Just one of those days...

You ever have one of those days where something goes wrong, and then something else goes wrong and then after the third thing goes wrong you think... "today is not going to be my day"... but being optimistic you think in the back of your head that nothing else could possibly go wrong... and then it does... that was my day yesterday.

It started like any other day...
Um... well not really, I'm house sitting for my parents while they're in Cuba and that's not like every other day. But other than that, it was like any other day... well Sam and I did catch a cab over to their house, because of the freezing tempatures...so not quite like any other day... we normally walk.
Umm.. hmmm, maybe I should skip the intro? Okey dokey...

I guess it all started when the cabbie dropped us off and I went to unlock the front door. Now I'm not sure if it was because the lock was frozen or because the lock's an old piece of crap... sorry... but the key wouldn't turn. I tried everything I could think of to get it to turn... not that my brain was functioning properly, what with the freezing temp and my mom's dog Shorty barking like mad on the other side of the door.

For about twenty minutes I tried to turn that key, I turned it hard enough that I did this to my key ring

I finally came to the conclusion that I wasn't getting in the front door. It was then that I remembered the spare key to the back door that my mom left me "just in case". Now me being the genius that I am decided last week after they left that I would give the key to my sister "just in case". My rationing behind this was that if I kept the key with my keys then lost my keys my sis would still have a key to get in. Smart right... until the key to the front door wouldn't work and I didn't have a key to the back door.

My situation now is as follows...
Freezing cold out, Sam and I ill prepared for the elements, I have my purse which contains my ereader and my camera and another bag with my laptop...things I don't want left in the cold. Dog inside now going ballistic, neighbors that are home probably think I'm trying to burgle the house, no car to get to sisters work to get key... not that it matters because I don't drive... and did I mention the freezing cold.

Well no problem we'll just pull out our trusty cell phone... what's that? no cell phone?! In this day and age you think I would have a cell phone. So as much as I hate phones, I'm thinking I might just need to get one for emergencies.

Anyhoo... I needed a plan... and quick
My first plan involved a camp fire on the front porch with roasted weenies and marshmallows (did I mention that it was lunch)...
Unfortunately Sam's still to young for weenies and marshmallows, that and I didn't think my parents would appreciate coming home to a burnt out front porch ... we were also lacking in marshmallows and weenies...
So on to Plan B. Find pay phone...
Luckily we leave one of those cheap umbrella strollers on my parents front porch... not the most ideal stroller in the world, but better than carrying Sam in his car seat or in my arms... I figured there would be a pay phone at the arena by my parent's house...about a five minute walk, if that.
Now, has anyone ever tried pushing an umbrella stroller in the snow?, not easy...

I half pushed, half dragged him to the arena to find that there was no pay phone...drat. No problem though, I'll cross the street to the convenience store and see if they have a pay phone. Nope... and the "nice" young man working there wouldn't even let me use the store phone to make a local call. Said the closest pay phone was about a fifteen/twenty minute walk. Not an option with this stroller. Or the cold.

At this point I'm close to crying... not sure what to do I think maybe it was just me and if I go back and try the key again it will work. So back we go. Where we try again...with a little bit of luck. The key has turned slightly and I'm thinking if I had something to hold onto it with I just might be able to get it turned all the way around. My luck then changed and I found a handy utility knife thingamajiggy with pliers built in, right on the porch!
Sweet!! So with tool in hand I managed to get the key turned, 360 degrees, three times. And still it wouldn't unlock. It was like the lock had been stripped. So it's not me that's the problem... what to do now?

Finally facing the fact that I'm going to have to walk to my Nana's... didn't want this to be an option as there's a really big hill involved and it's cold.
I'm now cursing the umbrella stroller and thinking fondly of our nice big SUV of a stroller at home with the warm nano bag and inclement weather dome. As well as my mittens, toque and scarf that I didn't think I would need.

Okay, on our way to Nana's, no problem, we'll make a pit stop at the arena again, warm up in the lobby and finish the journey.
Another lucky break!! Janitor at the arena says that they do have a pay phone... just down the hall!! Hooray!!

Stupid pay phone... don't want my quarters eh? I'll show you...
"collect call please",
"the customer you are calling does not accept collect calls"...
stupid automated lady... I'll show you...
string of  not so nice words under my breath, then the tears start.

Thank the nice janitor as we're leaving and let him know that the phone is broken and wouldn't take my money... he offers the use of the office phone... The tears really came now... "Thu, thu, thu, thank yu yyyou"
I think at that point he may have briefly considered either running or at the very least really regretting the offer.

Quick call to my sis, who conveniently was on the road, and she came to save they day!!

Thanks Al!!

Now, you think that would be all to this horrible day...but it's not. Stay tuned for more.