Road Closed

So they said when they announced this road repair, which we desperately needed, that they'd not pave till spring, or that's how Mr. W and I read the letters anyway. They got it all nice and compacted, sprayed it with chloride, it looked like a beautiful Vermont dirt road. Then yesterday they came through with graders and dug really really deep, destroying the lovely hard packed surface. I was sad. My car slipped and slid and banged and crashed through it. Rocks the size of my tires. Muck where the water rises to the road surface, but since they'd dug below the surface it was just a mud pit. Ever go muddin' in a Honda Fit? I think it'd be fun if the car wasn't so new.

Anyway - I came home to big signs that said "This road will be closed Tuesday or Wednesday. Please plan accordingly. For further details call Gary at (insert Gary's cell number here)"

So I call Gary's cell phone and leave a message. Gary calls back. I say "Gary, here's the thing. I've got an 8 month old visiting and I need to be in Greenfield for 11 for a care plan meeting regarding my mother who's in a nursing home down there. So...when you say 'closed' what are we talking about, like, exactly?"

And Gary says "Well. Up where you are. Uh. Ahh..." (Gary is nervous) "Um. Well, I'd say if you're not out of your house by 7 or so you may be stuck there till at least noon."

So I say "Well, Gary, can we nail it down a bit more like in terms of DAY of the week? Because Wednesday really would work for me, I have no where to be, but Tuesday, not so much." He said he'd let me know.

Gary just called (promptly at 7:09 am!). It's today. But they're running a bit late. So I can stay till 8:30, but I need to have my person (and the baby and associated stuff to last us both for 4-5 hours) out of here by 8 - 8:15. And I can't get back home till probably 1 or 2.

Where does one go at 8am with an 8 month old to waste 3 hours without making enemies? Time was when I'd just run to my mother's house. Time was.

I need to go pack my car.