Foiled again! (Lindsay)

Okay, okay.  So we didn't technically start roughing it in the camper.  We tried.  I swear.  I did laundry and took a long shower.  I shaved for no reason.  But Tuesday morning rolled around and the truck people called and said they still had no idea what was causing the issue that we'd given them six days to fix.  We sat down and fumed.  Went through all the "what if we do this" and "what if the truck dies and we have to end the roadtrip" crap and then we stood up, put our big boy pants on and hiked Mount Monadnock. 

It was a rage hike.  Forget peaceful serenity and meditation.  We were pissed.  Luckily we were able to give birth to our rage baby after about 2.5 miles when we realized that trying to summit in the pouring rain probably wouldn't help our mood.  (That's the beauty of getting outside.  You sweat out all the rage and there isn't enough energy left to be annoyed.)

Back at the house, (owned by the ever patient and long suffering of our presence faux in-laws) we brainstormed all kinds of options and finally landed on "screw them, we'll just go on our trip without the truck".  So I reserved a cabin in the Adirondacks for three nights, we picked up the loaner and headed north.

It started off well.  If nothing else, it felt good to just be on the road.  Our first stop was a farm near Manchester, VT.  Jim had read a book called "The Good Life" a few months back and after some research and begging, we were given an invitation to tour the property with the new owners.  (I use the term "new" loosely as they've lived there 40+ years but they aren't the owners from the book.)  The full center is in Maine - www.goodlife.org - so it took some finagling to see the original property in VT.  The new owners are in their 70's and about to sell the property.  They had wonderful stories and a really cute foxhound who I doted on.

 Their home, built by hand in the 40's.

 

The view from their master bedroom.

All in all a wonderful afternoon.

But then this happened:

Let me explain.  So we pulled into the campground and the friendly camp associate led us to our abode.  Apparently her definition of "cabin" and mine are very different.  This cabin was sans windows and had glorious portions of mouse poop throughout.  Now, I'm no girly girl - I can handle feces with the best of them but when you're already irritated because you didn't get what you wanted and you're paying a decent price to live in filth, the likelihood of mental breakdown starts to rise.  As an upgrade there was a broken toilet in the "loft".  But Jim, always the engineer, pulled out the tarps from under the bed and proceeded to staple them to all the windows.  (he's so romantic)

So we resigned ourselves to a very cold night and started planning our escape.  But then Thursday morning rolled around and the truck guys called with an update.  They had miraculously fixed the truck.  That's great guys.  Exactly 24 hours after we left, you have solved the problem.  Woohoo!  So we explain that we are in NY and won't be back until the following week to pick it up.  But noooo, they need their loaner back.  Cue rage baby #2.  We went back and forth for about 30 minutes about whether to just drive back to NH or not and finally decided to enjoy the two days of beautiful weather, make the truck people come get the loaner and spend another two nights in the Deliverance Cabin, Jr.

But then something funny happened.  We were rewarded for giving in:

Pharaoh Mountain

Pharaoh Lake

Absolutely gorgeous hike to the top of a mountain which brought us to a lake in the middle of the Adirondacks.  We promptly dove in and I screeched like a girl when the fish started eating my toes.  (so much for not being a girly girl) 

And this:

Me and my Mom

Met up with my mom in Lake Placid for some real restaurant food (hello 4,000 calories in one sitting...followed by fudge...)  We haven't seen each other in many months so it was great to catch up.  Being the best mom in the world, she put us up in a real hotel room - mouse feces optional. 

Keira says, "thanks Grandma!"

And the point of this blog, my dear friends, is this:  Expectations.  They rip the lifeblood out of any experience.  You set goals, you daydream, you plan and then the universe steps in with its own ideas.  If you shut up long enough and surrender (my yoga teacher's word, not mine), you just might meet some amazing people, find a beautiful vista and cultivate your own spontaneous reunion.

I would normally end this blog with something like, "and we're headed back to NH to move into the camper and head south for a wedding" but instead I'm going to say, "I have no f'ing clue what we'll be doing next week and I can't wait to find out."

"A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving.”

Lao Tzu