Stranded In Davenport

The following is taken directly from a notebook I wrote in last night:

So this is hilarius, in one of those "please-somebody-hit-me-over-the-head-with-a-blunt-object" sort of way. I'm writing this longhand to conserve battery power in case I need my computer. Now, why dire need would arise escapes me, not to mention the almost certain lack of technology out here, barring me from connecting to civilization. Although, as I haven't checked, I could be missing out on the fastest wireless internet connection southeastern Iowa has to offer.

It stopped snowing, at least.

My car. My poor car. Ever notice how the day you decide not to sell your car, that it is after all very reliable and after all, what is a car if not transportation, and also you plan to drive it till it quuits...it decides to quit.

In a snowstorm.

In Iowa.

And you live in Missouri.

It could be "In a hurricane. In Florida. And you live in Georgia." Anyway, you get the formula.

In a [Bad type of weather]

In [State/Region where aforementioned weather is likely]

And you live in [State/Region that is not too far from aforementioned state/region but, in the aforementioned weather, might as well be on Jupiter]

At least, here on Jupiter (or, Iowa) there's a clean, big truckstop at the Ainsworth Four Corners Amoco/BP.

That is the moment our food arrived and all else was driven from our minds. Well, not entirely.

Thankfully, Kathy's brother Dave lives in Davenport, which is about seventy miles from where my car died but still a lot closer than anybody else we knew. And the food was edible at the truckstop. And my car is going to cost four hundred freaking dollars to repair. I think that's all my car is worth at this point.

Needless to say, we did not make it to Nebraska, which is where we were heading. We are in Davenport, staying with my brother-in-law and his family. There is such a long list of people to thank for making this as painless as possible.

Thank you Officer [Can't-Remember-Your-Name]. Thank you Dennis from the tow-truck place. Thank you Emily at the truck stop restaurant. Thank you Dave for coming to get us. Thank you Dave, Jessica, Katelyn (or Cakelyn as I like to call her) for letting us stay here. Sorry, Bella, I don't like you, you slobber too much.

Bella is a dog.