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Laughter as the best medicine and absolutely nothing about dogs.

Rushing ... to deliver Littlest to a play date.

Rushing ... to the station so that Eldest could catch a train. To take her away. Again.

Rushing ... against the traffic and distance and time to get to work. On time. (Or is it in time?)


And the following (slightly embarrassing event) occurred -

We reached the venue for the play date. I said good-bye to Littlest - kissed three times, quick (I'm rushing) squeeze - and jogged (still in rushing mode) back to the car.

I sat down, a little out of breath. Strapped in. Right hand onto steering wheel.

My head was now rushing. Thoughts of arriving late at work. Worry about keeping people with appointments waiting. Feeling just a little stressed as time ticked on (somewhat faster that Google maps had predicted).

I reached down to put the engine into first gear and the hand-break off.

Both my hands now ready on the steering wheel.

Brow furrowed. Eyes fixed on the bend ahead and the navigation hazard of a builder lifting some planks out of a white van. Racing in my mind through the journey ahead against the ever-diminishing time.

I felt a slight muscle-tensing lurch of my upper body, in a bracing-myself-for-forward-momentum-reflex

... but that anticipated forward momentum failed to occur. Completely. Nothing. I flopped back against the seat. We went nowhere.

Hmmm ... one small, insignificant, tiny, little thing was missing amidst all the early morning rushing - the car key; still in my pocket and very much not in the ignition.

Eldest and I laughed.

`

Laughter is so great at popping the bubble of stress.


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