Lazy Days Waiting for Disappointing News

January 13-18, 2018
Valencia, California

Not being able to extend until Monday means driving 3+ hours on the day my NFL team is in a playoff game. Although my quarterback has over 450 yards passing and five touchdowns, we lose the game and it's just as well I didn't see it.

We get set up, again, at Valencia Travel Village for at least four nights. The parts for the big slide should be in by then!

Monday we pick up Jeff (my youngest, our number four), and Ezra. Mom has the flu and Dad is at work. We meet Nick (Bill's oldest, our number two), wife Jillian, and Maximus at our favorite pizza place. I mean to get a pic of the two little guys together, but...nope.

"I don't know about my uncles....."

Ezra loves close-ups :-)

Maximus and Daddy

After lunch the four of us return home and Ezra and I spend an hour at the playground. The joy of sand, a bucket and a couple of big spoons. The big guys are taking a nap when we get back, so we relax and watch cartoons until I take Jeff to work and Ezra to his dad. 

Chillin' out with his minion.

Such a sweet boy.

Tuesday we spend a lazy day at home until meeting Bill's two middle boys and their partners (a fiance' and a girlfriend) for dinner. It's always fun times. No pic, they look like they did a few weeks ago :-))

I still haven't heard from our service tech or the manager so I leave another message. Obviously we aren't getting out of here on Thursday so I extend through Monday.

Jeff and I drive to the San Fernando Valley to pick up a bicycle on Wednesday. It's great to have this time to spend with him after his years in Seattle. 

One thing we did plan to do when we got back here was to see the new Star Wars movie. Wednesday's the day. And we both love it!! Everything about it is excellent. If you haven't seen it I highly recommend you do!

While we're in the theater I get two calls about the slide repair that result in our driving to Camping World for some in-person information.

The short story is the part hasn't shipped from Indiana yet, the factory is still building it :-(((( Since we took the rig in on December 18 this news does not sit well with either of us. 

The long story is that I want to see all the documentation since we took it in to see what the delay is, and if it's their responsibility then I want them to pay for expedited shipping. The manager does not tell me no. He has the service tech review everything with me as requested. 

It's amazing what you can learn if you ask. If you don't just get mad and blame who's in front of you. Turns out the main delay was the warranty company wanting to do an inspection themselves and CW pushing for an exemption because we were in the desert. With the holidays as well, the approval doesn't come in until January 8. The rest of the calls and ordering and communication between the parties is all documented (smart service dept) and I'm satisfied that CW isn't to blame. Damn, that quick shipping would have been nice! Still, I'm happy to retain a good relationship with our go-to service people.

So I extend through the end of the month, the service tech and I agree on a schedule of checking in with each other until the part comes in, and we leave. We really wanted to spend this two weeks in Morro Bay, but being here with the family isn't a bad option. 

Plan C is to head to our friend's in the rig for Super Bowl Sunday, so our fingers remain crossed :-)

We do get pretty skies every afternoon.