at least got my shoes out of the car and put the stroller away before going into the government offices, to the third floor in my soaking wet, canal smelling clothes, rollerblades, pushing a soggy stroller with toddlers at my side telling the people we walk by that "mommy phone and keys are gone."

We get to Eric's cubicle, he's finishing a meeting. When he comes out I see April, Esther and Shannon (a guy) and Eric is happy to see us. Unexpected suprise. Then I tell him what happened. He does a few more things and takes a personal day to help me fish my things out of the canal. LUCKILY he thought to bring his copy of the car key with him and THANKFULLY I had his copy of the house key in my purse, which GRATEFULLY, I had left in the car. Otherwise we would have had to call a locksmith to get us into the car and then broken into our house to get in and I don't even want to start about if I'd had to get all new checkbook and assorted cards. Count your blessings, right?

Thinking back on it, I should have just got in right after pulling out the stroller. I was already wet, I was right there, but no, I assumed it was a lost cause and I spent 30-40 minutes getting my husband, who left work so that he could join me in is work shirt and suit pants in the canal in a fruitless search for keys and a water logged phone. The guy that was working on the canal who stood there with a skimmer while we were four feet in said, after 30 minute of searching, that they find things all the time and that they would contact us if they found anything.

SO, all wet and smelly, we walked barefoot down the canal and back to the car. Then, we went to get Graigry from school, after we stopped at the bank so I could deposit a check (yes I went into our bank partially dry, mostly wet and kind of smelly, to deposit Eric's bonus - guess we know where that money's going!). Eric and I showered, dressed and then packed the three in the car for a drive to a Sprint store way on the south side of Indy for them to fix two problems with Eric's phone and get me a new one.

Another side note, less than a month ago, I got rid of the insurance on our phones because it we were tired of paying for nothing. The lady that we talked to today said that, had we had insurance, Eric could get a new air card for $50 (he tried once a few months ago and was told it would cost him a couple of hundred with the insurance to fix or get a new phone, part of the reason we cancelled it) and I could get a new phone for $50. Instead, Eric has no fixed air card and I have a new phone after paying $500+.

After the Sprint stop, we hit the freeway to make it to the school in time to pick up Xela and Ro and then go home so Eric could stop at the office before going down to Evansville, Indiana.

All this after a night with very little sleep and here I am at 10:20, all the kids in bed, exhausted, and I'm downloading music to the new phone while updating my blog. I should really go to bed.

Lessons to be learned:
- put the brakes on
- back up your phone
- when you think you should put your phone in your pocket, do it
- have a hide a key(s) somewhere on the outside of the car
- be thankful for well timed bonus checks
- if you have insurance on your phone, be sure to use it before you cancel it

Now I'm really going to bed.