It all Started with a Convertible

This week, I wearily approached the rental car counter at 11:30 at night. I was tired, and I had an early morning the next day. As the representative was typing away, he says, " we don't have the mid-size car that you reserved - can we upgrade you to a convertible?" Um, let me think about that. Yeah! You certainly aren't going to give me a Yugo!

So fast forward to the next day, it is 75 degrees, not humid and the sun is shining. After figuring out how to get the roof down, I was ready for the hour ride from Augusta, back to Portland. Wishing I had a scarf to look like Jackie-O as I drove down the highway, my mind started to wander back to my days in L.A. and our convertible adventures. A couple of things not to do with a convertibles - 1) Don't try to put up the roof quickly at a stop life (even if you are the ghetto of Compton), it is nearly impossible and nerve racking; 2) Don't put your mocha frappacino on your rag top white roof - it makes an awful mess and attracts attention at the rental car return counter!

As I went by the many lakes and the bays in Maine, it brought me back to a childhood vacation to Old Orchard Beach, while even though it was July, the water was freakin' cold! One day there was a special current that came in, the water was tolerable and there were hundred of thousands sand dollars all over the sand bars. So Kiki and I decided to collect sand dollars to make ornaments, magnets, give to our friends, etc. Over the course of the day, we collected ~500. We packed them up and left Maine for our next destination in our motor home.

All was fine until Day 2, when the smell of sewer was unbearable. My Dad was stumped, the toilet tank had been emptied the night before, but even cruising down the highway at 55 mph, I was gagging! We finally figured it out - the Sand Dollars were dying and rotting in the outside compartment of the camper! A quick trip to the local grocery store in whatever city we were in and a couple of bottles of bleach later and we had the odor issue under control and the sand dollars could once again be our craft projects for the next several months!

It's funny how something as simple as an free upgrade can take you back to a long forgotten childhood memory!