May 8, 2008

We all know that it pays to leave early for an appointment. Sometimes leaving the day before is not early enough. We find this out on our way to the Brantford Home Hardware Grand Opening.

It is a three hour drive from the test kitchen to the Brantford Home Hardware store. We leave at 4 P.M. on May 8 which is the day prior to the event so we can park the motorhome in their parking lot overnight and be ready early the next morning to set up for our presentation.

It is Lamont's turn to drive the motorhome. We take turns to be fair because we both really enjoy driving it.

Just past London on the 401 Lamont announces that the motorhome is almost impossible to steer as she stuggles to pull it onto the narrow shoulder of the road. Then we do what we always do when the motorhome gives us trouble. We call Patterson RV in Dutton. We bought the motorhome from them 10 years ago and they have saved our sanity many times since. James says, "Go back to the engine and open the cover and see if the fan is going around." Going back to the engine means walking along the side of the motorhome for 40 feet while trucks whiz past at the speed of light rocking the 15 ton motorhome from side to side.

Once at the back, we lift up the huge engine door and look for a fan that isn't spinning. We can't find it but we notice an oily substance pouring out from under the back of the motorhome. We know that this is not a good thing.

Back inside the motorhome, we call James again. "Hydraulic fluid," he says, "You lose your hydraulic fluid, you lose your power steering and your engine heats up."

The exit to Aylmer is in sight. A truck repair shop is 20 kilometers away in Alymer. James gives us the phone number. We call. They are open. James tells us that we can drive it until the engine overheats. "Shut it off, wait for it to cool, and try again." We learn that if we turn on the heater full blast, it helps keep the engine cool. We crawl off the 401 at the next exit and limp into Aylmer. When we get to the main intersection of town, it takes both of us to turn the steering wheel to get around the corner.

We arrive at Unger Repair Service in Aylmer at 7 P.M.

Cornelius Unger works on our motorhome until after midnight. He does not take time to eat. He does not go home to his wife and 10 kids. He does not rest until we are safely on our way.

We arrive in the Brantford Home Hardware parking lot at 1:30 in the morning. Neither rain, nor snow, nor hydraulic fluid, keeps The Cooking Ladies from ... well, you know what we mean.