Lotto

I’m kind of ready for 2014 to be over.

Wait, it’s only April— how can I wish away almost an entire year of my life?  It’s not so much that I want to hurry the days along, Lord knows I’m the youngest I’ll ever be right this very second.

It’s more that 2014 has gotten off to a rocky start.

Black cats are darting out in front of me day in and day out.  Every restaurant we frequent Nate spills the salt, and then licks the shaker (stop doing that).  Or maybe it’s Nathaniel’s unwavering determination to open umbrellas inside.  Or all that crack-stepping Jakey does is finally taking me down?

Whatever it is, let’s just say that I am in no position to be playing the lottery. I should be calling State Farm and upping my coverage.  The gods are pissed and I have got to find a way to make it up to them if I’m going to make it to 2015.

Here’s how it’s going so far.  Exclamation points for bad luck, dollar signs for good:

!) We started the year with a bizarre and overinflated incident at preschool that stressed us out for two weeks.  Fortunately it evaporated, but I could have done without those two weeks.

!) I was then sick for two weeks… turned into bronchitis.  Then I went to Vegas for work for a week with bronchitis and an inability to drink alcohol.  So fun.

!) I got a summons for jury duty.  As did my boss, my HR manager and all three people on my team.

!) I took the train home early with exactly 15 minutes to get home so James could go to an evening appointment.  Upon arrival to my car, the battery was dead and I had to walk-run home so he wouldn’t be late.  I left my car parked near the station for the entire weekend.

!) We got a flat tire on 280 with everyone in the car.  James’ car.  He had just bought new tires.  He bought another new tire.

!) That very day I went home, looked at my car (which we had moved from the station) and found a tack in my tire.  I sucked it up and bought all new tires, too.  I also had to buy a new battery.

!) One of my key partners at work resigned.

$) I got some good news regarding Lionel Richie, which I had hoped was a sign my luck had turned.  Yes, I know this one sounds a bit wackadoo… but you don’t know how much I love Lionel Richie.

!) My dream bilingual immersion kindergarten that I have been thinking about for almost ten years was a major disappointment.  Back to the kindergarten drawing board.

!) I missed our neighborhood school kindergarten (read: default) tour because… I was in Jury Duty.

$) We booked that trip to Hawaii we’ve been contemplating.  Turns out early May is actually a good time to go— strategically positioned between Spring Break and summer vacays.

!) And then yesterday we got our kindergarten lottery letter and we’ve landed lucky #109 on the wait list for our new dream kindergarten.  Plus I got a parking ticket for being too close to a fire hydrant while drudging back to my car in a torrential downpour perfectly timed for when I detrained.

I really thought our luck was going to change when it came to the kindergarten lotto, I really did…

So… what do you think I have to throw into a Hawaiian volcano to appease the gods?

I sure hope it’s not Lionel Richie.