17° tonight. In bed already, not for sleep but because it’s warm and comfy.
This morning we broke camp early to drive half an hour into town for an appointment at the post office to renew the kids’ passports. I’d known that everyone’s but mine was set to expire before the trip would be over, but I wasn’t sure if I’d make our route through Canada or not. Being pretty certain now that, on the way West from Canada, we’ll go over the Great Lakes vs. under them, we needed everyone to be valid.
Anyway, we tried to walk in and do it in Charlotte a couple weeks ago, but the place was packed and we stood no chance. So I made an appointment near where I thought we’d be and just resolved to be there. Worked out well, got everything handled in less than an hour.
Since we were going to be in town, and out of the RV for a while, I made an appointment to get the oil changed at the same time. Through the power of Google Maps, I was able to find a shop within walking distance of the post office. We pulled the rig into the shop yard just after 8am, spoke briefly with the mechanic, and then set out in our heavy coats for the less than a mile morning walk.
On the way to the garage, we made sure to drive the route we planned on walking, just to make sure it wasn’t longer than Google thought and to see if it had sidewalks and crosswalks and was generally safe. All looked good, there was only one short stretch, maybe a hundred and fifty yards, where we’d be walking along the road without a sidewalk, in the grass shoulder.
And wouldn’t you know it, we were about halfway along that section when an oncoming car slowed, switched on its emergency flashers, and pulled over next to us. “Y’all need a ride?,” a young man asked from the passenger seat, a young woman driving. I politely said we were only going another block and were all good, but that I appreciated the offer. And I did, appreciate the offer. Very much.
People are good. Everywhere.
Also written on this day...
- dad's dream - 2017
- call me cheap - 2009
- life gets in the way - 2007
- family photos - 2004