As opposed to Grace's discombobulation, Sam immediately went into action in the midst of the lights and annoying noises in Grandad's apartment. Being the awesome sister that she is, she grabbed my jacket and scarf and headed out of the room to investigate. As the residents told her the fire plan was that they all stay in their rooms, the giant metal hallway doors that segment the complex closed. For a moment she feared she was trapped and death was near, and she decided that if her life depended on it she would jump out of the apartment's window. She's watched enough Burn Notice to know how to do it properly.
Fortunately the whole ordeal was just a false alarm which made a good laugh among the more lighthearted residents. But really, this wouldn't have been a successful family trip if there wasn't laughter every 15 minutes. In nearly every trip, I've found myself doubled over in my seat trying to catch my breath multiple times. One of my favorite memories happened on a trip like this almost three years ago. At the time we had XM radio in our minivan and we were listening to Jeff Foxworthy on the Comedy channel. For the life of me I can't remember what he was talking about because I think my subconscious blocked it. But all six of us were painfully laughing and crying, and even dad was laughing so hard he turned cherry red and had to pull the car over on the side of that skinny rural road. For 10 minutes we continued to laugh as our sides and bellies screamed in protest.
It may have been the same trip, I don't quite remember, but once we had a little fun with a Starbucks employee. We pulled up to the drive through and were greeted with a happy male voice saying "If you can guess my name, your order is free!" Dad guessed George but then the guy said we were wrong and that his name was Anthony. We then gave our order and got our ridiculously overpriced gourmet coffee at the window. But just for gigglez, we went back to the drive through and was greeted with the same guessing game. Dad said "Your name is Anthony" and the poor shocked fella stuck his head out of the window and tried to figure out what was going on. Laughing, my dad confessed we'd already been through but just wanted to mess with him. We all waved as we left the drive though and now almost every time I hear the name "Anthony" I have to fight not to laugh.
Our trip yesterday seemed especially full of puns and laughter. During our delicious lunch with Grandad, we all ate until we couldn't stuff another fry in our faces. When asked about dessert, Grace rubbed her belly and said "There's no more room in my inn." I had no idea what she was talking about until the Christmas story reference hit me about 15 seconds later as I laughed and confessed "I just now got that." Then the rest of my table enjoyed laughing at me.
During most of the ride there, I was able to look out the window and see yesterday's snow covering the ground. It was so pretty. And then I finally got to play with some when we stopped at Grandad's place. As we were eating at the Italian restaurant, I held the Parmesan shaker and said "It looks like snow!" Sam immediately took a picture of the shaker and posted in on her Facebook saying "No Mandy, this is a Parmesan container, not a snow globe." I would have tried shaking it, but then that would've had the urge to lick it off the table that's just unsanitary. Here's a pic of my little snow globe friend...
On our way home, we passed a field of cows. One of them was running and it struck Sam funny, so she imitated it complete with totally un-cow-like sound effects and awkward arm motions. I love Sam, but for a moment she looked mentally challenged. She claims she was imitating the cow who appeared to her as mentally challenged, but I don't believe her. Challenged or not, her funny face and unusual antics made her sisters erupt in laughter and a chorus of "DO IT AGAIN!"
During this laughing fit, tears freely rolled down my cheeks and I used tissue after tissue to soak it all up. Innocent and curious, Sam looked at me and asked, "Is your mascara running?" I laughed even harder as I replied "Better go catch it!" It's a wonder that I was able to speak clearly enough for my fellow passengers to understand and appreciate my joke enough to continue their own laughing fits.
While I am very talented at speaking while laughing like a maniac, Lindy still needs tons of practice. At one point in the trip, she was trying to whisper something to Grace but would only get a few words in to her statement before her increasing laughing transformed it into a jumble of incomprehensible noises. The she tried to explain to all of us what she was trying to say, but again got a few words in before her laughing and wheezing dominated her statement that was never completed. She tried a couple more times with no success apart from making us all laugh.
We've all been stuck behind bad smelling trucks, but yesterday we were stuck behind one that smelled of a particularly foul bodily function. I can't say exactly what it smelled like because mom said I couldn't say that on the interwebz, but I think you all get what I'm talking about. At first I thought maybe it was just me that smelled it, but then the next second I heard a Sam sniff. We all looked at each other with inquisitive and accusing eyes, until I saw Grace's face twist in reaction to what she smelled and my silent accusations turned to very loud laughter. Then one by one, we said "Wasn't me!" No one claimed it, so we're blaming it on the mentally challenged cow.
I could go on and on about other things said and done on Carroll car trips but I'm afraid that if I keep typing, my laughter will induce pain on my belly and sides again. Then when I start whining about how my body hurts, I fear that I'll flash back to last night when my adorable mommy defended her slow driving style saying "Fast people should thank me for getting in their way so I slow them down and keep them from getting tickets!" ... Oh, the pain!!!
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