Well it is storming here in SE Ohio. Spent the day doing all sorts of things! Cleaned up the house this morning, then Cale wanted to take me for a drive in his new truck, so we went out to lunch. Got all the yard sale stuff out on the porch. My Mom and sister each brought a load of stuff over. We had to put prices on my Mom's stuff, and get it ready. We had a few people even stop this evening and bought a few things... For supper we had fish, rice, baked sweet potatoes and applesauce. Had to go pick Kadia up at school, she has been in Columbus for an FCCLA state convention. She got a 3 star rating, which is the highest rating, but was not the highest score, so she will not be going to national convention, which is in Missouri this year. So we are mostly ready for tomorrow. I am ready to head off to bed soon, I am pretty tired and I have a big day tomorrow. We want to be ready early and have the house all cleaned up.

-- Melissa in SE Ohio (me@home.net), April 19, 2002

Answers

Here's hoping your weather is suberb!

-- Rick in Southwest WV (Rick_122@hotmail.com), April 19, 2002.

I don't usually complain online, but I have had a lousy day! I broke my big toe today when a board fell on it, the washer broke down today and I have laundry for 7 people, the tiller transmission won't work, my husband is out of town for 3 weeks, and my little boy has done nothing but whine and bug all day and then, to top it off, I burnt the meatloaf! For some reason that burt meatloaf as pushed me over the edge. I never burt a meatloaf in my life!

Ok, I am done complaining..well actually the "B" word comes more to mind..LOL! Well, I know there is also alot of good things today and guess it is just when it is one thing after another you just can't be Sussy Sunshine. I think I will just give up on today and going to bed. I know tomarrow will be better! Hey, I think just about anything that could happen has already happened today!

-- Karen (mountains_mama2@hotmail.com), April 19, 2002.

Karen, so sorry about your day! That's the way it usually goes for me also. Somehow, though I would rather have six months of bad things happen in one day than to have it dribble over the full six months. Don't you know, something always goes wrong when husbands are out of town. My husband has gone to speak in Fiji on mission trips several times. One year the day he left the pump on the well broke down on a week-end and we are a family of 8. The next year, the day he left a goat that we were transporting got loose in town and the last time it was seen it was bounding across the courthouse lawn. Go to bed, tomorrow is another day!! Enjoy it.

-- Marie in Central WA (Mamafila@aol.com), April 19, 2002.

OUCH! broken toes HURT more than they are worth!!!!! You sure have my sympathies kiddo....whine all you want to, we'll listen....My DIL came over Wednesday to pick up the baby and then reappeared at the farm gate next to a strangers' car a few minutes later with the horn beeping...my husband went down and unlocked the gate..poor kid's car had conked out a mile down the road..it was 88 degrees here and she hoofed it up the hill with the baby halfway until a kind soul gave her a lift the rest of the way..naturally, our son is out of town on a job...also, naturally, our pick up truck is not running right now, so we couldn't tow her car off the road. AND, I had already used up the last diaper that day. hee hee hee. So, a neighbor came with his tractor and hauled her car off the road, Neil drove her home where the diapers were, got the car towed yesterday to the mechanic, drove her today to pick up the fixed car and now all is well again (fuel pump)....just a reminder to us to get that pick up going again! I felt so sorry for her hauling the baby up the hill in all that heat after working all day..YUCK! ...........I used to adore having yard sales! We would serve coffee and doughnuts at all of ours and make it a mini party for the neighborhood, complete with music from the 60s..Neil had a sign which read "Early birds will be shot on sight"..they came at 6AM anyway LOL...we always had fun and met the nicest people! Good luck with yours Melissa!

-- lesley (martchas@bellsouth.net), April 19, 2002.

Oh Karen! Sounds lousy!!! I wish you lived closer as I have a tiller and a washer for sale at my yard sale, CHEAP!!!

I know ALL about lousy things happening when your husband is out of town. Cale worked road construction for 10 years and was gone all week for half of the year. I dealt with everything from leaking pipes, leaking roofs, sick horses, dogs, kids, broken down cars and appliances, all of the gardening, canning, keeping fires going, (which I am not that great at building fires!!!) and the genral loneliness of having 4 kids home by yourself for up to 2 weeks at a time. It was tough when they were little.

But he did not work out of town last summer,and I hope he never does again. It is nice to have someone to share the burden. I hope today is a better day, and you are feeling beter, and your toe does not hurt... Things usually look better in the morning!!!

-- Melissa in SE Ohio (me@home.net), April 20, 2002.

Just an update. The next day WAS better..LOL! The toe still hurts, but at least I can manage walking a bit. Today my brother and I will fix up an old wringer washer I had (easier and MUCH cheaper than repairing the automatic and I have been wanted to use the wringer washer anyway because I like them better). I still have no idea about the tiller but will take another look at since I am calmer. My little son is just being a little boy again. And I could care less about that stupid meatloaf now! There's always another one where that came from..LOL! Now if we could just get that darn tiller working! Why doesn't it ever breakdown in the fall???

-- Karen (mountains_mama2@hotmail.com), April 21, 2002.