Money down the drain

It has been pouring rain here for about 40 days and nights.

Ok, that is an exaggeration but it feels like an ark would be a more appropriate vehicle these days.

The rain has flooded the drains too.

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I pay my child care provider cash. It is under the table and she doesn't have to pay taxes on this income. This is good in that we pay a little less than we would pay a center but bad because of two things 1)we don't get to claim it for tax purposes and 2) we always have to get the cash.

I always feel like a drug dealer carrying around hundreds of dollars in twenties. Last week, I made the mistake of thinking I needed to pay her. So I took the money out and then realized my mistake. Instead of putting it back into the bank, like I should have, I've been carrying around this monster pile of twenties. And worrying about loosing them.

After work yesterday, I ran out of the office with my envelope of cash. I was proud of myself for remembering it. I ran to my car with my three bags: breastmilk bag, briefcase, and purse. It was raining so I was really running.

I opened the door to my car which was parked in a huge puddle that was draining down to one of the large storm culverts. In my rush, I smacked my purse open somehow and all of those nice, clean, crisp twenties spilled out, falling into the water and began racing down to the drain.

I screamed and started scooping up the damn things. I was throwing them back into the car. It must have been quite the sight. Megan standing in a puddle, in the rain, scooping up money and screaming with both laughter and frustration.

I had a whole pile of sopping wet money to pay my dear child care provider!

In the end, I caught them all and was very relieved! But the expression on my face as well as the expression on my child care providers' face when I showed up with a pile of wet, soggy bills was classic. We laid them all out on her kitchen table to make sure they were all there and I'm sure they have dried.

Sam and I talk a lot about money and the ways we waste it. This would have really been one for the books if I had lost money by throwing it down the drain.