August Loooo(oo)ng Weekend

Alternate title:

The Comedy of Errors that was our Latest Trip to The Big City

Last weekend was the "August Long Weekend" (otherwise known as the Civic holiday ~ beats me as to why, but it's a 3-day weekend, so I really don't care) and we'd decided to head to the Big City on Wednesday already to make it a 5-day weekend.  We had The Man's extended family's annual lakeside gathering to attend a short distance outside the city, and wanted to get in a couple days with my parents as well, since we hadn't seen them for quite a while again.  The girls' swimming lessons started on Tuesday, so we had PLANNED to head home Monday afternoon, straight from the gathering.

We did not, however, head home when planned.

We didn't even get to drive our own vehicle to the gathering on Saturday morning.

It started coughing and spluttering the day after we got to the city, sounding pretty much exactly like it had 6 weeks earlier when we'd had to dish out for a brand new air conditioning compressor.  (ouch)  The Man phoned the shop here at home that had done the work and they suggested a few things that might help us limp it around.

The next day, after a short shopping trip, it began smoking and smelling nasty.

My parents generously offered us their car for the weekend, so we parked our smelly beast in their garage, transferred all our stuff into the trunk (which we didn't think would work, but miraculously, everything fit, including the water ski!!), and went to the gas station next door to fill the tank.

All set for a weekend at the lake, The Man turned the key in the ignition to leave the gas station and...

tick-tick-tick-nothing.

I know what you're thinking ~ we thought it, too:  You have GOT to be kidding me!  You killed TWO vehicles in ONE WEEKEND??!!

Fortunately, since it was right next door, dad came over with his work van and boosted us.  The car ran beautifully all the way to the lake and we had an awesome weekend there.  It died promptly when we turned it off, but we figured we'd just get a boost to start our trek back to the city once the gathering was over.

After a lovely weekend of rest and relaxation (for us AND the car!), a boost didn't QUITE do the trick, but a mechanically-inclined uncle added some water to the battery and that seemed to revive it.  Again, it drove beautifully all the way back to the city.  And died once we turned off the ignition.  But at least now it was mom and dad's problem!  (turns out both the battery AND the alternator needing replacing, which, according to some, means we are incredibly lucky it actually took us to and from the lake!!)

Since our trip home was going to require extra time due to the vehicle exchange in the city instead of a straight bee-line home from the lake, and since we didn't really like the idea of driving in the dark on a stat holiday in a vehicle we didn't trust, we opted to stay an extra night in the city so we could make the trip home in the daylight and during business hours, just in case.  We figured one day of missed swimming lessons wouldn't hurt the girls much.

We set out optimistically on Tuesday just before noon.

And didn't even make it past the outskirts of the city.

The belt blew, eliminating all helpful things like the water pump and power steering, and the grinding noise from the a/c clutch was incredible.  So we called a garage in The City affiliated with the one here in The Valley and they said they'd be able to look at it the next morning for sure, and possibly even later the same day.  Next we called CAA to tow the van and then The Man's dad to come and get us and our things and schlep us all back to their place.  The girls were obviously going to miss more than just the first swimming lesson.

Amazingly, the garage had the problem diagnosed before the end of that day and informed us it would completely be covered by warranty because it was the brand new A/C compressor that had failed.  Even more amazing, it was done the next afternoon!!  The Man and his dad had just gotten back from taking the girls swimming at a local pool, so they went to pick it up right away while the girls showered and changed and I packed everything up.  AGAIN.  (in case you wondered, that was the FIFTH time I packed up all our stuff, including packing up to leave on this ill-fated holiday in the first place!)

After a quick supper, we were on our merry, problem-free way.  The ride home was as long and boring as it always is...

...just a little later than we'd originally planned.

And as for the swimming lessons?  Based on how the girls have fared yesterday and today, I think you'd be hard-pressed to tell they had only half as many lessons as the other kids this week.

I guess Pa Ingalls had it right: all's well that ends well.