Fortunately, yesterday morning was storytime at the Ithaca Children's Garden, and the girls and I were all set to go, on time.
Unfortunately, we got outside and saw that the car had a flat tire.
Fortunately, Jeremy hadn't left for school/work/campus (I still don't know what to call it), and he was able to put on the spare tire so we could drive to get it fixed.
Unfortunately, doing this caused him to miss his bus.
Fortunately, we were able to give him a ride.
Unfortunately, we missed storytime.
Fortunately, we went to the Children's Garden anyway and played in the dirt and on the giant turtle.
Unfortunately, this meant that by the time I got to Sears to see about getting the tire fixed, the girls were tired, hungry, and exhausted.
Fortunately, the Sears people said they could fix it right then.
Unfortunately, while I was negotiating with the Sears people, Magdalena destroyed the pricing display in front of the tire section.
Fortunately, they said it was no problem, and the girls and I settled in to eat a sandwich while we waited.
Hanging out in the Sears Auto Center waiting room, reading some Vogue.
Unfortunately, an hour later when we had long finished lunch, they still weren't done with the car. Magdalena was going crazy and wreaking havoc wherever she could.
Fortunately, the news about the status of the tire, when it finally came, was good: there was no leak that they could find, so I wouldn't have to pay anything to have it fixed. They had just filled it back up with air and put it back on the car.
And here comes the big Unfortunately: According to them, this means that the cause of our flat tire was most likely someone letting the air out of the tire, on purpose. Every time I think of the studied, mean destruction involved in a person walking up to a tire (in a car with two carseats in it! Will no one think of the children?!?), removing the cap, pressing down on the needle to release the air, holding down the needle until all the air in the tire is gone, and then replacing the cap - well, my head just about explodes.
Doesn't yours?