10:00 Hustle family out the door so we can meet up with old friends for lunch. Old friends I haven't seen in ten years and who are at this moment less than an hour and a half away
11:00 Trying to get in touch with friend to tell her we'll be late, but then make up time by passing the elderly joyriders doing 50 on the highway in their convertible.
11:01 *POP* *SQUEEL*
11:01.5 Oh shit oh shit oh shit. Realize I no longer have power steering and I'm doing 60 on a mountain highway
11:02 Make it to the side of the road and see smoke pouring out of the engine. Which C quickly diagnoses as a busted hose.
11:30 Hose is fixed with a garbage bag, as for the first time ever I have no duct tape in my car.
11:31 Mention to C about the power steering. Discover there is also a loose belt with no home.
11:40 Find out AAA membership is expired, of course. Spend the rest of our cash for the week on the premium membership, since we are in the boondocks and need towed more than 5 miles. Congratulate self on not using credit cards, even though we'll have to eat Ramen and cupcakes all week.
12:00 Tow truck driver calls and says AAA called the wrong people
12:45 Find out we lost our "priority" spot due to the mistake. The boys try to throw the football on the curb without falling into a) traffic or b) the pricker bushes full of bees. Syd's eating Cheerios out of a cupholder.
1:45 Tow truck driver appears, and thankfully has enough room for all of us. Load up kids/crap/van.
2:15 C jumps out at a stop light to literally run home to get the car so he can pick me and the kids up at the mechanic
2:30 Pull into mechanic's parking lot to find a tarp across the gate spray painted "VACATION" Succinct, right? No answer at their number with an indication of how long of a vacation we're talking here. Truck driver looks around nervously and says "He'll be here pretty quick, right?" Unload kids/crap/van. Wave forlornly to the driver as he leaves.
2:35 Remember that the stroller is in the van and silently celebrate at least one thing working out today. Walk kids to burger joint down the street and let Eli eat a milkshake and fries for lunch.
3:00 C arrives, eats lunch. Talk to brother, who's got my dad's car at his place in LA. He agrees to meet us halfway so we can "borrow" it.
4:00 2 hour drive to Bakersfield.
6:00 Family reunion in the 7-11 parking lot.
I love these people.
Note how the kids are totally phoning it in though.
8:30 Home, finally. Dinner of PB&J and carrots.
9:00 Eli went to bed right after his bath, but Syd's been sleeping all day.
11:00 Finally just corral her between us in bed and hope for the best.
oooooohh. I guess it's a good thing you've had experience entertaining yourselves while stranded. The days memories are made of. I'm happy to know you were going to Bakersfield to meet up with D&K. A family member told me the only reason to go to Bakersfield on purpose is for crack and clap. Whew on that one!
ReplyDeleteAnd boo to the tow truck driver for not waiting for your ride to come.
ReplyDeleteWOW I think you get the award for worse day. Good grief that is a day that goes down in the books. I am impressed with your humor, but as my mom always says if you can't laugh at the insanity you become the insanity.
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