The New Dryer. . .

We bought a new dryer.  It is amazing the things I get excited about these days.  New bedroom decor and new dryer. . .  Who would have thougt it?  So I get my new dryer yesterday and it is nice.  The old one I think was operated by little mice running on a wheel.  I could only use low heat and most loads had to be on for at the least an hour.  So this new dryer was supposed to be energy efficient and quick ect. . .
So I did several loads of laundry yesterday and Mark comes home to check it out and the door will not shut.  I have opened and closed this thing all day and now it will not stay shut.   It is now almost 6pm and I call the store to tell them of the defect and the fact I have only had the dryer for less than twelve hours.  The young man on the other end says, "You will have to call them in the morning and talk to the delivery crew so they can come out and fix it.  You will need to call them before 7am."   So I agreed.  This morning I tried to call at 6:45am and guess what?  The answering service comes on and says, "Store hours are 7am -" and that is when I hung up.  So why would a sales person tell me to call before the store even begins to answer the phone.  Is this some kind of cruel joke on me?  I did call back and finally did get a live person and they said we be there and then hung up.  I have no idea when they will be here.  So here I sit trapped until the folks come to   "FIX"  my brand new dryer.  
I don't think I would be this aggrivated except this is not the first time this has happened with this National store.  When we moved in this house we bought our refrigerator from them and right out of the box it did not work.  I went through three refridgerators before I got one that worked.  I bought my washer from them also it worked for a week then it stopped working.  I had not even received a bill on it before it broke.  You would think I would have learned my lesson but I gave them another shot.  This is a minor problem but I still have a very expensive appliance I am paying for that I cannot use.  I am sure this is some sort of test.  I don't think I am going to pass either.

The Bedroom

I found my bedroom comforter last night.  Yeah!!   It is really pretty.  It is an ocean blue with cherry blossoms embordered on it.  The thing came with decorative pillows, pillow shams, curtins, a valance,sheets, and a dust ruffle.  I am so excited.  I put my curtins up today and I am going to donate my other ones to Goodwill.  They are really pretty but Mark said there was no reason to hang on to them.  Me, I am a pack rat, I hold on to everything.  I have two old comforters up in my closet that went on our Queen sized bed at our old house.   I am afraid if I get rid of something I might need it later down the road.  So I hold on to everything. 
I am really excited about my comforter, how sad is that, I have  no life except for my kids and the occassional chance at re-decorating the house.  Oh well.  I think the comforter has an Oriental theme to it.  I may use that throughout my bedroom and maybe add some wall decor  with that theme.  Once it is all done I will take some pictures and post them.

Re-Decorating. . .

I guess Mark is feeling sorry for me, he has given me free rein to redo our bedroom.   He told me this morning that he wanted a new comforter and I told him if we get a new comforter we needed new curtins too.  He said that was fine he was ready to redo the bedroom.  How cool is that?  I think he just wanted me to be able to get out of the house.  He felt I needed a project. This is an event let me tell you.   Mark is not a free wheeling spender.  His sister still swears that he has the money people gave him for his High School Graduation.   I guess that is what makes us so good together.  He is the tight one and I am the free spender, well sometimes anyway.   So here I go.  That is going to be on my list this next week to find a new comforter and curtins for the bedroom. 
Wonder what he would think about RED?  Red is my favorite color.  Of course I was reading somewhere that red made you want to eat.  Maybe I should stay away from red.   I saw a beautiful quilt type comforter in a magazine the other day.  It was made to look like a patch work quilt and was done in Wiliamsburg blue and white.   We have a beautiful poster framed in our bedroom that has blue in it.  It is a poster of the Split Rock Light House in Minnesota.  That was our first trip together after we were engaged.  Mark was the bestman in his best friends wedding in Minnesota.  The held their reception at a park at the Split Rock Light House.  I would love to decorate and be able to keep that poster in the bedroom.
My dear husband he worries over me so. 

Strange things we do as adults. . .

I am an adult but, I can't seem to get by this.  For folks that have lost children or spouses I do not know how you do it and I applogize for dwelling on this so much.  Mark went to throw Fritos' bed away.  This is the bed she used when she slept in the garage when we were not home.   Jack happened to be outside when he took it out to the garbage.  Jack asked Mark what he was doing and when Mark told him he got upset.  Jack said we needed to leave that in the garage so we did not forget about Frito.  I know he just a child and does not understand.  I get that, but I threw away her plastic water dish and Mark jumped on me about it.   He went in the bathroom and asked where her water dish was.  I told him I threw it away.  I also explained it was plastic and we did not need it.  He (meaning Mark) had requested that I not put her food bowl away.  This was before the incident with Jack and the bed.  I guess we are all going through our steps of mourning.  The kids are actually doing a lot better than Mark and I.    Thomas is ready to get another dog.  Jack is not and Mark is not, I don't know if I will ever be ready for another dog.
Mark is picking her ashes up today at the vet.  Yes, I bought an urn to keep them in too.  I never thought I was going to be one of those people.  I guess you never know until it happens to you.  I had to discuss all of that with the folks that took care of it and I cried to that poor man.  He was very nice and I guess he deals with this a lot and he was very polite.   If you ever have to go through this they are the best.  Carolina Pet Services, they have several different locations and service a large area.   This is not just a job to them I think they genuinly care about these animals even though they didn't know them.

The loss of a pet?

As an adult you would think I could handle this better.  I think because I am older it is harder.  I know that animals don't live forever.  I know that God has been at work in my life this week because I have had two substitute teaching jobs.  I say that is God at work because I don't think I could have been at home alone these past two days.  I really believe if I had been at home I would have driven myself crazy.  Every where I look I see my little Frito.  Her toys, her little sweater she wore when it was cold, and every time I look at the couch where she used to lay.   There is a big empty feeling in this house since she is no longer with us.  I thank God for getting me out of the house these past two days.  I also thank the teacher that called me.  I know I will get over this and some may say I am being silly.   I just feel like there is this giant hole where my little angel used to be.   I still catch myself reaching for her during the night in the bed, looking for her on the couch, and looking for her in her little bed.   I am an adult.  Why is this so darn hard?   Why can I not just get over it?  
When Mark and I were first married and we would have an argument of course I would get upset and cry and pout.  Frito would find me and want to lick the tears from my face.  That was the only time I would let her lick my face.  She would always help me to get over my mad spell.  She loved her toys.  When she was little we would have to hide her toys so she would go to sleep.    Usually that would take some time because every time we hid one she would go and find another somewhere in the house.  Her favorite treat was peanutbutter.  She only got a little but that was all she needed.    She hated riding in the car, but she would rather ride in the car with us than stay in the garage without us.

My Dear Frito. . .

You know, if you have read anything in my blog, that we dearly love our animals.  My Dear Frito passed away last night.  She had congestive heart failure.  She would have been 14 on May the 22nd.  Mark, the kids and I are very sad right now because not only was she a dearly loved pet but a big part of our family.   She practically grew up with Jack and Thomas.  She was always with us no matter where we went.  She even went on vacations with Mark and I before we had the kids.   This is going to be very hard for us to adjust since she was such a huge part of all of our lives.   I know that she is in a much better place now and is no pain and can run and chase whatever she wants.  She also is able to see what she is chasing. 

My dear Frito you will be missed by us all.

Learning to Drive

So, my sisters' youngest daughter  is learning to drive.  I got tickled at my sister the other day when she was talking about the girls driving and everything.   Her oldest is getting ready to go to college, in fact, she had an interview for a full scholarship to go to Campbell University on Saturday.  She has really good grades and has been involved in a lot of different school and community activities.   So back to driving, the youngest took drivers education and only had to drive three days.  Now, when I was learnig to drive we actually drove for a week and each kid got twenty to thirty minutes behind the wheel.   I personally believe that the kids need more than just three days behind the wheel before I have to let them drive me somewhere.   I know they get their permit and then they drive with their parents but like I said I want them to have more time behind the wheel with the instructor before they are driving me anywhere.  I am not ready.  Yeah, I have five more years before I have to really worry about it but, YIKES!!!! 
So the new saying for the kids learning to drive is;  keep it between the mustard and the mayo and stay out of the lettuce.  I know it is corny but I could not stop laughing when my sister was telling me about it.
Wait a minute,  five more years and Jack is driving.  Holy Cow!   And I know dating will come before actual driving too.  Oh, boy!