Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Always an adventure!

(this is long... but pretty crazy!)

This past weekend was eventful. We borrowed a tent trailer from my brother and so we also had to borrow my MIL's vehicle for the hitch to pull it.

We got it all and we off on the road at about 5pm. Later than we wanted to leave, but Reg was working so it was what it was. We filled up the tired on the trailer and left town.

Got to about 5 km outside of Nanton and heard a loud BOOM - which happened to be a trailer tire exploding. So we pulled over to the side of the road. And got out to check it out. There was NOTHING left. Just a few wires around the rim. And we were in the middle of nowhere. So I did what I always do when it involves my vehicle. Called my dad. Who had already left town to go to the reunion and could do nothing for me. But my mom said 20 minutes before we called he said to my mom, you know Rhonda and Regan might have tire rot on those tires. They might have trouble. And then I called and he said it's Rhonda isn't it...... He told me to drive it to the nearest farmers house and ask for help. After calling the Brother to check about a spare (there wasn't one - the other tire had actually blown the last time they had used it, which was apparently was 2 years ago). So with a prayer in our hearts and driving about 10 km an hour, we drove down the high way a bit and turned down a gravel road and slowly made out way to the first farm house.

I walked up the driveway and knocked on the door (Reg said they would be more sympathetic to a girl... I thought about taking Eli to the door with me...:) ) And told them I had a tire blow out and asked if we could just park the trailer anywhere around their property so we could go get something figured out. The farmer came out and told us to pull up. So I flagged Regan down. He pulled up and the farmer took a look. Said you know I think I might have a tire that size. Why don't you let the kids out and let them wander around. Regan, the farmer and Alden looked through one of his shops and found a boat trailer tire, which just happened to fit perfectly. Which he let us borrow for the weekend. Which he also put on our trailer with his air compressor and lifted the trailer with his tractor. And then also gave us another spare tire just in case. And let the kids play on the swing set. And let Lucy use the bathroom inside. And told us we could camp there for the night (we didn't). They were so kind. And so nice. Wayne and Diana. Very very nice people. The prayer in our hearts was answered.

We pulled out from Wayne and Diana's place at 840pm. And drove straight to Okotoks to stay at my other brother, Sean and Val's house, who set us up wonderful sleeping rooms, feed us supper and breakfast. (also very kind!). The Saturday morning we finished our drive to Wetaskiwin. Which is waaaaay up north!

Set up the trailer, had fun. Visited with family. Had lots of fun.

That night at 4 am Lucy woke up screaming mad. She was convinced that someone had snuck into the tent trailer and switched her and Alden sleeping bags and she absolutely refused to sleep in THAT sleeping bag any more. She wanted her sleeping bag. Both Regan and I tried to convince her that that was in fact CRAZY. And that she was in her sleeping bag. Finally Reg had to take her out and put her into the vehicle. Where she screamed it out. Until she got so cold that she just wanted to go back to any sleeping bag and go to sleep. Which Reg happily helped her do. (Luckily Little Eli slept thru all that.)

Sunday we drove home and dropped the two tired back off the Wayne and Diana. And they told us to stop by any time we drive by.

What a weekend.
I seem to remember camping being so fun as a kid. And I've come to decide that camping is lots of fun when you are the kid and just a whole lot of WORK when you are the momma.

12 comments:

Carmen said...

Quite the adventure! You seem to have been able to take it all in stride. That is great. I, on the other hand, would have turned aroudn the second the tire blew and that would have been it for me.

Anonymous said...

If that's waaaay up north then what do you call us?
I would have brought Paisley to the door too...smart Regan.
Camping is about the kids. I'm a stress ball until I make it back to my comfy bed. I hate air mattresses now but loved them as a kid. -KB

Alysha Sladek said...

what an adventure! you're good to go camping. i am SO not a camper at all!!! (even skipping out on YW camp today. I'm sitting in my kitchen watching them through the window pack the vans and head off. bad I know!)
hope you took pics :)

Julia said...

true story. turns out anything that was fun as a kid...is just a lot of work for a mum. hahah :)
so thankful for my mum.

love the tire story, proves that there are some pretty great people in this world.

Amy said...

Oh no! Is this B & E's trailer? So lucky that farmer had tires for you and was a kindhearted person! And I'm glad you made it to the reunion and had fun!

Crystal said...

For goodness sake - you were only 45 minutes from my house when you were in Wetaskiwin!!! And I'm sure my husband would have found tires for you too!! I agree - it's a whole lot of work for mom. Even now, it seems I'm always worrying about food and what needs to be done so we can eat again. I need to just say "open the fridge / cooler and find whatever you want." Especially when the main one I'm feeding is over 50!! But just think of the memories your kids will have - especially Lucy! I'm sure this will become a family story, retold every time you go camping :))

Mary MacAskill said...

I totally agree about camping! Derrick keeps trying to make me go, but I keep saying that Sadie is too young, so it's just too much work. But you know, he doesn't see it that way. I think because he doesn't do the work?? Anyway, so glad your weekend worked out and you met some nice people along the way. :)

Let the party begin... said...

Any vacation worth its salt is bound to have those kind of memories. Love the sleeping bag drama...funny now but I'm sure frustrating at the time.

Mike and Jodi said...

Wow - what a blessing! It is nice to hear stories of truly nice and amazing people still out there. So glad it worked out in the end.

Connie Nichol said...

Oh Rhonda. Hugs. We don't camp. Or rather, we camp in the backyard. It is much easier, especially on the mommy. When we travel, we stay in a comfy b&b or rent a condo for way less than it would cost me to buy all that camping equipment. ;-)

Heather M. said...

Oh my goodness! That is crazy! I'm glad it all worked out though.

Lovely gd Cee said...

okay... im here looking around your blog and your other photo blog..... im very impressed!!! man, you're AWESOME!!! very very awesome- i love your photos!!!