A Series of Vaguely Irritating Events

First off, just to get it out of the way, what is up with my memory? In times past, I was quite proud of my memory. Effortlessly I could remember when and where events would take place, appointments were only added to my online calendar just in case, and I rarely completely forgot about some task or event. (Case in point: Here is where I just took a break from writing this post and called to make an appointment that I have been forgetting about for three weeks.) Fortunately, usually I remember in the nick of time. (Example: My Relief Society lesson on Sunday.) It is more an annoyance than anything serious, but it is frustrating.

So, yesterday I took several hours and planned our meals for the next four weeks (I know!), and went through the cupboards and refrigerator/freezer, and wrote up a comprehensive list of things to buy. I even have a little section called "Week 1 Perishables", "Week 2 Perishables", etc. This morning, after dropping the older kids off at school, I went to the store for the Major Monthly Shopping Trip.

Halfway through my list, I realized that I had forgotten I would babysit my friend's kids. Starting in twenty minutes. (See item one.) So I ran through the rest of the store, throwing things into my cart, zipping through the line, and throwing the groceries into the back of the van. With five minutes to spare, I clicked Hebs and Mimi into their car seats, jumped into the driver's seat, and turned the key.

Click-click-click-click-click.

In disbelief (wasn't this the same car I had successfully started twice already that morning?), I tried again and again. The lights were working, the electric sliding doors worked without a hitch...but the car wouldn't start.

Frantically, I reached into my little purse for the phone to call my friend...only my phone wasn't there. Of course. Some little hands must have carried it off somewhere. (To my bedroom floor, it turns out.)

And I didn't have any coins. (Even if the store had a payphone.)

And it started to snow.

I'm not ashamed to admit I cried a little.

And then I pulled myself together, told myself to act like a grown-up, unbuckled the kids, walked back to the store, used the store's phone to call my friend and my auto mechanic, arranged for a tow truck and a ride home, retrieved the frozen and refrigerated goods from the van, waited for the mechanic's "shuttle" (I love love LOVE my local mechanic. Yay Skibas!), and finally arrived home, a little cold and a little cranky.

And now I don't have the ingredients for dinner tonight. Looks like scrambled eggs, all around!