What a week!!!!

Tucson
March 5

Whew! What a week I have had...and NEVER want to repeat what happened on Thursday...

Last week started off alright...kinda. On Saturday, Feb. 24 we took Ric, Janet and Cammie to the airport at o'dark thirty to catch their plane back to Seattle. After we got home I was doing some laundry when the step stool in the laundry room came crashing down and attacked my left ankle. OUCH...that hurt, however, I didn't think to much about it and kept on going. Yes, it was swollen, but it didn't hurt to much. I lived with the sore ankle until Wednesday, when I happened to look at my left foot and not only was it swollen, it was black and blue! So, off to the doctor I go. He doesn't think it is broken, but sent me for an xray. He will call with results. For now, he has me in an ankle brace. NOW my ankle hurts! The brace is driving me crazy.

Thursday I am busy around the house as Billie and Dan are flying in that afternoon. Dan has his own plane and will land in Marana, which is about 30 minutes from here. They call us from the half way point and tell us they will be in around 5:00 p.m. Now, I have to tell you at this point, before I go any farther with my story, that our utilites for the house (gas meter, water and electic) are located right off the driveway to the south of the house. At 4:15 we are backing out of the driveway and I KNOW those utilites are there, but what do I do? I BACK RIGHT OVER THEM!!! CRAP! In my new car. CRAP, CRAP! Now not only do I back over them but I broke off the gas meter and the water pipe. Lucky for us I missed the electric post! Now, we have gas leaking and water gushing! CRAP, CRAP, CRAP! I try to move the car forward, but it is hung up on the broken gas meter. At least I had enough since to tell Al to get out of the car NOW...of course, he was on the downward side of the hill and it sure wasn't easy for him to get out. I call 911 and the Fire Department arrives (10 minutes later!!) In the mean time we still have gas leaking. As the fireman said, "good thing you didn't hit the electic meter or you wouldn't be here to tell us what happened!" Thanks guys! Anyway, the gas and water companies get the gushing water and gas turned off, the fire department get's my car off the gas meter, and I am one big basket case. In the mean time, Billie and Dan have landed at the airport and I call them to tell them we have had a small accident and we will be there as soon as we can to pick them up. In the middle of all of this excitement, my doctor's office calls and tells me "oh, by the way, you have a hair line fracture in your ankle...wear your brace for a few more days and see how it goes." What timing! I am done for the day! I called Holly to come rescue me....and drive me over to pick up Billie and Dan. After a long, hair raising day, we finally got gas and water restored to the house about 10:00 p.m. I don't want another day like that!!!!




Friday dawned a beautiful day. Sun was shining and no wind. Dan asked me if I wanted to go flying....HECK YES! So we off we go...what a thrill. Dan has a Cessna 172, old, but in good condition. We flew over our house, Holly and Bruce's house, Saddlebrooke and the valley in front of our house. Man, I never knew how many houses are hidden in this valley and how much new construction is going on! What a great flight tho. Since I love to fly, in anything, I was really happy. Saturday night we celebrated Dan's birthday, which isn't until next month, but what the heck...I made him lasagne, his request.


our house from the air



Saturday was Billie's birthday. Since it was too windy to go flying, we just rode around the area, looked at some model homes in Saddlebrooke and Dove Mountain, and generally goofed off. Al bbq'd ribs for dinner (Billie's request) and I made Billie her chocolate cake; Bruce, Holly and Cortney joined us for dinner. The wind blew all day....and not just a breeze, it blew hard.

Dan gave Billie a Coach Purse for her birthday!


Sunday was calm, so Dan took Al flying and then me. I would love to learn how to fly...but then I would want a plane, ... so guess it is best I just rely on Dan and the airlines to satisfy my flying habit. We went to dinner at Lil Abner's steakhouse and yum, it was wonderful.

Today (Monday) we were up early to get Dan and Billie back to their plane and they are on their way home...the weekend was just way to short! However, we have a lot to look forward to this week. Tomorrow Mike and Bev get here, as well as friends Kathy and Rowland. So our house will be busy this week. On Friday our good friends from Long Beach arrive for the weekend. They will be staying in a hotel close by...so we will be busy. Both of us love having company and are really looking forward to this week.

The animals are better...finally. Juanito got his stitches out and Schuster got his cast off. However, because he had the cast his foot got a yeast infection...dogs sweat through their paws. So now he has a collar on his neck so he won't lick the infected paw...good grief...he is not happy at all, and I get these big, sad, brown eyes looking at me saying "why?" He has to wear this collar until Friday and he and I are both counting the days!

So until next time, I will try not to break or run over anything and will enjoy our company.