Well!

I hope we got at least 50% of this year's misadventures out of the way, yesterday.

Approximately 1 hour after leaving, Derek's truck threw a spark plug, nixing plans to get to Texas by 7 or 8pm.

In the ensuing flurry of phone calls and contingency plans it was discovered Jason's car would not restart.

So it was still dark and the two vehicles were stuck on the side of Highway 20, with the sound of cars clearly whizzing past over our home phone.

Oh yes...it was Sunday morning and Loren was sick in bed.

Long story short, after Loren left avec tools on his mission of mercy, Jason's car started again, giving us hope that it could proceed to LeTrouneau.

Several scenarios were floated, including the kids taking down the 15 passenger van, which would easily hold 3 college kids' stuff, including two bikes.

But Jason's problem was more a matter of corroded battery cables and that was one bit of good news :-)

In the end, Loren took the snow tires off the good Lincoln and sent that down with Derek and Melinda. They stopped by Derek's truck and unpacked that stuff, fitting it into the two cars. Then it was off to Texas, five hours later than planned.

Once we knew only one vehicle needed towing, we ditched the temporary plan of borrowing someone's trailer (which happened to be in Waterloo) and went with a neighbor's car dolly.

All that worked out and Loren (and Ethan) returned with Derek's truck on Sunday afternoon.

Needless to say, no one went to church. Loren wasn't going anyway, since he didn't feel good (and speaking of which, he's been running a low fever but it's gone down a bit and I'm keeping my fingers crossed...).

I'd like to say the kids' trip proceeded uneventfully, but it did not.

Around 10:00pm came a call that they'd gotten split up and one car hadn't appeared at the prearranged rest stop. And they were in a section of the country where there was no cell phone coverage.

Much frustration and running back and forth to find each other, while I suggested to Loren that we could call the Oklahoma state police and see if there had been an accident... Loren pointed out that was a little premature (steady, Ma...steady).

FINALLY they were able to contact each other and get going again. Pulled into campus around 1:30 and 2:00am, I believe.

Brother!
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In home news, we took down all the Christmas decorations this afternoon. This is turning out to be 'bout as bad as putting them up in the first place. Supper was late because the last thing I did was wipe off all the Christmas place mats and take off the purty green table cloth. Now there are boxes all over the place but most everything's done except carting stuff up to the attic.

I'd do that but it's dark.

And I do not go up to the attic after dark.
 

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