righteous babe

Today, I was an insult to self-sufficient, intelligent women everywhere.  I made my husband laugh so hard (and so many times) that he didn’t even mind packing up a toddler, driving her to the store only to drive her home and then back again to the store.  Note: she was less amused.  Second Note: Hubband is sometimes a saint.

It all began when I got on the treadmill (what is it with me and freaking treadmill issues) and there was a loud *pop* and everything turned off.  Immediately, I knew it was a circuit breaker.  The only problem is, I had really only dealt with them in apartments in the past and I had no idea where our box even was.  I called Hubband and he told me where it was located.

I walked outside and began trying to pry open a box (mistake # 1) that contained……….. cut cords that went nowhere.  I know what a breaker box is so I moved on.  I look up and there it is in all its obvious glory.  I feel like an idiot because that tiny box that I just pried open was most certainly not the correct box.  Hubband begins to give me insane instructions about how the correct switch will “give a little, but not much”.  I gingerly start poking switches and 3 of them flip really easily.  Ooops.  Did I mention Hubband works from home sometimes and has an elaborate set-up (he’s an IT engineer) in his office that cannot just randomly be shut-down?

I am hot and frustrated and my sugar is starting to feel a little low.  I stomp back inside and run up and down the stairs between the room with the power outage and said breaker box numerous times flicking random-ass switches (in for a penny, in for a pound).  Nothing is working.  Hubband is asking me if I want him to come home before he even goes into the store with GG.  I am fighting the urge because I really want to fix it myself, but I want my office to have electricity again.

After several failed attempts, I give in and ask him to come home.  I am embarrassed and sweaty and a little shaky.  He walks right over to the box and I immediately bury my face in my hands.  I start shaking my head in denial.  This cannot be happening.  I was fucking with my neighbor’s circuit box for the last 20 minutes.  Two. Separate. Buildings. I live in a house, and they live in a different house (I know- hence the term neighbor). I legit walked outside and walked over to a separate building and didn’t register it (apparently mostly living in apartments screws with your logical sense of space).

I sulk over to the box (on the side of our house) to see what he is pointing at and, of course, one of the breakers is half-flipped and it is immediately obvious I could have handled this on my own.  I am not sure I will ever live this down.  He used to tell me I was smarter than him.  I’m not sure either of us will ever believe that again.  I had (finally) gained credibility back after pregnancy brain (and then sick brain) had made me stupid.

My neighbors hate me because I randomly shut on/off sections of power and/or devices in their house. I have been hiding in my house all day fearing retaliation. This was on a Sunday, so hoping they were at work is not realistic. I am hoping they think their house just decided to randomly malfunction and then “heal” itself.