Funny Little Bit of Silly Vanilla

Warning no spanking today!! So if you want to skip my little story I understand.

This post is a salute to Sunnygirl at aimless ramblings. I have shared a couple of crazy happenings causing laughter in my life. She suggested I share some with you.

My husband and I were out Saturday night listening to some Blues music, having a few drinks and enjoying our time together.

 Of course we reminisce about the early years, as part of our many conversations. He admitted to being scared many times. “Me too” I said.  Yet, we have been so very blessed.

Of course the conversation turned to some of the outrageous happenings we weathered…..!

We started thinking about our many vacations, and how we always seem to experience some fickle situation that appears as if we tempt fate by trying to travel as a family.

As many of you know I come from a large family, we often would plan trips and travel together with one another. The benefits outweighed any problems or conflicts. The kids always had each other for entertainment; and we could take turns enjoying a fancy dinner, while the other couple babysat.

Our Children were almost 2 and 4; we planned a vacation with my youngest sister and her husband. They hadn't had any children yet and were looking to have a wonderful happening time. We were traveling down south to New Orleans. We had family there, and were taking turns staying with them, kind of the best of both worlds. Each of us would get time in a nice hotel and time with family enabling us to manage expenses.

Everyone knew that traveling with us meant frequent stops. My children did not have large bladders. I believe we had a reputation!

We traveled each in our own cars with walkie talkies for communication. Remember this was before the unceasing use of cell phones.

Half hour out of the city….

Bathroom break number one.

Breakfast stop…..

Bathroom stop….

 Gas stop….. 

             

Bathroom stop, you get the picture.

Hey we had two small children, some of you understand.

About mid-afternoon we noticed my brother-in-law pull off the highway. Uh oh! We thought. This time it wasn't us.

However potty chair in hand we had the kiddies take advantage of said break.

The break turned out to be much longer than expected. Their car was no longer able to travel.

Oh boy!

 After we waited with 2 small bored children for at least an hour, the car was towed into the closest town.

Guess where my sister and brother-in-law ended up?

Yep! They ended up in our car. Bags stuffed into our family van. Legs bent over various travelling necessities.

I still giggle thinking about their adaptability from cool young married couple to flying down the highway with a family of four, cramped together in a van.

Conversations were fun. Disney songs anyone?? Seriously… I laugh, but everyone was a good sport.

Oh by-the-way. Our relatives had an absolutely gorgeous home FILLED with antiques. Picture this mom’s happiness when it is our turn to stay. I am sure you get the picture, chasing after an almost two year old determined to fling any shiny collectible he could get his grimy fingers around.

Fast forward to dinner and Martini’s with the relatives. Not mom here. I knew sleep would be fleeting.

My sister and brother-in-law left for the hotel- in a cab……my uncle took himself directly off to bed still standing after keeping up with my brother-in-law.

Well I needed to make a bit of warm milk for the children so hubby took the kids to the bedroom we were given for our time there. We even had our own bathroom. Our little darlings would be sleeping between us. Mom here was a bit afraid of roaches. They seemed to be everywhere. Of course it could also be that my relatives would clean up after any treatment to rid themselves of the vermin.

As I made my way back from the kitchen to the bedroom I thought I heard a strange ticking behind me. Shrugging my shivering shoulders I continued back to the bedroom.

Handing the kids their milk I heard the ticking again. Both kids drifted into never- land, heads softly lying on the pillows.

Some instinct made me look at the open door, when in flies the most gigantic tree roach I have ever seen. I shriek as the roach lands down on my daughter’s pillow, right next to her adorable cherubic face.

Hubby jumps up and starts to remove the crazed ‘flying’ roach. You all remember he is from Scotland. This crazed berserker…Yes I know the Norse history. I am just setting the scene. He is jumping, turning and pushing the tree roach out of the bedroom door. I shout…as quietly as I can “shut the door!”

Thank God for those martinis, uncle never opened an eye.

Remember the closed door? Well see…. at the bottom of the door was a bit of a cut out. Just as we were about to laugh in comic relief……In flies the roach again!

We scramble…and it flies into the bathroom. My husband shuts the door. “Now what?” Somehow we use light and chase the roach out the door.

Children safe.

Yes! We ARE city folk.

By the way I was full on warrior mom and not a gentile bone in my body was seen. Poor hubby.

So that’s it you think? Nope, next we were traveling down to the coast for a bit of beach happiness. My sister and brother-in-law joined us as well as another uncle. Now there were seven of us in a piled high van, luggage included, with 2 adorably enchanting happy toddlers. We were using the “family cottage” located mere blocks from the ocean.

My uncle was quite a character, he NEVER stopped talking. You could close your eyes and go to sleep, next you woke up the conversation began from the last word you uttered.

My uncle sat next to my son, who conversed with uncle using the time honored ‘WHY?” for every pause my uncle made in the conversation.

Arriving at the cottage, my sister and I perused the suitability of staying there. Unfortunately it had fallen into a bit if disrepair. No way were we bringing the kids in there. Not wanting to cause hurt feelings we feigned an allergic reaction…..Not quite a lie, an exaggeration!

Onward we went down the coast to find a lovely hotel.

Remember my sister and husband, young married couple? Guess how we split up the rooms? No romance for them!

We had to have a bed for the kids she said. So she and hubby shared with uncle.

That would have been fine except he forgot his unmentionables when taking a shower, my brother-in-law was elected to hand them through the bathroom door.

Men don't do that sort of thing with each other very well. I think he was traumatized. My sister of course. laughed.

We still split a gut remembering this trip.

Come to think of it we haven’t traveled alone with them ever again.

I wonder why?

Thanks for humoring me as I took a trip down memory lane.