The Calvert Connection: Trips to the Beach

As we look forward to our upcoming Summer vacation to the beach I can't help but reflect on our last voyage to the great Gulf of Mexico. It was the week before my maternity leave ended and I decided to load up all three girls and head to the coast with my sister and her children. Neither of our husbands were brave enough to endure the 5 days at the beach in March.

The trip down was absolutely miserable - K3 (nine weeks old at the time) literally screamed the entire 6 hour trip. She despised her car seat, my car, the radio, her noise maker and anyone trying to get her to be quiet. For the love!!

We began our journey onto I-65 South and, unfortunately, there was a major traffic jam. So we quickly made a last minute change in plans and merged onto I-65 North (I know, I know, you're thinking to yourself that the beach is South). We finally got turned around and headed on Hwy 31 South only to pass the Galleria Mall for the 3rd time in the first 45 minutes of our trip (it was like Chevy Chase's "Look kids, Big Ben!").

She cries, she cries and she cries.

We finally arrive at almost 11p and everyone retires for the evening. For the most part, our time at the beach was good (a few terrible "stinkies" that would send everyone running) but the big girls had a blast and loved the pool and running from the waves in the ocean.

Then we begin our journey home. Actually, this trip was more about journeys than anything. About 30 minutes north of the beach my car (2008 model) fails to thrive and quickly let's me know that it no longer wants to carry our crew (I think it was tired of the baby crying, ha!). Literally, no joke, it just quits!! It's hot outside, I'm two days away from having to return to work following leave, my 9.5 week old will not stop screaming and my car decides to break down 4 hours away from home.

I call dear Hubby who says "Just drive it home" - Hello!! Did you hear what I said? It won't go over 10 mph - at that rate, it would take us 3 days to get home. I contact On Star who has a terrible time directing me to the nearest dealership because, in their words, not mine "Ms. Calvert, someone is very unhappy in your car". No joke, I'm a "single mom" on this journey, four hours from home with three small children under the age of 7, (one of which will not stop screaming) and On Star decides to be revolutionary and inform me that I have an unhappy camper in my presence!

So, we drive 10 mph to the nearest dealership which was 14 miles away. We wait 3 hours for them to install a new computer and, finally, we head toward home.

It was a journey - and for our next trip my expectations are low. I will not take for granted an hour of quiet in the car, or just a car that will get us there (and back) safely and without stops for maintenance!!