Remembering and news

Today would have been my mother's birthday. She would have been 94 if she had lived. She died in 1972. That's been a long time - the year before my daughter was born.

She shaped the way I dealt with my daughter. My mother and I didn't have a good relationship. I was an only child, but I wasn't treated fairly. I know, it's easy to say, and a lot of people would say that sort of thing, but in my mind it is true.

When I was growing up, I would always be compared to my friends. In "why don't you do _______ like X does." "Why can't you be more like X?" "I do everything in the world for you and you don't appreciate it."

Those are hurtful things. She also would remark about how "fat" I was. I look at pictures now and realize I wasn't. But then I believed it, and if that was what she wanted . . . well I still have great problems. She wasn't a size 2 either.

The belitting went on even into my adult hood. When we moved to Swampland and bought our first house, I overheard her talking to my aunt who lived here. We lived in an older neighborhood. Around here, you didn't have curbs. You had bar ditches in front of the houses to handle the heavy rain. My mother found that appalling, and she said so to my aunt. G and I had horses at the time. Her opinion was that "his" was far superior to mine. I could never please.

I vowed I would never be like that to my kids. And I never was. I thought Daughter and I had a good relationship until she became a teen. I think she remembers those horrible times more than the other times, but we came through it. We can now be friends and we are. I don't think that would have ever happened with my mother and me.
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News:

Son called me today. He went to sing at a friend's church on Sunday. His friend is the assistant pastor. They hired Son to be worship leader. It will pay $200 a week. At this point, that is a nice little added income for him. He will keep the band because they only play out twice a month at most. I'm proud of him. I wish he were still a Lutheran, but he wouldn't get this kind of thing.

He was laughing telling me he was following in my footsteps. Yep. I was church organist for many years. I miss it, but the arthritis is just too much, plus when I had the anurism in my left eye, that compromised my music reading.

Peace.

Sew, sew, sew your felt . . .

That's what I am doing. I am in the process of making pencil toppers. I got into these when I found a very inexpensive set from a digitizer on the internet. I made those, and Daughter remarked how neat it would be if I could make some for Christmas to have at Holiday in the Park. So went back to that digitizer to buy the Christmas set. Then I found two more sets. That is why I am sewing my little heart out now. I have my list of projects posted right here by this machine to keep me on track!

I will post pictures (if anyone might be interested) as soon as I charge the batteries for my camera, download the multitude of pictures that are stored there from way before August, and get the items ready for their pictures.

The camera seems to be my nemesis these days. Last weekend when we were at the SSB, G's cousin was having the local community happy hour. They took the great grandparents house (what is left of it) and salvaged it. It was in terrible shape. She told me they began this task because they wanted a place to stay when they came up. They live in San Antonio, and they wanted some privacy when they visited her mom and dad when they came to visit.

They have taken the beat up little remains of that house and restored it to a beautiful place (even if they have to have an outhouse). Anyway, Daughter gave me strict orders to take pictures. I dutifully put the camera in my purse. When we got there, I pulled it out to turn it on. It was on some setting that I never use, and the batteries were DEAD!

I thought I was sunk until I remembered that I, as usual had my cell phone, so out it came and I snapped a few pictures. Cousin said she would send me pictures if I wanted as she takes many. And she should. I think I may email her because I have no idea how to download pictures from that phone. I have no cables or anything to tell me how to do it. Besides, I am becoming absolutely technologically illiterate. It is getting worse and worse as technology evolves more and more.

So - back to my hoops and threads.

Peace.

Busy, busy

After a summer where the cattlemen sold off their herds, the rain has come to the Texas hill country - and how! The weeks are waist high, and it is still raining. They have gotten their entire amount of rain for the year, and the year isn't over.

We spent the weekend there. I was ready to leave (meaning the house was clean, dishes done, and all packed) at 9:30. It was raining so hard we were waiting to see if it would begin to clear. We have low water crossings to get out, and if it is flooding you just can't make it. It did begin to clear - a bit. But on the way home we caught up with the front. We followed it all the way home.

I am busy sewing my "stuff" so I can get ready for the "Holiday in the Park" craft show. I finally got a date last week. It will be December 6, so I have to get to work. I really want more Christmas stuff in this year's show. Don't have a lot right now, so it's sew, sew, sew.

The other house closed, and that blasted window was put in. It was close, but it all came together. Short sales are anything but!!

Peace.

If it weren't for bad luck ...

Simone has been sick for at least three weeks now. We are going to get a referral to Texas A&M for further testing. Our vets have exhausted their arsenal. Of course, we are going to yank her out into the troop carrier to travel to the SSB. And I have to get to the vet's office for her nausea pills.

I am third on the list for the glass company. But it is already 10:21. I just keep hoping for the phone to ring. I am tied because when I checked the cell this morning, it wouldn't charge. I have become so totally technologically lame, I couldn't remember how to get the battery compartment open. I finally did and it is sitting there charging. It is going to take it a while.

I don't take stress well at all. My intestines are in an armed revolt. I wonder if one of the dog's tranquillizers would help me??

Well enough of this pity party. I hope your weekend will be wonderful.

Peace.

Is it safe yet?

It isn't! Duck under the bed and grab your head.

This "snake-bit" (used it again Shawna!) house we have been messing with since July 2 finally went to closing today. The skies warned us not to go. We had another round of heavy, flooding rains this morning.

I went to the bank to withdraw the money via a cashier's check. It looked like the heavens were breaking finally. The rains were lessening. A good sign? Perhaps. Or perhaps not.

I went to pick up G from work. Usually the traffic on our freeway into town is crowded. There was no traffic. Good omen?

We get into the closing, and the owners are there. I really didn't want to meet them. I knew we were getting the house way under its value. They, like so many others got into trouble with their mortgage, and their mortgage company (according to the woman) wouldn't work with them. She said that they had tried a year ago to get some kind of help, and nothing came about. So I was uncomfortable - very.

All went well - we thought. One sticking factor has been a broken window. Our mortgage company is demanding it be repaired 24 hours after closing. Getting things about the "invoice" have been a joke, but we got one sent to them. We were to have paid it at closing. We didn't. Because the mortgage company didn't include it, like they didn't include the loan application.

The glass company was set to come after 2. We were just barely out of closing at 1:30 when they called. They would be at the house in about 30 minutes. So we had to cancel. I pray they are there in the morning.

Then G called me at 3:30. Our mortgage company demanded that we deliver a check to the title company TODAY or they wouldn't fund the loan. G was furious. But he finally lowered to a mild simmer and went over.

So - he paid. I will meet the glass company tomorrow - if they show before noon. I will have to give a credit card for security until they get the check from the title company.

I. Want. To. Hide. Under. The. Bed. I am beginning to think there is a spell on that house!

Peace.

Flat

That pretty much sums up the way I feel today. In fact, I thought about not posting at all. But, as usual, I am.

We are finally closing on the "Short sale house" tomorrow. But it is fraught with more challenges. I have to get to the bank early to get a cashier's check. Then I have to make my way to closing. Here in Swampland we are lucky to have more than one business area. We don't have just one " x town." No we have downtown, midtown, and uptown. Each one is a pain in the rear to get to. Then you can throw in the Medical Center, but that's another thing.

I have to be in uptown at noon tomorrow. I don't know why we had to have that title company chosen. There are multitudes out here in the muddy acres surrounding Swampland.

So I get to get in gear to get to the bank - early. Then to closing, then hopefully I get to meet the glass company at the house to have the window repaired. That has been another bone of contention. The underwriter wouldn't write the loan without the proper statement from a glass company to the effect they will be at the house within 24 hours. Gee.....

So I have set up the glass company. Then they (some entity from the mortgage company I guess) will come out to make sure that %&&^$^& glass is in. Yep, I'm about to lose it.

I told DIL I would put the name of a certain insurance company on an apron for her. She is going to be that woman who wears said apron for Halloween. I finally got it all centered in the hoop. It all looked great. I started the machine. It looked absolutely beautiful - even if I couldn't get a font with slanting letters, but even the color of the thread was great.

Then I unhooped that work of art. When I turned it over to remove the stabilizer, there it was. The band from the neck was trapped in the embroidery. It is only an inch, but it might as well be the entire thing. I can't take out the stitches. I would never get it hooped correctly again. I guess I will be heading to the craft store after closing - or on Tuesday anyway to do it over!

So my mood today is flat. Just tired of it all.

Peace.

How true

Things have been hopping around here - mostly with "the" house. If we ever close . . .

But I have been taking some time to cruise the internet. I noticed that my nephew was on Facebook. M has always been a bit different, and he still is. He and Son are the same age - M being weeks younger. He finally got his degree, and is working on his Master's (Son never finished, but then he is doing OK). He now lives here in Swampland, but we never hear from him.

When I discovered he was on Facebook, I asked him to be a friend. He is friends to his aunt on his mother's side and that whole family. He replied with a nice little email, but never mentioned being a friend. Sure enough, we are not friends.

That hurt my feelings a little, but M is M. But it got me to thinking the old adage : a daughter is a daugter all her life; a son is a son until he takes a wife. Then as I was reading Judy's blog, I thought of it again.

It is true of my son. They spend more time with C's family. It is true of SIL. They are closer to us. It was true with G. What I didn't realize it that it would extend to the children. M's family is closer to my SIL's family.

Family relationships are complicated - and funny.
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In other news, Daughter called with the latest in the saga of her step-daughter. It seems like step told her mother that she was at her grandparents house with her dad (SIL) when they all got into a bad argument that caused SIL to get in the car and leave. We don't know why she decided to do this. SIL is in Mississippi - not the Alamo City. But step's mom texted him and blessed him out. They the truth came out. Would I love to be a fly on the wall? You bet!! I am just wondering what kind of trouble Step is in. Poor kid. Her life looks really bleak. She needs major therapy - now! I hope she gets is, but I know it won't happen. She is one of five from three relationships. Sad.

Peace.

Good laugh

Here we go again with talk about the weather, but it's really comical to me!

It was warm yesterday. In fact, we set another record high I believe. Yesterday afternoon, the heat index at one time was 101. As a life long Texan this isn't surprising to me at all. I remember many Halloween trick or treating times with high temperatures. I remember many Christmas days that were hot. Usually my aunt would have given me a beautiful velvet dress for Christmas, and I would be hell bent on wearing it for Christmas dinner!! I sweated - a lot!

I was watching Good Morning America this morning they sent the weather man down here because we were having a major cooling off this weekend. Oh, please!

From what is forecast, we will be warming again by the middle of the week. But we here are living in the moment. We will enjoy the wonderful weather this weekend and be thankful for it!

Peace.

Snake bit

That's a phrase we use around these parts to indicate something that has a problem. I am using that term for the property we wanted to buy as a rental.

Our first problem was wayyyyy back in July. The owner (who had moved out of the property and was facing foreclosure) got two additional contracts. The other two were for cash, but were for a much lower price. He took several weeks to decide, and then took ours. It went to his mortgage company who felt the price was too low, so we came up $3000. It was still a good deal - even with all the work that needs to be done.

We were on vacation then. We had to find a fax machine in Canada to send in that offer. The mortgage company then sat on it for a month. They then accepted it. They originally set closing for less than a week away, but we got it changed. They said by October 28, we said the 21.

So I have been trying to get utilities on for the structural and mechanical inspections. The gas still isn't on. The structural we had indicated a "moderate amount of settling.) There are two doors that stick. Around these parts, that isn't an uncommon problem - especially after our hot, dry summer.

When the appraiser came out, the appraisal came out much higher (they couldn't tell us how much) than the purchase price, but the appraiser is concerned with the foundation. Also because there is a broken window, some HUD thingy said that we have to get an estimate for the window that the title company will cut a check for at closing (from our funds) to have it fixed the day after closing. (Huh???)

So I met the glass company (the second one because the first thought I was crazy and almost told me so). I have the estimate in hand. But now the appraiser wants another structural on the house to specifically check the foundation.

I am beginning to think that nearly three months and all this "extra money" is a bit much!

Peace.

A ho-hum day

I'm about to go up and fight the technology wars again. Although the new machine is heads and shoulders above the old new one, there are still some problems. I don't think the problems are with the machine this time; I think they are with my CD's.

When I was trying to move embroidery designs from the hard drive to CD, I would get error messages that I needed to put in a writable disk. It was. So I think the problem is with the computer or the disks. The computer is getting a little old. It very well could be it.

You know the computer is getting old when it's as cranky as you are. There is so much junk on it that it takes a long time to load. I have tried to get rid of this junk, but it is still there. I don't feel like paying $50-150 to get a professional to clean it all up. There may even be some viruses lurking in the background even though I run a firewall in addition to the one from Microsoft as well as all other kinds of programs to fight those stupid people who love to dream up the viruses.

I could take the computer upstairs when I go to try to figure out where the problem lies, but I have enough fun taking a thumb drive with me. I have enough fun just getting myself up there!

Peace.

Grampa's suggestion to MB

When we are at the SSB (Stings, Sticks, or Bites), there is no one around. We are on 200 acres, and we are one of the smaller places!

Yesterday, Monkey Boy was standing outside the second bathroom telling his dad that he had to go. He was doing all the associated jumping around and tugging. Daughter was in the bathroom showing no signs of giving up her place. His dad just kept telling MB that he would have to wait.

G witnessed all this. He walked up to MB and asked him why he just didn't go outside. G said MB looked at him like he was crazy.

G told me this last night, and we did get a good laugh. It is still funny, but I got to thinking while I was writing this. It isn't that he has never done this particular thing. I remember them telling me that all summer he would get out of the pool to go behind the garage.

It is still funny though. MB is a different little kid. He just doesn't know exactly how to take us. I'm sure that he was really confused. We just don't let him out to run around. As I have named the place, it could be dangerous.

Needless to say, MB waited until the bathroom was empty!

Peace.

Quickly

I finally waded through the 288 emails on yahoo. My air card just couldn't manage that site. I have joined several yahoo machine embroidery groups. Most of the emails are from digitizers who are trying to sell their designs, but there are also chatty emails. I don't know how those people have the time to chat there. But they do. Oh, well. So I wade through hundreds of emails.

The weather at the SSB was really pretty bad, but I enjoyed it never the less. Daughter and troop decided to make the trip. They weren't really sure because their trip out on Friday morning was scary. The roads are dirt and rock. It rained really hard Thursday night. The road was really squishy, and they didn't have any 4-wheel drive, they were in her work van.

When we were on that part of the road on Friday late afternoon, it was still pretty scary, but we have 4-wheel. Of course, Son says that 4-wheel drive just means you can get stuck twice as far off the road!

I got a lot of things done. I just wish I could have slept more. It was perfect sleeping weather. It was cool and rainy.

Home now. All is good.

Peace.

Preparing to go to the SSB

Warning: This is a vent!!!

Hurry - check your weather radar and you will see severe storms bearing down on Swampland!! I thought I had at least 30 minutes more before I had to load the ice chests and travel tote into the truck. Nope. It is raining cats and dogs right now, and I have both Simone and Shadow under my feet. Wonderful!

That brings me to today's rant. During the hot months (and that's about 9), we can't load the ice chests, et al the night before. That leaves it to me so we can leave as soon as G comes home. This time there are two ice chests. We had about 100 pounds of ice left from the reunion. We are going to take it to the SSB because this is the season it is needed for packing game.

Who gets to load all this s**t alone. That's absolutely correct. I could only get 40 pounds of ice in the old chest, and the new one is full of food because Daughter's clan will be there Sunday. (SIL's aunt died in Little Bitty West Texas Town Wednesday night and they will be using the SSB to break up the trip for the kids.)

Now when we get there, G will have the audacity to complain about the weight of the items I packed - alone. I will be duly ticked!

Gotta go now. I loaded in the toad strangler, so I have to dry off to get wet again when I play shuffle the vehicles. Perhaps I need a job outside the house too???

Happy weekend to you.

Peace.

Whine and cheese

I know the cheese is around here somewhere to go with this whine! I just can't find it. But then that seems to be the status of my house anyway!

I finally got my self in gear to go to the grocery store. I try to put it off, and I am delighted when someone offers to go for me! I used to like to go shopping - anywhere. Now I absolutely despise going.

Tuesday I met the mechanical and structural inspector over at the other house. The grass over there hasn't been cut in weeks, and it about 6 inches tall. When he finished looking at everything, he had to show me. So here I am tromping around the house in tall grass. I don't think that helped my knees at all.

I came home and decided to go upstairs to work on some embroidery. As I was about to start climbing the stairs, I twisted my right knee slightly. It almost felled me. I couldn't believe how much it hurt. But I went up anyway. I thought it would be better yesterday after being off it all night. Was I ever wrong.

Yesterday I was really crippled. More than ever. But there were other possible factors. We got rain. There is a front out there so the pressure is changing a bit, AND I had been walking around on uneven ground with tall grass. What was the cause, I don't know. I do know I was in great pain.

Today I had to go to the grocery store. There is no one but me for this right now. We are going to the SSB this weekend, so the trip was a necessity. I am home now. My knees are screaming. And it didn't help that my glasses fogged up from the car a/c in the muggy heat. Why does that add to my pain? Well I stopped to pick up one of the little neighborhood papers and tripped on OUR uneven grass. I almost ate it. But I did jam my knees catching myself.

So taking this little respite has helped me. Let me bring in the groceries. That cheese just might be in one of those bags, and I'll serve you some. You had the whine.

Peace.

October

I'm going to share a secret with you. I am beginning to really hate October. It's not the weather. It's not Halloween. It's not because the holiday shopping madness is about to begin. It is because October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Now, if I had paid closer attention to this month four years ago, I probably wouldn't dislike October so much. The way it is now, all these reminders about self checking for breast cancer, getting a mammogram, and so on, remind me of how stupid I was.

I was stupid enough to go for about ten years without my "woman's" check up. When my general practitioner would ask, I actually lied. When he pressed as to who was doing the pap and breast, I told him I was still going to the old gyno.

I don't know why I finally bit the bullet and went to the doctor. I intended to go to this doctor for six years. He had delivered all my daughter's children. My DIL was going to him, and her mother was also going to him. I just procrastinated.

Finally the spirit moved me. I walked out of his office thinking I had dodged a bullet. From his exam he thought things were just fine, but he prescribed the dreaded mammogram. At the time there was a lot to gram!

When I got the call to come back in, I knew. I knew there was a problem. When I had to go to the surgeon, I had to pick up the films from the mammogram. I could see the tumor. Then I could feel it. Why I had not been able to feel it before I really don't know. That sucker was 2 cm (almost an inch).

So every year I spend the entire month with reminders to self exam, get mammograms, walk in walks. It all just sort of mocks me. I was stupid, and I get reminded more everyday of October.

Don't get me wrong. I get reminders all through the day anyway. There is the numbness beginning mid chest going on through the underarm area to the mid-side. Each evening when I take a shower and see myself in the mirror I get a strong visual reminder. Sure I have had reconstruction, but the chest is still a crazy quilt. Plus I vetoed the construction of the nipple.

I will be glad when October is over. At least one of the reminders will stop!

Peace.

This and that

I thought I had outsmarted the gas company. I gave them my cell phone number. No matter where I went, I would have my cell phone to get their thirty minute warning. I was upstairs sewing happily away on my new machine. A little after 4, it gave the message tone. I listened to my message. It was the gas company saying they were on their way. The message was at 3:38 the guy said. But my phone never rang. I nearly broke my neck running down the stairs, and then hopped in the car to get to the house.

I waited and waited. G came over. We waited some more. At 5:15, we decided we had missed them, so we left. I was so distraught because I just couldn't change the mechanical and structural inspection again. Besides, I had spent two days now waiting.

When I got to the house this morning, there was a door hanger. The gas company was there at 6. Ummm, by my calculations that is just a tad more than 30 minutes.

We had the inspections. The gas appliances in the house are the central heat and the water heater. Both of those are fairly new and shouldn't be a problem. So I am not too worried about them. The inspector found some moderate settling in the house. Down here, we all pretty much have concrete slabs that our houses are built on. When it gets dry, houses settle. Sometimes the slab cracks. But that one is moderate probably due to the summer heat and drought.

So now we are on to closing - I guess. I think I will let my renters turn on the gas. They have to anyway. I am really sick of the gas company!!!

In other stuff and things. I took the remaining parts of the old machine to the store today. I saw they already had my old one out for sale. It was considerably less than they gave me on trade in. Poor soul that buys that lemon.

Peace.

Waiting, waiting!

I'm beginning to think we should just dig a hole in the back yard and bury some money there and cut a hole in the mattress and stuff some in there too. Trying to invest in something that is a seemingly good investment is driving us both crazy!

First was the electric entity that turned on the power days before I requested it. Then sent me one bill for well over $300, only to be followed up a couple of days later with a second bill for over $150. I thought that was taken care of before the bill ever came. That was straightened out Friday - I think. At least I have a letter and an email stating that.

We did get a key to that house. The gas company was scheduled to come out on Friday. They were to call me first to give me 30 minutes heads up. At 6:30 I called (after calling at 3:45) to check on their progress. They had been to the house. No one was there. No s**t Sherlock! So they are scheduled for today - again. It's getting towards noon. I had asked for early.

Anyway, we used the key last night to check to make sure the power and water were on. By the way, the power company is a different company!! Both were on. When G went upstairs (I'm not climbing stairs there), the thermostat was set on 54. The door to the garage was open and the stairs accessing the attic were down. So we were air conditioning the garage and the attic. No wonder the bill was about $426 for less than a month.

My bug guy came today and did the termite inspection. It passed. So now we have the other one set for tomorrow morning - just waiting for the gas company to grace us with a call. I'm sure they will call in about an hour. We plan to have lunch with my daughter at noon. But isn't that the way things go? It surely is - at least for me.

Peace.

Quick note

The reunion came off fine. The rain came as we were eating lunch. Lunch is another story. I thought I was going to come to blows with a cousin and her beans "not being cooked through." The kids got to do the pinata. MIL came, and thought she would be taken home when she was ready. BIL and SIL had to stay to help clean up.

Little girls are nasty little creatures. They are beginning in kindergarten or before. It happens even in families. Lady Bug is a budding naturalist. She found some pill bugs (roly-pollys or what ever). They fascinated her. A couple of second/third cousins made fun of her because she enjoyed playing with bugs. For Pete's sake. That was a real downer for LB.

So all's well that end's well.

Peace.

Is there any old business?

Yes! I seem to be running a day behind relating this terrifically exciting life of mine! Yesterday was sewing club. I hoisted that machine downstairs along with its trolley. The combined weight must be 60-70 pounds, at the least.

I got the thing into and out of the car. Got into the classroom, set it up, put my "stick" into the USB port, and . . . nothing. It wouldn't recognize the stick. Now I have had problems with it recognizing the stick from the get go. With great trepidation on my part, we put Joyce's stick in. Nothing.

So I knew what I had to do - the same thing I do at seemingly every club meeting. I had to take it to the front for a consultation. Oh, and get ready to leave it to be repaired. They weren't sure what was wrong.

I knew Ken had gotten two machines in that were new, refurbished machines, not just the old one updated. He wanted to move them that day. I jokingly said I ought to trade my in for one of those. Well to cut to the chase, that's exactly what I did. They gave me 65% of the purchase of the old one toward the new one.

When I got home, I put the new one in place and began to embroidery some ornaments. What a joy. It immediately recognized the CD-ROM. (I forgot to say the old one didn't want to recognize the CD-ROM anymore either). I didn't have to use bobbins that were filled with the same color. That cut my time down a lot! It was quiet.

But now I have two new extra bobbin cases. But there are too many people I have heard of that these machines DO eat the bobbin cases. But this new one is so tight. And it sews so smoothly. It just purrs! I love it, love it, love it!!

Pray for good weather at San Felipe State Park tomorrow. IT is the family reunion day. Right now, it doesn't look promising. The problem is keeping the little kids happy. They can't run and play outside if . . . I can't even say it! I guess we do the Pinata early.

Peace.

I knew there was a reason I hated going to Wally World. I totally remembered in a flash yesterday. It's not merely the fact the stores are huge, it is the fellow shoppers. They are, for the most part, strange and rude - hence the web site about them.

I really wanted to get in and out because that was only my first stop. I had pretty much decided that I was going to use one of the motorized carts. Guess what - they were in use by folks that looked to be in their 30's. So I got a regular cart and began my trudging.

My first stop was shampoo for G. There was a lady parked in the middle of the isle perusing every type of shampoo. She really shouldn't worry about what kind of shampoo. I am an expert here. I have always had thin hair, both is texture and amount. After chemo, it never got any better. I really believe the pill I take does that. I wear a wig.

This woman didn't have much more hair on her head than I do. But she was going to take her time looking for a shampoo. I could have whipped that wig off my head and told her that none of them work to give you more hair. But I didn't. I finally got around her.

It seemed that it didn't matter which way I was going in the aisle. It seems it was the wrong, and I didn't have right of way. All these others wanted to crash into me. It was like a demolition derby!

When I finally got to checkout, there weren't too many people at any of the registers, but #16 looked really promising. She was paying, so I could get right in, right?? Not on your life. She still had a cart full of items. So she was all checked out. She swiped what looked like a credit card. I think it was a gift card. It wasn't accepted. She tried again, and they fooled around some more. Finally she said "they don't want me to use it twice in one day." She pulled out another card, and after some sort of voodoo and high finance, she was gone. I was about to die. My feet, legs and hips were screaming!

I went on to three more stores, and it was uneventful with the exception of the big drug store. A woman in a mini-van really couldn't see when she was backing out. There was a huge FedEx delivery truck across from her, so the parking lot was not large at all. She decided she would continue backing out even though there was traffic. There was no place for her to go, but go she must! I had to pull into the parking places at the side or she was going to hit me. It was the perfect topper to my day!

Peace