Vacation Countdown: 1 MORE DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Although, for a brief moment yesterday afternoon, we thought the whole beach vacation may just be a dream.
Our little red Ford Focus station wagon had an appointment at Riverview Ford at 11.00 am.
The front passenger wheel is in need of a wheel bearing.
At least that's what I think it needs, if I can recall what Stephen said.
When it comes to all things car, I usually hear the same thing you would hear when Charlie Brown's teacher begins to speak.
Wha wha wha wha. . . .
By 3.30 pm, we were hit with the latest challenge to our sanity.
Our car won't be ready until Tuesday.
All I heard Stephen say into the phone was,
Dawne is going to be livid.
We are leaving on Sunday.
And there is no way we can get four people, two dogs and all the things we need to take with us to the cottage in Em's 2000 Hyundai Elantra.
But before we could even come that conclusion, we sat in our shared home office, jaws to the floor, wondering how the hell a car dealership couldn't have a wheel bearing in stock when they knew Tuesday, yes, Tuesday when the car was in for its oil-and-filter-change that we needed a wheel bearing replaced.
Because they told us that we needed the wheel bearing replaced.
So they knew.
And they still didn't have one.
Once we picked our jaws up from the floor and re-aligned them in our mouths, we decided to just rent a vehicle for the week.
So we called Discount Car Rental, got a quote for $352.00 for the week for a Ford Escape, and we'll pick it up tomorrow morning on our way to take Keith to work.
I'd want at least a missing limb, organs flying out of the body with reckless abandon, or something that caused a lot of blood loss before I would even contemplate not going.
Plus, Keith and Em took the entire week off work to go, and the idea of sitting at home with them for an entire week is far worse than paying for a vehicle rental.
And when we return, rested, invigorated, tanned, Riverview Ford will be informed that they are chipping in, if not paying in full, the car rental.
Just because I can.
And just as an after thought, why is something as simple as going to the beach for a week such a challenging thing for us to do?
Knowing that remaining in the house whilst still reeling from the news of the car was going to lead to nothing good, I packed Stephen into the car and off we went to the Community Kitchen to volunteer.
We needed to be reminded that there are far worse things in the world than a wonky wheel bearing and at least we were in the position to rent a vehicle meaning our vacation was still a go.
And we picked a night to go!
Within 20 minutes we'd served 60 plates of spaghetti with sauce and two pieces of garlic bread, including soup, beef or fish chowder, for anyone who wanted some.
The salad they were able to serve for themselves.
Poor Stephen.
He was up to the hairs on his six foot four head in pots, pans and restaurant sized stainless steel containers.
Literally.
We were the last two volunteers to leave, as it took the two us the better part of 30 minutes to get the remainder of the dishes washed and dried.
Stephen's hands were so water pruned I'm convinced his fingerprints were obliterated.
My mother, who is not coming with us for our vacation, was hoping for an outing tomorrow.
I was hoping to take her out.
But. . .
These outings work because we have the perfect car for taking my mother out.
High enough off the ground that she can get in comfortably.
And enough room in the cargo area to just lift her wheelchair in, no folding, taking pieces off required.
The Elantra: too low.
And unless the wheelchair is as collapsible as a child's stroller, there is no way we'd get it in the car.
A Ford Escape?
We'd need a forklift to get her into it, because there is no way her legs could make that much of a stretch.
And a step ladder?
I don't think so.
My mother astride a step ladder?
If I wasn't so tired that would almost be funny.
I called to let her know of our most recent car calamity, and that it wouldn't be possible to go for an outing until we come back from the ocean.
She was fine with that.
But, she did have a small list of groceries she wanted me to bring to her tomorrow when I go for my Saturday beans and brown bread.
And it will be beans.
Last week they served pizza.
So this week, beans it will be.
Never have two Saturday's passed without beans.
Her list:
Cranberry juice
Navel oranges
Bread and butter pickles.
Normally my father takes care of these things, but he's out of town until Sunday.
And when he'll be in to see Mum is anyone's guess.
So I am the bearer of all things groceries until he returns.
And the chief bean eater.
The day wasn't a total disaster.
An ad for Meredyth's apartment was placed, by moi, on Kijiji Fredericton this morning, with (hopefully) enough incentive to entice someone to want to rent it for September 15.
http://fredericton.kijiji.ca/c-real-estate-apartments-condos-bachelor-studio-River-Facing-Bachelor-Apartment-Lease-Takeover-W0QQAdIdZ307080434
She's informed that two people have already contacted her.
Keep your fingers crossed.
Keep everything crossed.
We need someone to take over her lease.
And if anyone is willing to take over Mer, we're fine with that, too.
After the car, the kitchen, we needed some respite.
As there were no kidlets in our midst, we decided to check out the newest restaurant in our little corner of the world: The Oriental Pearl.
Small, cozy, reasonably priced, very good food, it was just what we needed to get our bearings (no pun intended), reconnect with each other and the real world.
As it only opened Tuesday, there are still some things they need to sort out.
Service was a bit slow.
But that was fine for us.
We needed some time alone.
Sitting.
Relaxing.
We sorted out finances, talked over issues, ate chicken balls, chicken chow mien, chicken fried rice, egg rolls and fortune cookies. . .
And at the end of it, felt much better.
More content.
Bellies full of reasonably priced, very good Chinese food can do that for you.
Title Lyric: Chinese Food by Jin
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