Step One was to take Sam's car to their house and leave it. Why Sam's car? Because the keys to Lynnette's car were with her. In Cleveland. The other set was at their house in the cabinet by the washing machine. So I drove Sam's car to their house with Maribeth following behind to take me back for Step Two.
I asked Sam if he wanted the car in the garage or in front of their house and he designated the garage. Which was fine, until I got to said garage and could not locate the garage door opener. I pushed all the garage buttons on the console, looked in all the pockets (where apparently is stashed the largest collection of gum I've ever seen), and felt all over the visor - no opener. Luckily, Sam was in text range, and after a few texts, I located the opener where he said it would be - the pocket down by my leg.
Anyhow, I got the garage open and headed in. I haven't parked a car in a garage in many years (we have a carport), so I had to determine how far in to pull the car. Far enough for the garage door to close, yet back enough from the door to get out of the garage. I accomplished this by pulling in, getting out, surmising the situation, getting back in the car, and making the necessary adjustments. I turned off the car and closed the garage door with success (meaning I did not hit the car). I also was able to open the person door to go to the house (they have an unattached garage).
The next job was to take their luggage from Florida (don't ask) along with a sack of Under Armour purchases, the box containing Lindley's box of treasures and Sam's new shoes, and Lindley's million-dollar Mickey Mouse Light-Up Balloon. I managed to do this in one trip, opening the back door and shoving everything in the dining room. Of course, did I get to the alarm box before the bleeping (or should I say screeching) thing went off? Of course not! Even though the treasure box/shoes got splattered on the floor, I was still not quick enough before the neighbors were awakened, but apparently I was quick enough before the police were summoned.
By this time Maribeth called to say she was in the front waiting for me. I went to take the key out of the back door - which it refused to come out. I called Maribeth to come in and test her skill in removing the key. She said she was double parked, so I told her to come around the back (the garage backs up to an alley). She did, which required more door openings and garage door openings. I pulled Lynnette's extra car keys from the cabinet and unlocked the people garage door and got Maribeth to come inside. Unfortunately at that point, the car key set was now stuck in the people garage door. Also, the car keys were to Sam's car, which was evident by the fact that they would lock/unlock his car. So where were Lynnette's keys?
The next fifteen minutes were spent trying to get the keys out of the garage door, which Maribeth managed to do. There was another set of car keys stuck inside the house door, which I surmised to be Lynnette's, so the plan was to take those and head back to the house. But wait, there is still a set of keys stuck in the back door to the house. Why make it easy for burglars to come in and steal not only Sam's new shoes, but Lindley's treasure box? So I locked the door with the stuck key, then closed the storm door and locked it. I is a genius.
Now to leaving. I did not want to risk another stuck key-in-door, so the plan was to leave via the garage. This would involve closing the garage door via the wall switch and hightailing it out before it stopped and opened back up. A great idea, but there is a sensor that I would have to jump over to keep it from opening again. I tried once and the sensor caught me. I tried another time and the garage door caught my head. So another plan would have to be hatched. I tried to close the garage door again, but it would only go halfway. It continued to do this three more times. Maribeth determined that it was sticking on a piece of rubber sticking out so she pulled it off. It wasn't sticking on that piece of rubber after all. Instead, the roller thingys had gotten out of the track. I was too short to sufficiently effect a repair, so I had to take the shelves out of the Radio Flyer Wagon and stand in it. Which Maribeth wisely thought to anchor before I attempted said repair. Once the wheels were back in the track, the garage door closed. I went out the people door and decided to go out the back yard gate, which I unbolted from the inside. Which I couldn't bolt from the outside, so I stuck a big garbage can in front of the gate. Because burglars are often thwarted when they see a big garbage can in front of a gate.
Anyhow, eventually we get back to my house and we get ready to go to the airport. I got in Lynnette's car to start it (it's a Prius so it's a push button start). It starts off by telling me "Key Not Detected." I go to Maribeth and tell her that we have the wrong key - again - but she remembers that Lynnette told her the battery in the car remotes are dead, so to start it you have to hold the remote thingy up to the start button and the car will start. Which it does. But it still is telling me "Key Not Detected." Maribeth says to see if it will let me drive it. Which it does, all the way to the airport. But not without screaming every moment of the trip, "KEY NOT DETECTED!!! WHAT ARE YOU - STUPID?" Okay, so maybe the last part is a little imagined on my part.
Anyhow, I get to the airport, planning to park on the top of the parking garage as we usually do when we leave a car. Except the top floor is closed because it's the open floor and Nashville weather people forecasted sleet and snow and when either is predicted in Nashville, emergency battle plans go into effect and bread, eggs, and milk are stockpiled for omelets. Anyhow, now I have to go to the second floor and find a close parking place for three weary travelers to locate should they ever return to Nashville. I find a place, park the ticked-off car, lock it (hoping the key thingy Lynnette has will unlock it) and go find Steve for my ride back home.
Eventually I get a call from Sam who eventually finds the car and eventually they get home. And the new shoes and Lindley's treasure box were still there!!
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Today was a great day because: I woke up in my own bed; got a suitcase unpacked; enjoyed some Everley time at her house
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