Monday's Laughs

Yes - I'm going with laughs today.  Because if I couldn't laugh at it all, I don't know what I'd do:

• The fuse that blew at around 1:50 a.m., requiring me to get up, move my dresser, fumble with the reset switch on the outlet hidden behind it, and move my space heater so that it was on a different circuit from the one in Riley's room, while we tried to stay warm compliments of the non-working furnace.
• The sound of complete exasperation in the voice of the nice lady from Parkway's Transportation Department when I called this morning to check on why the bus was 15 minutes late, and she explained that most of their buses were running "half an hour late because of the black ice and traffic!!!" 
• Finally hearing from the furnace tech who advised he could come out between 9:00 and 11:00 a.m.; only problem being I was scheduled to be in court in Belleville at 9:30, so we'd have to push it back to between 11:00 and noon.
• Getting to Belleville right at 9:30, (good thing I left at 8:15!) only to discover that the court had decided to continue our status conference to a later date because they were starting a trial (but hadn't bothered to advise us).
• Realizing as I was leaving Belleville that I'd forgotten to take the trash and recycle cans out to the curb this morning.
• Racing back to my house from Belleville to meet Furnace Man who, upon examining the thermostat and the "new" batteries I'd put in it yesterday after first seeing the "lo bat" warning, determined that they were, in fact, dead as doornails.  (Nothing like a $60 service call charge to change out a couple AAA's!)
• Realizing at 4:30 that I'd forgotten to call the Parkway Community Ed line before 4:00 to see if I could get Riley enrolled in the KidzArt program that starts tomorrow.

Yep.  I'd call that a Monday!

No - really, there were lots of reasons to smile today:

• That we stayed warm enough last night even without the furnace working.
• All the kids from the bus stop tromping into our house to stay warm while waiting for their very late bus. 
• The nice gentleman who helped point out the "safe" places to walk on the sidewalk on the way into court.
• Getting home before the trash collectors made their rounds today.
• Furnace Man showing up when he said he would.
• The fact that neither the furnace nor the thermostat had to be replaced.
• The funny jokes Sam shared with me this afternoon.
• Hopey no longer feeling "zarfy."
• Riley helping carry the groceries, check out, and cook dinner -- she's trying so hard to show me how responsible she can be (so that she can get her ears pierced).
• The sweet card I got from Cari.
• Riley's immitation of the girls vying for Brad the Bachelor, "O-M-G!"
• The Castle kiss.

See?  That wasn't so bad after all. 

:)