Good Times, Baaad Times...

I thought the kids and I would have a nice, little relaxing getaway for a couple of days in Massachusetts.  Pete decided it would be a good idea to get our Ford Expedition fixed (We were rear ended on the McD's drive thru line during our last New England road trip) during this time.  We were eligible for a car rental.  I was hoping for the Chevy Tahoe, but the only car available Thursday morning was a Ford Explorer.  I didn't like it from the get-go.  It had a push button starter, which meant you also had to remember to push the button to turn the car off.  Annoying.  I already knew I would forget to turn it off every time.  The NASA designed temperature controls and radio were certainly going to put me over the edge at some point during the trip, as well.  I don't have time to sit there and read the 500 page manual before I put the car into drive.  Aren't computers supposed to make things easier?

The four of us got on the road at 11:30am.  Pete was going to stay home and get some projects done (aka, sleep) around the house.  I hoped to arrive at The Nun's by 3pm.  The traffic on I-95 through the Bronx and southern Connecticut was not bad.  We stopped at a CVS for potty break #1.  When we returned to the car in the lot I could hear the radio from twenty feet away.  I didn't press the button to turn the engine off.  Given.  This feature has the potential for disaster, but so far, so good...  Of course not!  We got back on 95 and were still making good time.  The potty stop only cost us 15 minutes.  As we drove through Stratford, I heard a strange pop noise and then the car began to jiggle.  My dashboard computer (Okay, this is where it comes in handy) read "Low tire pressure".  I opened the windows and heard that dreaded flapping sound of a flat tire.  I was able to get off at exit 33 and pull into a gas station at the end of the ramp.  I called AAA and five minutes later a guy was changing my tire!  Wow!  This isn't so bad (Stop jinxing yourself!).  When he finished, he told me I couldn't drive all the way to Massachusetts on a donut.  I either had to switch cars through Enterprise or get a new tire put on.  Well, I went back and forth between the Milford Enterprise and a local tire shop while simultaneously getting dicked around by the Long Island rental  guys.  Multitasking at its finest.  Finally, I was able to switch cars to a Chevy Malibu.  I wasn't back on the road until 5:30, just in time for evening traffic.  AAA - 1 point, Enterprise Rental Car - 0.

We got to The Nun's by 7pm.  We had a great time once we were there.  We took the kids to see Despicable Me 2, hung out at the mall, went out to dinner, swam in their friend's pool, the kids caught frogs, and The Nun and I got our 7 mile run in!  We set out Saturday morning on her regular route.  It was about 80 degrees.  We were the only runners out and saw 4 cars the entire run.  It was hilly and the scenery was beautiful.  Mostly wooded with a few farms scattered about.  We saw loud sheep (I swear there was a guy crouching behind them "baa-ing" with a megaphone), cute goats, and smelled some pretty raunchy cows.  No fisher cats.  No bears.  The Nun kept telling me to go ahead, but she had no problem keeping pace.  It was a lovely, challenging run with fantastic company.

When we got back to her house, I noticed the baby had some diarrhea in her diaper.  I only mention this because our ride home to New York turned into a shit show.  Literally.  We must have picked up a stomach bug.  If it wasn't coming out of one end, it was coming out the other.  Among all three kids.  Thank God we were in a rental.  Sorry, Enterprise.

I was supposed to run my 18 miler this morning.  You did notice I wrote "We must have picked up a stomach bug", right?  I was down for the count.  I'm thinking of postponing it until Tuesday, just to be safe.  I already have bathroom issues while running, I don't need to "emphasize" it.