THERE ARE DAYS!

There are days and there are days, and today was one of those days! Today I sold David's car that he drove to work. A family came to look at it last Thursday evening. Their son was going to college and he needed a car. Father and son took it for a test drive while I visited with the mother in the yard. Poocheroo was around trying to get my attention when suddenly she started to bark. I turned and looked and sure enough the wagon had just turned into the alley at the south end just as David always did and Pooch was standing there at the fence looking at me and barking just as she had alerted me to his car coming home for the last six years. I managed to hold it together until they had left and I got into the house (after praising Poocheroo) before I lost control and started to cry. Like I said before--it's the little things that get to me in unexpected ways. They called Saturday to say they would buy it and we agreed on a price. Today they came to get it. We had to go to the court house to sign over the title and I left first, I couldn't watch it drive away. But it will let me pay off the Cruiser and have one less monthly bill. I celebrated by buying a deli-dinner at the grocery store.

Things seem to come one after the other. My good mixer quit the day David died while mixing up a batch of apricot bread for him. Jonathan took it to Kansas City to be fixed again and was told it would cost more to fix it than to buy a new one. In June I had to put two new tires on the Cruiser, then a week later one of the old ones developed a bulge and had to be replaced. The company wouldn't allow anything on it, said it was rim damage! No way! The last trip I took to Menards and WalMart at Hastings in July a truck threw a rock and put a chip in the Cruisers windshield and when I went to see about the insurance coverage I found out we have the only car insurance that doesn't cover it. I was able to get the chip fixed here in Smith Center, can't even tell where it was now. Then last week my dryer up and quit on me. Good thing I had put up a clothes line to use this summer. James informed me tonight that he was going up tomorrow to see about getting it fixed or getting a new one. I was going to let it go until after my trip. To top everything else my stereo decided to join the others and went on strike, first refusing to play my tapes and now the CD part won't work either so I can't play my music. I'm beginning to think my machines are involved in a plot to make my life simpler and cut down on the overhead expenses! Oh, Well! Life goes on and on and on day by day, some easier than others. The heat hasn't helped any with several days over 100 degrees.

Oh yes! my trip! One very bright spot in my world right now. I am going, with James and Paul (I do'nt think they wanted Mom to drive out by herself), to see my girls in Virginia and Maryland and to attend grandson Devin's Eagle Award Ceremony on August 14th. We were both so anticipating this trip. I'm glad the boys are going with me. James and I will go as far as Pauls on Wednesday. We're driving out in my car on Thursday and Friday and they will be coming back on Sunday and Monday. I am going to stay for a few days to visit. I get to see the girls and their families so seldom that I am really looking forward to it. I am going to come back on the train. It's been a long time since I took a train ride--I was expecting James when I went to Chicago while selling Stanley Home Products. Oops! I forgot about our train ride in Russia on a train that reminded me of those in the movies from the 20's and 30's. This one on Amtrac should be a little nicer ride. I'll try to remember to take lots of pictures to post (and to take the charger along). One nice thing about the new digital cameras--you can keep right on snapping pictures without having to change film or worry about paying to have them developed! I will have my new cell phone (and charger) with me so I won't be out of touch.

Keep me in your prayers as I do you. God bless!