Serendipity or Zemblanity?

Happy Saturday, everyone! Hope and pray that your weekend is just as wonderful as mine. Thanks to God we're able to make it to Here/D-ville miles and miles away from home. To assist or accompany our daughter Tintin in her maiden place of employment after college.

Yes, we're in Here/D-ville, where we spent the night (last night) in a nice and affordable suite or inn (and where this blog post is created /written), after yesterday afternoon's wonderful road trip. I kept on saying wonderful because there's always that "wonder of awe and surprise" experience or serendipity (or zemblanity?) that's beyond expectation while you're on the road.

Let me make myself clear, or clearer, my dear folks and friends. Yesterday, after having prayed my rosary, having gone out walking around the neighborhood, and having breakfast at McRestaurant with my wife Freny, daughter Tintin, we three traveled to Here/D-ville, about three-and-a-half hours drive from our place in Hampton Roads. Freny drove our van; Tintin drove her new midsize sedan (our college graduation gift to/for her) while I was on the passenger side. In short, I was riding with Tintin, trying to somehow "guide" her while driving. With us was the GPS. We've decided that since we have the GPS unit, we go first or ahead while Freny followed us. We're kinda like a convoy.

Half-way through our road trip to Here/D-ville, Freny called me, telling me that she had the feeling that one of the tires (front) was flat. There's a lot of road repairs and maintenance going on the long-stretched highway yesterday. Either one of the two lanes was closed or there were traffic road signs that were out there for the travelers to be aware of. Along the way, Freny and I kept communicating via our cellphones. She told me to drop by a any gas station-convenient store that we encounter. That's what we did. Tintin signalled and pulled her car off the highway. Freny followed suit. One of the men we encountered and seemed willing to help came to our rescue. Yes, our van has a flat tire---on the driver side. While the man was figuring it out where our spare tire was, Freny thought of calling or notifying our car insurance and seeking assistance. Even if the man wasn't able to help us, we thanked him anyway. He did try, really, but he couldn't in the end.

The three of us hang around in that gas station-convenient store while waiting for someone contacted by our car insurance to assist us and hopefully change our tire with our spare one. (I remember we had another incident years ago while we were on our way back home from C-ville, where we visite dour two college students that time. We had a flat tire that rainy day afternoon!)

While inside that convenient store, I ordered a foot-long Philly Cheese Steak sandwich while waiting. But we were not able to eat it when, in a few minutes, that guy contacted by our car insurance arrived. We're glad and thankful for Mike that he was able to replace the flat tire with our spare tire. He told us, to Freny to reduce speed while having that temporary spare tire. And, to go to the nearest service station next town. We did, but at Rawling's they didn't have or carry the right size of tire like ours. The man at Rawling's advised us to just go slow and gave us a little assurance that that spare tire could bring us to our destination. At that time, it was raining cats and dogs in the area. Thunder and lightning were heard and seen as we continued our travel. It was already dusk and, you know, if there's no more sunlight it's kinda uncomfortable to be driving out there with that unpleasant condition. Tintin was with Freny while I drove Tintin's. Freny and I  agreed  that I follow her.

Slowly but surely, we found our way to our destination, after one stop at McRestaurant where I took a leak (or emptied my bladder! You know, folks and friends, I don't know if I have this feeling of incontinence, especially in an unpleasant situation that deals with our safety and security as "travelers.")

Thanks to God, we made it to Here/D-ville, after such mixed feelings I've had (lower back pain acting up, vision that's not 20/20 anymore, anxiety, anger, frustration, etc.). Thank you, Lord, for this life experience I have. Thank you, Jesus, for "calming" or easing my nerves!

Now, this Saturday morning while in Here/D-ville, we're going to the nearest car dealership so they can replace our spare tire with, probably or most likely, a new one. An unexpected expense, for us, huh? Well, as long as our 2008 van is up and running, we're okay. Such is the way it is if and when you have a vehicle that brings you to places, especially to new and uncharted ones, and wonderful experiences that you've never expected to happen or encounter. Hopefully, Freny and I will leave Here/D-ville and Tintin this afternoon for Hampton Roads.  I pray that everything will be okay, all right for her. And for us, too. May she be safe and do good in her work or job in Here/D-ville. Thank you, God, and thank you, Jesus.

My dear folks and friends, this is all for now. Until next time around. Thank you for your time. Take care and have a wonderful weekend, everyone! As always, May God bless us all! Thank you, Almighty God! and thank you, Jesus, our Savior, my inspiration!-chris a. quilpa, 29September2012

P.S.
We're glad and thankful that we have continental breakfast that our hotel offers or serves in Here/D-ville. Well, you guys are more than welcome to Come and join us! (Just kidding!) Thank you, good and gracious God!