Our Excellent Adventure

Last night's short drive from our hotel to the Soctiabank Place here in Ottawa quickly changed from a dream about to come true to a nightmare...and then back again.

We stopped at Kelsey's for some appetizers before the game and when we got into the car for the 1 mile drive to the arena, the windshield wipers and the heater/fan/defrost wouldn't work. We thought we had blown a fuse. I almost blew one myself! It was snowing ever so lightly but we couldn't see out the windshield. Carol was busily trying to clear the windshield on the inside and every few minutes I'd jump out and attempt to clear the slush from the outside. Traffic was bumper to bumper so we were moving slowly but it was scary. We couldn't see a thing!

We pulled into the parking lot of another hotel and I asked the desk clerk to call us a cab. He said that due to the traffic heading for the game, we likely wouldn't get a cab for quite some time. I went back to the van, frustrated and angry. The trip we had planned a month earlier was quickly becoming a big headache. I sat there for a few moments, quietly prayed a desperation prayer (which wasn't too reverent) and turned off the van. Immediately I started the van again and everything was working. Wow! How did that happen? We quickly pulled out of the lot and into the traffic and, miracle of miracles, were able to get to the rink before the game started. Whew!

So, dear pals, that was our excellent adventure.

Tonight we ran over a cow and ended up frying beef on the manifold. Nice steak! Just kidding but...there is a story behind this. Beg me and I'll fill you in later.

The weary pilgrim