Once upon a Sunday, there was a car packed with people and playthings and overnight bags.
The car left home about 11am, and the occupants got to see Handsome Husband, have lunch and catch up with all rabbits friends and relations at the blessing of the graves. There were many mysteries, including the Missing Holy Water Bottle, the Moving Tree and the Stolen Vase. Biting of cheeks to retain some solemnity. After the hugging and the chatting and the laughing and the praying, the occupants of the car loaded up again, and headed further west.
About 6pm, the day’s destination was reached. Sea and mountains and emptiness. Hurrah! Deep, invigorating breaths all round. Six people bundling out of the car, stretching. Girls buzzing to show off the caravan to grandparents. Yay!
You know what happens next, don’t you?
Yep, the hunting and pocket emptying was to no avail. The caravan keys were safely in the bag at home. The one that didn’t get brought to save on space.
Caravan Man doesn’t have spares.
Spurs Fan demonstrated what a proper teacher he is by doing that “livid, but very, very quiet” thing, and planning on getting back into the car right now and driving home. I considered what a fun journey that would be, and wondered about B&Bs.
In the meantime, girls and grandparents were dispatched to the playground, and Caravan Man was rounding up the neighbours to see if any of their keys might work.
With a wiggle and a jiggle, one did. The neighbours, relieved that it was somebody else’s crisis, loaned us a gas bottle as ours was safely locked in the wee room with the boiler. Nobody’s key fitted there.
There was wine.
There were beaches. Calming, restorative beaches. Relaxing beaches. A day in the sun. A gift for the neighbours.
.
A visit to the key cutters is imminent.
me, mine, and other bits 
Hey kid worth it all when you see that emptiness afore ye. No broken windows so that’s good.x
Too true 🙂 Once my breathing returned to normal, all was well!
…..and you all lived to tell the tale and drive all over the countryside to watch a torch!
Memories are made of this!
There’d be no fun if everything went right!
Glad it’s not just me that creates this kind of adventure!
Maybe we’re ‘normal’?
“There was wine.” Such a well-placed, perfect line. I hope you’re feeling better today, Fiona and enjoying a relaxing break with new keys.
We were only there a night (something to do with a torch brought us back…) but we did get relaxed 🙂
Put them on your car keys. At least you might notice if they go missing then! PS. Nice to know that caravans are so secure too! 🙂
Indeed!! 🙂
I am so glad it worked out! We did the same thing one time with our travel trailer. My husband and I have on-going debate about keys. He loses them routinely and never has spares. All we could do was break the lock, which seemed a rather drastic thing to me, but that’s what we did. We don’t forget keys anymore, though! I’m so glad your escapade had a happy ending, and what a wonderfully relaxing way to decompress! Lovely! Debra
There will be so many spares! My set, the car set, the secret hidey set…
Great the neighbours came through for you too 🙂
They were brilliant; and so releived it wasn’t them 😉
It must have been such a relief when that key turned in the lock! Glad you found a solution, Fiona, and got to spend some quality time in your haven 🙂
Oh Kate, I could have kissed the man I was so relieved. Happily, I just bought him some beer instead.
That’s one of those moments when your stomach goes ‘flip’, isn’t it? Glad the other key worked …
My stomach, my heart, my very lungs… I know it wouldn’t have been the end of the world, but just then it felt like the worst possible thing to have done. The guilt! it all worked out well though, and everyone chilled. Eventually.
Phew!
It will be one of the tales we tell for ever. I may even laugh about it, in time 🙂