The first tire and a possessed rest stop toilet

A week ago today we left on our vacation.

(Hammy was trying to sleep so time would pass quickly to get to Grandma and Papa's faster.)

The van started shaking about 30 minutes from home.

We called the company that did our brakes three days prior and asked if they thought it was brake related.  

After asking several questions, they determined it to be a bad tire and asked us to look at it and see if it was visibly uneven.  

Their shop was closing right then but they invited us to come back in the morning and they'd take a look.  He also said we could switch out the tire for the spare, drive to Utah, and get a new one there.

We stopped at the Oriental marketplace half an hour later to pick up a few important things for our trip like seaweed, rice crackers, dried ice cream, and kimchi for Papa.

Danny got out while I shopped and checked out the tire.  It was definitely bulging.   He was able to locate a little tire place that was just about to close. They promised to wait for us to get there.

The tire shop guys watched in amazement, their eyes getting bigger, as I unloaded the kids from the van.  

They replaced the tire saying it would've blown out at any moment and we were really lucky to notice the shaking in time.

We loaded up the kids and continued on our trip.  

***The remaining post may cause unsettling feelings and disturbing images in your head.  Proceed with caution.***

The van started shaking again around 2 a.m.  It wasn't as bad as before and we half-wished it was just wind or the bumpy road causing it.

We finally stopped at a rest stop to use the bathroom.   I noticed a dozen mature termites on the floor of the rest stop bathroom as I walked in and dead flies around the toilet.  {{icky shiver}}

I was SO thankful to see there were toilet seat covers available.

While doing my business, the toilet automatically flushed grabbing my toilet seat cover.  Fearing I'd get splattered with the toilet water, and not thinking things through, I stood up a little mid-stream.

The toilet continued to flush and in the process, apparently, I peed my britches.

So I removed my undergarments and tried to exit the stall. 

No.  such.  luck.  I was locked in.  The toilet eerily continued to flush over and over again.  

I smacked the door.  The toilet flushed.  I yelled out for help.  The toilet flushed.

I recalled every vampire flick I'd ever seen and found myself wondering if rest stops were an ideal hunting place.

Finally, with a desperate plea in my heart, I got the stall door to let me out and I bolted out of there commando.