You know how everything is blissful? Things seem to be going the right way? Everything is falling into place like puzzle pieces?
I had that. For a bright, gleaming, lovely day... and then the world reminded me that it still has it out for me. (Insert a very exasperated face here.)
We left Arkansas, and took the small highways through multiple tiny towns, and enjoyed the travel. I had it all set up to get a lovely campsite by the lake at Natchez State Park. Reservation? No problem. Campsite? No problem. Light breeze when we arrived? Perfect!
...and then we started to set up the tent. It's a lovely Coleman tent, sturdy, comfortable and familiar. While it wasn't mine initally, I knew how to get it done. While both my kids proceeded to throw minor temper tantrums, (which was expected) we worked decently well together to get it set up. Final poles that braced the screened in porch were up, I shifted the nylon to brace the last pole and rrrriiiiipppppp... The entire seam from the base of the front window to the roof, splits. If it was a two inch hole, I've got duct tape, could have made it work for a night or two. But no.. This spectacular rip was well over five feet long at a lovely diagonal through the side of the tent.
I about lost it. Every emotion of irritation, anger, frustration, helplessness, you name it, I felt it in six seconds flat. As I stared at the sky, willing back tears of frustration, I notice the sky is now a lovely shade of dark grey and the wind is picking up by the second. Rainstorm... and a nasty one from the looks of it.
Nope. I threw my hands up, declared we were done and said we would buy a new tent later. I had the boys (rather joyfully) take down the tent and climb back into the truck. We threw the ruined tent into the bed of my truck, stopped at the dumpster at the end of the campground and tossed the whole bedraggled mess right in with a piercingly loud clanging sound from the metal poles.
I'm wiping tears, my kids are fussing to be back on their tablets, and the rain becomes torrential in a matter of minutes. To the point, I had to pull off the road and sit because I could not see the road more than a foot in front of my truck. Look, I do some dumb stuff sometimes but life risking with my kids? No thanks.
So as we sat, I called my mom and explained what had happened, moreso out of a need to vent than anything. She felt immensely horrible of which was NOT my goal but she listened to me bitch and cry for a good ten minutes. Which was all I needed. Once the rain lightened up just a bit, I found a local hotel, booked a reservation via mobile and drove at a very cautious 35 miles per hour down the 65mph highway.
We followed the GPS, or the blue line of destiny as my sister has called it before. We checked into the hotel, grabbed our bags and scrambled for relative safety. The rain continued to fall off and on in sheets for hours on end.
To say I was rather put out, would be an understatement. I was so stressed and flustered, I could hardly remember my left from my right. However after a scalding hot shower and a hard cider from the cooler in the bed of my truck.. I realized... My children are safe and happy. Everything in the truck is secure and safe from rain. We have a roof over our heads, I have internet access to work from, and the world would keep on spinning.
At this point, I went and cried again, out of relief. I don't like to believe I'm a highly emotional person but sometimes, you just have to cry for five minutes and then pull yourself back together. Did things not work out the way I wanted? Sure. Did it suck for a bit? Abso-fucking-lutely. But we were okay. Nothing was damaged or lost, and the sun would be out the next day.
I ordered DoorDash food because I was hungry and so were the kids. In which a healthy dose of laughter came that was sorely needed. Most all of us are aware of the concept of DoorDash and/or use it. So you get a name of your 'dasher' confirmations, trackers, all of it.
My dasher's name was Stephanie. Cool, good to know. Food arrives, I hear the knock on the door, and as I open it after a minute, I glance around to at least wave to the lovely human bringing me a rather delicious shrimp po'boy and potato salad. Oh, and white chocolate bread pudding because, yum!
As I look around, I see a rather tall bearded man, with a cut off tank top and american flag board shorts turn in the parking lot, look right at me and yell, "Thank you!"
...To say once I closed the door, I died laughing. I can only make the assumption this was 'Stephanie's' husband or boyfriend, helping out with orders and delivering to motel rooms. But between the past three hours, I was wiping tears of laughter. So Stephanie, if you ever see this, you made my night as I sorely needed the laugh.
Nevertheless, I ate dinner with the boys, curled up in a bed beside my youngest, turned out most of the lights in the hotel room, double checked the door, and went to sleep.
Both the kids and I slept in late, well past 8:30am and it was well deserved. I needed a seriously strong cup of coffee, so we scampered across the street to PJ's Coffee. If you ever get the chance to go, please do. Their coffee is Amazing!!!!
We came back to the hotel, collected our things, and decided that there was nothing for it. We set up our GPS, and decided to hit the road, heading for the coast once again.
I write now from a hotel in Ocean Springs, Mississippi and more details shall come. I hope you're enjoying this adventure as much as I am. Setbacks and all.
--Amie and The Boys