Day 2, Nathans Travels

Random Solomonism of the day:

"Daddy" (baits Solomon as he is getting tucked in)

"you know, you can sell your truck

and buy the original Darth Vader costume".

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So, my last post left me sleeping

and Nathan was beginning his 4+ hour long test.

Solomon had plans to have a friend over

to go sledding at the golf course

and Adrianna really needed  the library.

Nathan called and was walking the city block

to where he had parked the Jeep, hoping the weather had

kept the parking police out of commission or at least bogged down.

Avoiding the ticket and with a good understanding

of how to get to 131, then 96 then 31, he said he would

call when he made it to Muskegon.

He called as we pulled into the library.

He had missed a street, gotten caught on 1 ways and

was lost in downtown GR.

Tying the kids hands together and warning them

about the perils of splitting up,

I let them go upstairs at the library,

while I sat on a bench

(in eye shot of both the stairs and the elevator)

on Google maps trying to find my other kid.

Giving him an idea of where he was in relation to 131,

we determined the next right moves to make.

He would call me from 96 at a drive-thru.

He called 5 minutes later, the kids still upstairs in the library.

He realized his snow pants were not in the Jeep

and wondered if he should just drive home to get them

then drive the easy route to Gerber from home.

The children still upstairs, I called Doug who had

just sent his first casualty of the snow and cold back to the hothouse.

I apprised him of Nathans situation. Long pause.

We both new if Nathan came home, he should just stay home

as the additional time would put him several hours behind.

But. Nathan had the coffee grounds

and toilet paper.

Doug found someone we know who was just out for the day

and would not need their snow pants.

Tired and exasperated, Nathan geared up for the drive.

Oh. He missed the last street

and he was now well west of 131 so I sent him

west to the zoo for the entrance ramp to 196 and he would backtrack.

He called from 96 and was sitting at an Arby's,

well out of the maze of 1 way streets and tall buildings.

The children with me at the library

finally showed their faces

and after paying off late fees,

we headed home.

Nathan later told me that one of the roads he turned on

sounded a bit strange and he found himself surrounded

by pedestrians glancing strangely at the Jeep.

When he saw the cobblestone and benches on both sides,

he realized that he had turned onto and was driving on

a sidewalk.

He made it in record time to Gerber

and 3 people in their group needed the attention

of the hothouse that night.

************

*The girls stayed at home reading books*