So this really happened – my dog locked me out of my bedroom twice. I used a credit card both times. Never done that before. It actually worked. I felt very Richard Dean Anderson.

Fast forward a few days … my dog locks me in my basement. I had no shoes, no cell phone and no credit card. I had to be resourceful. Luckily my husband had decided to knock down a few walls in the room above my lower level stairs a couple of months back (reno hopes and dreams, you know). But I still had to get high enough to reach that level.

The small opening that was my only chance at escape.

Cue the Mission Impossible music.

So I used these items (a far cry from a toothpick and a piece of chewing gum – creative I am, MacGyver I am not).

That’s right. This is what I used.

And I built this.

Video chair supporting the suitcase next to the trashcan. My version of a step ladder on stairs.

Then this happened.

My genius hard at work.

Not really. It was more like this.

Left to my own devices because my devices left me.

But hey, it did work. I made it to the top and I have to say that it was a nice unexpected event (not to be repeated if I have any choice in the matter). My left knee, right elbow and ripped jeans may beg to differ, but I did try something I never thought I would which made getting stuck downstairs a welcome surprise. Not that I recommend getting locked in your basement, but having the ingenuity to get yourself out of a challenging situation should never be a take-back.