The Forces are Against Me
This is going to be out of order but I thought I'd post it while it is current news. I still have more posts of the trip and they are scheduled to post one per day through Colorado.
After spending time in Colorado we got up early, early on the morning of the 17th, packed up the girls and headed out to Mount Rushmore. We stopped at a gas station a little ways down the road, John filled the car and got some snacks, and we started down the road. We got up to about 30 mph and the car sounded (and acted) like it had slipped into neutral. John tried a few things but it sounded the same. We went back to the gas station and he checked the transmission fluid. It was a little low so he filled it and we hoped that that would solve the problem. We got back on the road and found that the problem was not taken care of.
We went back to the Cook's house and started making alternate plans. John started calling one of the two mechanics in town and I looked to see if we could get a refund on our hotel room that night (we couldn't). John took the car to the mechanic and he said he'd try to get to it that day. When we called them that evening, they thought it was just an electrical problem and they could fix it within a couple of days. We decided if they could get it fixed, we could just do one long day and catch up with our travel plans.
The next day we found out that it was not going to be a quick, nor inexpensive fix. Basically the transmission was shot and we had to either get a new one (taking about 2 weeks to order one and have it put in) or have our current one rebuilt (about a week...but it would have to be towed into Denver). We had planned to go visit my parents in Canada and either way, we wouldn't make it by driving. We discussed it and John decided that the girls and I should fly to Buffalo the next day. In the end we were only able to get a refund on one of the four hotel rooms along our original route. ugh.
I spent the rest of the day rearranging suitcases so I would only have minimal luggage to take (and pay for) with the two girls. John got on the phone and arranged to have the car towed Saturday morning into Denver so they could get started on it Monday morning. I booked our flights and planned to leave at 3:30 the next morning to make our flight.
Early the next morning we pulled ourselves out of bed and Charlie Cook drove us the two hours to the airport. Loaded down with a Star filled stroller, pillows, car seat, booster, carry-on, diaper bag, and an extra bag (due to the suitcase being 4 lbs. over, so I had to carry it), we made it through security and to the gate before 6 a.m. Our flight was scheduled to leave at 7:30. I got the girls changed out of their pajamas and got some food for us and we sat down to wait.
That flight went well. Star slept most of the way and Miss Fabulous played on our electronic toys. We had a stop in Atlanta, GA so we found our gate and soon we were back on the plane. I have to say...this is a lot harder than it sounds. I only have so many hands and, while walking through the airport isn't too hard, after we get to the gate I lose my beast of burden (the stroller) and have to carry everything on. Miss Fabulous is some help but not a lot. On the second plane our seats were in the very last row. No window. Right by the bathrooms. Awesome. I will say now that I did not choose these seats, however the bathrooms came in quite handy.
We took off and were about 40 minutes into our nearly 2 hour flight when the captain came on the speaker and said that there was a malfunction in a backup sensor and, although the first sensor was working, we would have to turn around and go back to Atlanta to have the backup looked at. We landed in Atlanta 30 minutes before we were supposed to land in Buffalo.
We sat on the plane for about 15 minutes while the mechanic looked at the sensor and then they decided that THAT was not a quick fix (it would take about 3 hours to fix) so they de-planed us and sent us to the other end of the airport (28 gates away in fact) to wait for another plane. By this point I'm running quite low on snacks (I'm not a very good snack mom) and the only thing we've eaten is food I bought us that morning at 6 a.m. and the pretzels/peanuts offered on the first flight. We were told not to go anywhere because they weren't sure when they would have a plane available and we did NOT want to be left behind.
The plane came at 4:30 (1 hour after we got off the other plane) and since we were already all scanned into the system with our boarding passes, they had to manually check every ticket and make sure we all made it to our seats on the new plane. My girls and I were asleep before we even took off. I woke up about an hour into the flight and played some games by myself and listened to a book on my iPod. We landed in Buffalo around 7:30 p.m....4 hours late.
My parents picked us up and we went to feed our starving selves and then to a store to pick up some soy milk for Star. We made it to my parents house around midnight. Star slept the whole way. She was NOT happy that I wanted her to go back to sleep. Eventually (around 1:30 a.m.) I got her back to sleep. My poor dad had to get up and be at work the next day at by 4:30 a.m.
Today is Father's Day. I miss John. Star REALLY misses John. She is definitely a daddy's girl. Its like she's wandering around my parents house looking for him. Happy Father's day honey. I can't wait for you to be back with us again. Drive safe. I love you.
After spending time in Colorado we got up early, early on the morning of the 17th, packed up the girls and headed out to Mount Rushmore. We stopped at a gas station a little ways down the road, John filled the car and got some snacks, and we started down the road. We got up to about 30 mph and the car sounded (and acted) like it had slipped into neutral. John tried a few things but it sounded the same. We went back to the gas station and he checked the transmission fluid. It was a little low so he filled it and we hoped that that would solve the problem. We got back on the road and found that the problem was not taken care of.
We went back to the Cook's house and started making alternate plans. John started calling one of the two mechanics in town and I looked to see if we could get a refund on our hotel room that night (we couldn't). John took the car to the mechanic and he said he'd try to get to it that day. When we called them that evening, they thought it was just an electrical problem and they could fix it within a couple of days. We decided if they could get it fixed, we could just do one long day and catch up with our travel plans.
The next day we found out that it was not going to be a quick, nor inexpensive fix. Basically the transmission was shot and we had to either get a new one (taking about 2 weeks to order one and have it put in) or have our current one rebuilt (about a week...but it would have to be towed into Denver). We had planned to go visit my parents in Canada and either way, we wouldn't make it by driving. We discussed it and John decided that the girls and I should fly to Buffalo the next day. In the end we were only able to get a refund on one of the four hotel rooms along our original route. ugh.
I spent the rest of the day rearranging suitcases so I would only have minimal luggage to take (and pay for) with the two girls. John got on the phone and arranged to have the car towed Saturday morning into Denver so they could get started on it Monday morning. I booked our flights and planned to leave at 3:30 the next morning to make our flight.
Early the next morning we pulled ourselves out of bed and Charlie Cook drove us the two hours to the airport. Loaded down with a Star filled stroller, pillows, car seat, booster, carry-on, diaper bag, and an extra bag (due to the suitcase being 4 lbs. over, so I had to carry it), we made it through security and to the gate before 6 a.m. Our flight was scheduled to leave at 7:30. I got the girls changed out of their pajamas and got some food for us and we sat down to wait.
That flight went well. Star slept most of the way and Miss Fabulous played on our electronic toys. We had a stop in Atlanta, GA so we found our gate and soon we were back on the plane. I have to say...this is a lot harder than it sounds. I only have so many hands and, while walking through the airport isn't too hard, after we get to the gate I lose my beast of burden (the stroller) and have to carry everything on. Miss Fabulous is some help but not a lot. On the second plane our seats were in the very last row. No window. Right by the bathrooms. Awesome. I will say now that I did not choose these seats, however the bathrooms came in quite handy.
We took off and were about 40 minutes into our nearly 2 hour flight when the captain came on the speaker and said that there was a malfunction in a backup sensor and, although the first sensor was working, we would have to turn around and go back to Atlanta to have the backup looked at. We landed in Atlanta 30 minutes before we were supposed to land in Buffalo.
We sat on the plane for about 15 minutes while the mechanic looked at the sensor and then they decided that THAT was not a quick fix (it would take about 3 hours to fix) so they de-planed us and sent us to the other end of the airport (28 gates away in fact) to wait for another plane. By this point I'm running quite low on snacks (I'm not a very good snack mom) and the only thing we've eaten is food I bought us that morning at 6 a.m. and the pretzels/peanuts offered on the first flight. We were told not to go anywhere because they weren't sure when they would have a plane available and we did NOT want to be left behind.
The plane came at 4:30 (1 hour after we got off the other plane) and since we were already all scanned into the system with our boarding passes, they had to manually check every ticket and make sure we all made it to our seats on the new plane. My girls and I were asleep before we even took off. I woke up about an hour into the flight and played some games by myself and listened to a book on my iPod. We landed in Buffalo around 7:30 p.m....4 hours late.
My parents picked us up and we went to feed our starving selves and then to a store to pick up some soy milk for Star. We made it to my parents house around midnight. Star slept the whole way. She was NOT happy that I wanted her to go back to sleep. Eventually (around 1:30 a.m.) I got her back to sleep. My poor dad had to get up and be at work the next day at by 4:30 a.m.
Today is Father's Day. I miss John. Star REALLY misses John. She is definitely a daddy's girl. Its like she's wandering around my parents house looking for him. Happy Father's day honey. I can't wait for you to be back with us again. Drive safe. I love you.
Comments
I am glad you guys are there now, and having a good visit with your parents. It sounds like John is having a good time with our fam. Jim says that John was always the favorite son. :)
Love you guys!