Travel Day and our First Run in with the Cops.

Today we hauled from Brattleboro, VT (we made another stop there because we liked it so much the first time) to Harrisburg, PA to see our friend Hanni.  Some silliness ensued along the way.

Maeryn bought Bubble Tape at the Home Depot where we parked and made mustaches and beaver teeth.  Yep.  Beaver teeth.

And here is the Home Depot.

We parked here from 2AM until around 8:00 AM, when a police officer knocked on the bus door.  Michael answered.  The officer was cordial, but made it clear we weren't welcome in the parking lot.  He said to "move along".  Of course you wouldn't want any crazy hippies in a colorful school bus parked in your perfect suburban parking lot area.  He said, "we need to make sure there is enough room for the customers".  As you can see from the photo, we are taking up virtually the entire parking lot and there are definitely no other open spots on the place.  Argh.

But we didn't want any trouble.  So even though Michael had planned on buying some building materials this morning from this very location, we moved along.

I understand that it's private property, but geez.  People.  If Home Depot had an issue, why didn't they just talk to us themselves?

Before we left Michael went inside and asked just that.  They said they didn't call the police and had no idea why they were out there or why they would tell us to leave.  Guess the cops in Hampden Township are just extremely bored.  In their defense, there really didn't seem to be a whole lot happening.

Instead of Home Depot or any other large parking space, we called Messiah College (our alma mater) and asked them if we could park there for a few hours today.  They were happy to have us and offered to let us spend the night - or as many nights as we'd like.  I love that place. 

While Michael put in some time at work and the kids hung out at the bus, I met with Hanni and spent six hours talking breakfast, coffee, religion, politics, and marriage.  I always love talking with Hanni and leave refreshed and empowered.  She's amazing. 

On the way back to Billy I admit I felt a little jaded about our experience with the police.  We don't want to make any trouble.  I just want to live my life and park in spaces and make people's lives a little brighter.  I don't want to make things hard for businesses.  And we try to always be courteous.  I wish the world worked a little differently sometimes.

"This is a place where hope is young and we are a people who are not afraid to love." - Michael