Thrill of the day

I had a fifteen minute window this morning to water my pots on our front porch before my students arrived. I knew the moment I swung my door closed I was in trouble. Shoeless, phone-less, and carrying two gallons of water from my tub to my porch I realized I was also key-less.

Worst feeling ever. (Thank heavens I wasn't in my pajamas or bra-less..holy mackerel...it could have been much worse now that I think about it.)

As I stood staring at my door thinking about my options, trying to remember any phone number I have ever memorized but with no phone, I heard my neighbor tell his upstairs tenant to have a good day from his front porch. A Godsend. I rushed out to ask him if he had a ladder. He did but unfortunately it did not reach to the second floor where our apartment is.

Inspiration or no, we had opened all our windows last night to let some of the hot air inside out while wishfully hoping for a cold front to breeze through our apartment during the wee hours of the morning. They were all still open so all hope was not lost, I just had to figure a way to get up to one of them. Bob hurried next door to ask another neighbor if they had a taller ladder while I went back up to the balcony to check out the situation.

Worried about intruders we don't open the window directly behind our tv because it opens straight onto the balcony (would be nice however in situations like this). The center window, a foot or two over from the balcony railing, was wide open and the screen was easy-peasey to slide up. In my mind I could see myself going through, pretending I was rock climbing or doing something similar--but there would be no harness and no ropes...could be messsy but was totally doable. Bob returned and quickly volunteered to go over the railing for me--which I did not feel comfortable with since he's a little bigger and possibly less limber than me (not that I'm all the limber). We decided I would go but he'd steady me from the back. At this point my students arrived and seemed to think this was the greatest antic ever, put on for their entertainment. As I climbed over the railing thinking "this is not smart" they ooo-ed and ahh-ed and as I slipped through the window, which was way closer than it looked from the other side for the railing, they cheered and jumped up and down.

Tragedy averted.
Bob saved the day.

Hiding a key NOW.