This past week me and Karina took a road trip with my mom, my sister and her three kids to my hometown in Middlebury, IN. Most of you know this is a very small town and only about 3,500 people. Most all of my extended family lives there including my brother and his family and both sets of grandparents. The week was pretty uneventful but relaxing, until Wednesday. We had plans to go out to my uncle Myron's coffee shop and get some bags of coffee and then we were going head out to my grandpa and grandma's house for lunch. So we were in my sister's van driving on a back road when her battery light and "check charging systems" light came on. Now this light had come on at the beginning of the week but then went off and we weren't having any problems. So within about 5 minutes of the light coming on, all of the power stuff in the van went off, blinkers, flashers, lights and then it started sputtering and then just died all together! So here we are, 3 women and 4 children, stranded in the country. So my sister, Donneta, starts trying to call someone and her phone dies...great. Well we have 2 phones left. So we called my uncle who lives not too far down on the road we were on and he came and gave us a jump start. Also Donneta called my nephew Tyler and him and his mom Cheryll happened to be on there way home and were going to come by and follow us out to my brother Todd's workplace so he could check it out. So after only being able to drive about 20 mph, we finally get to Todd's shop and they decide it's the alternator. Wonderful. So I'm sitting there in the van with all the kids while everyone else is out under the hood of the van and I turn my head and all I see is my nephew Kolton's stark naked body right in front of me! He had wet his pants and just decided he needed to remove his clothing! So now, we have a broke down van, a dead phone and a naked kid! So Todd give us another charge so we could get out to my grandpa's house. We make it there, late for lunch, only to see a great surprise, most of my aunts were there to have lunch with us. Very nice! So we had a nice lunch all the while the van was on the charger and Todd was calling around for a new alternator. After several hours, finally found one. Great now we can go back to Todd's house where he can fix it after work. Oh wait, we didn't get coffee!! What is a girl to do?? Well, we gotta stop and get the coffee...do we dare? Yes! But first we have to get the alternator at Auto Zone. Done. Coffee Shop is next. Should we turn off the van? Maybe it won't start again...hmmmm. We'll take our chances. We go to the coffee shop and got some YUMMY coffee! Thanks Myron! (BTW...if you've never been to the Electric Brew in Goshen, GO! That's my uncle's coffee shop) Meanwhile I realized I forgot my phone at grandma's house...down to 1 phone. Get back in the van...oohh started right up. We're now about 15 minutes from home when the van starts shaking again and the light comes on. Ok and for those of you who know the Middlebury area, you know there are Amish people and Horse and Buggies EVERYWHERE! So we're chugging along at about 25 mph when, crap, there's a buggy in front of us. Ok at this point, we don't even have enough juice to speed up and pass a freakin' buggy!!! All of us are laughing our heads off because the people behind us were probably cursing us and saying..."Illinois drivers!! All they want to do is look at the Amish, *&#^@!" Heehee :) So finally there are no oncoming cars and finally we are able to pass the buggy, and when I say pass, I mean it in the slowest way possible! We could have had a conversation with them! So now we're about 5 min from my brother's and just wondering will we make it. Well, finally we do and we pull into the driveway, shut the van off and Donneta tries to turn it on...nothing! Whew! So all that to say this: my brother changes the alternator, problem fixed. The light was still coming on but it just needed a reset for the computer, so all was fine. Finally! So....WHO SAYS SMALL TOWS ARE BORING??!!
Friday, June 19, 2009
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1 comments:
That is so stinkin' hilarious. I could just see you all following that buggy. They probably thought you guys were going to do something to them. Its not often you see a van following a buggy :) I love it!!!
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