I'm boycotting Sears for anybody who cares. My washer has now been fixed 6 times in the past 12 months and it failed me at a most crucial time in our lives.....when Eden wet through at 3:00 this morning and we had to wash her blanket, hand wring it out over the sink, and dry it forever, all while listening to her cry for it. Then, we had to get up and get ready for church. The crazy thing is, they refuse to replace it, sighting various reasons, depending on which person you get on the line. It's still under warrenty, and the repair person has put well over $1000 into parts, plus $600 in labor to continue to fix it, but Sears will not budge. In the meantime, I have to wait 2 weeks for parts every time it goes down, and then wait for the following Wednesday to come, which is the only day he's in Bridgeport. Therefore, I'm boycotting Sears. If anybody knows anybody who knows anybody in the higher ups there, please tell them I said so.

On to more important things: Lars is teething. I fear this will go on for quite some time.

Here are a couple of pictures from yesterday's warm weather...well, 40 degrees anyway.

And finally, the following is a list of rules to live by if you have a toddler. Now I realize this list is incomplete, so please, add to them via the comments. I know enough of you have toddlers and can help me re-create the perfect family by sharing your thoughts.

Top Ten ways (give or take a few) to avoid a temper tantrum,

in no particular order

• Let your child flush the toilet as often as she likes.

• Do not physically remove her from any room she doesn’t want to leave

• Let her wear her swimsuit to the grocery store in 10 degree weather without a coat

• Let her go naked all the time if she wants

• Buy cheap toilet paper so that you don’t become angry when a new roll ends up strewn all over the house.

• Believe her when she tells you she needs the whole box of Kleenex to blow her nose

• Simply avoid nap time all together if she’s not interested

• Never try to convince her that she doesn’t want the same story 6 times in one night

• Serve cottage cheese and gold fish crackers for every meal, every day of the week.

• Let her sing during the sermon from her own hymnal as loud as she'd like

• Don’t put big girl underpants on her if she’d rather have a diaper

• Don’t take the phone from her when she’s having an important conversation with grandma

• Don’t wash her blanket in a clear-view front load washer while she’s awake

• Let her eat dog food if she’s in the mood

• Make your margaritas weak so she can have as much as she wants

• Baindaids are cheap. Give them freely.

• And always remember, potty training is optional until kindergarten

Happy 1 year anniversary in Bridgeport!

Wow, what a crazy couple of weeks we’ve had here! So sorry to all my loyal fans who logged on Monday, only to be disappointed by a week-old blog. I can explain. We were gone all weekend, from Thursday forward. Al had a Pre Lent workshop in Lincoln on Friday so, on Thursday, he dropped me and the kiddos off in Kearney at the Holiday Inn. He caught a ride to Lincoln and the three of us went to Wilcox for a quick supper with The Jenkins. On Friday, we met up with Lisa and Tyler and spent the afternoon in the hotel pool. Al came back that evening and I got up bright and early Saturday morning for my day long EMS conference. At the end of the day, we drove back to Bridgeport and went to bed. The week was swallowed up with a cuddly, crabby, teething baby and his jealous sister.

This week, my computer was out of commission while we rearranged the basement furniture to make way for our new stereo system and flat screen TV. Even though this is very exciting, I hate living in and amongst unfinished work. Therefore, while Al worked diligently at installing the new system, I kept the door shut all week. Tonight, Al installed a key only lock on the door to the new stereo, hung the toggles for the blind cords and is currently in the final stages of building shelves in the toy closet (with Eden’s help) and hanging the CDs in the water softener closet, out of Eden’s reach.

All this flurry of activity started Sunday afternoon when Mark & Laura were kid-less for the afternoon and felt sorry for us. They came over to help move the monsterous couch, huge entertainment center, heavy futon, tables etc… and then mount the TV. Of course, no construction project with Al is ever complete without a few hiccups. So, they put together the new entertainment center with the center support in upside down and had to tear it apart and start over. Then, after they got the wall mount on the wall, they determined that it was too small for the TV and had to take it back down. We rejoiced over these accomplishments with German refreshments, lime margaritas and hot Mecican food.

Beginning Monday morning, Lars decided to start waking up at 0400 and stay up for the day. Or at least until Eden was ready to wake up, then he’d take a nap. Of course, it was too late for me to go back to sleep. All the while I was trying to make it through until bedtime. Every evening of the week, one of us had something until late, so we took turns putting Eden to bed. I managed to get an hour and a half nap on Thrusday and that was something of a novelty. I celebrated by staying up until 0100 when Lars woke up to eat. That was stupid on my part. But currently, I’m somewhat addicted to HGTV.

Friday, the day off, was spent doing odds and ends that have needed to be done since we moved here. While I was cleaning up the laundry room, Eden was stripping down, trying on “Daddy and Mommy’s dirty clothes”. She also found the summer swimming bag and put on three different swim diapers and swim suits. She stood at the bottom of the steps, waiting for me to take her swimming. Even had the beach ball in hand.

Saturday evening was the awards banquet for the Fire Department and city supporters. We got a sitter and anxiously awaited the handing over of the children. The evening came and went quickly. We had an enjoyable time at the banquet, met some new people, ate some good food and enjoyed rehashing old calls over drinks. I came away with a 2007 Top 5 responder T-shirt (I was number 3 in rescue calls this year) and, most honorably, the 2007 EMT of the Year award. I was totally shocked and didn't have a nice little speech prepared, like some of the other award winners did. I hoped that because people missed the Golden Globes this year, they weren't expecting a laundry list of thank yous and "oh my, I don't know what to say" speeches. None-the-less, I accepted it graciously and sat back down thinking, "Oh Jeez, I should have said something."

So, delayed but necessary, here is what I would have said, had I been quick enough:

"Thank you. This is a wonderful community and a great department and I am honored to be able to serve you with the gifts God has given me."

That's all for today. Have a great week.

Blessed Ephiphany

Today is the Day of Epiphany. According to the dictionary, this means "a sudden, intuitive perception of or insight into the reality or essential meaning of something, usually initiated by some simple, homely, or commonplace occurrence or experience." Wow, that's confusing.

For the Christian world, it is a commemoration of the manifestation of Christ to the gentiles in the persons of the Magi; Twelve days after His birth, though most probably was closer to two years after his birth. But if we celebrated it that way, Wal-Mart would only get one "holiday season" every three years. That certainly wouldn't do.

I stress this point because I am disappointed to see that we are the only house in a 5 block radius that still has a Christmas light on the outside of the house, or the light of the Christmas tree still shining. A day of light in total darkness on our street. Now, just to be clear, we have really great neighbors and I mean no offense. It's just another example of how the modern world has taken over the Christian Holy Day and the 12 days following.

Ok, climbing off my soapbox now.

I am pleased to announce that after nearly a month of illness, this house is finally healthy and happy. A few stray coughs here and there, but otherwise, fine. After Tuesday's recovering of New Year's Eve and the margaritas that went along with it, Eden and I picked up the house. (She skipped on the margaritas and had cherry koolaid). With the excitement of the upcoming Maytag repair man scheduled for Thursday, we sorted laundry, greatly anticipating that day.

Also on Wednesday, Al started up the '78 to help a fellow pastor move a shed to Bayard. He had to jump start it every time he shut if off, but got the job done, anyway. I had a fire meeting that evening, the 1st one without our old rescue captain, whom we all miss dearly. It went well. The state is requiring us to go ‘paperless’ as of January 1, which, naturally, requires three other pieces of paper to be generated to have a paper trail for the all computer ‘paperless’ system. I know, makes a lot of sense. After three calls this week, it’s going surprisingly well. Nobody has killed their coworker yet because of this.

Thursday came and went with no Maytag man. The parts never came in, so now we're waiting until later this week. We hope. We really hope.

Friday was cleaning day in this house. We were hosting the circuit social and had only until 5:30 to make it look good in here. The early sunset helped mask the dust layers, and it looked great by the time people started arriving. We served a meal of spaghetti and meatballs and everybody seemed to enjoy the fellowship. The peanut brittle helped.

Saturday, I took the kids to a sitter so I could get some work done at the fire hall. After a half an hour, Laura called saying that Lars was still hungry after a bottle, so I rushed back to their house, about 2 miles out of town. He was so mad by the time I got there, nothing would calm him. After a while, we just got in the car and went back home. That evening, I had her two girls while they went out and we watched Eden's favorite movie, Cars, while eating rainbow sherbet and popcorn.

Today, the kids and I hung out at the house while Al went to an installation service in Bayard. As you can see by the photo below, Eden served herself some corn flakes for dinner, as they hadn’t been put away from lunch. What I should have taken a picture of was the FLOOR, but her face is much too cute. Later, she begged to watch Cars again, and I finally relented minutes before her daddy came home. Once he got here, the movie really didn't matter anymore. She's now asleep, Lars has posed for some pictures, and now that he's in bed, Al and I are probably going to fall asleep here on the couch watching reruns of M*A*S*H.

This week promises to be full of adventure...and hopefully the Maytag man! Hmmm…adventures with the Maytag Man. Sounds like a movie or something….

Happy New Year

Is it Monday already? By the time this posts, it will probably be Tuesday, so Happy New Year! I warn you, this posting is all about the woes of big business and, really, about America in its society of micro management, which I’m finding out the hard way, does not work for the general population.

Have you ever spent an entire day on the phone? No, I don’t mean most of the day. I mean the entire day!? That was me last Thursday. It started out innocent enough. Al took Eden to daycare, since it had been closed on Monday and I had ‘a quick’ phone call to make to Sears. Our washing machine is on the fritz (again).

Here’s a sliver of the conversation, which was recorded for quality assurance.

“Well, Mrs. Strawn, we can have a technician out there a week from tomorrow.”

“Um, WHAT?! I have an infant & a toddler and our entire household has been sick for the better part of two weeks. Mom doesn’t DO laundry when she’s out with a cold. I don’t think you understand what’s at stake here! This is the 3^rd time my washer has had to be fixed this year, and the warranty runs out on the 1^st, which is Tuesday”

“Yes ma’am, I understand. Let me put you on hold.” (Insert crying baby here)
“Ma’am? Yes, the earliest anybody can come out will be a week from tomorrow. Will you be home?”

“Does this affect my warranty?”

“Let me put you on hold”

“Ma’am? Yes, if you would like to guarantee service after the first of the year, then you’ll be required to purchase our additional master protection agreement for the low cost of $154.00... blah blah blah blah blah”

“I get it. This is your company’s way of making money when your product hasn’t worked since I bought it a year ago! I want a new machine.”

“Let me put you on hold”
“Ma’am? In order for your machine to be replaced, it has to have the same part fixed on it three times in one year. Since the technician can’t get out there until after the 1^st of the year, this will void that agreement.”

“You’re kidding me, right? It’s not my fault that the tech can’t get here until after my original warranty expires. I want to talk to your supervisor.”

“Let me put you on hold”
“Ma’am? Yes, well, we don’t have a supervisor available. We don’t actually have supervisors here at all. We’re a call center. We answer the phone.”

“So, if I buy this new warranty *she interrupts to tell me "it’s not a warranty, but a master protection agreement"* then I will get my machine replaced, since it will have been fixed 3 times in a year, right?”

“Let me put you on hold while I ask my supervisor”(this is the supervisor that 3 seconds ago she didn’t have) “Ma’am? No, unfortunately for you, the three times rule starts over. So, it’ll have to be fixed three more times to get it replaced. This does not apply to natural disasters, misuse or abuse.”

“So, what you’re telling me is if I beat the crap out of it, you’re not going to replace it? Ok, got it, thanks.”

Now jump ahead six hours. I’ve called 6 different numbers, talked to 10 different people from many countries, been on hold for, get this; over 2 hours total, and still have no resolution. The right hand doesn’t seem to know what the left hand is doing. And that’s saying it with nice words. Both my cordless phones are dead, so I am now attached to the kitchen wall with a pen and paper. My nerves are shot by this time. I have already screamed and it got me nowhere. Now everybody is closed for the day and I’ll have to begin again tomorrow. Yippee.

Friday arrives and we have to go to Scottsbluff for Eden’s second flu shot. In the car, it occurs to me that I haven’t received the promised mailing explaining qualified health care purchases and the debit card associated with our new health insurance, beginning on Jan 1^st. I whip out my cell phone and dial St. Louis, ten minutes before they close. Another debacle ensues and I’m told that my paperwork is in, but never made it to where it was supposed to go. I’m to call on Monday to get it straightened out.

Now, it’s Monday. I spent the first hour of my day getting that taken care of. All is not well, but after a quick download and faxing more paperwork, I’m assured that it will be all set in case I have a heart attack or stroke out by tomorrow. That’s comforting, let me tell you.

I then had the grim task of taking on Sears. In the end, they won and I bought the extra extended agreement, after they told me that the parts that have been replaced in my washer are $400 a pop. One way or another, my washer will be fixed this week and by this time next week, we’ll all be in clean underwear!

Tuesday morning is now upon us. Our New Year’s Eve was a lot of fun, even with four children and a dog running around. We went to a friend’s house and, in 10 degree weather, sent the guys out to make Ice Cream. A small blizzard ensued, creating another inch of snow, and the ice cream tasted wonderful! Being in Mountain Time, I wasn’t sure when the ball would drop, but I was very excited to find out. In Central time, it drops at 11p, and I can usually stay up that late. Well, we were live in New York at 9p, so I was sure we’d see the end and everybody could go home and be in bed by 10:30. Not so. One minute before the ball drop, they show the credits and it goes to commercial. A minute later, it goes back and shows the party continuing. THEY SKIP THE BALL DROP AND REPLAY IT AT 11! I was so mad. We went home. Eden went right to bed and Lars stayed up. At 7 minutes to midnight, Al & I fell asleep on the couch and didn’t wake up until 0230. I was very bummed, but well rested.

This morning, Lars and I are manning the quiet house until the rest of the gang emerges from their warm slumber. Someday, I will get to do that again too.

Happy New Year to all!~ Will update the page more completely on Monday.