Mystery is afoot.

Earlier today, I was out running errands when my car started dinging at me. Like, the rhythmic dinging you hear when you open your car door. Or the dinging that you hear after you start your car and it decides to tell you — albeit with a single ding — that something needs addressing…either the battery on the key fob needs replacing, or maybe that you’re due for service soon. Only my door wasn’t open, and I’m not due to go into the dealership for another two months. And I was driving. Like, driving-down-the-street-minding-my-own-business driving. It dinged three times, then it stopped. It has never done that before.

Right before I got to my next destination, it did it again…this time, only twice. Note to self: have my trusty service dudes check it out next time I go in.

When I got home, I did a small load of laundry. Everything seemed normal, until the washer finished agitating and decided not to drain. What the…? Really? I wouldn’t have been so perplexed had my parents’ washer not decided to recently do the same thing. After shutting off then turning on the washer repeatedly, as well as resetting the dial, it was back to working. But still…tres strange.

When it finished spinning, I threw everything into the dryer…and, after an hour of things tumbling about inside, I realized it wasn’t giving off any heat on the low setting. I’m a fan of low, but not so low that my garments would never dry. I put the dryer back on high, and voila — heat. More weirdness.

Earlier tonight while I was on my way out, I went to turn on the back porchlight, only to find out that the bulb burned out as I flipped the switch.

OK, I give up. What’s the deal with things malfunctioning on me? I’m used to being out and about and having streetlights go dark when I pass them, but today’s chain of events was uncanny.

Last one: at a friend’s holiday party tonight, there was an uber-delish authentic taco bar set up, complete with those tart, tangy and oh-so-tender pickled vegetables. I tried to eat a pickled carrot three times, and three times I missed my mouth and it fell in my lap. In this case, the fourth time was a charm. While I’d had a cocktail, it was hardly anything strong enough to keep me from properly getting the carrot into my mouth. OK, maybe not the same thing as stuff malfunctioning, but hey — I was malfunctioning. So it sorta works.

I’m convinced something is afoot.

But what? I have no idea.

All I can tell you is that a clump of strange happenings like the one that paid a visit to me today is somewhat unnerving. Not in a paranoid sense, but in the sense that my guard is now up. My radar is tracking. Things can come at me all they want, and while I might’ve been going merrily on my way eight hours ago, now I’m not. I feel ready for them, whatever they may be.

Tonight I am thankful for the strange events that led me to being more alert, more on my game and more aware than I normally would be. While I hope there isn’t something bigger on the way, I’m grateful for those things that have me keeping an eye out for something that I wouldn’t have been anticipating otherwise.