Comic relief. And dolls.

Middlest:  I just locked myself in the garage without my keys. In my pajamas because I was pre-treating a stain.

Me:  I see this.  Good thing I needed to use the loo. I'll let the office manager know that I need to come rescue you.

Middlest: Okay. I'm sorry [sad face].

Me: Hey, I've done that myself. Is the temperature comfortable?

Middlest: No, it's cold, and I'm wearing shorts and a single long sleeved tee. Feels below 50F.

Me: Google says it's 59. Might warm up a little if you open the back door a crack.

Middlest: Possible. My phone says it's 55F here.

Me: (20 minutes later) Waiting for the elevator. Thank you for saving me from a deadly boring afternoon.

Middlest: Glad to be of service I guess. I feel foolish but I'm thankful you are able to help.

Me: On my way. Love you!

Middlest: Love you too! See you soon.

Me: (31 minutes later) I'm at [an intersection].

Middlest: I'm still by the washer [:P]

Me: Waiting for the light at [three intersections later].

Middlest: Okay. I can't remember how close that is.

Me. Now I'm at [the next intersection]. Listening to Every Breath You Take played on chamber music instruments.

Middlest: That sounds surreal.

Me: Waiting for the light at [last major intersection]. I'm about 20 cats back.

Middlest: Cats. I'm picturing. Feeding frenzy, cat food.

And then I was home, letting Middlest out of the garage, and grabbing the last of my pint of ice cream.

This is how I explained it at work. There were two other employees standing in the office manager's doorway, listening to her tell a story about trying to help her aging father replace his appliances. When there was a break, I said, "I need to go home now. My kid is locked in the garage. In pajamas. To be fair, it happened to me when I still had a cat, and I was able to open a window (which is now locked) and snake a chair out of the breakfast nook and climb up on it and through the window." We all laughed, because it's always funny when it happens to someone else, and for me it's particularly funny because I have so been there. I blame Middlest's migraine fog. We are meticulous about unlocking both locks between the kitchen and garage, then testing, before we go out there. Because Middlest has heard my story more than once.

I went back to my desk, sent an email to my team and the extra lawyer I was backing up today, and got the heck out of Dodge. I've been giggly ever since. It had been an excruciatingly slow day at work, so I was glad to escape, and I'd already gotten all of the signed mail out.

Hello, dolly! This is Praise, with the puppy I bought at Daiso a few weeks back.

Middlest's doll Avery. As you can see, he's quite full of himself. The shoes were part of the rest of my order when I put Praise on layaway.

And in financial news, I got an "on the spot" cash award at the staff meeting this morning for being exceptionally helpful last year. Not sure if it will hit in Friday's paycheck or the one after that.

I just finished the knitting part of the doll hat for my small friend at church. I'll save the weaving-in of ends for another time, because I want cookies and milk and bed.