another day delay

Tuesday we were not quite halfway between Garner, NC and Jasper, AL when the van started growing crazy on I 20.  Thankfully there was almost no traffic around us, and Bobby was able to get the van over to the side before the next wave traffic came. I was expecting a typical flat tire, and was more than shocked to get around and see a total blowout with parts of the van hanging out underneath.

We called AAA, and was thankful for the breeze and no rain while we waited. The Sheriff came by, and when he found out we were headed to visit my parents in AL there was some good natured ribbing about the Crimson Tide not quite being the best team in the US anymore, then when the Highway Patrol came he was teasing Bobby about getting reports about a man in a wheelchair racing cars up and down the side of the road. (He was sitting by his ramp so he could see when the tow truck came over the hill.)  The Sheriff went to get water so Bobby wouldn't get too hot, without us even asking. When the tow truck driver made it through the gridlock down the road from two tractor trailers wrecking and one overturning, he took us backroads to a different repair shop than AAA said because he said they would have the parts we needed plus we would have two hotels and fast food places in walking distances. Turns out his daughter in a senior at the University of Alabama. We were thankful he made the choice he did. The pipe hanging below in the picture is the severed fuel line that takes the gas from the area where you pump it to the fuel tank in the back of the van. So there's no way we could have made it to the next city anyway. We talked about renting a van and heading on while they did repairs, but the rental place in the next town wasn't willing to deliver and the cost was exhorbitant. So we've been in a hotel since Tuesday night. The mechanics at the first shop replaced the tire, sawed off the busted and twisted pipe, and capped off the gas tank so we wouldn't loose what gas we had. Everyone is basically telling us to "hang tight".  I've enjoyed the cable and rest and internet, but I've been almost chomping at the bit to get on to my family. My brother, who is a mechanic, was wanting to take off work and come find a way to get us either to Atlanta or home to AL, but since the part was on the way we told him to wait. We went to the dealer today, only to find out that Bobby's fears were confirmed, and this part they overnighted was for a regular van and not a modified van. So we're back in the hotel for another night. I wish I could say I was all nice and appreciative and cheerful, but I have to confess I flat out cried.  Our original plan was to leave AL Sat morning. Since we now (hopefully) won't get there until late Friday night, we'll head back Monday. That means I only have a day and a half (Sunday messes everything up) with my parents, but at this point I'll take what I can get.

Meanwhile, our nesting hen hatched at least 4 of her 5 eggs the day after we left. So they'll still be cute when we get home, but not the total fluff balls. I can't wait to see them. Just hoping they're not more roosters!

the overdue vehicle update

Hahaha!...okay. I know this is NOT the vehicle picture you've been waiting for.  But I did want to show off the really cool car tag I got for my birthday!

 And here it is...the new van! (Well, new to us!)

 A "bench" seat of sorts. I specifically like this because the seats fold down, making it easier (I hope!) to store luggage and such when traveling.  And while it's a very tight squeeze, you can fit three adults here.

 And trunk space!!! The spare tire is hidden! Whoohoooooo! (Can you tell that's been a problem in the past?)

 One of the many delays in the new vehicle...the turn signal controls.  For the first time ever, these are not controlled by his shoulder, but are now controlled by the elbow and is actually a toggle switch as opposed to a bump pad (for lack of a better word).

 The lock controls on the tie downs are different in this vehicle in that they are somehow connected to the door locks. For the longest kind of time they wouldn't release until the van was unlocked. We think that's finally adjusted correctly.

 And the lock down box is the same, just cleaner! :)

 ahhh...a CD player AND a mp3 jack AND Satellite radio!  All are firsts for us! Also new to us but still not quite as exciting (yet) is the video backup camera.

 And my personal favorite...twice the leg room! Trips will be MUCH nicer now!

And a side door for people who are riding in the back. They don't have to wait on the lift to get in and out!

There's a few other new/different features for us, and some things we're still trying to work out (and some things we've already worked out...thanks for the seat belt help, Rich!).  Sadly, one thing may require sending the van back to Chrysler. Since it's still under warranty, we think it makes sense to get those things squared away immediately (like the transmission gear not always shifting!).

It took a few months longer than we anticipated, but it's been worth the wait!

hurry up & wait

We hurried off to our 8:30am appointment this morning only to wait for things to be finalized.  We made it back to Garner around noon, stopped by the doctor's office for even MORE paperwork, then on to home...IN OUR NEW VAN!!! By the time we finished lunch it was around 1pm.
As crazy as it sounds, all this "newness" spawned a small cleaning session.  The extra driver's seat for me must be stored somewhere, which meant cleaning out a corner of the laundry room to make room for it. That actually took up most of my afternoon. (I mean, if you have to drag everything out of the room anyway, shouldn't you go ahead and scrub the baseboards while you're at it?).  And the little pile of things from the old van that has found refuge in the garage entryway has almost totally been dispersed to new locations. A few items are still pondering where their new address will be.
Like most changes, this van will take some adjusting to.  We've already discovered a few things we really like, a few we're just "hmmm" about, and quite a few things we're still trying to figure out how to work.
It's two months overdue, but we're thankful for the way God has provided yet again. And I'm thankful for Van Products and its staff who are always pleasant and helpful.  They might not move on our timetables, but they have never failed to do a good job. Maybe tomorrow there will be time for pictures. :)

technology updates

Okay, my apologies to Braun Enterprises.  According to my contact at Van Products, they (BE) have a contract with Chrysler.  Chrysler is the company saying adamantly NO WAY to modifications.  And the other modification manufacturer of choice, also cannot get an agreement with them.  Evidently, it's not just Chrysler, but all vehicles.  These "advanced" computer wired vehicles make it next to impossible (legally anyway) to modify.
And like I had been told, Braun was started by a man in a wheelchair, and he is still head of the company.  So there's no one I can call and petition, no one I can invite to come live our lives for a day or two, nowhere else to turn (humanly wise) in this saga.
And you no what?  That's okay. Like so many other things, we'll make this work. And there is a bright side...horse and buggies aren't accessible either, so I don't have to worry about caring for a horse. :)  That would be a nightmare indeed!

car show

Last Saturday Bobby and I went to the Convention Center downtown for the International Auto Expo. It was a blast. The only thing I regretted was not taking my camera. At the entrance was a monstrous Rolls Royce that cost way more than our house, and we found a three wheeled, two-seater Harley Davidson with white siding and red flames for the price of Bobby's van. Today we headed to another show at the Fairgrounds, as they had the companies that bailed out of last week's show, and this time I did remember to take my camera! Here's some of the cool vehicles we saw today:

The back seats in this van fold down to make a bed! Who needs a camper when you have a vehicle like this?

AND, it had a sun roof, PLUS above each seat was a brown compartment (look toward the roof). It opened up into a storage area that would hold quite a bit of stuff.

And I've never seen a full-size television MOUNTED into the ceiling of a van before.

We joked about this being the car for me, but finally decided it wouldn't work for two reasons:
one, Bobby's too tall to fit in it, and two, it would mess up my hair.

This little vehicle, while cute, doesn't meet my four door requirement, and I also don't like the modern small passenger windows. Besides, if you had a car like this, you'd have to at some point play Dukes of Hazard and I'd never ever fit through the window of this thing. Of course, I'd paint the number three on the doors instead of one. And it would have the Alabama state flag on the roof, of course. And heaven forbid it have a name like General Lee. I'd probably call it something like, "Bobby's girl" or some other name that would make all the men in my family cringe or roll their eyes. Yes, there would definitely be some minor adjustments.

vehicles

YES!!! IF and when the time comes to replace my car, should we decide it is necessary to have something Bobby can ride with me, then we are no longer limited to a van! Chrysler and Scions now have vehicles that are adaptable for wheelchairs. The Honda Element can be fixed as well, but it still looks like a van to me, plus the fact that I think it is extremely ugly.

We had just about decided my next vehicle had to be wheelchair accessible, and then Bobby stopped getting sick! A part of me says we still need that - just in case. And of course, if my vehicle gets better gas mileage than his huge van, I get to drive to ALABAMA!!! He claims that is reason enough not to do it. He had the delightful experience of actually riding with me about a year ago when we rented a van in AL. For the first time ever in my life, I fell asleep at the wheel. (Which is how his accident happened that resulted in his SCI). He hasn't let me forget it.

Now, if they can ever figure out how to make pickups that are both wheelchair accessible and drivable, I have a feeling I know what I'll have to ride in all the time. :O(
Thankfully they're not there yet.