Lemons anyone? Make some lemonade
Today could have been a bad day. It was one that parents of teenagers can imagine with angst - or maybe have experienced in a similar fashion.
The scene: 18 year old granddaughter, having been home for 2 week getting tonsils out, drives off on Friday, returning to school in Santa Barbara Said granddaughter doesn't have a driver's license; only a driver's permit. Granddaughter has a friend come along, one who's over 18, a licensed driver.
Grandaughter gets stopped for speeding on a rural stretch of Highway 101; friend has a suspended license. Car is impounded; kids spend the night in a roadside hotel (thank goodness they didn't hitchhike!). Kids take a cab ($160 plus tip!) to the nearest city where they could buy bus tickets to Santa Barbara.
The situation to be resolved: Car is in a towing yard, a 2-1/2 hour drive from home; can only be released to a licensed driver, the owner of the car. Yard is closed on the weekend. Busy Realtor® grandmother has a buyer sign off to attend on Monday; a loan contingency to work on removing; a file to organize, scan docs and get to the proper parties before the day is over. Grandfather, an electrical engineer and algorithm designer, has Monday meetings planned with his group.
The resolution: Both grandparents take off Tuesday, drive to King City (where??) to get a release from the Highway Patrol, find the towing yard (where, no kidding, the dog had to be tied up before we could enter to retrieve the car) and pay $475.00 to get the car!
The lemonade:
- First, we had a delightful time driving down together, time to visit, chat, grouse, laugh -- all the things that get rushed in our busy day-to-day lives.
- Second, we drove, separately, north up Highway 101 to the little town of Soledad, in the Salinas Valley (best known for its Correctional Facility) where we parked one car and drove about 30 minutes up Highway 146 to the Pinnacles National Monument. We enjoyed a wonderful 3 hours together, hiking to the top of the High Peaks, cares falling to the wayside.
- The 2-hour drive home, in solitude, allowed time to think--how beautiful our State of California is, how fortunate we are that the CHP stopped a young speeding driver before a tragedy occurred; and --- how special it is to have someone with whom to make lemonade!
Here are a few shots from today's lemonade pitcher:
--- Come for a visit; Stay for a lifetime!
Lottie Kendall, Realtor®
Pacific Union International
CA DRE#10215160; 650-465-4547
Lottie@LottieKendall.com
Peninsula Living Business Page
What a great way to put a positive spin on things. Sounds like it was a good day!
Keep making lemonade whenever it is needed. It is what makes life good.
Lottie, I am so glad this story had a happy ending! BTW, thanks for the recommendation on the termite inspector!
Lottie, Your post reminds me of the Orange Juice Commercial. They go around the table listing all the things that are going to go wrong that day, but it's ok, they had their Orange Juice. So It's a Good thing you had your Orange Juice that day.
It's a wonderful tale. I can certainly relate. My lovely daughter got 'her' (my) car impounded after we moved to CA and she still lived in FL. When the powers that be told me I had to be there in person I convinced them to see it my way. A notary signature and a FedEX did the trick.
Now that's what I call turning a negative into a real positive Lottie..............I'd love some of the lemonade from that pitcher. Glad everything worked out well.
Lottie, wow, your story has a very, very powerful message. Thank you, I needed to hear that.
You are featured in Bananatude!!!!
Lottie, I'm like all the other commend great way too make a bed situtation positive. Your CA country side is very beatiful, thanks you for sharing your Lemonade....Make is a great day.
Yikes...said granddaughter in the doghouse! They do count on us to make things right; even long into their adult lives...lol
Good morning, Luz - yes, once we got over our dismay, it was a nice day. Hope you have a good one, too.
Tim, as parents we learn to love lemonade, don't we? Enjoy your glassful tody!
Hi Carla, yes, a happy ending -- we're very grateful to the CHP. Glad JK Control could help you!
Roger, I'm not familiar with the oragne juice commercial, but it sounds like a good one. Maybe subconciously I knew it, though, because we stopped at a Denny's for lunch and I ordered ---- orange juice!
Vickie, that's more than a 2-1/2 hr drive! Glad you were successful in getting your car back. Please tell me your daughter is now a marvelous, very responsible driver who never does anything wrong! That's what a want to hear this morning!!
Roger, the funny thing about that pitcher is, the more I pour from it, the more it refills itself! Here's a glass for you!
Andrea, glad you liked my little tale. And wow, a feature in Bananatude! Thanks!
Paula, thanks for your supportive comments. Today will be a good day -- not so unique, but a back-to-basics day at the office, getting lots of work done. Wishing you a great day of your own.
Cindy, the doghouse is occupied! Funny thing is all her clothes and new kitchen dishes and accouterments she bought are in the car, not with her. And ----- I ate her Girl Scout cookies on the drive home!
Lottie - I love your ability to find the silver lining in what could have been a very grumpy-making situation! (And hopefully your granddaughter did find this an "educational opportunity" ) :)
Lottie.....it never ends....but it could always have been worsse......glad you made a positive out of it....
Nancy, you've got that right; let's hope she learned a lot!
Barbara, that's the way I look at it. I'm really grateful to the Highway Patrol for stopping her.
Wow!! I am still trying to pick up all the pieces, Lottie. You & your husband handled this situation like the pros you are. Thanks for sharing Lemonade with all of ActiveRain.
Featured in Do Not Worry ~ Today
And I clicked Suggest
Lottie,
Perspective is everything. Good for you about finding the good part of the trip. Love that you planned a side trip out of it.
Although, with a 15.5, 14 and 11.5 year old at home you are scaring me as to the things to come:-)
All the best, Michelle
Lottie - Thanks for the lemonade recipe! I hope I can find it when I need it! :)
You have incredible patience and a wonderful ability to see the silver lining! I'm really impressed :)
Hi Mary - I'm honored to be featured in your group, Do Not Worry - Today. I try hard to save my worrying for things I can change, and not all the other stuff.
Hi Michelle -- parenting isn't for the faint of heart, is it? But watching them grow and become adults is exciting and good, as well as nerve-wracking. Enjoy them!
Hi Valerie -- thanks for stopping by. You're welcome to share my lemonade whenever you're thirsty!
David, it took us one trip to Santa Barbara to learn about the King City - Paso Robles speed trap; we talked about it -- but now she knows. And really, I do feel grateful to the CHP for stopping her -- I want her safe! Funny, this is the kid who had no interest in driving until a couple of months ago when she decided to go to school in Santa Barbara.
Christianne, my other choice was to make myself sick over something I had no ability to change - I preferred to do what needed to be done, take a good hike to alleviate stress, and enjoy a few hours of our enforced trip!
Lottie, I just love reading this. You just do what needs to be done and make the best of it. I’m smiling because there always is a positive perspective to not-so-delightful events. I had a really bad day yesterday – so bad I had to disconnect and disengage from all the madness. I cranked up the tunes and began cleaning. The person I was having a bad day with said she thought I was mad at her. I said, No – I’m not mad – I am frustrated … so I am making lemonade.If that event had not happened I would not have stopped and cleaned.
Awesome post and what cool grandparents you are Lottie!!
My dad was always amazing with the big stuff, but flipped a lid over the little things. Sounds like you and your husband can handle just about anything. What a great way to take some serious lemons and make some fabulous lemonade. This is a great reminder.
Warm Regards,
Bridget "Maryland Mortgage Mama" McGee
A great Story! Awesome pics! Wish we had terrain like that in Florida!
LOL, Kathleen -- we know something is amiss wihen we enjoy cleaning, right? But--it is therapeutic! That's when I like to clean out closets, cupboards, etc. and give stuff away--liberating! Hope today was better.
Hi Mortgage Mama (love that name!) I think a lot of us are like your dad; we have to keep our wits about us for the big stuff and then, when it's safe to do so, we flip over the smallest stuff --- the old straw that broke the camel's back. Have a great weekend,
Hi Rick -- the Pinnacles are truly a special place, so different from our redwood forests and oak studded hillsides. Plan a trip out this way sometime and see first hand!
You are nothing if not the lemonade queen Lottie. You can put a positive spin on some "heavy stuff". Thanks for your inspiration.
Sometimes there's no choice, is there? What's done was done. Wishing you a great weekend--full of your own lemonade!
I think it's wonderful that you saw the "opportunity" in an unfortunate set of circumstances. I hope your grand-daughter realizes how blessed she is.
Lottie, you make me wonder what lies ahead of me in this grandparenting thing! You are so sweet to make this "event" lemonade ... and I hope your grand-daughter understands that she's lucky to have you do so ... and to have you as her grandma.
Gene
Now Lottie, this was a great way to make lemonade out of some very sour lemons indeed. I'm glad that you were able to put this spin on an otherwise untenable situation.
I spent the morning today retriving my daughter's car that overheated late last night !!!!
Hi Michael -- life teaches us to be flexible, doesn't it? I often think of the adage to be flexible like a willow tree rather than sturdy like an oak.