The Last 24 Hours
Have driven me nuts. Yesterday, I went with the boys to pick up a few plants for the flower bed (they're always digging so I thought "why not") and we came home and planted them. We had just finished when Nathan found my wallet with the attached house key. He then went in the house and locked the door. I tried to get him to open the door or unlock the door-- anything-- but nothing doing.
I checked the van (I had the car key and the phone with me) for a spare house key. Gone. Probably got used by me or Gabrielle and never put back. So after about 10 minutes of trying to get Nathan to unlock the door, I called my mom to see if she had the spare key with her. No, it was at the house but my dad's retired so she called to see if he could bring it over.
Here we were twenty minutes later, dad was about 10 minutes away. Nathan was finally realizing not only that he was by himself but also that I couldn't get in. He was starting to cry when he finally got the hand strength to open the door. Hurray!
But the day is not done.
Later, my mom comes over after work to pick up my niece's schoolwork. Apparently, she was out sick today and she and Gabrielle are in the same class at school. My mom was going to run the schoolwork over to my sister's house. Well, Gabrielle runs out to the van to get her bookbag but comes in with the stuff from her bag instead of bringing in the bag (only my daughter could make her life more difficult like that but anyway,) she brings me everything and I set it on the back of the couch where Mom and I were standing and talking. We look through it all and decide that their teacher forgot to send the work home, etc. Mom leaves.
Fast forward about two hours. Gabs needs to go to Tae Kwon Do and we're getting stuff together. Where is the car key? I don't remember Gabrielle giving it to me. She can't remember what she did with it. She locked the van and she's pretty sure she used the key to do so but she can't remember.
Oh, and during bathtime last night the boys flooded the bathroom (and subsequently, the kitchen) used up a whole bottle of my shampoo and a half a bottle of their father's bathwash. This while Gabrielle was supposed to be sitting with them while I hunted outside for the key. She got distracted by the television which was supposed to be off. I know better but I still thought, "She can watch them for five minutes while I look for the key." Oh, how wrong I was.
I called AAA this morning (we missed TKD last night and I didn't want to be putting the kids to bed when the locksmith came so I waited until first thing today) and a gentleman came and unlocked the van for me. I looked where Gabrielle's bookbag was and no key. No key on the floorboard or in the bag. Great. The car alarm is going off and won't stop unless I have the key and I can't find it.
The nice man disconnects the battery for me so the alarm cuts off.
I call the dealership thinking that with the VIN number they can cut a new key and we can take my husband's car and pick it up.
They ask, "Is your key base black or gray?"
"Gray," I reply.
"Oh" says the man, "I was afraid of that."
Oh, what now??
Apparently, the gray base means that the key has to be programmed to open the lock.
What?!
Which means the car will have to be towed to the dealership.
(I'm thinking that my Triple-A membership has paid for itself now.)
Instead of towing the van, we give it one last college try and hope over the weekend we can find the key. (BTW, the boys lost the other key to the van in January). If we can't find it, we'll have the van towed to the dealer on Monday and go through the expense of having new keys made and programmed for the car.
About thirty minutes ago, Gabrielle found the key. Under the couch, where I had looked. I must not have moved the couch all the way or it was kicked under there from somewhere else in the room but--yippee!-- we have ignition.
Or at least we will when I reconnect the battery.
And Monday, I'm dropping off the key and getting another made. Maybe two. Just in case.
I checked the van (I had the car key and the phone with me) for a spare house key. Gone. Probably got used by me or Gabrielle and never put back. So after about 10 minutes of trying to get Nathan to unlock the door, I called my mom to see if she had the spare key with her. No, it was at the house but my dad's retired so she called to see if he could bring it over.
Here we were twenty minutes later, dad was about 10 minutes away. Nathan was finally realizing not only that he was by himself but also that I couldn't get in. He was starting to cry when he finally got the hand strength to open the door. Hurray!
But the day is not done.
Later, my mom comes over after work to pick up my niece's schoolwork. Apparently, she was out sick today and she and Gabrielle are in the same class at school. My mom was going to run the schoolwork over to my sister's house. Well, Gabrielle runs out to the van to get her bookbag but comes in with the stuff from her bag instead of bringing in the bag (only my daughter could make her life more difficult like that but anyway,) she brings me everything and I set it on the back of the couch where Mom and I were standing and talking. We look through it all and decide that their teacher forgot to send the work home, etc. Mom leaves.
Fast forward about two hours. Gabs needs to go to Tae Kwon Do and we're getting stuff together. Where is the car key? I don't remember Gabrielle giving it to me. She can't remember what she did with it. She locked the van and she's pretty sure she used the key to do so but she can't remember.
Oh, and during bathtime last night the boys flooded the bathroom (and subsequently, the kitchen) used up a whole bottle of my shampoo and a half a bottle of their father's bathwash. This while Gabrielle was supposed to be sitting with them while I hunted outside for the key. She got distracted by the television which was supposed to be off. I know better but I still thought, "She can watch them for five minutes while I look for the key." Oh, how wrong I was.
I called AAA this morning (we missed TKD last night and I didn't want to be putting the kids to bed when the locksmith came so I waited until first thing today) and a gentleman came and unlocked the van for me. I looked where Gabrielle's bookbag was and no key. No key on the floorboard or in the bag. Great. The car alarm is going off and won't stop unless I have the key and I can't find it.
The nice man disconnects the battery for me so the alarm cuts off.
I call the dealership thinking that with the VIN number they can cut a new key and we can take my husband's car and pick it up.
They ask, "Is your key base black or gray?"
"Gray," I reply.
"Oh" says the man, "I was afraid of that."
Oh, what now??
Apparently, the gray base means that the key has to be programmed to open the lock.
What?!
Which means the car will have to be towed to the dealership.
(I'm thinking that my Triple-A membership has paid for itself now.)
Instead of towing the van, we give it one last college try and hope over the weekend we can find the key. (BTW, the boys lost the other key to the van in January). If we can't find it, we'll have the van towed to the dealer on Monday and go through the expense of having new keys made and programmed for the car.
About thirty minutes ago, Gabrielle found the key. Under the couch, where I had looked. I must not have moved the couch all the way or it was kicked under there from somewhere else in the room but--yippee!-- we have ignition.
Or at least we will when I reconnect the battery.
And Monday, I'm dropping off the key and getting another made. Maybe two. Just in case.
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