Walnuts on My Windshield
#35, January 6, 2006

It's not snowing in Walnut Shade (boo-hoo, boo-hoo), so I can't use the excuse that I'd rather be out in the snow. In fact, the high tomorrow is expected to be in the low 60s!!! I have many other things to do, but decided it was high time to write a Walnuts column.

I last left you with the good old boys and the walnut-huller, with a promise to discuss windshields. The windshield in question has now graced our driveway for almost three months, and we are thoroughly enjoying the vehicle attached to it.

Our good friends, Neal and Danette, are missionaries in Niger, Africa. They were visiting us last summer - well, not JUST us; they traveled some 14,000 miles all over the United States, visiting MANY friends - and they were driving a 1998 Dodge Caravan that was very, very nice. A relative of theirs, who lives in Springfield, Missouri, had purchased it for them to use while in the States. This car was loaded with power everything, sliding doors on both sides, a luggage rack, and extra cargo space in the rear. It also had CD and cassette players, both of which worked, and individual "airplane" lights at each seat. We oohed and aahed, rejoicing with those who rejoice.

Neal and Danette returned to Niger, but first handed off the van to be driven by Neal's parents for a few months. Mr. and Mrs. Childs (the elder) are also missionaries in Niger, and their furlough was timed to occur right after Neal and Danette's so they could both use the same van.

Our faithful green Aerostar has been getting up in years. It makes interesting noises and requires some extra attention to keep it going. Kind of like me. The newer green Windstar that had been purchased as an upgrade had unfortunately turned out to be a lemon. Having made as much lemonade from it as possible, we knew that we would have to get yet another van sometime in the relatively near future.

Neal and Danette were looking to sell their nifty van after their folks were done using it, and they asked if we would be interested. Would we?!?!?! A price was agreed upon, but there was just one hitch (not a trailer hitch; unfortunately that is yet another story): Neal's folks would be flying out of Baltimore and would be leaving the van there. Now, in our family, we do quite a bit of driving. We once calculated that we have driven 2/3 of the way around the world at the Equator, just driving to and from church for the past three years! However, Baltimore is clearly not on the way to anywhere that we frequent.

Options included: Scott's flying to Baltimore and driving the van home (read: 3 day's lost work which would severely increase the net price of the van); Patty's flying to Baltimore and driving the van home (read: much appreciated solitude for Patty, but extra work for Scott and kids at home, plus possible problems if Patty were to be stranded or molested); Patty and Katie flying to Baltimore and sharing the drive home (read: same solitude for Patty as Katie doesn't speak much, but additional costs of airfare); or something else.

Scott came up with the something else. Are any us really surprised? Scott offered to Neal's dad that he would pay to have someone drive the van from Baltimore to St. Louis, where we (read: Patty) would pick it up. It turns out that Mr. Childs knew a wonderful pastor two hours from Baltimore, who was up for a road trip. He would up the van and do the two-day drive to the St. Louis airport, and we would pay to fly him home. Our only issue then became getting me to the St. Louis airport, but my good friend, Janet, came to the rescue. I love Janet because she thinks the way I think, and we can understand each other very easily - unlike Scott, who does NOT think the way I think and whom I am still trying to understand after 18 years of marriage.

We live 35 minutes south of Springfield and Janet lives 30 minutes northwest of same. Here's how it worked. Andrew and I drove Scott to work in the Honda very early on a Thursday morning. Janet and her youngest daughter, Alyssa (Andrew's dear friend), met us in the ANPAC parking lot. Leaving the Honda in the lot and Scott in his office, we two ladies plus our two kids took her Ford Escort to St. Louis. It was a delightfully fun trip. The children were thrilled to have so much time to play together, and Janet and I had some great discussions. With my great (not) navigational skills, we arrived the (perennially under construction) St. Louis airport about 30 minutes before Mr. Childs' pastor friend.

We pointed to the correct terminal for his flight home, and the children chose to ride home with Janet. Her car had a DVD player. I then got to enjoy four blissful hours in the classiest, most comfortable vehicle I have ever owned! Oh, I guess I should mention that I did get lost once in greater St. Louis, but I really knew where I was. I had just missed an exit and it turned out that I had to go quite a distance to get turned back around. Um, yeah, right. Just outside Springfield, I retrieved Andrew. Janet headed home, and we returned to the ANPAC parking lot. Of course, Scott had to work late that day, but he eventually emerged, and we followed each other to the home of the relative who held the van title and wanted to be paid. That was a bit of an adventure as well, because while I chose to carefully follow the directions we had been given, Scott strongly insisted that the house was in a different direction from the one in which I was heading. What's a submissive wife to do? I continued the way I was going and got there 47 seconds ahead of him.

Funds and paperwork were exchanged, and we were finally the proud owners of a beautiful red '98 Dodge Caravan Sport. I'm really sporty, as you know, so this vehicle is perfect for me. I feel spoiled - it's so nice; AND it only has about 112,000 miles!

After the van acquisition, life continued in its usual manner (whatever that is), including Josiah finalizing his time in Webelos and becoming a Boy Scout; the annual Veteran's Day Parade (one of my very favorite things); our second annual Mission China banquet; lots of AIM activities and presentations for the big kids; Scott's 3 ½ -week trip to China; Thanksgiving for the kids and me with my folks in North Little Rock, Arkansas; the total joyfulness and recreation of having the ductwork in our 92-year-old house cleaned; and Christmas, the season for the Reason!

All is going well, here, and if it would just SNOW, I'd be totally content. I think we will see snow one way or the other, though, because Scott has decided that our children should have the joy of skiing that he experienced as a child. We are planning to drive to Breckenridge, Colorado for several days at the end of January. I'm sure it will be a delightful and fun experience. It should be very delightful and very fun, considering all the stuff that we have been accumulating to help make it delightful and fun - warmer everything for everybody, boots and gaiters for me (the non-skier), goggles for most which all appropriately say "SCOTT" on them (I guess the Scott company has the market on goggles), etc. etc. With all this winter gear, it's really a good thing we have the new van for this trip. Even as it is, we may have to strap Andrew to the luggage rack. Actually, that may not be such a bad idea. . .

Until Next Time,
Patty From My Book Pile:

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass, rank 9. I have always seen pictures of Frederick Douglass and thought, "I really need to learn something about the guy, and, my, LOOK at that hair!" When I found this on audio, I was excited. It was a relatively short book, but an absolutely fascinating autobiography. This man was largely self-taught and his level of education would put just about any of us to shame! It was so interesting, and his command of the English language was astounding. To think what all he did for the cause of freedom, and he never even knew who is father was. His mother died when he was young, and he was a self-made man, at time when most black men didn't have the opportunity to be "made" at all. Highly recommended.

Path Between the Seas: The Creation of the Panama Canal 1870-1914 by David McCullough, rank 9. David McCulluogh is an incredible historian, and I was not disappointed by this book. Of course, it is well over 600 pages long, and I read it in 3-6 page segments before falling asleep at night, so it did take me ummm. . . a "while" to finish. I had no idea of the history of the canal - particularly that the French did so many years' and francs' worth of work before the US ever came on board; that there was so much shady money (and other) business involved; and that there was so much deception by Teddy Roosevelt and crew (shameful, some of it) to bring this thing to pass. Of course, it was a monumental achievement, and it makes one wonder a bit about the possibility of the end justifying the means. It also makes me want to actually go there and travel through the canal. Though I passionately hate tropical anything, I do hope I can do that someday.

Quote of the Week:

"Character is like a tree and reputation like its shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing." ~ Abraham Lincoln

Enjoyed Walnuts on My Windshield? Want more? Check out the Walnuts on My Windshield archive!