Not my usual morning routine

The slightly pissed voice on the other side of the line told me that the clinic will do strep throat tests without an appointment from 8 to 4:30 but  not  between noon and two. I was sure the voice on the other end did not suffer fools lightly. I promised myself to be on time.

No good. I can’t find my wallet or keys. Dogs want to go out and I have 5 minutes to get out the door to make the noon cut off for the test.

Fly upstairs. Front room. Check jeans, sweats, top of dresser and book shelf. Look in closet (why?). Bathroom. Sink, toilet tank (top of it, not inside), floor, sink. Back room. Bed, top of TV, bedside table – drawer one, drawer two, drawer three. All unlikely places but leave no stone unturned is the motto driving me.

Fly downstairs. The dogs are following me. Let them outside. Fly through kitchen – pause. Think about calling C_. Don’t want to drag her into this, just yet.

Fly back upstairs. Stop to have coughing jag in hallway. Go through the same routine of checking rooms. Feel a little dizzy. Ears are filling up. No keys and no wallet. This is ridiculous.

Downstairs. Slower and more controlled. Not defeated. Let dogs in (hey, we love you!). Pick up wicker basket filled with odds and ends. My tan wallet. Slide it into my back pocket. One down. Give myself a pat down for keys. Secret jacket pocket. Front jack pockets. Right pant pocket. Left pant pocket. Heh. My keys.

Put everything together. Said goodbye to the dogs and went out to greet the bright cold morning.