Oh Kirk, what you went thru in one (very long) day is just way too many problems to be dealing with. I'd have been tearing out my hair and drinking more than a beer! I sure hope Christmas Day is a lot more peaceful for you and Carol, and you get to enjoy being 'snowed in' playing trains with Benjamin. Tell the Old Man and Old Woman to take hike!
(just don't send them to Phx please).

hugs 'n Merry Christmas,
Karen

Oh You Better Watch Out.... You Better Not Cry...
You Better Not Shout.... Or Pout...
I'M telling you why...................

Oh Me .... Oh My.... Sounds... like the
COAL Sock.... was full to the brim....

& Neither one you YA'LL deserve it..........

My just so Dang sorry to hear... about this...
Truly....
the ole... WHEN IT RAINS >>>> IT POURS>>>>!>!>!>!>

But L@@K at it this way.....
What else could possibly go wrong....
DANG>>>>
Don't even say that.....

Just training for the Battles... ahead.....

T H A N K GOD..... you have each other...
and
GOD on your side.....

That dang... OLD MAN & OLD WOMAN.....
they
are really.... really..... treading on THIN ICE ! ! !

*** I don't even think you could....
make up
a story like these events.....

GOD BLESS YOU ! ! ! !
Snuggle up together....
Try to Stay WARM & Dry.....

and remember....
WE ALL APPRECIATE YA'LL and ALL the hard
work
ya'll did as the SANTA's....................

I had a couple of Christmas mishaps and
small Snow disasters... and
KITCHEN Breakdowns....
But
YA'LL top my story.....

* * * * Take it easy... the year is ending...
and
here comes....... 2009 ! ! !

M E R R Y * * * C H R I S T MAS ! ! !
&
Prepare for an EXCITING ~~~ NEW YEAR ! ! !

Love & Prayers !
Your Buddy,
SusieSunshine
( ((((((((((((((((( YA'LL )))))))))))))))))))))))))
Hugs from
me to Ya'll !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hey, I thought bad things only come in three's!! Thats not even fair!! Wow, and you two are still smiling and playing with trains?! Karen is right, you guys ARE a couple of angels! That tells me the old man and woman have TOOOOOO much time on their hands, 4 shore! Hope your Christmas morning will be the beginning of a better day for you. Once kids start opening presents, its all smiles around here, I know it will be the same for you.
Merry, Merry Christmas and thanks so much for everything you have done for us! God Bless You!
blessings-Sherri

Ahhh I'm so sorry to hear these things. When it rains it pours. Or in your case snows....I so hope you guys have a great christmas in spite of things...God Bless with all my heart....

I am so sorry to hear about all the terrible events of your Christmas Eve. I hope Christmas is a much better day for you and your family. I know what it is like I had a couple of months of it a few years back. My pipes froze and it took 2 weeks and several bags of charcoal to thaw them out. The night we got them thawed out I threw my knee out and had to be on crutches for a month. Right after I got off the crutches my heater went out. Please don't send the old man and woman to Michigan. I don't think I could handle them right now. But I do hope they have left your house. Merry Christmas!

Gee, Kirk...they nailed you and Carol real good!! I guess even our "Santa" was fair game this year!!

I don't know how they got all the way from your place to our place so darned fast...but they did!! They messed up so many things here yesterday, it wasn't even funny!! The Old Man was messing with our vans, and the Old Woman insisted on showing me how to do things in MY kitchen!!! One batch of cookies got messed up in more ways than I ever would have thought possible!!

Yesterday, was one of the most stressful days I've ever had! I made myself a drink before 11 AM!!!! LOL

The Old Woman switched name tags on the grandkid's gifts last night too. That was the last straw!!!! One of the kids would open a present, and later open the (rewrapped) gift another one had opened by mistake and say, "WOW...I got the same thing so and so got!!" It really was pretty funny...all the grabbing gifts after the wrong kid opened them to take them in the bedroom for rewrapping and the correct name tags. Sure kept the adults hopping...and laughing!

I haven't seen the old couple yet today and sincerely hope they've moved on. Watch out you guys!!!!

~Sandy~

WOW! What a day you had! I hope things will "thaw" out soon and that you'll have hot water again soon as well! At least you can laugh about it now! Sorry for all of the trouble...and on Christmas Eve! If you find the old couple, I think you should tie them, gag them, and toss them in the snow! At least for a while! The old farts! ;-)

Wow!! That old couple sure have been busy!! I think the real Santa took them with him & will dump them off somewhere before he reaches the North Pole!! Sure don't want them up there messing things up either! So hope all the trouble is behind you as you & Carol are so giving of your time & energy & patience (dial-up) it seems like it has been a delightful experience for everyone so far. So glad I joined in!! Sandy- so you had a mystery gift exchange!! Sounds interesting!! I can just see a boy getting lacey panties or a doll!!Happy & Healthy 2009 to you all ! Jan

Kirk I'm sorry to read about your trouble.But glad you can joke about it.Last year on 12/23/07 our well pump went in the evening.They couldn't come out til 12/26 and we always have a big open house.So DH and my neighbor hooked up a hose from our outside water to theirs and we had water.They saved christmas and on the morning of the 26th the hose froze,but they came that day and put in a new pump.Last night at our open house that was joked about all night.... Merry Christmas Backyardmom

Just keep that old couple over there! I'm hoping they are snowbound. Wasn't it Sandy who had all the problems last year at Christmas? Stove that wouldn't work? One thing after another? I'm sorry she sent those crazy old people over to Washington. What a Christmas Eve to remember!

I hope your Christmas was much less stressful and that 2009 treats you both much nicer! Thanks again for all the wonderful work you two did to make the Secret Santa exchange possible! You two are angels!

Hugs,
Kathy

Well, the old man played havoc with my snow blower today! It appears the old man and old woman were playing with my daughter's metal and wooden sled. They left it in the driveway as I was plowing. It wasn't there when I started. The blower caught the rope and sucked the front of the sled into the blower. I couldn't stop quick enough!

Fotunately, I was able to get it undone and nothing was damaged...sled or snowblower. Thank goodness as I had a ton of snow to plow with more on the way and I promised our neighbors I would help them plow out tomorrow.

I know it was the old man and woman who left the sled out because when I asked our daughter she said, "I didn't do it!" Watch out for the sneaky old couple. They're so busy this time of year! LOL Bear Hugs! Kirk

MERRY CHRISTMAS MR. AND MRS. CLAUS,

Thank you for your SSS (Secret Santa Services!!!) We have all experienced Christmas Blessings because of your devotion.

Y'all have had unimaginable 'pain in the backside' surprises this Holiday. But you will be telling this story years from now and roll with laughter. I'm talking about way after the plumbing bill is paid.

Tonight at a Christmas Dinner I told the story about the time I turned the clothes dryer on and didn't know that the cat was in there. On that day I cried my eyes out and grieved severly even though the cat was not harmed physically. However, Mentally he may have suffered a great deal as he seemed to be afraid of me. It has taken 20 years to be able to laugh and forgive myself. Mr. Cat came out of that dryer hot, with static electricity, and walking sideways. All of the folks here were laughing uproarously. Mr. Cat would be proud to know that he caused that much joy (May he rest in peace.).

Susie

OH Susie that's terible....Poor thing....LOL But I can picture it very clearly....LOL...

Susie~It was probably the old man or woman who put the cat in the dryer in the first place:o I'm glad to hear that he was ok...and I too can picture that clearly! LOL!

Hmmmm. Old man??? Old woman????. What a pair. Kirk I think they were testing you and Carol. Something more they were up to. Bad to the bone. But I am glad you and Carol waded trough all the issues and in the end found time to make your Christmas a memorable one.

Kathy

Kirk & Carol, we had to buy a new water heater this year too, but at least it wastn't on Christmas Eve! Like they say "Stuff Happens!" I'm talking nice right now lol. Wouldn't you know that when you finally had time to take a break, those dang smoke alarms would need attention! That darned Old Man!

I have been just sitting here chuckling over all the funny stories! The one about the snow plow and the sled ... and switching the name tags on the gifts haha BTDT (been there done that) not the snowplow though, I don't even think they sell them in Tennessee. LOL

And Sandy your kitchen woes were so funny too, I have a friend who mistakenly put 2 cups of salt instead of sugar in a cake. Keeps his sugar, salt & everything else in fancy antique jars. He served this cake to our friend Vicki, and he said she made the most terrible face when tasting. I'll have to tell him that it's the Old Man sneaking in to his kichen and switching the salt and sugar!) He's actually innocent LOL.

Last but surely not least, Susierose, you tell some really funny stories, but this one made me almost fall out. Hilarious story, but poor cat, I bet he had a bad case of PTSD after that! I can just see it unfold and it makes me laugh lke crazy. Just like something out of a cartoon!

Happy Day AFter Christmas *sigh* ~tenderlee (who is on the lookout for that Old Woman today)

OMG, Kirk...what a time you and Carol have had this Christmas!! It's one of those stories you hear...you don't know whether to laugh or cry!! The way you tell it though...I can't help but laugh!! It's soooooo like the things that happen around here!! When I read your post to Jim and got to the part about the sled getting sucked into the snowblower...I think his heart almost stopped!! He soooo wants a snowblower like the one you have...with the built-in handwarmers!! When I read on...that the snow-blower wasn't damaged, he exhaled loudly and said, "Oh...thank God!" You'd think it was HIS snowblower!! LOL

I certainly hope the New Year brings you and Carol better luck! Just in case though, maybe you should stock up on Bud Light and Carol's wine!! LOL

~Sandy~

Oh that is terrible. I totally relate to no water. Our water heater was not working on Christmas Eve either. The pilot went out so my DH lit it when he got home from work and we were good to go. Been sick here with the cold from you know where and I haven't done much. At least there is no snow!!! I bet its really cold up there. At least you have electricity!!! That is helpful in the cold weather!!! (-: Light a big fire and cuddle with the family. Hopefully the snow storm passes quickly(-: Oh and Yay for Christmas Vacation!!!

If you guys were lucky...the Old Woman would hide your clothes! She hid mine today...I'm still in my PJs...at 5PM!!!! LOL

Jim's disappointed the Old Man didn't hide his clothes too. Instead he had Jim get dressed and sent him to buy lottery tickets!! I suppose, if Jim wins, the old buzzard will expect a cut too!!!!

Fat chance, Old Man!!!! LOL

~Sandy~

Susiewantsroses, I agree with tennessee, your stories crack me up! Poor cat, I think smickerdoodle is right, it HAD to be that ole woman again!!
Carol, of course, it wasnt that sweet little Olivia, it HAD to be that wretched ole couple playing with that sled!
Yep, me thinks Sandi has the right idea, nothing a glass of good wine won't cure! What a sweetheart you are to help out the neighbors, too! We could use more thoughtful neighbors like you! Lets hope that couple find a big ole hole to climb in and hibernate for awhile!
blessings-sherri

THE OLD MAN AND WOMAN STRUCK AGAIN! Friday night, they left the garage door open ajar because of below zero temperatures (minus 16 to be exacct) and were worried about our cat Toeby. (The old sweeties really are caring and sensitive at times.) I'll post a picture of Toeby below. (He has 6 toes on each foot.) Well, this led to our pipes freezing and bursting in our furnace/pump room at 3 a.m. In the night, I heard the sound of rushing water, ran out to the garage, and freaked as I tried to turn off the pump in frigid temperatures.

The plumbers came later in the day and fixed everything and gave us a $650 bill! Remember, our hot water heater incident earlier in the week cost us $1000! So, the whole time we were writing a check, the old man and woman were laughing! Oh, after the plumbers left, Carol wanted to do a load of laundry. Well, the Old Lady and Man had frozen the drain pipe and water went everywhere in our laundryroom. I had enough! I had them pack their bags and shipped them off on the train with a one way ticket to....! Are they headed your way? Be prepared!

I'm exhausted from Winter Break! I need a vacation from my vacation! LOL Bear Hugs! Kirk

{{gwi:126580}}

They sure know how to charge up there!! Seem like awfully high bills!! Of course they kind of have you over a barrel (over a snowplow-might work better in your case) not like there are 20 plumbers giving "free estimates" Imagine you are lucky to find someone that will even venture out in that amount of snow!! OK, enough already!!! Maybe with all the snow,the word didn't get through but this is no longer 2008, it's over & done with. It's 2009 & fresh new year!!!!You sent OM &OW packing along with all your troubles so I now declare smooth sailing rest of year!!!!! Jan

OK Folks here's the deal!
After reading these OM&OW posts and as your JT Conductor I'm stating right now that neither Old Man or Old Woman have purchased a JT ticket. And don't let them talk you into letting them ride for free, even if you're a Woodie Guthrie fan!
I think I saw their pictures on a wanted poster down at the PO or was it on a milk carton somewhere..........

: )

How terrible for you all. I'm so sorry you all had to endure this over the holidays...Hope things will be on the up now for you....Esp. since you got rid of the troublemakers....I have a cat that looks just like yours...Mine is 17 and a girl...I found her on Hwy 60 and the cars were straddeling her....She was about 7 weeks old.

OMGosh, you guys are getting the brunt of it ALL! Thank goodness, you did save Toeby! Yes, I agree with Jan, you need smooth sailing the rest of the new yr.! And you'll just have to grin & bear those make-up snowdays in the summer! Good luck out there! It's been a real "winter" here also! Lots of ice again this past weekend...will make Spring all the sweeter! Take care & hope you do get to sleep in a bit! Jeanne S.

We are in our third day of NO SCHOOL after winter break. I spent the day clearing off our roof. Toeby spent the time with me up there. I know he was supervising (with the Old Man guiding him!)! LOL He and the Old Man actually kept me company as I was up there for hours. Over 40 business roofs have collapsed this winter. Today, we experienced a wet snow while Spokane had rains which made for heavier snow. As I was up on the roof, I heard and saw trees in our woods breaking in two. Think Spring! I know the old couple have nothing to do with the weather! Or do they?!!! LOL Bear Hugs! Kirk

H O OOOOOOOOO O W DY>>>>>>>>>> KIDS>>>>>>>>>

what's up...........
SCHOOL.... OK....today.... THURSDAY ???
what about F R I D A Y>>>>>>> ????

Let us hear from you on the FLOODING ALSO !

LOVE YA BUNCHES !
TTFN
God Bless !
SusieSunshine
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