Forever in Columbus

While heading to Columbus I called the Chamber of Commerce for a campground recommendation and she referred us to North Lake, which not only had playgrounds and two lakes, it was also.....FREE. Too bad I ended up getting whatever it was that Joey had that kept us from going to Des Moines, though. I got so sick I stayed in bed for three days forcing us to stay longer than expected, plus I had to endure a few I told you so's. By the following Monday we were able to take the bus in to the mechanic, while we did lunch and laundry. With still more time to kill I suggested going shopping....what else is there to do?
I was lucky enough to score cute new bathing suits (Goodwill, natch) for Jewel and myself, so along with the boys suits that were in the clean laundry we were able to spend the rest of the day at the local waterpark. Once the bus was done (it wasn't needing a new power steering pump after all, just a smaller belt and some tightening of screws) we left to go get it with plans of going back to the waterpark, but as soon as the bus, and Joey, pulled away I got back in the truck to follow and it wouldn't start! Of course I had Joey's cell phone on me so I had to chase after the bus flailing my arms in the air looking like some deranged girlfriend whose boyfriend just left her.

All of this is happening in the middle of a severe heat wave, where we can hardly breathe because of all the humidity. Not fun. We managed to get the truck to start to only die a few blocks away, but luckily it was in a hotel parking lot that just happened to have RV electric hook ups. The Ford dealer can't get us in for a week so while we wait to get in Joey decided to try different things. He disconnected the alternator and battery, which are only six months old so I'm convinced he's wasting his time and energy, and took them up to have them tested, and in order to prove me wrong, they said the alternator was bad. They exchanged it for a more powerful one and recharged the battery and only charged us $14. I was expecting to really throw down some cash for all these repairs and combined we only spent $130. What are we gonna do with all the money we saved? Why, go camping of course!