At The Time, It Seemed Like A Good Idea...

How often have men voiced either silently or aloud that logic? Quite often, I'd imagine. Because at the time, it DID seem like a good idea. Go back as far as you want, men. We've stared challenges down and either plowed through them or been tilled like the dirt. Take for example, the picture of the Model A. Abandoned and stuck in the mud of an Iowa road. Perhaps the owner was journeying to a caucus but he was on a mission and thought his skinny-wheeled iron horse could navigate that mud. Instead, the mud owned him.

Or take this poor guy. Driving a limo, minding his own business and WHAM! Can't even trek down a hill without wedging the stretch on the road!

In my case, a mere walking the Beagle led to a fascinating ordeal.

In human years, Maddy's in her 80's, so the ole gal needs that last walk before going to bed. She looks forward to it...anticipates it. However, I tend to take a cat nap most evenings we're home. Sometimes Maddy waits for me, sometimes she goes to her bed - a monogrammed denim dog pillow in our bedroom. No, she's not spoiled.

Around 12:30 or 12:45am Wednesday night, she was waiting for me. Upon snagging a set keys from the hook next to door, we're off for our stroll around the neighborhood. The walk only takes a few minutes, long enough for her to have ample chances of reliving herself.

On the way back, I feel the set of keys in my pocket and became alarmed. Between my thumb and index fingers was a small metal angel on the key ring. These are our neighbor's keys!

Their house was recently sold as they have moved to Alabama in October. Kim had Wednesday off and she and Georgia had gone over to the Russell's place to make sure all was in order, check the mail, etc., before we took Georgia to Papa & Grammie for a sleep-over.

No foreign keys are ever on the hook. Ever.

So, Maddy and I make it back to our home and proceed to ring the doorbell, bang on the door, and use one the Russell's keys - similar in shape to our door's key - in an attempt to "jimmy" the lock. No luck.

Now, you might be thinking, surely Kim would hear me banging on the door and ringing the doorbell in our 2 story townhouse? Well, when she's asleep - she's out. Plus, as a snorer myself, I find it fascinating how snoring rarely awakes the person snoring but someone else's snoring can wake the other snorer. Breathe Rite strips are a lovely item.

I digress.

Our fenced backyard is virtually impossible to scale. Plus, if I got back there with Maddy getting out would surely lead to her or my wounding in the process of scaling the wooden fence or being dropped to the other side. You should see Maddy try to hoist me over a fence. ;)

So, having the keys to the Russell's townhouse (merely across the parking lot), Maddy and I go with the intent of finding a phone and the home's phone lines in service. Or perhaps a cell phone! If I could call the house, that'd wake Kim up!

There was a cell. Dead. There was a phone. No service. I also noticed the oven digital clock reading 3:10am. WHAT?! That's impossible! There's no way Maddy and I were in front of our own house for 2 hours trying to get back in. I could locate no other form of clock.

I opted to set the oven timer for an hour and half and take a nap.

Slowly, sleep came upon us. Maddy curled up beneath the front window sill. I snuggled into a large comfy love seat. The frontporch, foyer, and den lights all were on in the off chance Kim awoke and wondered where we were. Optimistic reaching, but we were prepared!

I awoke with 10 minutes to spare. Maddy and I returned to our home and continued the banging and ringing. Nothing. Also, I should note that our little doorbell's plastic deteriorated some time ago, so the ringing of said bell took place by jamming the metal angel into the fixture and flicking it around on the copper connections to creating the rings.

The temp had dropped drastically and my sweatsuit was only so comforting. After several minutes we returned to the Russell's. It was 5:15am. The digital thermostat for the central heat had the same time. I had hopes of going into work early this morning, but I knew Kim had planned the same so her alarm would be sounding soon.

Maddy and I returned, performed our task of banging, knocking, and kicking the door and typing morse code and other rhythms on the door bell. Nothing. I managed to peer into our lit kitchen via an opening in our door blinds. The microwave clock read 4:30am. Ahhhh, the Russell's moved prior to the time change and their clocks had not "fallen" back.

So, Maddy and I returned to our new base of operations and waited a half hour before returning to our home.

Of course, by this point I had considered everything...from breaking a pane in the door, breaking the kitchen window, kicking in or prying open the door, and throwing rocks at Kim's window. All lovely thoughts that would clearly be costly ventures.

We returned one last time to the Russell's. I knew if Kim's alarm wasn't going off at 5 it certainly would be by 5:30am. Our final attempt producing failed results, Maddy and I proceeded to the backyard. I planned to yell at Kim's window and wake up whomever to end this cycle of doom.

Victory! Our bedroom light was on. We went back to the front and were allowed access. Now, to take a shower and begin the day. Oy.

I do believe all things happen for a reason...as trivial, easy, or hard as they seem. But this one? Wow, got me!

So, at the time, walking the dog seemed like a good idea. However, if Maddy had not needed a walk, if Georgia had not had a sleep over (she would've easily woken Mommy up), if the Russell's keys had not been on the hook (nothing but house keys hang there), I would not have this entry and would not be looking forward to sleeping in my own bed tonight.

Good night. ;)