My New Book; first entry

I stated yesterday that I would begin to post sections of my story, or book, or whatever a little at a time; approximately five pages. Here is the first section.

The working title is CHAPEL, due to the central part of the story. That will probably change.

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We were preparing for our annual vacation. We had always driven up to the lodge and the lake the Monday a week before Labor Day and stayed until the second Saturday after. We were able to have almost two weeks together and miss the biggest part of the crowds on both drives, as well as having the relative quiet of the post-holiday week.

Joannie and the twins, Hannah and Heather, were getting the last of the packing done and getting the bags and supplies out onto the front steps. I had already called the post office and newspaper to stop service for the next two weeks. I’d fix that when I got back.

Jack, our neighbor, had agreed to keep the lawns watered and mown, if necessary, and to watch for and retrieve any packages that might come while we were gone. I’d given him a set of keys for the house, gate, and the “spare” garage door opener, in case of a real emergency. He already had all our cell numbers; there had always been a signal at the lake.

I set to the task of loading the motor home. Hannah and Heather had always helped me with this before, but this year had decided it was “men’s work”, so were helping Joannie with the sandwich-making for the day and washing up the dishes for our two-week vacation.

I had hitched the jeep to the back of the motor home making sure, first, that the gas tank was full. Joannie had gone back inside to make sure everything was packed and the house was in order. She was locking up and the twins were jumping up and down in the back of the motor home, impatient to be on our way and pushing each other for the “best seat”.

I took first shift behind the wheel. Joannie slammed her door and called out, “Are you ready, spaghetti?”

“Yeah!

“Yay!” the twins and I answered.

“Then let’s blow this Popsicle stand!”

I found the best driving position for me, adjusted the steering wheel, seat, and mirrors; looked behind to make sure I could see the jeep clearly, started the engine, and we were off.

So far Joannie hadn’t asked about the jeep, so I figured I just wouldn’t even mention until we got to the lake – unless she brought it up first. The drive was quiet and uneventful. Hannah and Heather had tired each other into naps and it was beginning to tell on me, too.

Joannie was reading a book and enjoying the ride. After some time, she looked up from her reading and asked, “Are you okay, or do you need to switch places so you can rest, too?”

“I guess I should. I don’t want to join the twins in their naps while I’m driving.”

I pulled off at a wide spot where we could change places safely, quickly, and quietly. We didn’t want to wake the girls and spoil everyone’s rest. Before she stepped up behind the wheel she looked back at the jeep. I stiffened and waited.

She climbed back up into the motor home, still looking back at the jeep. “I’ve never towed anything behind any vehicle I’ve driven. Am I going to be okay?”

“Just think of the motor home as being twice as long and half-again as heavy. Figure that into your driving space and your braking distance.”

“Sounds hard, but I’m always willing to learn something new. I love a challenge.”

“Oh, yeah! And don’t even think about backing up unless absolutely necessary; and then only with someone behind you to watch you rear.”

“That is, the back of the jeep and the motor home. That’s the only time that ‘left is right’ and ‘right is left.

“So, do you think you’ve got it?”

“Just pray for the best. I will.

She prays about everything!. Even truck driving. Seems foolish to me!

She started the motor home and startled me out of my reverie. She rolled her window down, edged onto the freeway with her hand out the window. She pumped her hand up and down, accelerated, and called out, “Happy highballing, engineers”

She could be so childlike, sometimes!

She was driving very cautiously; staying in the right-hand lane, which is a good thing, until she got the feel of the extra length and weight and how to adjust for it. Then she was able to relax some.

“I don’t remember if you ever told me why you wanted to bring the jeep this year.”

“No, I didn’t,” I spoke quietly and warily.

“You getting too old and weak to walk down to the lake this year?”

“No. I just want to be sure we can get out safely if we need to and the major roads are blocked.”

A believable lie.

“When has that ever happened in all our years corning here?”

“You see? The odds for ‘something happening’ are getting greater all the time!”

“Pshaw! That’s just silly. Well, when you feel up to telling me why, it just better be a good reason!”

So; I was off the hook – for now – but I wasn’t “out of the woods” yet!

Joannie was a good driver so I just relaxed and let her “do her thing”. I drifted slowly into a restful sleep. After all, it had been a hard morning physically, as well as the stress of getting ready … and keeping the “secret of the jeep”.

Just as I was beginning to drift into real sleep there were horns honking, brakes squealing, and a jarring of our motor home. I was immediately awake and watchful. Cars were all over the highway. No one was hurt or their vehicles damaged, and Joannie had stopped almost perfectly, in the middle lane. People from the other lanes’ vehicles had come over to assess any damages. The girls, of course, had waked up. They both looked like they wanted to cry but wouldn’t. They didn’t want us to worry about them, too.

A highway patrol car rolled up just then. The officer stepped out.

Very ominous.

Kevlar vest, pistol, tazer, nightstick, and a report pad.

“So, what’s happened here? Who made the call?”

“That would be me.” A stranger stepped down from his pick up; probably early fifties, but with show-white hair.

“She was trying to change lanes, officer, but, apparently wasn’t used to the extra length. We all stopped fast and her jeep fish-tailed. It looks like both of her vehicles are okay, though!”

“I still need to do a safety check; check everybody’s tires and like that, before I can let you go. Just sit tight. I’ll also need a statement from each of you.”

Everyone looked like they had one more question to ask him.

“It’ll take about an hour, but don’t abandon your vehicles. Make friends, or something!”

We pulled our vehicles onto the shoulder, out of the way. To make the best of the time, and because no one looked like they wanted to “make friends, or something!” we got the sandwiches and sodas out of the onboard fridge and took them outside – with our folding picnic chairs – and made the most of the time.

*   *   *   *   *

More next time.

Pax and Shalom!

 

The First Time I Started Using a Computer

My first computer was a Tandy pc. It had very little memory and even less speed.

At work, about 1989, I used a IBM all-in-one “desktop” computer. Later we were issued PC’s.

At home, now, I use a Compaq desktop with XP operating system. I am currently using it to write and blog.

It’s so much easier “now” than it was “then”!