First I will tell you what the plan was. The plan was that we would rent a little UHaul trailer and attach it to the back of Paul’s car. We would fill it with all the twins’ stuff for their (unfurnished) college apartments. Except: Elizabeth would put her Most Immediate things (mattress, bedding, toiletries) in MY car, and she and I would take advantage of my jobless state to drive back to college a day EARLY, because all three of her last-year roommates graduated, and they were the ones who’d brought all the major furniture (couch, recliner, dining room table/chairs, etc.), and her new roommates are all second-years who have no furniture. She and I would spend our extra day shopping at Goodwill and the like, and when Paul and Edward arrived the next day with the trailer, we’d have Paul use the trailer to go pick up all the big stuff.
Here is what actually happened: Paul broke his wrist four days before the plan, and could not drive, and in fact had surgery scheduled for the day Elizabeth and I were going to leave.
Also, in case this has not yet occurred to you: it ALSO meant Paul was not able to CARRY THINGS. And Edward was SIMILARLY unable to carry things, because of recent intestinal surgery. So that left just Elizabeth and me to carry things: WE had to load the trailer/car (usually Paul’s job), unload the trailer/car (usually we assist but Paul and Edward handle the heavy stuff), and pick up and move any big furniture we bought. THIS WAS NOT THE PLAN.
Various new plans were suggested. Elizabeth could drive one of the two cars! …Oh, but then I would have two cars to bring home. William could drive one of the two cars! Sure, but that’s a big ask, and also he’s starting his new job on Monday, and also we need him to drive Paul to the hospital for surgery.
Here was my suggestion: I drive Paul’s car with the trailer and with both twins; we take as much stuff as we can in the car/trailer and bring the rest later; Elizabeth and I still go shopping and somehow it all works out, even though I have never driven with a trailer and hate the whole idea of it; I will just do each thing, one step at a time, starting with picking up the trailer and ending with dropping off the trailer, and hope each step goes well with no crisis, against all odds. This is the plan we went with.
And it did go well and with no crisis. There was ONE occasion when I got stuck in a parking lot where I had to back out. I don’t know if you have ever tried to back up with a trailer. The girl at UHaul told me just not to do it, but here I was, having to do it. She’d said that if I HAD to do it, to be lined up as straight as possible and then back up very very slowly so the trailer wouldn’t turn. So that’s what I did, and the trailer immediately turned—and sharply, and in the opposite direction I’d wanted it to go, if it did have to turn. After trying various things (panicking, freaking out, snapping at anyone in the car who was trying to help), I thought “FINE. If it wants to go that way, FINE: I will change my plans and let it go that way!!” And immediately it straightened out, and then it turned the way I’d wanted it to go. So. Trailers are OPPOSITE, is what trailers are: I was picturing a trailer attached to the car, but the trailer is attached to a HITCH that is attached to the car, so the HITCH goes the way you want the TRAILER to go, and then the TRAILER goes the way the HITCH wants it to go. Anyway, after that I NEVER pulled in ANYWHERE if I couldn’t point the nose of the car toward the way out. I pulled through so I took up two nose-to-nose spaces, or if that wasn’t available I parked in a C-shape and took up three parking spaces, but I did it in the way-back of parking lots, and it was fine. I returned the trailer undamaged, and now I have that skill sort of added to my skill-set: I would not WANT to do it again, but I COULD.
Well done you! Reversing is bad enough without adding a trailer.
Hope the twins got settled in, William’s new job goes well and the patients are recovering and causing you as little extra stress as possible.
PROUD OF YOU!!!!
That is a hard thing to do and it takes skill and you did it. I’ve never towed our trailer because I’m scared of it :)
Congratulations and also WOW! I’m so glad it went okay despite all odds! And yes, One Step At A Time (we’ll deal with new problems as they arise] sounds like a brilliant way to approach this particular situation.
(was furniture shopping by and large adequately successful?)
I guess there’s never a *good* time to break a wrist, but this seems like exceptionally unfortunate timing. I’m glad it all worked out!
How did Edward’s surgery go/how’s he feeling now? Sounds like he’s recovered enough to return to college, so I hope that means it went well!
First I want to say it – you should be really proud of yourself for problem solving this. Great work. I think I would have definitely cried a little if faced with the same situation (then taken a deep breath and done the best I could because that’s kind of the mom way, right?)
I hope Edward’s surgery was successful and he is feeling ok. And I hope Paul is not driving you too crazy as he heals.
Way to tackle that trailer and get the twins back to school with stuff! Hope things went well with surgeries and recovery for both AND now you get a break.
OMG.
I’m so impressed with how well this all turned out.
Way to go! Trailers have nearly ended my marriage, twice. You deserve all the accolades!
Oh, wow, that sounds really stressful.
MY HEART WAS POUNDING. OMG. SWISTLE. CAN’T STOP TYPING IN ALL-CAPS.
What a time to break a wrist! Such bad luck. Well, you did it, and that is truly amazing. We can do hard things! I hope my “hard things” never involve backing up a U-Haul, but I know you DID that and I am very impressed!
Just sitting here with my jaw hanging open in disbelief and admiration.
Is Paul with a broken wrist more manageable than Paul with a cold? Hope both surgeries went well, etc., but mostly I am very curious about how close you are to smothering Paul.
48,000 points to you. You came up with a new plan! You executed new plan! You did all the things! You learned a new skill! Everyone is in the place they need to be.
45/10. Well done! Pretend I hired a marching band to dance past your house as a reward/celebration.
Wow, you! For the record, I routinely drive a trailer, having started as a young thing with horse trailers and now regularly towing our fairly large camping trailer (we have downsized from a ~35 foot camping trailer to a ~30 foot camping trailer, with DS off at college and so mostly not camping with us). And you know what? Backing it up (which I do also have to do routinely) is HARD. And — this is important — ours is a 2-axle trailer whereas I’m betting your Uhaul was a 1-axle trailer which means it spun much faster on that 1 axle to start going whatever direction you DIDN’T want it to at a time you DIDN’T want it to and oh-my-goodness, how is this even possible?! Well, it is.
When we have to back into a camping site, DH, who has a good sense of these things, gets out and tells me what to do (to back in), and I … do it. I joke that this is the only time I do what he tells me to do. And backing up is complicated! And hard … the rig is long, and there are trees EVERYWHERE in campgrounds (and rocks, and signs), and you have to maneuver between and around them.
When we need to get gas while on the road (towing the camper) we look very hard for a station we can pull readily into and out of with NO BACKING UP and no weird turns/swerves required to avoid pumps, cars, etc. It can be challenging.
I am very impressed that you managed all that, and congratulations on getting the twins moved in.
I am sorry to hear about Paul’s wrist and glad to know that Edward is well enough post-surgery to return promptly to college; I hope each will recover quickly and fully.
I am so impressed! I would never attempt a trailer! I’m dropping my son off for his sophomore year at college and I am feeling surprised at how it still feels hard! Even though I went to that same college and loved it! Even though I adjusted to him being gone fairly quickly! Even though he can’t wait to go back and it is hard not to feel a bit hurt. Our house isn’t bad! He gets food and an entire living room to himself. Anyway, he goes back Saturday and I’m remembering how it is kind of nice to feed and take care of only myself. And the three cats.
You are extremely brave and impressive, and I’m sorry you had to be.
With every word past “Here was my suggestion,” my chest filled with more and more admiration and pride. You can do ANYTHING Swistle. So impressive.
Omg this entire story made my heart pound!! You were so brave and I’m very impressed! Taking care of two post surgery men is ….just unthinkable, truly. On top of everything else!! ACK!