Day 45 – Monday, June 13 – Today Mom and Dad got up and made some phone calls and then decided to drive back to Rapid City. Some of you may know that Mom and Dad have been thinking about buying a different motor home. We looked at a few before we left on this trip and Mom and Dad think they know what they want, but they weren’t sure about buying something and immediately taking it out for an eight week trip. They decided to wait until we get home to look any more. Last week, Dad got a call from a motor home salesman that he’d talked to before. The next day, Mom and Dad looked at a bunch of pictures on the Internet. This new motor home had everything they wanted and more. Also, they thought it was a very good price. They told me that they called the salesman back this morning to try to work out a deal. We spent most of the day in Rapid City while Mom and Dad talked to the salesman on the phone and via email. They finally agreed on details and we are on our way to get our new motor home.
I guess that I should tell you that our new motor home is near Ft Worth, TX. Mom says that the dealership is very close to Grandpa and Grandpa Stanford’s house and that I’ll get to meet them, along with my Aunts, Uncles, and several cousins. It may seem odd to drive all the way to Texas to buy a motor home, but Mom and Dad know two couples who have bought motor homes from this same dealer and been very happy, the price on this motor home is good, and we will be able to see all our family. Tonight we drove until almost dark and are staying at a truck stop about 20 miles south of Antelope, SD.
Day 46 – Tuesday, June 14 – This morning we left the tuck stop about 7am and in ¼ mile, we were in Nebraska. We drove and drove through Nebraska and then we were in Kansas. We drove and drove in Kansas and then we were in Oklahoma. I’m glad Mom read the signs to me, because it all looked pretty much the same to me. Well, Oklahoma was a little different. That’s where it started to rain – REALLY, REALLY hard. Then the rain turned to hail the size of Great Dane chunk kibble mixed with hail the size of little chunk kibble like mine. Also, the wind really started to blow. I got pretty scared when we passed the semi that was blown over on the freeway. I think it was the downed power lines that scared Mom and Dad. The poles were just snapped in two, about four feet off the ground.
When we got to an exit, we pulled off and stopped for a little while. Dad turned on the weather radio and Mom got out the map. She said that there were storms moving toward every little town around us. Mom said something about hoping this wasn’t an omen. We all decided that we should keep driving to get out of Oklahoma before the storms got worse where we were.
We kept driving and then we were in Texas. We decided to keep driving and got to Grandma and Grandpa Stanford’s house about 11:30 pm. It was a very long day.
Day 47 – Wednesday, June 15 – This afternoon we went to the motor home dealer to see our new motor home. Mom and Dad called them ahead of time to let them know we were coming. When we got there, everything was turned off. We passed a sign on the way here today that said it was 103 degrees. The thermometer inside our new motor home said it was 99. However, the thermometer only had a two digit display, so wouldn’t show anything over 100 degrees. It sure did feel hotter.
Mom and Dad turned on the air conditioning. The new motor home has two air conditioners and one didn't work at all. The other didn't blow very cool air. We were at the dealer for over two hours. It got a little cooler inside, but not much. Mom and Dad couldn’t get the refrigerator to work, either. They are pretty upset, but the people at the dealership say that they will fix things and Mom and Dad should come back tomorrow.
We went back to Grandma and Grandpa’s house. I stayed in our old motor home where the air conditioning works. Mom and Dad went out to dinner with Grandma and Grandpa and then went to visit my Aunt Susan, Dad’s sister.
Day 48 – Thursday, June 16 – We went back to the motor home dealer. I didn’t understand everything that went on. The air conditioning was better, but there were more problems. The people said that it will be better tomorrow and we should come back. Mom and Dad are unhappy, because they thought that we were getting the new motor home today.
We went back to Grandma and Grandpa’s house and Mom and Dad went out to Dinner with Grandma, Grandpa, and Uncle Tommy. Uncle Tommy is Dad’s brother. I waited in our old motor home. When Uncle Tommy went home, Mom and Dad and I went to Aunt Susan’s house. I’ve never met my Aunt Susan before. She has five children – cousin Matt, who I met in Colorado a couple of weeks ago, cousin Chris who lives in Ft Worth with his wife Amanda, and cousins Kane, Gus, and Sebastian who are Aunt Susan’s fur kids. Cousin Chris and his wife Amanda came to visit Aunt Susan tonight, too. They have three fur kids, Max, Oliver, and Piper. We all had fun together. I like my Aunt Susan, cousins Chris and Amanda, and all seven of my fur cousins.
Day 49 – Friday, June 17 – Finally, all the problems have been worked out! Mom and Dad signed a bunch of papers and the new motor home is ours. We drove the old one and parked it next to the new one and Mom and Dad started moving all of our stuff from one to the other. I found this very confusing. I just kept following them and they were getting upset with me for being in the way.
Finally, when all our stuff was moved and put way in the new motor home, Dad got in the driver’s seat, Mom in the passenger’s seat, and I took a place on the floor. I’m not sure yet where my seat is. Dad turned the key and nothing happened. He turned it again and still nothing. Dad looked at Mom and Mom looked at him. Dad said a bad word and Mom said one, too. We went back into the office and the dealer sent out a technician to jump start us.
The technician was very nice and seemed knowledgeable, but he couldn’t get the new motor home to start. He said he was pretty sure it wasn’t the battery. He went back and got some more tools and someone to help him. They started testing things and figured out that the starter wasn’t working. The dealer didn’t have a new starter and won’t be able to get one before Monday, since it’s now 5:15 pm on Friday.
With all the other problems, Mom and Dad were beginning to think that this just wasn’t meant to be. They asked for their money back and the dealer agreed. It is 105 degrees today. Mom and Dad are hot, exhausted from moving our stuff, and very sad.
We drove our old, empty motor home to Aunt Susan’s and had dinner with her, Grandma, Grandpa, Chris, Amanda, and Aunt Mary Alice (Dad’s sister) and Uncle Don (Aunt Mary Alice’s husband). They all helped cook dinner and it was very nice to have family around.
Day 50 – Saturday, June 18 – We drove back to the dealership again today. Mom and Dad spent most of the morning moving all our stuff out of the new motor home and back into our old one. It’s 105 again today and they are even more hot, tired, and sad.
Tonight we went to Aunt Mary Alice and Uncle Don’s lake house for dinner with Grandma, Grandpa, and Aunt Susan. I got to meet Aunt Mary Alice’s kids Dakota and Izzy. Dakota and Izzy are fur kids, too. In fact, Dakota and Izzy are almost exactly like me. They are Standard Poodles, but they are blondes. I told a blonde poodle joke and they chased me. It was fun. I like them. Dad went floating on the lake with Aunt Susan and Aunt Mary Alice and I went back in the house with Mom. It was a good ending to an otherwise miserable day.
Day 51 – Sunday, June 19 – We wished Grandpa a Happy Father’s Day and left Fort Worth about noon. Tonight we are in Amarillo. I’ve been dreaming about the 72 oz steak at The Big Texan Steak Ranch all day. We drove through a bunch of smoke between Bowie and Henrietta where there was a large grass fire burning about a mile from the road. We also passed several other places where there had been small grass fires. The fire truck was leaving one as we came by. We learned that 100% of Texas counties are currently in drought. We also passed a thermometer along the road that said it was 115 degrees. I put my nose up next to the window and it felt like Mom’s coffee cup when the coffee is fresh and hot. It’s 10:30 pm now and our thermometer says it is still 91 degrees outside. I’m glad our air conditioning still works good. Mom and Dad are still a little sad that we don’t have a new motor home, but I like this one. It’s my home and it is just right. The only bad part is that we didn’t go to The Big Texan and I had to eat kibble for dinner.
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