It should have been a 5-minute errand to the library, which is just 2 miles north of here.  After all, how long does it take to pluck the books off of the shelf and sail through the self check-out?  

Except that the books were not in evidence, even after I looked twice, then three times - and even looked through all the Ls.  So I headed over to the main desk, where (of course) there was a line.  

And since one woman was signing up for a new account so that took a while. Eventually the librarian got to me, and (after accessing my account to see that in fact there should have been two books waiting for me) checked the shelves herself.  Where, of course, there really were no books for me, just as I'd said. 

She even checked the D shelf, although the library has always been good about putting me in the right place.  So she went into the back, where she did eventually find them.  

At that point I checked out and headed to the parking lot.  But when I tried to start the car the key would not turn, probably because I had not fully straightened out the steering wheel after I pulled into the spot.  Of course I tugged at it several times (to no avail) and was ready to give up and call Tom with an SOS when I realized <sigh> that I'd left my cell phone back at the house. 

So I gave the wheel a couple more really hard tugs (probably not so good for my back...) and finally got the key to turn and car to start.

And that was my exciting morning.  
Now I'll just kick back on the ice pack and read.