Making lemonade from sour lemons
Apr 23rd 2008
Karen RoseOn Writing!
This past weekend I rented a car and drove to Wales from London. It was a great adventure! I have friends in a village called Ystrad Mynach (the ch at the end is caught in your throat).
I met them years ago when DH and I were in the UK on our 10th wedding anniversary trip. We’d visited Caerphilly Castle that day and came back to the car park (parking lot) to find our car had been broken into and everything stolen! 
We reported it to the police right away, but we were stranded for the evening as the thieves also damaged our car. The sergeant came out with a list of local hotels, but in a surprise move, offered to let us stay with him and his family that night! I’ll never forget his words: “It’s not fancy, but you’ll have a friendly face in the morning.” And so we went.
That was 12 years ago. Over the years I’ve visited them every time I was in the UK and this time it had been about 8 years since I’d seen them. It was a lovely visit!
These wonderful people changed what could have been a nightmare into an event we’ll always remember fondly.
So have you ever had a vacation not go as planned? Have you ever met friends under strange conditions? Tell me all!
53 Comments »
Sabrina Jeffries on 23 Apr 2008 at 7:19 am #
My family has had MANY an odd vacation. There was the one in South Thailand where my dad hit a man on a motorcycle (the guy turned left into us), and we ended up spending the night at a Seventh-Day Adventist hospital in the middle of nowhere. We stayed with one of the doctor’s families, and I still remember their kids telling us kids, as we ate our roast chicken, that chicken had “worms” in it (Seventh-Day Adventists are vegetarians, or they were back then). We’d never met anybody who was a vegetarian. We didn’t know what to make of them!
The guy on the bike turned out to have only a broken collarbone, thank goodness, but it was scary there for a while. We carried him to the hospital in the back of our landrover, and we kids sat across from this bloody man, trying not to be horrified.
Ah, the joys of growing up in Thailand.
Margaret on 23 Apr 2008 at 7:22 am #
What a lovely story, Karen. I have goosebumps!
It’s never happened to me but it did to my parents in a small Alaskan town. They lived in Houston, TX. So, you can see they were a fur piece from home. They were in their 70’s. I think this trip was up the inland waterway. Not sure. I just know they had their car. One of those wanking big dinosaur Cadillacs. They were in a motel for the night when Daddy got very sick. No hospital but they did have a doctor. Who came to the motel. Their overnight stay turned into about 1 1/2 weeks before he was well enough to travel.
The whole town turned out to take care of them. Food, visits, reading material, visits, etc. After a few days, one woman who owned a boarding house, insisted they come stay with her for free. They were treated like visiting royalty. A great relationship sprang from that & I even got mail from there after my mom died in 1989. I have a warm fuzzy in my heart for Alaska.
Lisa H on 23 Apr 2008 at 7:47 am #
Karen - I love your story.
Many many years ago, I was flying from New Mexico back to New York and had a 2 hour lay over in Chicago. My layover turned into a 12 hour layover and so I took the L into the city and went out to dinner at a very nice restaurant on the water, did a little shopping and saw a small part of Chicago. It was actually fun, and I am glad I had the experience.
Margaret on 23 Apr 2008 at 7:57 am #
Wait, I forgot! Nov. 2, 1975, I was on a redeye flight from Philadelphia to Dallas. A man was sitting directly behind me. We chatted the whole flight and hung out the 3 days he was in Dallas.
Fast forward to Jan. 1, 1976 in Columbia, PA. I was standing at the altar of a small church. The man beside me was the same one as on the airplane!
Turns out he was my keeper husband. We joked about getting married, then dating. We lasted almost 19 years until he died in Oct, 1994.
Does that count as meeting someone under strange conditions? LOL
Margaret on 23 Apr 2008 at 7:59 am #
LisaH, I love Chicago and have done what you did when traveling between Texas and Pennsylvania. Lunch at Parker House, a stroll along the waterfront. A visit to a museum.
Lemonade making at it’s finest.
DebMarlowe on 23 Apr 2008 at 8:05 am #
Hi Karen!
Are you back home? I don’t have any similar stories, but yours and Margaret’s make me happy. It’s so nice to hear about the good in people!
SuzyQ on 23 Apr 2008 at 8:12 am #
Karen what a great story! So nice that you still keep in touch. And Margaret - how could you have forgotten that? LOL!
I have had pretty good luck on vacations, with the occasional flight delay or the room not being quite what was expected - but then again, how much time do you really spend in the room anyway? Such was the case when my sis and I went to Hawaii. We were with a group so we couldn’t just leave and go to another hotel. We didn’t spend much time in there and instead of going to their dumpy pool, we sneaked into the Hyatt’s pool and beach a couple doors down.
doglady on 23 Apr 2008 at 8:22 am #
What a great story, Karen! Makes me proud of my Welsh roots. (My Dad’s Mom was Welsh.) The three years we lived in England it really did take a village to take care of us. It was during Vietnam and my Dad would go TDY for weeks at a time. We never knew where he was or how long he would be gone. We lived in a tiny village 30 miles from the base. My Mom did not drive in England. She had 3 young kids (3,6, and 9me) and was in a foreign country after living in Alabama all her life. The people of the village looked out for us, checked on us. If something broke down somebody always showed up to fix it. They all called my Mom “Missus” Everything alright, Missus. Came to fix the flue, Missus. That gutter needs cleaning, Missus. It has been 37 years and my Mom still writes, calls and e-mails many of the people in the village. If I ever get the chance to go back I am determined to visit Kelsale and tell them how much they mean to our family.
cail on 23 Apr 2008 at 8:59 am #
actually, i experienced amazing hospitality on my most recent vacation. i was in Puerto Rico, having just camped the night in the rain forest on El Yunque and the dh and I were walking down the mountain wondering how on earth we were going to survive the 3 mile down hike to the highway and then find a ride to the ferry 45 min away for our next destination. Along the way a jeep stopped and a man and his son asked us if we fellow backpackers would like a ride. turned out he and his 20 something son had camped the night in the forest too, and were heading home. they ended up not only driving us to the ferry which was about 1h 30 min out of their way, but they also took us to the local food area for lunch AND treated us. we took a picture of the four of us and exchanged email addresses. i do hope they visit us the next time they take a trip up north to the states.
Kim on 23 Apr 2008 at 9:17 am #
K-Rock–what a great story! Bravo to you and your dh for being brave. I would have been scared to death to stay with a stranger but I’m a chicken butt.
Margaret on 23 Apr 2008 at 9:25 am #
doglady, I’m sure I’m showing my ignorance here but what does TDY mean? I’m usually good at figureing these things out. Not this time. Please?
Margaret on 23 Apr 2008 at 9:28 am #
Love the story, Karen. And the castle. Was that the policeman’s cottage? LOL I so amuse myself sometimes.
I’m glad to hear that you and DH are having a good time. Do you put your pictures on Flickr or one of the on-line photo albums where we humble junior goddesses could see them. When you get back, of course.
KariE on 23 Apr 2008 at 9:48 am #
My story was back in my rodeo days. We had just arrived at the rodeo grounds at like one in the morning (after a 5 hour drive). My leader gave us the choice of either sleeping in the back of the truck, pitching a tent or climbing into an RV that was owned my the mother of one of my club mates (whom I had yet to meet). Being the girly girl, I chose the RV. So, Sniky and I climb into this RV as quite as can be (so we thought) and lay down an the first available spot. As I remember it, the mother says “took you all long enough to get here”. We bust out laughing and for the next hour we chat back in forth with each other, about 5 or so of us, in the dark. We are so wound up that sleep evade us for quite a while and someone starts saying “cricket cricket” which, of course, causes a huge laughing fit by everyone in the RV.
(cont.)
KariE on 23 Apr 2008 at 9:49 am #
(cont.)
Come the morning we were obviously very tired. And we got to see the faces of the people that became fast friends the night before. Their son ended up taking me to my senior prom. Having a friend take me was so much more memoriale than a bf, IMO.
I will never forget that night.
Claudia Dain on 23 Apr 2008 at 9:58 am #
KarenR, I can so believe that a strange family would offer you a bed! You have that sweet air about you. What a great story!
I don’t have any stories like that, probably because I never go anywhere.
ct009ct on 23 Apr 2008 at 10:02 am #
Plans - smands! I don’t think we have ever had a vacation go as planned. We are staunch believers in “Murphy’s Law”. It keeps life interesting.
Our vacations are more like the Griswalds than we care to admit. Though in tribute to them, we always make a point of somewhere along the way - driving in circles pointing out the window.
Margaret, what a wonderful “How I meet my Husband” story. Sounds like romance novel!! (BTW. TDY means “temporary duty station” in military lingo)
cail on 23 Apr 2008 at 10:03 am #
oh! anyone live in Maine? the dearest and I are going to portland next week for a meeting and I was curious if anyone was up there.
Freedom Writer on 23 Apr 2008 at 10:05 am #
When I was 15, my mom, older brother (16) and two younger brothers were traveling from Wisconsin to West Virginia to see family. On the interstate in Indiana, a man flagged us over because steam was coming from the car. My older brother then got in his car and went to a near by gas station. They helped him find a tow truck from a near by town and the man brought my brother back to the car safe and sound. Then we waited another hour for the tow truck, and my youngest brother who was 6 started to carve his name in the side of our new used Chrysler while we waited. Once the tow truck got there he towed us back to his repair shop in Monticello, Indiana. I found out that the woman I worked for back home had grown up in Monticello. Any way, this auto repair man had to order a part and we had to stay over night. He took us to a hotel, took us to a restaurant for dinner and gave us a tour of the city. The next morning he fixed the car and we were again on our way. (cont.)
Freedom Writer on 23 Apr 2008 at 10:08 am #
(cont.)
This man treated us like long time friends of the family. It was a wonderful experience.
When I look back I think what were we thinking letting my 16 year old brother get in a car with a stranger. It was 1976, I don’t suppose we would have even pulled over now a days in the middle of no where because a stranger flagged us down. But it turned out that we found such wonderful caring people in Indiana.
anneriailin on 23 Apr 2008 at 10:31 am #
Karen, love the story about Wales. Makes me proud of my Welsh roots also! (My mom’s dad was Welsh) I would love to make a trip over sometime to see the country.
I’ve had plenty of Murphy Law trips and vacations but the one I remember the most was when I was a Junior in HS and my parents and I drove to visit my sister and bro-in-law in GA. My father was one of those that liked to take the ’scenic’ way. Well, we were on our way and stopped for gas before we were going to take this other road. All of got out to fill up the car and empty the family, as my dad called it. Somehow they thought I was asleep in the back and they drove off just as I was coming out of the restroom. All I saw was tail lights! I went in and spoke to the owner and he assured me that my parents would be back for me and if they hadn’t come back by the time he closed, I could go home with him. Luckily for me, my parents noticed I was gone about an hour later but had to backtrack to get me.
anneriailin on 23 Apr 2008 at 10:35 am #
-cont- Man, was I happy to see that Chevy Impala with KY plates come driving into the gas station!! lol Mother saw it as a sign that we weren’t supposed to take that ’scenic’ road and to stay on the interstate. Daddy was just happy they hadn’t gotten any further down the road than they did before he had to turn back.
I’ve always remembered how nice that man was when he didn’t have to be. I try to pass that along whenever I can.
–dorothy
Karen Rose on 23 Apr 2008 at 11:10 am #
Hey guys! I’m on the road again - logging in from a Borders bookstore in Columbia, MD. I’m up here for the WRW retreat. I didn’t really pack, I just changed London clothes for a smaller suitcase, LOL.
My SIL and BIL live up here, so I am visiting with them and my old high school reunion friends before the retreat - nice!
Margaret! What a wonderful story on meeting your DH
It made me smile.
Doglady, what a sweet memory of Kelsale. Is TDY Tour of Duty? (Do I win?)
Claudia, you are so sweet!
I wasn’t afraid to go home with this guy. He was such an honest guy and they were all so nice to us at the PC - the Police Constabulary, that is. This past weekend he picked his wife and me up from the theatre in Cardiff and drove us home and pointed to a white building - “Do you remember that?” “Of course,” I said. “The police station!”
Karen Rose on 23 Apr 2008 at 11:12 am #
Oh, sorry - another acronym. WRW is the Washington DC Romance Writers. THey do a retreat every spring that is awesome. I personally am looking forward to relaxing and the massage I signed up for on my registration form. After 5 trips since March 10, I’m ready for that massage!!!
Karen Rose on 23 Apr 2008 at 11:15 am #
Dorothy, something similar happened to me when I was in college - my ancient VW Beetle broke down on a lonely stretch of road. Cell phones were a future fantasy back then. A nice guy towed my car to the local mechanic (still in a “service station”) and let me pay by check even though they normally didn’t take checks. THen he let me go home and make sure I had enough $$ in my account before he cashed the check - he had a daughter my age and said he hoped someone would be as nice to her.
I’d forgotten about him. I hope somebody did good deeds to him.
Karen Rose on 23 Apr 2008 at 11:19 am #
CT - chuckling. We had so many vacations like the Griswalds. There was the time we went to Disney the week Hurricane Floyd hit. THey closed the park down for the first time in 30 years. We were living in OH then and were rather trapped in Orlando.
The day after the hurricane (which was very small when it hit FL, thankfully), we took the girls to Chef Mickey - a restaurant at Disney. Only a handful of people were there, most had evacuated. The characters were so nice to my girls - it’s a very nice memory.
THe next day the park reopened and we went to MGM. We were eating at the place where they yell at you to eat your veggies and DH was being typically naughty. We caught the attention of another family, who were from NJ. There home was underwater as Floyd had hit hard up north. But they were happy - this was a vacation to celebrate the end of their son’s chemotherapy. He was a survivor and they went to Disney. I still get goosebumps.
Perspective…
Margaret on 23 Apr 2008 at 11:28 am #
OMG, Dorothy!!! I thought I was the only one that ever happened to! LOL You all are sure dredging up some memories for me today.
My parents and I were driving thru west Texas (the wanking big Caddy again. Only an 20 yrs before). Daddy stopped at a gas station in Dalhart. I had been asleep but got out to go to the restroom after my mother came back.When I came out, no Caddy. Wanking or otherwise. I was about 14 then. Ever see “The Last Picture Show”? That was 1950’s Dalhart. Wide, empty high noon street. Tumble weeds. Storm clouds coming up. The fellow in the station wasn’t much help. Now I realize he was probably 17 or 18. He did let me use the phone, however. TG for cell phones these days. Mine is ever with me.
Margaret on 23 Apr 2008 at 11:30 am #
contd_
I called my uncle in 700 mile distant Houston. He was going to work on the problem. I went outside. Only to be hit with big, fat raindrops that can only be found in desolate places. I felt like crying too. Suddenly, here came the Caddy. Mother had turned to ask me if I wanted to stop for lunch and I WASN’T THERE!!!!! LOL All ended well, TG The incident went down in family lore and I tell the story to my grandkids even today.
Funny now but not so much then. My daddy was a font of funny stories. He wasn’t a jokester. He just did things funny. Like going to a New Year’s Eve dance with wodden coat hanger in the back of his jacket and never noticing.
Margaret on 23 Apr 2008 at 11:34 am #
Wave to me, Karen. You are just down the road from me. Believe it or not, I live near Columbia, PA.
Sheridan LA on 23 Apr 2008 at 11:41 am #
I have not had the wonderful warm experienced that some of you have had, though I have met awesome people on my travels. I hate to say this, but sometimes I am so saddened about how afraid we are here - afraid to help, afraid to accept help, etc from strangers. Most people are good, but we are now conditioned to be so scared of everyone.. but I digress.
I have met people in foreign countries who have given us wonderful suggestions, taken me to fun restaurants or shown me things off the beaten trail that are not in guidebooks. Such an adventure!
Karen, I love how such great friendship and memory came from your trip in Wales.. sorry it had to start from an irksome event.
Karen Hawkins on 23 Apr 2008 at 11:55 am #
Ah, the kindness of strangers! I have many, many examples. Probably the best was when I and my kids were driving through the back roads of SC when my trusty old jeep went crazy on me and the temp gage went off the wire. We pulled into the first service station and a gentleman by the name of “Spook” (no kidding, that’s what he had written on his business cards) came out, looked at my jeep, told me what was wrong, ordered the part, escorted me and the kids to dinner, and had his guys work overtime to fix it. He then charged me VERY little for the repair.
The jeep worked great and we were on the road right after dinner, though he tried to talk us into staying at the hotel down the road for the night. Such a nice guy and I later priced out that repair and it was uber reasonable.
Cail, about Portland, Maine - my dh’s sister lived there for a year. Anything you want me to ask her?
anneriailin on 23 Apr 2008 at 12:12 pm #
Karen and Margaret….so glad that I wasn’t alone in my being stranded alone. It taught me a valuable lesson though. I make sure I have both of my kids in the car before I even start the car up after a stop on the interstate!
I love hearing all the stories from everyone. My brother was one of those people that could find a friend wherever he went. He was at the airport one evening and saw a soldier that was flying ’standby’ (we all know what that is, correct?) and had just been ‘bumped’ and had a long wait. So my brother took him home, fed him and then when it came time, took him back to the airport so he could catch his flight on to wherever he was going. I’m pretty sure they kept in touch for a couple of years but that was back in the ’60’s.
Hey, I lived in MA for 3 years….little place called Limestone! Talk about way up North!! lol
–dorothy
cail on 23 Apr 2008 at 12:22 pm #
we’re going up there cause he has an interview (keep fingers crossed!) is there anything i should check out while we’re there? its been years since i’ve been to maine.
ct009ct on 23 Apr 2008 at 12:46 pm #
Oh, Karen, I’m chuckling right back at ya!!
You reminded me of our trip to Sea World several years ago. We left my sisters house at 8 am in two SUV’s for the 2 hr. drive to San Antonio. (there were 13 of us) We had a picnic lunch with us for a stop in a park and then Sea World. Well, the closer we got to San Antonio, the worse the rain got. It was pouring so hard thru Austin we were moving like snails. But we kept up the chant “It’s gonna stop soon” We had planned this trip for awhile.
Long story short - our picnic was held in the parking lot of Sea World in the back of the SUV’s - kids inside, adults outside under the hatches in back.
The rain slowed as we debated our options and we headed in. Luckily they sold those lovely blue ponchos at the gate, so all our pics involve us all walking around in blue ponchos. We had a blast as there were NO lines anywhere. We didn’t get to swim, but we sat up front at all the shows. (it’s not like we weren’t already wet.)
ct009ct on 23 Apr 2008 at 12:50 pm #
It turned out to be a trip to remember!!! And before we left, we drove in circles in the almost empty parking lot, pointing at the entrance, yelling to each other “Look, it’s Sea World”
Kay on 23 Apr 2008 at 1:05 pm #
Oh Karen, they must be the nicest people. You and Mr. R are so fortunate to have met them.
I had a series of nice people help me twelve years ago. Dh, our oldest (9 mos at the time) son and I went out to Colorado for business trip for DH, then we were going on to meet friends in CA. Half way through the time in CO, my F-I-L became very ill (we knew he had cancer) & DH flew to Chicago.
My son & I went on to meet our friends in CA. We had rented a huge condo with them-in our name- and they needed me to get the keys, etc. I wasn’t sure if DH was coming to meet me, or if I would have to fly to Chicago with our son.
Everything went wrong-delayed flights, missed connections, NO RENTAL CAR waiting at the off site rental place-at 1 am after a frustrating day.
Somehow, at every juncture, there was a nice person to help me & it all worked out. Dh joined us for the last tree days of our vacation week, and F-I-L stabilized & lived 6 more months.
Yasmin (Yaya) on 23 Apr 2008 at 1:29 pm #
I love your stories.
Nothing Like that has happened to me but I did help out 2 teenage girls that were stranded. They came to the motel I work in now and asked if their father could pay for the rm. We have a policy against younger than 21 we cant check them in and we dont take CC over the phone. This was around 9 pm and I told them they could stay in the lobby until 11pm so they didnt have to wander around. At eleven one of the girls father was still only 1 hr away on the road to get them. I drove them to denny’s who is open 24hrs and gave them some money. I gave them my cell number in case anything was needed. I called the father gave him directions off the hwy. The man was nice enough to call me to tell me they were safe and on their way home.
I help people out because I want to believe that if that was me someone would be there for me, even a total stranger.
Karen Hawkins on 23 Apr 2008 at 1:40 pm #
Ah, Yasmin, how sweet of you! You kept them safe and were so thoughtful. I know that good karma will come back to you tenfold.
Yasmin (Yaya) on 23 Apr 2008 at 1:41 pm #
I just remembered about 3 years ago this lady came naked and bloodied in her face one day. The hubby had beaten her up. I call 911 then waited. Our emergency reponse is about 5 min but it was the longest time for me. The lady started to hyperventilated. I grabbed a blanket and held her to me and started to calm her. I dont even remember what I told her but she saying he was going to kill her. She went unconcious on me. She was breathing but I was so worried. She came back just as paramedics got here. The hubby had gone psycho on her and given her bites all over. I will never forget her. The next morning she came to me and thanked me. She asked to hug me and said she was thankful i helped her. I just sat with her crying and listening to her.
Paula on 23 Apr 2008 at 3:09 pm #
The only thing that I can think of is back in 1999 My DH and I went skiing to a littleplace called Kuhati in Austria and a few days before we went the tour company rang and said that they had over booked the hotel and would we stay in the sister hotel in the same village. We did and knew that there was another English couple in the Hotel (the hotel was one that the english tour companies didn’t use so it was filled with German speaking guests. As you can imagine about 80 - 100 germans and 4 English it was a bit daunting. We got chatting to the other couple and to this day still keep in touch with Jim ( he split up with his girlfriend a couple of years later). We went to stay with him and his french girlfriend the other week. He now lives in Motelimar, France. Incidently 1999 is the year that there were the awful avalanches in Austria. My DH & I had to leave our hotela night early and they closed the road into/out of the village and Jim didn’t get to leave the village for another
Paula on 23 Apr 2008 at 3:11 pm #
4 days. I spelt Kuhtai wrong in the first instance sorry!
Apart from a couple of years we have been skiing with Jim (and his various girlfriends) most years. Jim is actually 61 years of age!!
colinfirthfan on 23 Apr 2008 at 3:32 pm #
I love the stories. The only thing I can remember is that I got lost in a very very crowded indoor shopping ctr when I was 5. My brother who was 13 was supposed to hold my hand but being a teenager just couldn’t do that so I got lost in the crowd. I was sobbing and walking around (I went back to the store we were at but didn’t see Mom) and a nice lady asked me if I was lost. She asked me if I knew where the car was parked, which was yes - so she sent me with her son to the parking lot and I waited by my car until my sister found me.
My brother still hears about it
Recently there were 2 boys lost in the camp grounds at noon. My DH was in our car (we were heading somewhere) and he offered to drive them around. I said No and the boys said No as well (had to explain to my DH that he was a stranger
. He didn’t even think of it). Anyway, we gave them directions.
It is sad that everyone has to be so cautious these days
Michelle on 23 Apr 2008 at 4:01 pm #
Hi Karen, you have the BEST stories! The TDY for doglady’s story stands for “Temporary Duty Assignment” in civilian speak that would be like a business trip. You were TDY to London.
We’ve had few trips, our favorites have always been camping trips. But the trip that stands out for me is when we lived in the Philippines in ‘91 and Mt. Pinatubo errupted. We were evacuated from Clark Air Base to Subic Bay where we got caught when it blew. No more flights out and we (my two daughters, ages 5 and 1 at the time, a miniature poodle we had for 6 weeks, and myself) left on a missile frigate (ship). The navy men were absolutely the greatest friends. Three days aboard and then from an island by a C141 plane (cargo plane) to Guam for another three days. A military family on the base on Guam took us in their home and they couldn’t have been nicer to a very stressed out Mom at that point.
Sheridan LA on 23 Apr 2008 at 4:22 pm #
oh.. off topic, but I just read the above notices.. CONGRATULATIONS to Sabrina, Karen and Nicole for their awards… Methinks we had a Goddess Sweep!
Yasmin (Yaya) on 23 Apr 2008 at 4:42 pm #
Congratulations Goddesses!!!!!!!
cail on 23 Apr 2008 at 5:00 pm #
are there two military michelles on this blog, or are you back stateside?
Yasmin on 23 Apr 2008 at 5:46 pm #
Cail—-Michele is still in Iraq to my understanding and will not be back till nest month. I know TGB is restricted for her. She is coming home in may I believe.
Aspen on 23 Apr 2008 at 6:19 pm #
I wenrt to Russia a couple years ago…
We flew into Moscow and took a train to St Petersberg. On the return train back my passport that I had been wearing in a holder as a necklace thingy must have fallen off as I slept in the awkward little beds. Anyway, they had to stop the train so I could race back and retrieve it. Ooops!
Karen Rose on 23 Apr 2008 at 7:01 pm #
Yasmin, echoing KarenH - good karma to follow you.
Kay - it makes such a difference when people are kind. Turns a bad experience into a good one.
Sabrina Jeffries on 23 Apr 2008 at 7:45 pm #
Thanks for the congrats, y’all!
Judy F on 23 Apr 2008 at 8:49 pm #
This isn’t a vacation story but today on the way home from work. (after Kohls) my car Died…. Luckily it was when I was cutting through the park and not on the busy street I just turned off of. After calling a towing place and my mechanic etc. While waiting, I could not get over the amount of people that stopped to offer help. I was amazed, one was a mom and dad with their two kids in the back seat. Amazing.
Then the towing guy said I lucked out cause he was on his way home and he was the closest to me. I only had to wait about 10 mins for him to show up. (by the way he was hot but alas married)
Karen Hawkins on 24 Apr 2008 at 7:36 am #
Oh, Judy, the cute ones always are!
Cail, I’ll call Becki and get some info on Portland to you asap.
Karen Rose on 24 Apr 2008 at 7:43 am #
Sorry your car died, Judy, but sounds like you met a FROS worthy and gallant towing guy in the process, LOL.
Echoing Sabrina, thanks to all for the congrats on the RT awards!
Aspen - I can’t believe they actually stopped the train for you to get your passport. That’s amazing.
Karen Rose on 24 Apr 2008 at 7:49 am #
Michelle - you were in a volcano eruption? That must have been terrifying, even with the support of everyone around you. I remember the news footage from that eruption. I can’t imagine how stressed you must have been!
Glad you were all safe, including the mini poodle