EXTREME HOUSE & OTHER!

7-26-09:  First of all, I am posting the last of the Extreme Makeover Home photos!  Just took them today.  I missed the "MOVE THAT BUS!" moment, as I have been at the lake.  So today, Adam took me to see the house. WOW!  Can't wait to see the show in the fall! Craig, Adam, and I went to a friends lake house for the week.  Adam just stayed two nights but Craig and I stayed seven nights!  It was so nice to be away and with good friends!  They have a very nice boat, too.  We were on it most of the time.  However, one night we got caught in a pretty big rain!  Thank goodness there was no thunder and lightning!  But, it was BRUTAL!  So cold!  And, rain really stings when you are moving.  We were about forty minutes from the dock!  Brrrr....  The following day it rained all day.  That was okay with me.  We just hung out at the house.  I had a bit of a "sun spark", as opposed to a burn.   It was Tom's, our host, 60th birthday.  Some of his friends from the St. Joseph area were staying at a resort nearby.  So, we had quite the party!  It was a lot of fun! For supper, the people from St. Joe, made seafood gumbo.  Now, that was strange!  I loved the rice, seasonings, sausage, and shrimp.  But, when a "thing" like a lizard tail stuck out of my bowl......ICK!  I tried pushing it down but it kept popping up!  Finally I took the "thing" out!  I couldn't eat much after that!  Craig loved the stuff! The rest of the week went well.  We were on the boat a lot.  We fished a lot!  I am not really a fisher person but it was fun!  On our last day the fish were almost jumping in the boat!  I caught three on one itty bitty worm! The trip home was not so good.  My battery had gone out on the way to the lake.  We replaced it.  On the way home, not once, but three times, the van just died.  Right there!  It was pretty scary.  However, I think Scott was with us because the first two times we were able to turn off the highway and get a jump.  The third time we were able to turn into a business parking lot and leave it overnight.  Right before we reached that lot we were on a stretch of highway that was having shoulder work done.  It would have been a disaster.  So, we left the van overnight.  Adam and Craig's dad came and picked us up.  At that point, we were only about thirty minutes from home.  This morning, Craig went, with a trailer, and hauled it home.  We are pretty sure it is the alternator.  I think Craig can fix it.  It will be nearly two hundred dollars.  But, that is better than having to buy a new van!!!!  I just don't have the money for that. Today I have been doing laundry, cleaning the pool, and just getting settled back in.  I pretty much checked myself out of reality for the seven days I was gone.  Oh, grief was always there, just waiting.  But, I truly did enjoy myself.   On a sad note, I did get a message from an ex co-worker.  Her son, not quite two, passed away.  He had been ill for a month, or so.  I am so sad for her!  I would NEVER wish this journey on anyone!  So, here I am...back to reality!