bicker, bicker, bicker

As indicated in the previous entry, we moved to Newalla, OK, not quite two years ago. The previous blog dramatized one of the minor incidents we experienced. But, in the first months of country life, we had many other minor experiences, so many in fact that we were beginning to think that the place had been built on some ancient grave yard and that the residents thought it was time for a little poltergeist activity.

Here is a short list of some of the things that happened to us in the first year:

Dec 7, 2007, moved into the place.

Dec 10, ice storm hit; electricity went out for the next 10 days; lost all the trees lining the drive and we had to cut our way out. One tree fell on our rental truck. Oh, and a limb crashed through the roof of the old house we were selling and the patio roof caved in, repairs for both delaying the sale.

Continued cleaning up from the ice storm throughout 2008, 2009, and looks like Jackson Danger will be old enough to help out with this particular chore before completion.

Got sick with the worst flu ever. Dad was living with us at the time and was the first to get sick. We thought he was having a stroke. A few days later, Pam and I both went down for three days each, and I thought having a stroke would actually feel better.

Petey da Wiener Dog went lame.

In the process of burning off some of the ice storm debris, the east field caught fire, spreading toward neighbor's place; fire department called in to get some practice.

Computer crashed. We lost financial records, photos, addresses, phone numbers, and work stuff (now you know why we didn't call).

Chickens bought, chickens grown, chickens kidnapped by racoon (see previous post).

The car was hit by a deer on the road in front of our new home within 150 feet of the driveway - I said, "the car was hit by a deer", the deer was not hit by the car. The deer "T-boned" the car. The deer was shaken up a bit, but ran off into the woods without leaving insurance information. The car was repaired, but three days later was hit by careless person in a local parking lot.

Squirrels got ALL the pecans on all five pecan trees.

The truck was rear-ended, insurance company refused to pay for repair - they said they weren't responsible because their client was driving a borrowed car because hers was in the shop being repaired because of a previous accident. Settlement still pending.

Leak from the upstairs bathtub into the downstairs living room; fixed.

Leak from a water pipe flooding the downstairs dining room; wall had to be torn out to access the leak for repair; Had problems with insurance settlement, but fixed.

Water heater went bad, had to be replaced.

Upstairs air conditioner broke; not fixed, replaced by window units (turned out this lowered our electric bill, which says something about the efficiency the upstairs air conditioner).

Lawn tractor broke down; fixed at great cost.

Upstairs heater broke; not fixed yet (but, winters coming and the Farmer's Almanac predicts this winter will be colder than this summer has been).

The car had to have major engine work. Fixed, and now running great - but now we can't afford to go anywhere.

Numerous tornado warnings.

Two flash flood warnings.
Wild fires surrounding us.

Heat wave.

Blizzard.

The property taxes doubled - yes, DOUBLED - during 2008, apparently just because the property was "improved" merely by us moving in.

And Petey da Wiener Dog had a run in with a polecat ("skunk", for you non-redneck types).

The one thing we DID NOT experience this past year was a yete attack (although I swear we saw a chupacabra).

Now, I'm not complaining, I'm merely reporting. These things happen, I understand that. And don't get me wrong, I know that these things did not happen because we moved. And I don't think God was trying to tell us "something" and I don't believe God was "testing" us for some reason like He tested Job. I mean, really, do any of these incidents resemble anything Job went through?

Uh oh, just noticed that the downstairs air conditioner is not working. Didn't that break down last year? Let me check my list. . . . Well, I don't see it - but I'll be sure to add it for your reading pleasure.

Peace Out, y'all.