<p>But cheers - you make that sound like a bad thing.</p>
<p>over30 LOL.</p>
<p>Ooo, I haven't had one of those since high school. ;) Hey, wasn't that SBmom and her sister on their way to Burning Man, offering rides to the Fijian men in grass skirts? </p>
<p>Where in the world is Mootieson and the intrepid VW bus with the nicely decorated windows?</p>
<p>Okay, Alu...DO NOT GO TO COLLEGE. DO NOT GRADUATE. DO NOT EARN A LIVING. DON'T HAVE KIDS. Oh, God -- now, I'm confused. Which of those do I want, again! Help, I've fallen, and I can't get up!</p>
<p>:::I'll be on the floor sucking on a Mosi Masi, whatever that is:::: :cool:</p>
<p>At the risk of providing a morning downer, and at the further risk of boring those of you who are also reading the "La Dee Dah..."/late packing thread, I offer here my recent post from that other thread. Raise your glasses, pleae in a toast to mootson and gf and the intrepid van! (which they'd decided was on a vision-quest this trip to find its name, and it apparently has done so but its name cannot be discussed in polite company ;) )
[quote]
I am sorry to have to report this to the thread, but mootson's van is in the driveway again near San Jose, CA. It will not be making the trip across the USA this summer.</p>
<p>It would not start Mon. morning when they got up in their campground near Reno, NV. After working on it for a long time, he had it towed to a garage where they got it started. In phone conversations with a VW van specialty garage, it was determined that they could repair the main known problem on Tues., but that wouldn't leave enough time to get across by registration day and it wasn't guaranteed that this was the only problem. So they elected to drive it back here (oh joy a van in my driveway until Christmas or maybe spring break). In the process of driving it back, it broke down twice more on interstates, including one further tow and one push-across-the-street in which two skinny but determined college students elicited sympathy from three burly guys in a pickup who pushed it and fixed another problem with it while it was being pushed (!). (The tinkerer repeatedly assured the gf that "I am a mechanic, don't worry, I'm a mechanic," which she reports did not reassure her.) He fixed the third problem himself on a different interstate, and they did make it back intact.</p>
<p>They are disappointed, but not crushed. They are demonstrating their resilience and finding nuggets of the positive in this with good humor. They had an adventure, no doubt about it, and if you don't aim for your dreams you aren't likely to realize them (just as we tell people that if they don't apply, it's guaranteed they won't be accepted somewhere). They are working today on fixing things up further, and deciding whether to fly back east or maybe take the train for a few days, which would be an adventure of a different sort.</p>
<p>It was better they broke down early, and near here, rather than midway through the trip in Kansas or Utah where they knew no one and would have to either junk or sell the van, and find a way to ship all their goods from inside. We can give the van a home for now, and he can plan how to get it repaired so it's reliable and plan another trip back east. I am so proud of my son for working so hard on this project and for achieving the success he has had. Although I didn't say it before, this is even more amazing in that he has never owned a car before, and has never done any auto mechanics before now. He is, in fact, considering offering an informal VW mechanics course at school, as someone suggested on the SA thread, and knows the beauty of grease under his nails, the efficacy of Fast Orange cleaner, and the thrill of disassembling and restoring an engine that actually RUNS (mostly ) when he turns the key at the end. It's a mixed accomplishment in his mind, but I see it all as having turned out well.</p>
<p>Thanks for asking, and thanks for following the saga as far as it's gone.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Mootmom, sorry to hear about the van, but glad your son rose to the occasion. They'll never forget this (almost) trip back to college, and learned a lot along the way.</p>
<p>Mootmom: I suggest decorating the van for every occaison. During Halloween, turn it into a mini-haunted house and hand treats out the back. Put a giant turkey on the side for Thanksgiving. The opportunities to decorate a van for the Christmas season (and S's return home) are endless. :)</p>
<p>Just picked up this thread again. Reminds me of a friend who had a VW van and kept it well stocked with spare parts for when it broke down. My H just drove out to Pittsburgh (second time in two weeks) to buy S a used car to get to his coop job. As he said "it's only a ten hour drive". Maybe he will drive the new car back at some point. At least S has passed the calculus sequence. H is also clothes shopping for the new job. God bless him</p>
<p>Ohhhh mootie. So sorry to hear of the vw sickbay (not morgue-- theres' life in that ol pile o' pistons yet, I believe). In my local paper today was a BIG article about the comeback of the old VW vans since , as they referred to it, the release of the "sleeper hit" "Little Miss Sunshine". So, if you ever have time to get away from the packing, retrieving, resending of the son and gf, and you have time to see the film, you'll appreciate having this vintage showpiece in your driveway. Maybe you won't let him take it away when its repaired. By the way, drinks are on me!</p>
<p>The VW story was a real cliffhanger. Glad it was a "learning experience" but not too painful.</p>
<p>Rejoice with me! After a week of school, the college freshman who could never get himself up in high school says "Don't worry, Mom! The sun gets me up every morning around 8." (First class is at 9:30.) So all he needed all this time was an east-facing room? I am dumfounded but relieved. :D</p>
<p>Ha ha, jym626, I just saw Little Miss Sunshine, and thought of Mootmom too! I love that movie. </p>
<p>We don't have a VW, but we do have an old Toyota Previa that had a door that fell off a few times (just like in the movie) when I was pregnant with my youngest. The door has since been fixed, sort of, and the thing still runs well, though it is truly hideous looking.</p>
<p>HAHAHA! mootson and his gf saw "Little Miss Sunshine" this afternoon. The gf reports that he was traumatized, and could be heard weeping in little gasps when the clutch falls off. :)</p>
<p>So anybody wondering, as I am, how SBmom is doing at the Burn? NYABM!!</p>
<p>I am planning on seeing Little Miss Sunshine this weekend. I will have a moment of silence for mootson's clutch:). I also own a Toyota Previa, just crossed 200,000 miles yesterday. Second moment of silence:). S, who now -OMG - has a driver's license, will inherit said Previa as I am buying a RAV4 any day now. I doubt, however, he will ever get his hands dirtier than smudges from the gasoline hose at the tank. Does mootson want to expand his course to Previas? They also have their engine in a weird place:).</p>
<p>And yes, I was hoping SBmom would get on the Playanet at Burning Man and ping us. NYABM indeed.</p>
<p>Poor VW idealist....but nearly every boy has this story, doesn't he? The story of utter confidence, how he will be able to pull a miracle out of the hat...oh yeah--at the last minute? Enjoyed the saga, mootie.</p>
<p>S1 packed up and flew out on Thus. Whoops, we forgot to repack ANY linens. So THAT'S why the bags were so light, duh. He is taking back a case of local beer for his boss, packed in an 'Eskie' (Eskimo Cooler). Did he get that through customs since he is not 21? Who knows. His phone isn't working properly. </p>
<p>He only took one of the four electric alarm clocks he owns. Apparently he can get himself up for work with one clock when it took four, staggered across the room, to get him up for morning classes.</p>
<p>We never tried using more than two alarms. After that Mom went after the future juvenile delinquent with threats, removal of covers, dumping sleeper bodily onto floor, and (only once) a splash of water.</p>
<p>We didn't know he used four! He used them in his dorm room! He never used four at home, LOL.</p>
<p>H: What did Tom (roommate) think about your alarm system?
S1: Oh, he didn't hear them. He was across the (dorm) room. </p>
<p>Boy logic. Gotta love it.</p>
<p>Dear Mootmom,
Just read about the van, sorry. What an amazing experience. Son took a road trip this summer-I was very worried but now glad he had the experience. Son took Little Miss Sunshine to college this year. It is a huge movie theater board of the movie he rescued from the trash. It covers a wall and I have no idea what he is going to do with it, glad it is out of our house.</p>
<p>Regarding Little Miss Sunshine, all I can say is "Buns and Ammo."</p>
<p>Page 1 again.</p>
<p>Buns and Ammo, indeed. :D</p>
<p>And SBMom, you back from the Burn yet?? Tell all!</p>
<p>(!NYABM!)</p>
<p>I am BAAAAAACK!</p>
<p>It was fuunnnn!</p>
<p>I will post more later but am sleep deprived and dusty!</p>
<p>NYABM :)</p>