When Dale and Donna Hanson drove home from their winter holiday in Yuma in January 2020, the biggest challenge they’d faced was finding a hotel room along the highway during a sudden blizzard.
“Good thing we came back to Canada before COVID-19 hit,” they’d both said many times since then.
After spending the rest of 2020 and all of 2021 at home, by January of 2022, Dale and Donna were looking for reasons to justify getting off the farm.
Read Also
Wills and powers of attorney: the basics and why you need them
Every adult should have a will and powers of attorney. In this article, we explain the basics of these essential…
“We really should check on Dad’s trailer,” Dale said. “It’s irresponsible not to keep an eye on it.”
The trailer they’d inherited from Dale’s father was just fine in the Arizona trailer park; they’d had weekly emails from a woman in the park they’d asked to look in on it. But Dale and Donna were both eager for a change of scene.
Donna spent hours on the internet, triple-checking that they could buy health insurance they could rely on if they actually got sick.
But the new COVID-19 variant brought new challenges.
“What if they change the travel rules while you’re down there and you can’t get back across the border?” their son Jeff asked.
“We might have to pay for tests,” Dale said. “Or maybe spend a couple of nights in a motel near the border while we wait for results. But they’ll let us home sooner or later.”
“As long as you’re back in good health in time for seeding,” Jeff joked.
“Don’t worry about us,” Dale said. “Once we get there, we’ll be safer than we are here. Outside in the sun, not hanging around the rink breathing the same air as everyone else.”
“Alright, alright,” Jeff said.
“And we aren’t getting any younger,” Dale pointed out. “There’s a limit to the number of years we’ll be able to buy travel insurance.”
“I’m not missing another year,” Donna said. “I want to get back to that Mexican place down the block from the trailer court. Juan likely has a lime margarita waiting for me.”
“You’ll miss the rink burgers,” Jeff said.
“We’ll miss watching Connor play hockey,” Dale said, “But I’ve got a few scores to settle on the pickleball court, and Rich from the trailer next door owes me a beer.”
“I’m sure we’ll be fine,” Donna said.
Before the end of their first day on the road those already seemed like famous last words.
An hour north of the U.S. border they saw the red and blue lights of a police car behind them.
“I was in a rush to get off the farm,” Dale told the RCMP officer. “I haven’t had a speeding ticket in years.”
“You’re not going to like the new fine rates,” the officer said.
That afternoon, their friends Nancy and Rich called Donna’s cell phone.
“We’re not coming down this winter after all,” Nancy said. “We’ve decided to sell our trailer. Rich is having so much trouble with his blood sugar.”
That evening, they were shocked when the hostess at an American restaurant just nine hours from their farm had never heard of Saskatchewan?
“I swear, it’s just across the border,” Donna explained to the baffled hostess when she presented her provincial government proof-of-vaccination app.
Two days later, when they finally made it to the trailer park, they were more than ready to relax in the sun.
“Just in time for cocktail hour,” Donna said.
“Too bad Nancy and Rich aren’t here,” Dale said.
Then he saw the “for sale” sign on the trailer across the street. “Looks like Lois and Jim decided to cash out too. Too bad. Do you want to take the golf cart over to the patio restaurant for a drink before dinner?”
“I’ll change into some shorts while you back the golf cart out of the shed.”
That was easier said than done.
“Not just a dead battery,” Dale said when he was done cursing. “But a flat tire too. I’ll have to take it downtown tomorrow.”
“We can go to Las Palmas early for dinner,” Donna said. “Juan can make us drinks while we decide what kind of tacos to order.”
On their way to the Mexican restaurant they passed the pickleball court.
“Nobody’s on the court,” Dale said.
Then they spotted the sign. “Closed for repaving. Reopening February 15.”
“Well heck,” Dale said.
Down the block at Las Palmas, the door was locked, and a faded “Closed” sign hung at an angle. Donna scrunched her face up to the window and peered in.
“It’s empty.”
“I’m not surprised, there’s no lights on.”
“There aren’t even any tables and chairs! They must’ve gone out of business.”
“I guess we weren’t the only people not here last year,” Dale said. “Guess we’re lucky anything’s still open. Want to try the Chinese place across the street? It looks open.”
“I was really looking forward to a margarita,” Donna said. “There’s tequila in the trailer. Let’s just go home and order a pizza. We can pick up some ice on the way.”
Back at the trailer park, Donna fired up the blender while Dale phoned the pizza place. He’d just ended the call when his phone started beeping.
“What’s that noise?” he called to Donna.
“What?” she yelled.
“Turn off the blender,” Dale shouted.
“I can’t hear you over the blender,” Donna answered, before she hit the “stop” button. Then the trailer was quiet, except for the high-pitched beep from Dale’s phone.
“What does this mean?” Dale asked.
“It’s not a text.”
“Is it some kind of emergency signal? Maybe a fire somewhere?”
“Let me see,” Donna took Dale’s phone and jabbed at it.
“Uh oh,” she said. “That’s the app that runs the thermostat.”
Dale took his phone back. “Didn’t recognize that noise. I’ve never had a problem with the thermostat before.” He peered at the screen. “Oh no. The temperature in the house is down to 10 C. Must be something wrong with the furnace.”
Donna pulled her own phone out of her shorts pocket and swiped at the screen.
“It’s 30 below in Saskatchewan. This won’t be good.”
“No,” Dale said.
“I hate to bother Jeff. With Elaine in Saskatoon and Mark off in Alberta with his wife, he’ll be run off his feet.”
“Not much choice,” Dale said, swiping to his phone app.
He tried to sound casual when Jeff answered. “Everything okay at the hacienda?” Dale started out, before he got to the bad news.
Dale and Donna had eaten half of their pizza and almost finished the pitcher of margaritas when Jeff phoned back.
“Blew a breaker,” Jeff told his father. “But don’t worry. I got hold of the electrician. He can come tonight.”
“I don’t even want to know what this is going to cost,” Dale moaned.
“Well, try not to worry,” Donna said. “Jeff’s got it under control, and it would’ve happened if we were at home anyway.”
“I suppose.”
“Tomorrow we can take a walk and see who else we know in the park. We’ll get the golf cart running. Pick up some groceries.”
“You’re right. It’s all good times from here on,” Dale said.
But then, Dale began to cough.
