If you write a blog long enough, and the people in your world read it enough, you eventually get to the point where now and then you hear “this should be a blog.” It’s usually uttered when silliness or chaos or pure crazy ensues because you can practically feel the story that is ready to be told.
I heard this multiple times Saturday…and here’s why.
Saturday started our vacation. Three days before, we discovered our refrigerator was dying. As if planning to head out of town doesn’t add enough extra ToDos, coming up with and executing a plan to save our food and buy a new refrigerator made a hectic time even more demanding. It all worked out, though, and I hoped that that was the only curve ball coming our way as we ramped up for vacation.
Uh…yeah. Let’s just jump to Saturday. This was our departure day, but before we could hit the road, we had our son’s conference swim meet. This meant that we would get a later than normal start, but we knew we could manage. Sure it was 1000 degrees with air so moist that you could wring your hands and see drops of water fall. Whatever. This is summer after all, right?
But then the van, whose battery was just fine until I took it in for an oil change the day prior where a “test” showed that it “failed” started acting up. Like…chug, chug, chug, wheeze, wheeze, wheeze acting up.* And we kind of needed it to drive to our vacation spot. Maybe it would have enough starts in it to get us there though, right?
And then my husband learned that his mom had been taken to the ER due to a fall. So while I went to the swim meet, he went to see her. Thankfully, she was released rather quickly with no known issues. He was eventually able to join us at the sweat-a-thon. I mean swim meet. It was a stressful experience, but the outcome was much better than it could have been, right?
And then, after a strong performance from our son at the meet, we headed home for the final stage of packing (aka “get the three dogs in the backseat.”) But by then it was clear that if we had one more start from the van battery, we’d be lucky. So we called our mechanic, and bless his heart, he popped in a battery for us lickety split. Woohoo! No more battery anxiety. We were now ready to head out. Yes, it was already mid-afternoon, but no more curve balls could possibly come our way, right?
And then, miles and miles into our journey, I got a call that my mom had fallen and broken her wrist. She had been taken to the ER by ambulance and was currently awaiting help. After talking with her and a staff member where she lives, I knew I needed to make some calls to get her to the right doctor, etc. She seemed okay, but this was the first time ever that something of this caliber happened to her without one of her daughters there to help. And our destination has pretty poor phone reception, so keeping in touch won’t be easy. New, stressful territory.
We trudged into our cottage feeling a little battered by the world. I was a bit frayed around the edges, but at least we finally made it. It was late at night, and I just wanted to take care of my HaveTos and fall into bed. What else could possibly happen?
How about having one dog cough up his pill and another dog suck it down in the blink of an eye? Yep. With two of our three dogs on meds, I’m typically pretty adept at doling out the drugs, but one dog can be a particular asshat when it comes to being a good patient, and I wasn’t fully on my game. After putting the pill down his throat, the little f’er coughed it up and our youngest furball ball immediately inhaled it.
That was it. I lost it a teeny tiny bit at that point. I yelled at the dogs like an idiot and even gave the asshat a crack on the snout. And then I had that moment where you see yourself and go, “WTF??” and I just started crying.
Happy vacation!
Listen, I am well aware that we are blessed to be able to go on vacation, get a new refrigerator and battery, have one ER visit end relatively well and the other offer the necessary care. I am happy to report that the doggy snafu seems benign, and I am eternally grateful for friends and family who help us out in numerous and invaluable ways.
But can I also say it was the kind of day to hear “this should be a blog”?
And so it is.
Do you agree? Was it worth reading? I mean, there’s no overarching point, but I guess that’s okay sometimes, right? Especially when your brain’s a pile of mush. Oh, well.
And now I hope to continue my vacation in a much quieter, relaxing, peaceful way.
But I won’t hold my breath.
*Yes, I will be following up with the place that “tested” our battery that then pretty much immediately and magically died. Trust me.
thejugglestruggle.net 
I’m very glad that your story had a happy ending. I was engaged to the end–and so would agree: “this should be a blog”.
Thanks, Leanne!
I am chuckling with loads of empathy! I, too, have contemplated the “what next, THIS can’t really be happening on top of THAT days as good fodder for a blog. Hope you enjoy the rest of your vacation Lisa! 😊
Thanks, Karen! Today was a better day! (So far…)
Yes, it should have been a blog post. It was entertaining in a ‘Oh, no, what next?’ sort of way.
The trick now, is to turn off the anxiety button in your head. Forget your mum’s broken wrist. You have dispensed sympathy, you have made sure she is being well cared for. Job done! Get on with your break now – without giving the incident another thought.
You need this vacation. Make sure you take it in your head as well as physically.
Allow it to refresh you.
Thank you, Christine! I’m already home and back to reality, but I was able to decompress a bit and enjoy. Can’t say as I didn’t give it another thought, but…I did try to properly contain! 🙂