Rockin' It with WD-40

I went camping with my step-father's nursery school about a year ago around this time. We take approximately 100 people camping up in Santa Barbara.. Its a whole ordeal, but its great. Anyway, we have camping chairs that we bring to set up around the campfire. One in particular is a rocking chair:



Now the last day we were there, while packing, I attempted to fold up this rocking chair. You should be able to just lift it by its little cloth arms and it will fold right up, like this:



Well the chair had different plans. I sat there for 45 minutes trying to get this thing to close...and nothing. I pounded it with a hammer, I stomped on it, I talked to it very nicely trying to coax it into closing. Teeter-tottering back and forth the chair gleefully continued to taunt me. I took a screwdriver to it in an attempt to dismantle the rocker. NO SCREWS. The whole thing was so tough on me, so frustrating, that finally I said, "Screw this Tim (my step-father), I'm throwing it out.. The thing obviously has no respect for me and I have no respect for it. I'll call Coleman (not Gary--the camping company) and ask them to give me a new one." So the chair was left next to the dumpster, and I was left pissed and defeated.

I called the next day to inquire about a replacement rocker and you know what they said? "Oh yea, we cant replace it because we don't make them anymore. People had so many problems we realized they were defective and stopped producing them."

that's right, DEFECTIVE.

"Well can you send me a different camping chair as a replacement?"

"No. No we Cant."

FINE.


So I am joyously camping with my family and friends this weekend at the same place in Santa Barbara, my mind is carefree while watching the grey whales swimming and the dolphins playing and the children frolicking on the beach and baby Nathan spitting up his food... Its great. And then I look to my right where all the chairs are assembled around the campfire pit.

THERE IT IS.

Positioned right between Donna's maroon love seat and the blue fold out chair with the removable foot rest.

THERE IT IS.

The Green Coleman Rocking chair that haunts my camping dreams. The one not-so-inanimate object on this planet that tortures me. No, not possible. I have to be imagining it. "Robynn," I say, "do you see the green rocking chair over there?"
"Yea, what about it?"
"Nothing, I just wanted to know if you see it too."
"Laura you are so odd."
"Yes, I know."

So I'm not imagining it. Well it has to be someone else's. I ask around. Nope not mine, no not mine. No NO NO! IT CANT BE. "Mom who's chair is that?" "Oh my god," she says, "you are not going to believe this story. Go talk to our camp hosts, Anna and Al."

Very quickly, I know everyone may not know what a camp host is. When one goes camping it often happens that one needs a little guidance. Or perhaps some quarters for the showers. Or some firewood. Or maybe just a good conversation. This is what your camp host is for. Usually a retiree due to the fact that the position is a volunteer job, your camp host will be living in a camper or RV, many times marked with small statues or gnomes outside that signify that they are set up here for a solid block of time:



You will also see the familiar marker of the large firewood barn-shed:



If your host is not in when you go to call on them, they are probably out cruising the grounds in their spiffy golf cart/club car:



Alright now that the camp host position has been properly explained, Back to the story. So I go to talk to Anna and Al. After quite the ring-around-the-rosy with several other camp hosts (that's right, there can be more than one) I find Al sitting outside of his camper with his official camp host hat on and camp host patch on his arm (Al is obviously proud to be a camp host). The first thing I notice, Al's camper is a:

"THOR:

America's best value."



Amazing. Do you have Vincent D'Onofrio in there?


"Al" I say (I actually don't know Al but he's the kind of person you see and you feel like you are already on a first name basis with even if you aren't supposed to know his name yet), I'm camping with Tim and I hear there is a story about the green rocking chair." "Oh yea, he says. "Well ya know last year you guys left a rocking chair next to the dumpster at the group campsite (Yes believe me I know). Well Ben the trash guy/maitenance host picked it up and sold it to me for five bucks (how entrepreneurial of Ben). Well then I saw the name on the back 'Tim C' and I said 'Anna,' that's my wife, 'Anna,that's the guy with the school.' So I just sprayed a little WD-40 on it and it closed right up (DAMN IT. WD-40. That was all it took... I felt foolish). So we decided we'd just keep it 'til we saw ya again... took it up to Seattle with us. Rocked it up there (Al has a sense of humor). Then we saw your name on the check-in list today and we said, 'well, better give them back their chair.'"

WOW.

In awe of the man who solved one of the few true conflicts in my life, I said, "hey Al, can I take a picture with you because you just changed my life. You and WD-40." Al's response: "Sure.. I change a lot of lives (UNBELIEVABLE). I think I'm gonna start chargin' for these photo shoots I do. Hey Anna, show her the picture with the UCLA girls."



Aside from my gorgeous camping hair, do you notice that picture of the fifty states above us with most of them colored in? Well I did too and with my genius non WD-40 logic I asked, "are those all of the places you've been?" Yup says Al. "We're heading to the Carolinas next. But not Florida."
"Why not Florida?"
"I don't think there is anything there for me."
"Why?"
"I just know. I can sense it." (Oh okay).
I'm not going to North Dakota either."
"Why not?"
"Because its North Dakota." (Oh right).
"Well thanks for the photo shoot and the chair. Can I get a high five?" "Yup."
"Sweet."
After a good, solid high-five I turn to leave and Al says, "oh here let me give you my business card":



"Oh and don't forget to bring your WD-40 next time you're here."

Glorious.

Why did this change my life? Because the whole thing is a breathing, living example of the synergy of the world. Anna and Al get it. When you meet people who get it, you just feel their flow and your life changes. And they taught me that a little WD-40 saves a lot of frustration. It was actually a double-life changer. I've got Anna and Al changing my life and then WD-40 pickin' up where they left off. You know I went right out to OSH (Orchard Hardware Supply) and bought some the moment I got home. I've got some in my back pocket right now. (Well not really its in my truck).

So here is to Anna and Al, on the road again, just livin the dream, and connecting the world one rocking chair at a time. Al my friend their is a painting with your name on it in the mail soon



(Yes that is a cup-holding hand on his chair)

Mason Jar tip of the day:
If you get an MJ and stick a recipe and some ingredients in it (example: chocolate chip cookie recipe and chocolate chips) with a wooden mixing spoon, maybe some measuring spoons and perhaps a spatula, it makes a wonderful gift for the baker in your family or circle of friends. Especially because,unbeknownst to many, the Mason Jar actually can be used as a measuring cup. You will find cups, ounces, and millileters imprintedd on the side. Incredible.