The Hurrier I Go

As Lewis Carroll's White Rabbit said in Alice In Wonderland (1865), "The hurrier I go, the behinder I get."  Fits me to a T.  Should have paid bills the day before, but wasn't up to it after the mess with the, as Kit called it, Docusign, so I tackled that onerous chore yesterday.

I have used online banking for years.  Given that our local post office keeps erratic hours and the price of stamps these days, online is a simple process.  A check that had been sent to one of my payees by the bank had the wrong address and was returned to me!  When I checked my statement, I also found that an automatic deposit made every month from an investment company had not been made.  I believe I mentioned a while ago that my computer had suddenly chosen to enlarge the visible screen.  Well, looking at the statement, all I could see in the right-hand column were minus signs with the amounts in red.  Red to me means "in the hole" and that I was overdrawn (which has never happened).  Aarrgh!  I was in a right panic by the time I called the bank.  The nice young man couldn't explain the payee mistake, but he was, calmly, able to ask if I could shift the computer screen to the left to see the entire page.  Of course I could, and would have if I had not been in such a froth.  The second call was to the payee company to explain the foofah and why my payment was late.  "No problem, just send another."  The third call was to the investment company, left a message, and, rattled though I was, went about the business of paying bills.  When that gentleman called back, he couldn't explain either, but said he'd fix it immediately.  Oh goody, please do.

I'd no more than finished with the monthly task when "blip!" the power went out.  Really?!  With a clear blue sky overhead, I felt I was under a dark, dark cloud.  I was going through my mental checklist for life without electricity (not my first rodeo) when the gremlins in force said, "Let there be light," and the clocks started blinking.

"Come on, Michael, we're going for another walk.  I don't know about you, but I need one!"  I hauled a wagonload of firewood to the porch.  It had been the coldest day yet and I was frozen.  There is that blissful moment when Stove starts throwing out heat and you realize you can feel your cheeks again.

I can't say it had been a good day, but it had a happy ending.