Day 3: Why my Life is Always an Adventure...

Day 3 is Friday... yeah, I can't even keep track!

I don't think I mentioned this before, but there was a HUGE black spot under my car, so Thursday I checked the oil and it was at the add mark, but there was nothing I could do until I got my car started!

My co-worker decided to bring the battery charger at 10 AM today. So I got up and got ready for the day so I could make my car work. His charger needed to plug into an outlet in the house, so we needed an extension cord that would reach the car. I got out the cord, but it only stretched to the corner of the car, it would have worked, but we decided we should push the car forward a little so it would reach. Just at that moment, a woman came out of a house. Her car was between my house and my car. She said "Oh, I am moving my car right now, so you will be able to move your car and reach better." I always think it is embarrassing when you are working on your car and people come by. It gives me a helpless feeling and one where I don't want them to stop and ask me what I am doing.

So we had the hood up and we put the car in neutral to move it forward. We couldn't get it to budge, so my co-worker got in the car and turned the key. As he turned the key, a huge spray of liquid came spurting from the engine compartment! I told him to stop and I studied the inside of the engine compartment for a while. I then spotted a hose that had come off of its plastic tube. It was a fuel line and had just sprayed petrol (gas) all over the inside of my hood. I replaced hose, but wanted to put it on tighter. There was a pipe clamp on it, so I went into my house to get a screwdriver. As I was walking back out of the house, my co-worker turned the ignition again trying to start the car. It started, but was spraying gas so I told him to shut it off!! I didn't want a fire. I said, "Don't start a fire here, I don't have a fire extinguisher!" (Last year, he had a big fire in the lab, and we still tease him about it!) I then used the screwdriver to put the hose on tighter. I said "Wow! Look how dirty my hands are. I feel like a mechanic!"

Since I, more or less, had everything under control, he went back to work. The sun was shining and it was hot, so I left my hood up so the gasoline could evaporate off and I went in the house to call the garage so I could have them look at it (Never let it be known that I don't trust my own mechanical abilities!) They told me to bring it in after lunch, so I let the gas evaporate off for about 2 hours.

When it was time, I got in my car, and the engine started right up. After checking to make sure there were no more leaks, I drove to the mechanic. I found this experience quite funny. I first drove to the wrong place. Whoops! They looked at me like I was crazy. (Same with the little old guy in their waiting room!)

So when I finally found the right place, one of their mechanics followed me out. I led him to my car, popped the hood, stood it up, and then pointed to the hose.

I said "I think it is a fuel line, but I am not sure I was able to get the pipe clamp tightened." When I turned to him to get his response, he was still looking kind of stunned... Did this girl just do all of that and tell me ... "Yeah, it is a fuel line." He tugged on it a bit and then left to get a screwdriver. He didn't want to tighten it too much, and said, "it looks great to me. You fixed it."

I felt pretty satisfied; I was able to fix my car (practically) by myself. The thing that made me the most proud was when I told my dad the story He told me that I did a great job and that he was proud of me.

At 28.5 years old, there is still nothing like your dad telling you that he is proud and that you did a good job. :) Thanks Dad!

Day 2: Why my Life is Always an Adventure...

I can't remember very much of Day 2 in Scotland. I went to work relatively early and basically sat there for most of the morning trying to focus, I told co-workers that I think my brain was asleep. I also told them my car wouldn't start and I thought it was the battery. My co-worker offered to bring me a battery charger so I could get enough juice to start my car.

I remember eating lunch late. I went outside and sat down on cement. I don't like to sit on the grass here because there is sooo much rabbit poop all over everywhere. I ate an apple and half of a PB (Creamy) and J (Strawberry) sandwich. As I sat there in the SUN, I thought the breeze was nice and warm, after all I had just come from SUNNY UTAH! Before I left however, I noticed that I was sitting by some air conditioner outlets. Haha!

I also remember being told contradictory things all day. Two people told me I looked very tan and one person said I wasn't very tan. One person asked if I had been loosing weight because I looked skinnier than when I left and another person said that I looked voluptuous. All of these were unrelated people in unrelated situations. It was weird.

Overall, it was a very confusing day.

Why Amy's Life is Always an Adventure...

So I know most of you think that I say "Always an Adventure with Amy" because I am in Scotland. Being here means I am traveling and exploring new things that are very different from Utah. Well, you would be right on one hand, but let me explain the other hand:

My trip back to Scotland.

Tuesday morning 7 AM (MST) - I decided to load my bags in the car. So I walked out of the house with a bag in one hand (my mom had the other) and a glass of milk in the other hand (breakfast). As I closed the door behind me, I heard this splash, and I had tipped my glass of milk all over my new(ish) suitcase! So as I walked to the car, my mom ran in and grabbed some paper towels to sop up the mess. I thought, "Great, this is the perfect way to start a LONG journey."
8:30 AM (MST) - I arrived at the airport, I had purchased my flight with Continental Airlines. They are located in Terminal 1 at the SLC airport. So my mom and I drug my bags to the check-in counter. When we got to the desk, the woman told us that my first flight was a Delta partner flight, so I have to take my bags there. So we drug the bags from one end of Terminal 1 to the other end of Terminal 2 so I could check in. Where the Delta woman looked a little annoyed to be there.

9:00 AM (MST) - I made it through security and found my gate. Things seemed to be going smoothly. I waited around to board my flight. At boarding, I was one of the last people to get on the plane. There were two people in front of me and when the ticket taker asked them if they could sit in an exit row, they looked totally confused. They didn't know English very well. So one guy in front of me said "I can sit in the Exit row, but I have to have the isle seat." I also told her I could sit in the exit row. I felt pleased, until I realized I would probably be in the middle! I also thought, maybe this is a good omen for my trip and things will be smoother now.

9:50 AM (MST) - I had settled in my seat in the middle of the aisle, but I wasn't worried because there was TONS of leg room. I started talking to the guy next to me.

9:55 AM (MST) - Take-off (Yeah! On time!)

During the flight, I talked to this guy for most of the time, he was really interesting and we had a good conversation. It made the trip seem short. (It was a 4.5 hour flight!)

4:30 PM (EST) - We arrived early to the Newark airport, so I said goodbye to my new friend and I started to look for my next flight, but it wasn't on the screen. I was a little panicked when it wasn't there (I had been thinking ALL day that I was going back on the wrong day) but after a chat with a guy at the Mexico City counter. He explained that I was just too early and he told me where my gate was going to be. So I slowly went to my gate and I was starving, so I found some food. I felt MUCH better!

7:50 PM (EST) - We were supposed to board our flight. Still no word.

8:30 PM (EST) - We were finally able to board. On the plane we loaded.

8:45 PM (EST) - We were all seated ready to go when the pilot told us that Air Traffic Control wasn't letting us go and it would probably be 45 minutes because the Boston airport was having problems with air space! GROAN!

9:15 PM (EST) - We are still in the plane, snacking on pretzels, when the pilot announces that we are now in line for the runway, but we are 20 planes back and they are taking about 2 minutes per plane to board, so 40 more minutes! GROAN!

9:45 PM (EST) - We finally take off! Yeah! We are on our way. After they served us dinner, we were just settling in and the flight attendants were bringing by our second drinks when the pilot got on and said that in about 20 minutes we were going to be experiencing some turbulence, so he wanted to flight attendants to buckle up and put the trays away (This meant it was going to be BAD!) About 20 minutes later, here came the turbulence. It lasted for about 45 minutes or so. There was SO much shifting back and forth, a little up and down and then it would be still before it started bashing us again. For some reason, I was relatively calm. I guess I figured that the flight attendants were sitting back and chatting calmly, so I could be calm too. It was just really weird. After the turbulence ended, the pilot didn't say anything, so I was still a little tense, because you never knew if you were going to be ok or if some more bumps would pop up.

Wednesday Morning:
9:15 AM (GMT) - We finally landed at the Edinburgh airport. (1.5 hours late!) So I sent a text my friend who was going to pick me up. Well, since we were so late, she couldn't come. She sent me a text apologizing, so I had to figure out the best way to get home... We started piling off of the airplane and as we were walking through the building to customs. An alarm sounded... "The Fire Alarm has been pulled in another area of the airport. Please stay where you are until further instructed..." (It repeated over and over!) Most people ignored it and hurried to customs. Made it through customs and collected my bags... Now, how do I get home...

I considered taking a taxi, but that would be 50 pounds. So I opted for getting a bus to the city and then a train to a nearby train station and have another friend pick me up. I got some money out of the ATM.

9:45 AM (GMT) - I get on the bus, sad to be back and alone. I look over and there are two older, middle aged women in the seat next to me. They have luggage that has their name and addresses listed as Layton, UT and Ogden, UT. We chatted for a bit. They told me how wonderful it was here and how excited they were to be here and how lucky I am. That made me feel a little better.

10:20 AM (GMT) - I drug my two huge bags from the bus across the street and down the road to the train station. I bought a train ticket and waited. I was tired and sweaty!

11:01 AM (GMT) - I was sitting in the train waiting for it to leave. I found a place to sit where there was PLENTY of room for my luggage. The train conductor came by and told me I had to move because I was in the disabled section. When I looked up at him, I knew he could see the tears in my eyes. I think I was just so exhausted that when I sat down, I just felt myself relax and be emotional. He was a little taken-a-back. So I lumbered my luggage around a corner in the middle of the car and sat down. I was just sad.

12:12 PM (GMT) - After a few stops, I finally made it to my train stop. I wrestled my bags off the train car and hauled them up and down a HUGE ramp and waited for my friend. He soon arrived and I asked him... "Can you just take me home?"

12:30PM (GMT) - I finally arrived at my house 5:30 AM (MST) after 22 hours of travelling. I was actually feeling a little better being at home and talking to my friend, so I jumped in my car to go food shopping while I still had energy. It didn't start! I decided to go inside, shower and give up for the day. I was TOO tired to deal with anything else!

I slept for about 4 hours.

6:30 PM (GMT) - My wonderful flatmate bought me milk so I could at least survive, but I still decided that a walk may do me good, so I decided to walk to the grocery store. I felt like crap and the half a mile walk there was one of the longest ever. I only bought a few essentials. When I got back, I made myself some food, hoping that would help.

11:00 PM (GMT) - I climbed into bed for a good night sleep! :)

Jaiden Nicholas Esplin

Kelly had her baby on Sunday, August 17, 2008 at 2:25 AM. His name is Jaiden Nicholas Esplin. He was 7 lbs and 7 oz and 20.5" long. He seems like a very happy baby. Here is his picture at the hospital about 5 hours after he was born.


Here is Haylee, the proud, big sister. The lighting in the picture isn't great, but isn't she SOOO cute! :)

My Dad and I doing some Garden Work