We finally got the garden disced on Sunday. It was too wet to do it, then when it was finally dry while DH was off work, we found out cylinder on the disc had gone out. So, we got another one, then the rains all hit again...

Today I ran the disc over it again, then put in plants. It was too windy to get any seed in-it would have blown away. But, the plants that have been growning in the kitchen and dining room are now in the ground.

So, I have:
18 tomatoes
3 tomato
18 peppers of various sorts
onions
acorn squash
yellow crazy 8 squash
zuchinni
watermelon
eggplant
cucumbers

I still have to get all the seeds in. It will probably be awhile, as we are supposed to have bad storms and rain the next 2 days. Which means, it will have to dry enough to get the tiller in the garden to till because the rain will clump it up.

Seeds will be:
corn, green beans, yellow beans, okra, carrots, sunflowers and I forget what else.

I have potatoes coming up in the compost, so will move them over.

Until this year, I didn't know tomatoes and tomato were two different but very similar fruits.

Well, my aunt has gotten all her test results back. The cancer is stage 4, lung and bone. The doctor did say it does appear to be slow growing. They said with chemo, she could gain 1-2 years. They are recommending 16 chemo treatments, over 16 weeks time. She is thinking about it. It was most likely caused by her heavy smoking for 60+ years.

On the home front, we have decided to sell or trade our 5th wheel for a bumper hitch (which is what we had to begin with). It just has more advantages. Right now we are limited to only being able to pull it with the pickup. The girls are starting to do some horse shows and the pickup can't pull the horse trailer and the camper at the same time, as both are 5th wheel/gooseneck. We are also limited in the pickup with the number of passengers. If we need to, we can pull a bumper hitch with the suburban, or even rent a van if extended family were to go with us. If we get lucky, we can maybe trade even for one 3 feet shorter in a bumper version. Also, it would be easier on the fuel, and we could pull it with the gas suburban instead of the diesel truck which right now is running close to $5 a gallon.

I just talked to my mom, and she just found out her older sister has lung cancer. She is 84. She is having more test run, and we should get more information on Friday.

This is my moms only living sibling. My aunt has always been a very heavy smoker, the only smoker of the family. In fact, she is the first on this side of the family to even have cancer that I know of.

My girls are not taking this well--this great aunt of theirs is also their pen pal, and they like making her little treasures and crafts and send them to her.

At least in my opinion it was an investment.

We have an orchard, with about 12 trees in it and room for about 12-16 more, plus a small vineyard. Each year we try to add more to it. Yesterday we went to Lowe's and bought 1 plum, 1 peach, 3 grapes and 2 blueberrys. We will try to plant them between rain showers today.

I say its an investment, as it will raise the property value of our farm to have the orchard and vineyard, and we also will be getting the fruit to eat, can and perhaps sell.

So far we have several apple, 3 peach, 2 plum.

We lost and need to replace cherry and pear.

We also have 2 types of grapes and blueberries, and are planning on putting in strawberry beds in the next week or so as well.

to a nearby college for summer science camp next month. It is for 7th and 8th grade girls, and they only take 40, so she was very excited that she was picked. She had to write some science essays to get in.

I was told by one of the science camp workers that she is one of the youngest, if not the youngest to have ever been accepted to the camp in its history. She met all the qualifications, tested and wrote for it just like the older girls however. They were also impressed that she is homeschooled.

I am finding it a little easier to type now that the stitches in my hand are out, but it still hurts. I've not seen the hospital bill yet, but should only be $75. The dr told me to color and that really hurts--the stitches were across the knuckles and it doesnt want to stretch to hold the crayon.

And I have been playing with it ever since. Its a Bosh front loader. It was on sale at Lowes (for $798-normally $925), then they took off an additional 10%,(bring it down to $718) plus I had a $25 off anything over $250 coupon that came in the mail, and DH donated his $45 birthday gift card to the cause. We installed it last night and I ran the first load (as recommended with no clothing) before bed. This morning I started doing real laundry in it.

It is VERY quiet, although when it spins out, it makes the cold air vent above my desk ping very softly. I went downstairs and discovered the ventwork runs from my desk to right below the washer, so that would explain it.

The most water this particular washer will use per load is 16 gallons--that is if I set it on heavy, extra dirty. If I have it set on a lighter setting, it would use between 6 and 15 gallons.

It also has a water heater built into it if it senses the water is too cold, but I have that feature turned off for now.

It is energy efficent for water, electric and gas. If you use electric for hot water heating, it will cost $17 a year to run. If you use gas hot water, the cost is estimated at $13 per year. That is based on 8 loads of laundry a week. I estimate my costs will be lower, as I normally wash in cold water. And, since this washer is bigger than my old one, I can do 4 loads of laundry a week. (2.5 cu ft vs 4.5 cu ft)

It spins clothes out so well that jeans and towels are just damp. So, they will line dry quicker, and if I use the dryer, the jeans are done in 10 minutes. It used to take jeans 40 minutes to dry in the dryer.

To do the same laundery in the old washer came out to 30,888 gallons of water a year. The new washer will use 3,328 gallons of water a year.

So, the water and electric bills should both reflect a savings.

This is the time of year that students are taking their ACT and SAT tests. It has been over 30 years since I took mine. Here are some tips that I wish I knew then, that I know now. (Having spent sometime in the classroom on the teaching side as given me some insight)

1. The night before the test, eat a good healthy balanced supper, and get to bed early.
2. Eat a healthy breakfast the morning of the test. (Do not eat donuts and chocolate milk)
3. Slow down the week of the test. Many schools split the testing out over several days. During the time of the testing, slow down your lifestyle some—skip the ball practices. Give your brain time to slow down and rest.
4. Take healthy snacks to eat during the test. Foods such as carrot sticks, raisins, granola, non-messy finger food type of snacks.
5. Go to the bathroom BEFORE the test starts.
6. Be prepared. Take plenty of #2 pencils with you, as well as an eraser. Also, have a couple Kleenex in your pocket. If you take a calculator, make sure it is the allowed type.
7. Before hand, review the basics of math and English. The rest of it falls into place much easier if you know your basics. Start your review a month before, not the night before.
8. Stay focused. Keep your mind on your test. Don’t spend too much time on one problem-if you need to, skip it and go on.
9. Remember, tests are repeated each year. Make it your goal to improve your score next year.
10. Don’t blow off these tests. I knew students who didn’t show up to take them. Your college placement can depend on these tests. Some states, such as Missouri offer scholarships, based on your tests results. You may not be planning on college now, but may change your mind in a couple of years.

I called the credit union. The state refund came last week (3 days after it was efiled). The federal is due to be deposited tomorrow.

DH needs to change his withholdings big time. Its April and he has already paid all that we should have to pay for this year in taxes. When we got married, he never changed it-so instead of showing a wife and housefull of daughters, he was still just claiming himself......

So far this week, Monday, Tuesday and today have been no spend days. Friday may be also unless I go buy some plants. I have the planting itch, but its too wet to plant in the garden yet, but I can do my flower pots.

Spent nothing Mon, Tues or today.

In fact, Mon and today I never left the house, so no fuel used either.

Today it has been in the 70's, so I turned off the heat and opened windows.

Tomorrow and Friday should also be ns days, but Sat and Sun we will be out of town for a 4H event, so we will spend some on gas. However, we are staying with relatives instead of 2 nights in a hotel, and I plan on taking a cooler for our meals on the road and while at our event. So, it will be a cheap trip except for fuel.

The all clear sirens sounded last night, so I relaxed some and finally went to bed. We survived rather well.

But, between then and the time I got up this morning things changed.

The metal burn barrels were blown over, the trampoline from the back yard is now in the front yard, part of the girls playhouse roof and soffet is damaged--probably hit by the trampoline, trash is everywhere, a barn door is partly pushed in, and some shingles are questionable. A few trees lost branches also. We got hit with very high winds--in the 55-58 mph range and nothing was damaged. So, what ever hit us after I went to bed was more powerful than that.

And, I managed to sleep through it all. The weather radio was on, but it never toned a warning.

I am glad my car was in the garage--otherwise, the trampoline would have been on top of it--there are marks showing it hit the ground right where I normally park.

The trampoline went up a hill and over a 2 story house to get to where it was now.

Today was the last day to use the book it free coupons from Pizza Hut for the girls. I had another for a free pizza if you bought one. So, we ended up with 5 pizzas for a total of $15. Not to bad. Of course, we could have made it at home for probably $10. Meat here has gone up and DH likes meat lovers, the last time I made a meat lovers pizza at home, I could have almost bought the pizza cheaper after buying the meat ingredents....

It had been storming off and on all day. We had not been home from getting the Pizza more than 30 seconds when it hit. I had just put my car in the garage and boom. I was going to pull the tractor out of the barn and put DH pickup in, but was afraid to for all the lightening. Something about being in a metal barn and driving a tractor with a metal front loading bale spike sticking up in the air like a lightening rod, kind of nixed that idea.

A tornado touched down not to far away--in St Joseph. It took out 1 house and that was all. The house was right in town. Witnesses said it came down, picked up the house, moved it over and dropped it back down on the sidewalk. One person was mildly injured. A good part of NW MO lost some of their electric. Ours flickered, but stayed on.

Last week I completed a storm spotter/tracker class. I was all geared up to make my first report with tonights storm, but we didn't have anything to report. We had hail, but it was under 3/4 of an inch (we only report 3/4 of an inch or more), and we had 55 mph winds, but they already knew that because it was on TV. Actually TV said 60 mph, but my little weather dodad outside said 55.

DH (on nights now) woke up at 4pm, and takes one look at the cows and tells me we are in for a big storm later. He had not checked the TV or radio for the weather--he could just tell by looking at the cows and the way the were acting. The cows predict the thunderstorms very well, while the horses do a better job of advising when it will snow. You may laugh, but you can tell by the way they act, where the go in the pasture and which direction they turn as to what is going to happen weatherwise.

and it felt kind of good. (no fuel used either!!!) Today was also a no spend day. Tomorrow should be as well. However, Friday we may go to the FFA fundraiser in town. It is our towns 175th anniversery this weekend with a parade on Saturday.

It has been cool and raining off and on most of today. In fact. I don't think the sun ever came out. We had light though--the girls have been doing electrical experiments. You know, the old ones where you use a potato or lemon for a battery?? The also were able to get the light to come on with using an egg, a pickle and a lime.

DH is working a 12 hour overtime shift today-acutally, he is working 2 of them this week, leaving him with only 1 day off. He will be one tired pup by this weekend.

DD5 wanted to do a science experiment, but started crying. I asked her what her problem was, and she told me the book said she had to have an adult present and since my husband was sleeping, she could not do it....

What am I? Chopped liver???

The highschool had 4 boys hang themselves almost 2 weeks ago at the school. 2 died. Students have been told they are NOT to discuss it in public. Kids have told me counselers have not been brought it. It has not been on the news. I feel that as a parent and a tax payer have the right to know this. Earlier this school year another boy also hung himself. The boys have ranged in age from 8th grade thru 12th.

I find this rather disturbing in a small town of less than 3000.

Several more families have now pulled their kids out of school to homeschool as a result. One parent told me she has notified the state board of education about the happenings. What is this world coming to?

Yet, it seems like not much got done... I did get the taxes taken it. My new car developed an issue Friday, so it is back at the dealers and they have given me a loaner till it is repaired.

We took a horse Saturday to get shots and a coggins test. It was 4H day, so we got huge discounts--it only cost me $30 as opposed to about $75 elsewhere. Getting the horse to get into the trailer was interesting--it was his first time out this year, and it was very windy--not a good combination to load up.

My sister in law, and dd1 have decided we are having a garage sale in 2 weeks, so that will keep me busy for awhile. They are going to Ireland next month after dd1 graduates from college, so this will go into their trip fund.

I now have $30 in gift cards from Home Depot, so I went by after church and picked up some paint color strips. I am wanting to paint the master bath and put up tile. I have the tile left from my house remodel at my rental to use, but I will need some more for a border-I just have to decided on the color.

My gals have laid several double yolkers, but today I got a triple yolker......

But, will probably spend some later today. I HAVE to go to the grocery store to get some brocholli and ham for a casserole for tomorrow morning Easter breakfast at church, and I also need another ink cartridge. But, I have several to take and trade it, which will make getting a new one cheaper than having Walgreen's refill the old one.

I also need to go by my sister in laws, as we are going to go through some pictures of DD1 for her graduation party.

Yesterday I was paypaled $25 for a tip I entered at Thriftyfun.com, so I will put that into the challange fund.

In the middle of my last post, I sent the kids outside for a 20 minute recess. They came back in sceaming fire.

The chicken coop was burning. We got it out-used up 2 fire extinguishers and the hose. The hay in it had caught on fire. It appears to have been electrical caused--the cord to a heat lamp (that was not on) was all melted with bare copper showing. It was a fairly new heat lamp also.

We have 4 chickens who are having trouble breathing, and we lost the bedding in it. Structural damage was minor-I probably can find some scrap lumber to do the repair work with. But, the water in it is having trouble draining out, so it may rot it out...

What a day.

No, its not raining money. Thats the price of calf right now, and we had one born on Sunday. We have not messed with it yet (so it could bond with Momma) to sex it, but the girls have decided that since it was born the day before St Pats, it would be Clover if a girl, and Patrick if a boy.

This is the same Momma that last year wandered away from her baby and the neighbors dogs killed it. So, we are keeping a close eye on her this year.

I saw it born, from the office window. It literly hit the ground on its feet, and stayed on its feet till she pushed it over to clean it up. It wanted to eat, she wanted it to bathe. Its a bold baby, wanders around and sniffs at everything. Kind of fun to watch. It is grey, with white circles around its eyes. If I can get it to load, I'll put its picture up.

The teacher I subbed for went back into the hospital, so I will be getting some more sub days next week. I love the subbing and the money from it, but I do wish she was on vacation or something other than being sick. She is a very nice woman and her kids at school really miss her. My younger twins had her last year and loved her. This week is spring break for the schools around here.

What a day (and its not over yet)

First, baby chickens got out as I was feeding them this morning. They are in the basement in a couple of cages. Its just too cold for them to be out.

Then on the way to the school I have been subbing at, I slid off the road (we had a very ice like slick snow this morning). 2 nice men pushed me back on the road.

Got to school. It was only a 1/2 day, but I only had 3 students--the rest of the class is all out sick. The teacher is still in the hospital with her pneunomia, so I have been asked to come back next week, to which I said yes for Mon-Thurs. Friday, we have plans to be out of town. So, Monday night I will pack up my kids and their schoolwork and take them to my parents for Mon-Thurs. They will have time to visit, and I can make some money. (DH will be working, so he and I will both be gone all day). Then Fri, as we leave for our mini trip, I will pick up my girls at my parents. My mom is going on the trip with us, so it will work out perfectly.

So, at the end of my sub run for last week, this week and next, I will be looking at $500.

The school I have been at is a small Christian School (where my daughters used to attend) so I know most of the students. Its a nice atmosphere, but they only pay $50 a day to sub, as compared to the public schools around here that pay between $75 to $150 a day.

Our chickens are now up to laying 10 eggs a day, so I still have 6 who are not laying.....Yee Haw!!!

It was a no spend day, but we are getting ready to go to a party for the church youth group, and I need to stop an get a finger food snack on the way. But, that will be under $7 or $10 at the most.

I subbed for 3rd grade again today. Now my class is down to only having 4 students. 2 are still in the hospital. Tomorrow is only a 1/2 day, so hopefully all will get well over the long weekend. Several at school have pnenumonia (I know that is misspelled).

So, tomorrow I teach there again from 8-12, then I go to my girls homeschool coop and teach from 12:30-4:30. Coop had so many kids sick 2 weeks ago that they cancelled coop. That gave everyone a chance to get over it.

I did break down and spend $1 on a grape soda today...Then I spent $26 filling up my car so I could get back to town tomorrow. $26 to fill it up. The first time I filled up my car after I got it, it cost me $16.32 for 8.5 gallons. Today my 8.5 gallons was $26. At least, I have it to drive and don't have to fill up my suburban for all these trips to and from town on days I sub.

I received a call to sub for today. After I got to the school, I was asked to teach the rest of the week. I accepted and it will work out perfectly with DH days off. We go to homeschool coop on Friday afternoons at 12:30, but the school I am subbing for gets out at noon on Friday for an early out. And, it is located between my house and the coop. Perfect timing.

Only downsize is this is a private Christian School, and subs only make $50 a day. The public schools pay more, but it will still be $200 more than what I would have had if I had not gone. This is the same schools my girls went to last year, so I know the teachers and the students. Classes are small (the 3th grade I have has 8 students, and 3 are out sick). But, I really enjoy being here-kind of like coming home and the day just flys by.

DH did the homeschooling today. The girls were playing store when I got home with a pile of real money. They are practicing counting money and counting back change. (I hate it when adults at stores don't count change back to you).

Today was a NS day, except for writing out routine bills which I am doing now.

Just checked the mail. DH had a 401K loan (short term to buy some land with while we were waiting on some other money to arrive). Anyway we paid it off in full when we got the other money and didn't notice that somehow we paid an extra $104. The refund for that was in the mail today. Yee haw.

The microwave repair guy shows up today. He has ordered a part, and he will return next Monday to repair it. Apprently, it is a common problem. It is a contact in the keypad that as worn out....Still, one would think it would take longer than 6 weeks to wear out. (microwave is only 6 weeks old). It is also mostly seen in units over the stove--this is a counter model, so he was surprised by that.

Last month I replaced a refrigerator at a rental house. It came with a rebate. All the signs in the store, the store owner (it was a small sears store, independently owned), and the receipt say I get a rebate on the delivery and install charges. Yet the sears website when I go to enter the rebate, says it is not valid for a rebate. So I called the 800 number. I get these dudes in India who don't speak english.... So, I will try to mail it in.

Today was also a no spend (ns) day. I got a phone call to sub teach tomorrow at the Christian School where my daughters attended last school year. DH is off tomorrow, so he can play teacher with them. Since he is off and will be doing the schooling, he will probably focus their learning in the areas of history, math and chemistry. He is a history buff, and being a chemical engineer he is big on the math and sciences.

So, I will also earn some money tomorrow. I also subbed one day last week as well. I like to get 1 day subbing a week. That amounts to an extra $300-$400 a month.

Tomorrow should also be a NS day. The grocery store had banquet dinners on sale, so I stocked up on them last week. They are good to take on days I teach--often I get a call 30 minutes before I have to leave, so if I have those I just grab one on my way out the door. DH got a day of overtime in on Sunday, so that will show up on next weeks check. It will be enough in overtime to refill the propane tank. (Sunday overtime!!)

I just bought in Jan 9. Still in warrenty. It died. Same problem as the last 2. Flashes F3 on the display screen and you can't push any buttons.
Now for the rotten part (again-I just went thru all this in December). I called the repair number. They will send a man out sometime Mon or Tues between 8 and 5. It can not be narrowed down any ore than that....I can't take it back to the store, but I can take it 37 miles to the repair center in Kansas City, the go back at a later date to pick it up. It won't fit in my little Aveo, so I have to drive the pickup, which is deisel, and if you have seen the deisel prices lately.....if I do the 2nd option, I will have spent more on fuel getting it fixed than it cost to begin with.
Thankfully, I also have a free one I got off of freecycle to use until the repair man shows up.
This is the 3rd microwave DH and I have gone thru since we got married--less than 2 years ago. Its a kenmore. Also, our kenmore washer has failed and the icemaker twice in the frig. They don't make them like the used to.
I called Sears, I was transferred 11 times. No one cares or will take responsiblility. Its only 6 weeks old. Cant they just deliver me a new one??? NO, according to them.
I sent Sears an email, and it came back as undeliverable, even though I used the link off their website.
I will not be buying anymore from Sears.
If I get a call to sub Mon or Tues, I will have to turn it down because the repairman MIGHT show up.....grrrr.

I am going to try and go for 16 or more NS days in March.
Today is day 1 of the month, and is also going to be a NS day. I will have to spend tomorrow however, as DH just informed me is is out of deoderant at work (his job requires he showers before work to be clean, and before leaving due to his exposre to chemicals, so that he doesn't bring home any residue). Our little humbug grocery store here only stocks 2 kinds of dedorant, and the aren't his type. Since we go to church in the city, I will swing by walgreens there and get about 10 of them. I have coupons for $2 off, and they normally run around $3 each. That should hold him for close to a year.

Some may think I am crazy for buying in bulk, but when you live 8 miles from a dinky high dollar grocery store, 17 miles from a so so one, and 24 from an Aldi's and Walgreen, fuel adds up. So, I buy in bulk, combining with coupons when I can, rotate the stock and we have our own "store" in the basement. Our college aged daughters also like to "shop" in the basement when they visit and are broke. My system has saved us many a trip to town for one or two items and many gallons of fuel.

It has been a quiet day. DH is at work, DD1 came by for awhile this morning, DD3 is at a friends house and we got some house cleaning done and a lesson on fractions. Of course, my children feel the only good way to study fractions is to make pizza or cookies and double or triple the recipe. Then they have to multiply the fractions. Well, DH told me the other day he felt we needed a fraction lesson in peanut butter cookies...so, we baked several batches.

I noticed I have a turkey in one of the deep freezers and DH has some wood chips...I think on his upcoming days off he could smoke us a turkey....so, I have it out to thaw.

We just got our first double yolked egg. So, DD4 asks me if chickens can have twins......
Humm, I can't find anything on that one. So, I called the extension office and asked the chicken person. He is now calling Columbia to see if anyone knows. If a egg has 2 yolks it should be able to, but is the egg big enough to hold 2 chicks???
Only DD4 would have come up with the question.

Years ago, I used to teach first aid, CPR and home safety. These tips are still just as sound today as they were 25 years ago.

1. If your car has an alarm, keep your keys beside your bed. If you have an intruder during the night, hit the button. The alarm will scare him off. This can also work if you have a medical emergency. After your alarm goes off for a length of time, you have a pretty good chance of a neighbor either coming over or calling to check on you (or to tell you to turn the thing off!). I tried mine, and I can activate my car from all rooms of the house except those in the basement.

2. Keep your cell phone plugged into the charger at night, beside your bed. If someone cuts your phone line during the night in an attempt to silence an alarm and break in, you can still call 911.

3. Parents/adults should sleep with one of the homes fire extinguishers and a flashlight in their bedroom, located between the bed and the bedroom door. If a fire breaks out at night, you have a way to get out of your room and help your family. Keep your fire extinguishers charged and use the proper type for where they are located.

4. Have working smoke detectors and keep the batteries current. A good rule is to change the batteries when the time changes (twice a year). Most fire departments will help you install them or change the batteries. (You provide the device and the battery). I let them install mine after I bought them as I knew the FD was better trained to know the best locations to place them (and had a better ladder!!). In some towns, they will also provide the smoke alarms for elderly persons, people who are on food stamps or for renters.

5. Every parent should take first aid/cpr. It can also save time to know by name drug allergies that your family may have. Keep a list of your medications in your wallet on a card.

6. Keep the following in your first aid supplies. These are often overlooked and can save a life—aspirin and ipecac syrup. Study their uses and administer them (if the situation calls for it) as someone else calls 911 or AFTER you have called 911. Call for your help first, so they are on their way.

7. Make sure your family knows escape routes for a fire, hiding places for a tornado, and where to meet during a major emergency.

8. When out, don’t let little ones where shirts with their names on it. A stranger can lure the child away more easily by calling them by their name.

9. When in a crowd, moms find it useful to dress the family alike. Ours family still does it—when we go to the amusement park, or the race track, we all wear red t shirts. When mine were real little, I even went as far as to write my cell number on their stomach in ink—just in case they got lost. I learned this tip from a co-worker whose daughter was lost at the zoo. The security officer who found her told her to do that on their next trip.

10. Use common sense. It doesn’t hurt to keep poisons and cleaners up out of reach even if you don’t have little ones in your home. Outlet covers can also be of use to stop curious little fingers AND they can also act as a form of insulation for the outlet as well. Teach little ones how to dial 911. Keep medicines in a safe place (top of the refrigerator is good) and out of the bathroom. The bathroom should NEVER be used to store medications for 2 reasons: first, little ones are in there alone, with the door shut---and two, heat and moisture are bad on medications. Ours are in a Rubbermaid type container in the kitchen on top of the refrigerator where little ones can’t get to it. Irons should never be kept on the ironing board. Even if they are cold, a little one can knock it off and onto their head.

If in doubt as to the safety of your home, get down and crawl! Become the height of a 2 year old and see what you can find to put into your mouth, pull on, tip over, climb on……

As we merged households 18 months ago, we ended up with many duplicate items, and some unneeded ones. This includes a 1970's wood consol TV set, that works, color, cable ready. However, it was made before remote controls caught on, so it has none. We tried to sell it for $5. No interest. We have even tried giving it away--no one wants it. We have put it on Craigslist, offered it to numerous schools and organizations and no one wants it.
What the heck am I to do with it????

Hopefully you or someone you know or love will never be involved in a house fire. I completely lost my home and its contents in 2001. Having lived through the experience, I will admit it was not like I would have imagined it to be.


1. The most important things are the lives of your family members.

2. Keep good records and an inventory of your home at a second location, such as a safety deposit box. It doesn't need to be anything fancy, but a video of your home, both inside and out can be of great value later.

3. Be generous with family photos and baby photos. We lost all of ours. However, since we were so generous with family members, they still had copies. They were more than willing to copy them for us so that we could replace ours.

4. Copy your baby books/ wedding books. Give a copy to Grandma or save on disc in the safety deposit box. It also is a good idea to keep your birth certificates in there as well. If you do genealogy, keep a copy of your research in the box also. I lost thousands of hours of work.

5. Invest in a fireproof safe for your home. We have all learned to use the freezer. I can tell you the freezer will burn. It is the last to burn, but it can and will burn. Mine did. The documents stored in it were ruined. The plastic liner and insulation melted and entombed them.

6. Install proper safety features in your home. This includes smoke alarms, carbon detectors, fire extinguishers, escape ladders for the second floor.... Make sure things are charged and have good batteries. Make sure your family knows the escape route and where your family meeting place is.

7. Don't assume that since someone has insurance, they don't need help. I found out we still needed help, and we had excellent insurance. As soon as our agent arrived, we were given a check for $500 for things we needed "right now". This included changes of clothing, toiletries, diapers, food... I will tell you, that $500 did not go far. From that point on, we were reimbursed AFTER we had to pay up front. After checking with others fire survivors, the Red Cross, the fire department and other insurance companies, I found that was the norm. In fact, the Red Cross never even showed up. I found out later that in the area I lived in, for the Red Cross to show up, the homeowner has to request it. However, a wonderful couple from our church organized a food and clothing drive for us. This was held 3 days after the fire and was wonderful. We were given gift cards, diapers, food, gas cards, a new cell phone with lots of minutes, pet food, and pet carrier for our cat (who was also homeless now), an inexpensive camera and film to document with.... These items helped to tide us over until we started getting some reimbursement checks from our insurance company.


8. Check with your insurance company to see what type of coverage you have. Do you have enough coverage to cover rising instruction costs? Do you have replacement value or will your insurance only reimburse what you paid for an item when it was originally purchased.

9. Also check your insurance to see if you need to add a "rider" to cover certain items such as art, furs, jewelry, and antique cards. Also, some business items may not be covered--for instance, if you brought home a laptop from work and it were destroyed, your insurance may or may not cover it. If your car is parked in the garage or driveway will it be covered if damaged by the fire department or if the paint is blistered by heat??. Verify that outbuildings are covered. Ours were, but some friends of theirs were not. The fire blistered the paint of their shed and ruined the roof and they had to take care of that out of their own pocket.

10. Check with your local law enforcement agency and request extra police drive bys. We had problems with potential looters trying to take things from our house the first few nights. My father stayed outside the house in the driveway in his car and ran off several.

Glad it is over. Renters decided to move in earlier, so we spent a good part of the week in my old town painting and getting the place ready. We also had the flu going around, so that didn't help any. Then 2 ice storms hit there and slowed things down. To top it off, my best friend, who is more like a sister, has been on a waiting list for a kidney transplant. She got her kidney yesterday. I've not been to see her yet, due to having the bug, but should be able to by tomorrow.
Today I slept till noon. We all did. We were tired.