Oh Pat, talk about a Murphy's Law day. Wouldn't that be nice to update your "chassis".

I won't even talk about the 8 week old dachshund my son adopted and then went on a trip for 4 days and then delayed coming home a day and this hard headed puppy refuses to learn how to potty train in my still year old carpeted house. Wasn't the fact that I had his kids also for a couple of extra days plus another grandchild from up north for a full week also to entertain. It was the puppy that had to be watched 16 hours a day when he wasn't in his kennel. Now son is going on ANOTHER 5 day trip a week later and puppy STILL isn't potty trained, hard headed little %@*&)$$. I gave son a lecture about responsbilitlies and he's 30. He got the puppy for his kids, I want a puppy, I'll get one....

I have a 10 year old lab with a fractured knee who did that a month ago, slowly getting better. I am cutting my own trip short 2 days because of my dog's need for meds 4 times a day and because of the heat and he has a 4 inch coat I can't shave him down like we usually do in the summer to cool him off, because he can't stand long enough on his feet to do so. I have a friend staying at the house while we're gone to let him out every 5 hours during the day because it's supposed to be 104 on the 4th. It's too hot to leave him outside. During the night it's ok.

Anyways I'm leaving on the 2nd and back on the 4th and when I come back, son's leaving, I don't have to watch his 2 kids while he's gone, just his puppy!!! I told him he better come back on time this time too. You can tell I'm still ticked off from the first time, LOL*

Oh! I'm going over to Arroyo Grande to my Mom's, it's her 78th birthday and I'm going to sneak in an ice cream pie:) Dad will disapprove, but Mom wants it, LOL* I may have to bring it from the valley on dry ice though... Dad bought her a sleep number bed:)

Hi Leslie, hope your trip to Arroyo Grande makes up for all the other stuff you've had this past week. Pass on Happy Birthday wishes to your Mom! and enjoy that ice cream pie! Pat

Cripes!! Pat, I know you were on a mission that day, going to all of the stores, and you just wanted to get your stuff done. BUT...:D If I were you, I'd call each one of those stores, ask for the manager, and let 'er rip!! There's no excuse for what you had to go through...and on a Wednesday, even (not a possibly busy weekend time for the stores). I worked in retail for YEARS, and if I'd received a call from someone like yourself, heads would have been rolling afterward! Ok, I feel much better now. LOL

I'm SO sorry about your car, too!! Our little Jetta broke down...oh, at least a month ago, I think. So we're a one-vehicle family until poor hubby either fixes the car, or we work out how we can afford yet another car payment (the truck has just over a year left on its loan). I'm SO thankful we have AAA, though. We've used it enough to make it worth the price, and then some. :D AND I'm thankful that sweet brother-in-law is a mechanic, and he's helped hubby out quite a bit in his attempt to fix the darned thing. We were lucky to have it run as long as it did (at least 6 years since we bought it used), since Consumer Reports said this year of the Jetta was NOT very reliable.

Now, Leslie...LOL...oh, MAN!! I'd be telling sweet son that there are some perfectly good boarding places out there for puppies, especially since he seems to like to go gallivanting frequently. And there ARE, really. Especially at veterinary offices. Just so you know. :D I mean, a mom doesn't NEED that sort of drama! But she does need an ice cream pie, as you, as a loving daughter, already know. LOL I hope your mom has a wonderful b-day!!

We're headed off to Reno for one night on the 4th to celebrate our 2-year anniversary! We were together 10 years before marriage, though, so why not celebrate our day in a city filled with sin? LOL "Baby needs a new car!" :D

Brenda

You guys are just to much sometimes!LOL and it's a good thing we can laugh at ourselves cause there ain't nobody around that's shelling out an ounce of sympathy, frankly I rather like that! Now I'm getting a plan together for my crusade regarding this retail store attitude to the disabled! I've been extremely impressed with unsolicited help from young people, I think they appreciate a sense of humor when they are thanked. So much to do, so little time to do it in! Look out world, here comes MISCHIEF!

Congratulations Brenda!!! Hope you haven't left yet and you get this, if not belated to you:) Any years together count, married or not! It's still an anniversary of TIME!
Too bad you're not going to Tahoe, they said they're hurting for people, they lost a lot of reservations with the fire...Might have deals. I hope you guys have a great time! It's supposed to be really hot by the 4th too!

You go get them Pat! Stores and disablity is a BIG thing, I think you can make A LOT of trouble. I can't get waited on usually in Gottschalks simply because I don't dress up when I go in that store. They look down their nose at me because I don't look rich enough to them. I go in with my Mom and she gets instant attention because she's always dressed nice and in designer clothes. Pretty sorry statement about snobs.

Whoa there, I'm not out to make trouble for anyone. I'm just amazed that I am not better informed about these things. So to get better informed I'll start with our local newspaper and see if they have updated information on issues that I'm conerned about. Oh yeh, anyone know of a gas station that that has full service?

Thanks, Leslie! Actually, if we had more than one night to spend out of town, I would love to go to Tahoe. The surroundings just seem more inviting there. For me, the gambling hasn't been as good there as at Reno, but oh, well! LOL I'd heard that most people who had cancelled were from out of state (out of Nevada & California, that is), and they didn't know any better about the extent of the fire. You know how it is when something makes national news. It was a terrible, destructive fire, but the way the AP reported it, all of Tahoe was aflame! Sheesh!

I almost started another rant there. LOL I hope you have a wonderful trip, too!

Pat, I recall that Texaco used to have full service stations, but....is Texaco even around any more? I can't recall seeing one lately. What a hassle for those who could use some help at the pump! I feel ashamed that I haven't even thought of that before. :(

Brenda