Letting go, moving on.

Last night I was slowly, methodically walking through the house muttering softly.

"Lock, lock, lock."  Says I.
Frankie:  "What the heck are you doing?"

I ignore her.

"Locked, locked, locked." I say as I make a return trip through the house. 

Frankie:  "Seriously, what are you doing?"

Again I simply keep walking.

I retrace my steps one more time.  This time I don't say anything, but am pointing my index finger in the direction of each window in each room.

Frankie is puppy-dogging me.  Finally, she grabs me (quite firmly I should add) and gives me a shaking that made marbles rattle around in my skull.  I have to say I was glad to hear them...it was good to know I had not lost all of them.

She leads me to the sofa.

Frankie:  "Listen to me.  Just because you forgot to lock the sliding door last night does not mean it is ever going to happen again.  It was a mistake.  I know you are upset about what Zazzle did to your store, it's okay.  You were simply too engrossed in that to remember the door was open.  LET IT GO!"

I wanted to be reassured.  I wasn't.

Me:  "Oh Frankie, I can't help it.  What if, what if, I'm getting some form of dementia?  What will happen to you?  What will  happen to Zorro?  What will happen to CC?"

By the time I was done ranting, my voice had risen to an octave only a dog could hear.

Frankie:  "Who's the President of the United States?"
Me:  "Obama."
Frankie:  "What day is it?"
Me:  "Friday."
Frankie: "What did you do last Sunday."
Me:  (Wailing)  "I don't remember."
Frankie:  "Okay, okay, settle down, I don't remember either."  Bad question, bad question.  What's your favorite dessert?"
Me: (Screwing up my face, she's kidding right?) "Cheesecake, ice cream, cake, cookies, candy bars." 
Frankie:  "See, you remember your favorite dessert, and in the right order, too."

She is doubled over in laughter.

Frankie:  "Seriously, you made a mistake, nothing happened to us, we're all just fine.  You have got to move on."

I meekly nod my head, she's probably right.  I made a mistake.  However, this incident has caused me to re-evaluate things.  I know I put everybody at risk.  The last thing I want to do is put my little family in harms way. I must take seriously the fact I can't do more than one thing at a time.  Had I followed through with locking up the other night, instead of breaking my routine that damn door would never have been left open.  It was a humbling experience.

But, Frankie is also right in saying I have to move on. 

So, in this land of Dump and Dumper...'er Dumb and Dumber it is hard to say with any certainty what will happen next.  I will keep you posted.