I had our campsite reserved through last night. Plans were to pack up and make it back home by early afternoon today. We could have done that. We had food and clothes through this morning. We could have snuck in an extra hike this morning. But, come 4:00 yesterday we just decided it was just time to head home. We agreed that though Tyler was pretty pleasant the fact that he hadn't eaten much of anything over the past two days was uncharacteristic and not good. We agreed that a soft bed sounded nicer than the inevitable time it takes to get three kids asleep in a tent. We agreed that we'd seen what we wanted to see and had had a good time. We agreed that having the campsite paid through the night had allowed us to slowly enjoy the day rather than feeling a rush to checkout on time. We agreed that we could set up our firepit once home to smooth over Meg's disappointment of camping smoreless.
So, we packed up. Quickly things were back in the truck and we were on the road. The LONG road back. Tyler was a mess. Cried nearly the entire time! The truck was hot. Meg was carsick and pretty lethargic. For most of it I wondered if we really should have rushed away. I wondered if one more night around a campfire really could have been deemed any worse than the endless drive. It was BAD! I, again, claim that I am not a roadtrip person. I wish I were. Destinations looks great on paper, but the drives to get there are killers!
Finally we made it home. Matt swore off a trips to the St. George and Monticello temples (which I agreed would be a long time off and could include hotel pools). Quick showers for the kids before crashing in bed.
The truck bed was left loaded until this morning. No rush to empty it. Returning piles of equipment was this morning's job. Sleeping bags to the shed. PILES of clothes to the basement. Meg was helping haul the clothes to the basement. With her last pile in hand she yelled, "Mom, you've got to come see this!" So, I sidestepped into the storage room to see what what worthy of such an insistent voice.
WATER spraying from the bottom of the waterheater! Water puddled out around it! Yes. That warranted a scream. It had likely been spilling out for a few minutes, tops. Not bad enough that it had reached the walls. Not bad enough that it had spilled out of the storage concrete floor. But, still bad.
I located and yelled to Matt. Fearing that our waterheater might give out like the others he replaces daily, he has anticipated a phonecall from me with me yelling from my end for him to help locate the turnoffs. Thankfully, he was home when it happened.
He quickly came down and shut off the water source. Of course I realized that he'd know what to do. What I didn't instantly realize was how bad it could have been. As I ShopVaced the water up, he told me that it was spilling differently and faster than he normally sees. Had we not packed up and been home when we were, we would have walked into a real mess. We had turned off the water to the house when we left, but even still the 50 gallons sitting in the tank would have emptied.
I'm grateful that we were home when we needed to be home. To catch the mess when it started rather than discovering it after it was already too late. Really, our timely return turned out to be more than just calling "uncle" early. Some might title it as luck. I'd rather recognize it as inspired timing, for which I am grateful.
I'm also grateful to have a husband who had a few extra waterheaters stocked in the back corner of the garage. They sit there ready for emergency calls of others. This time it turned out to be us. Us on a holiday. A holiday when supply stores are closed and would have left us without for a day.
(notice Ty's "Mr. Fix-It" applicable shirt of the moment)
(old removed, new installed!)
(Inspecting Dad's work)Over simple backyard sparklers tonight, I'll gratefully be reflecting on some specific freedoms: the freedom to leave and travel wherever among diverse landscapes, the freedom to pack up and return home whenever one wants, the freedom to learn whatever skills prove useful in times of need. The ability to move and do what we need is a blessing.
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