I'm an Idiot....

Today started off very nicely. The three oldest kids have been participating in our church's Summer Daze program - Daniel as a participant, Joseph and Rachael as teen leaders. I took them over to church early this morning, then came back to a quiet morning of just me and Aaron. At 11, he and I headed to the gym for an hour, then home for lunch.

I had promised him that we would do something he wanted to do this afternoon and he had chosen a visit to Waterfront Park in Louisville, where there are several playgrounds and fountains to play in. So around 2, we headed over there. I had my Harry Potter book to read and he had his swimsuit on, in anticipation of the fountains, which is where we went first.

I settled in on a bench with my book, my purse, his shoes, socks, shirt and towel, while he happily started splashing. After a very few minutes, Aaron decided he wanted to move to a completely different area, so I gathered everything up and we moved. I went back to reading and he went back to playing.

Suddenly, I wondered what time it was, and I reached for my purse.

It wasn't there.

I looked all around and figured I must have left it when we moved spots. I walked back to where we were, but it wasn't there either. Well then, I thought, I must have left it in the car. I walked back to the car. Not there either, and the car was locked, just as I thought I had done. I walked around and around like a crazy person, thinking my purse must be sitting somewhere and I just couldn't see it. Nope, it wasn't where we were first, it wasn't where we were last, it was nowhere to be found.

Finally, a Mexican family sitting nearby asked if I was looking for someone. I said I had lost my purse. They told me they had seen a woman with her two children pick it up, where I had left it when we moved from the first spot. I could see a police car sitting in another section of the park, so I walked over to it to ask for help. I did not have my cell phone, my car keys, any money. After reporting the purse stolen, I used the policeman's phone to call my parents, who have a spare key.

At this point I was pretty upset, but it gets worse.

The policeman came over and got a description of the woman from the Mexican family. He gave me a number of the police report, and being assured that I had someone coming to pick me up, he left. I stood there talking to the family for a few minutes, letting Aaron play more until my dad arrived, and I said, "At least the car is still here."

I looked over at the car.

It was gone.

Apparently, while I was over with the policeman, the city towed it away, for being parked in a "No Parking 3-6 PM" zone.

Yes, that's right, folks. You read it here first:
My purse was stolen and while I was reporting it, my car was towed.

So when my parents finally found me and Aaron at the park, first we had to go to the impound lot and pay $110 to get my car back, then I went home with no money, no cell phone, no drivers license. I had hoped that the woman who was seen picking it up would look up my phone number and call me, but so far, at 10:00 PM, no such call has come. I have called my cell phone many times, but no one answers.

Tomorrow I will start with getting my drivers license and cell phone replaced. Then insurance cards. Luckily, I have no credit cards or even a debit card. And I don't have a checkbook.

I just feel like an idiot. How could anyone be so stupid? I got up and moved, and forgot my purse. Just left it sitting there in plain view.

More adventures of a dingbat tomorrow.
J.