Lost in the Country

On Easter Sunday Eric (my brother-in-law) and Sarah (his wife) took us to one of their favourite walking trails outside of Edmonton - the Clifford E. Lee Nature Sanctuary. We asked Timothy if he wanted to ride in the van with Angus and Eve and he was very enthusiastic about the prospect.

We followed Eric and Sarah in their car for a while. A fairly long while. There was construction. There was dust. Timothy informed us that we were in the country - he knew this, he said, because there was a lot of dirt. There were a few turns that almost happened and then didn't. We checked the directions and wondered why Eric was driving past a turn that we were supposed to make, according to his directions. Eric pulled over. Matt got out and they conferred. Matt came back and informed me that Eric had only written the directions out for us. We turned around, still following Eric (I was unclear, at this point, as to why Eric wasn't now following us instead. I found out later that Sarah was unclear on this as well).

We drove back down the highway and Eric turned left, across the other side of the highway onto a dirt road. We waited for the oncoming cars to pass before we followed him. Timothy watched all this rather anxiously from his car seat.

Timothy: "Are we going to follow my Daddy?"

Me: "Yes.'

 Timothy: "Why are we not going after Daddy?" 

Me: "Because when you turn left you have to let all the cars going by go first or they'll hit you."

Timothy: "Daddy's car is DISAPPEARING." 

Me: "We have the directions, Timothy. We'll catch up with them in the parking lot." 

Timothy (forlornly): "Daddy's car is very far away now." 

There was much clamour and rejoicing when we got to the parking lot and Daddy's car was there. He was almost five when Baby Fen came along - I think sometimes he suspects he's being phased out. 

 ("What? I wasn't worried.")