Wonderland Challenge 2020

"Identity Crisis- Who are you?"

          Hubby and I had decided to pack up and move again. This time the logistics were different. Sure, everything we owned had been wrapped and carefully bundled into labelled cardboard boxes. We'd learned from past experience that this made the eventual resettlement less of a headache. Finding stuff where it should be beat hunting for it frantically amongst numerous cartons.Like the other relocations, we'd leased a large truck and we'd hauled our possessions into it without help. What we hadn't factored into our efforts were our eighteen-month old daughter, Carrie and our dog, Corey.

         While her parents perspired and strained, Carrie amused herself. I became aware of her choice of entertainment when she approached me dragging an open can of white paint. Of course, she had splashed wet paint all over her clothes and the dog, who was desperately trying to rub it off in the grass. Had I been a wee bit more aware of her unnatural silence, I'd have searched for her and found the telltale footprints tracking out of the garage.

         Our road trip had to be delayed for two quick baths. My husband tackled the de-smearing of Corey while I scrambled to bathe a child in an empty house. As fate permitted, I'd left a sliver of soap and an old ratty towel next to the kitchen sink. I made the most of this fortuitous find, and soon Carrie passed muster. Fresh clothing had been secured in a travel bag, but I'd not foreseen the need for a second jacket. No problem, she wore my sweatshirt with the sleeves rolled up.

         As I buckled my daughter into her car seat, I questioned the decision to change domiciles and home towns. Why were we doing this? It wouldn't be the first time I asked this.

         I drove the family car accompanied by a toddler and the cat, Kitty. My partner piloted the moving truck with Corey riding shotgun. My travelling companions soon voiced their displeasure with their captivity. Wails and screeches emanated from the rear of my sedan. To restore peace and soothe all our frazzled nerves, I pulled onto the shoulder of the highway. I all but tossed Kitty into the front passenger seat. Carrie required some cuddling free of her safety restraints and she insisted upon a bandage for her scratched nose. Just as I rebuckled our baby into her chair, the father pulled up behind us in a cloud of dust and squealing brakes. He'd lost sight of us in his rear view mirror and circled back to find us. Again, I wondered why we were uprooting ourselves.

         A few hours later, we returned to the road after a meal respite. I'd almost begun to believe we were in the clear and we'd reach our destination unscathed. Oh, naïve me!

         Unbelievably, I made another shuddering stop on the side of the road. This time I jumped into Mom-life-saving-mode. My super hearing had heard Carrie choking. Without stopping to think, I opened the back door of the car, unsnapped the harness, yanked my child from her chair, and performed the Heimlich manoeuver. Her wails were music to my ears and they continued unabated until she saw I'd already thrown away the offending Smarties. In a moment of deja vu, hubby screeched to a halt behind us. As we resumed our trek, that question niggled at me. Were we certifiable? Did we really need all this aggravation?

         Without any more incidents, we arrived at our new home, hundreds of miles from our previous abode. The next morning, an October 1st, we awoke to several inches of fresh snow. What had we done? How could it be winter so soon? Where was the shovel?

( 617 words)

         

         

PROMPT: Create a blog that deals with a moment(s)you've questioned yourself over any decision.