This week's winner!
Congratulations to DebrafromMD. You're the winner of the Pheasant Crossing pattern & charm pack! Thanks to everyone who commented on their favorite Pheasant Hill print/color. I appreciate the feedback for future collections. Today I'm trying to whittle down a huge pile of beautiful prints into a new 40 piece KT Favorites II collection. Oh my - I wish there could be 60! You'll see this new group just in time for Christmas this year! If there's a KT Favorite you love now, grab it before it's gone.Lynne's Really Bad Day
Have you ever had one of those days/trips when everything that could go wrong, did? I thoroughly enjoyed my trip to IL last week, but it started out on April Fool's Day less than perfectly. I woke up to pack my clothes in the car and the handle broke on my suitcase. No problem, just repacked in 2 smaller suitcases - clothes in one, shoes/socks in the other. Out the door and on my way. Just about an hour down the road, my oil light came on. Funny, since I'd had the oil changed just the previous week. When I stopped to check, there was no oil in the car. Hmmmm, guess they forgot to put oil back in. Pretty easy fix, just added a couple quarts. Stopped in Des Moines for gas when the tire light came on. Really??? My rear tire had a bulging spot on the side with a slow leak. Buy an extra large Diet Coke, fill up the tire and move on, I'll have it checked tomorrow. Between Des Moines and Moline, I stopped every hour to fill the tire. Grrrrrr..... When I reach Davenport, IA and turn south to Moline, the front end of my car "clunks" loudly and starts grinding every time I turn the wheel. Sounds just like it did in Dec. when one of the wheel bearings went out. As I limped into Moline, I stopped at the motel and asked for the nearest tire dealership. There happened to be a Firestone just around the corner. I talk to a nice young man who says to come back at 8am for someone to look at my "issues". Back at the motel - a very nice Comfort Inn ungoing remodeling - I sink into a hot bath, hoping to soak away my really bad day. When I'm good and prune-y, I step out of the tub into a puddle of cold water - the toilet has been running over. SERIOUSLY??? I stood in the cold water, laughing/crying wondering how this day could get any worse. I gathered up my stuff, moved to another room and crashed for the night. About 4am, I woke up in a panic realizing I'd left my suitcase with all my shoes/socks at home by the bed. Could this get any worse? I'm up and waiting at Firestone at 8am. When I explained my situation to Bill, that I needed to be at the guild meeting by 11:30am to unpack all the stuff in my car, he was very understanding and promised they would have my car fixed or take me and my stuff there themselves. What a guy! I walked over to the mall, ate a cinnamon pretzel for breakfast and waited for the stores to open, wondering how the day would play out. Now I know most of you would love to HAVE to shop for shoes, but it's one of my least favorite things to do - right after bra shopping. My feet are wide so very few brands fit well. I prayed someone had a pair of Berkenstocks or Dansko's in stock in my size. Three stores later, Von Maur had 2 pair - black and taupe - that would work. I bought 5 pair of socks and headed out to Firestone about 11am. They were pulling my car out of the garage - with 4 new tires, an oil change, new wheel bearing and alignment as I arrived. Bill and his crew were absolutely great in working so quickly to get me back on the road safely. Thank you guys! So, the moral of the story is - if you need tires, go to Bill at Firestone in Moline, IL. If you need shoes in a hurry, Von Maur is the place (we don't have Von Maur where I live so I was pleasantly surprised by their huge shoe selection). The ladies in Moline were delightful and excited about my program and workshop. My very bad day disappeared and was replaced by a very good day with quilters. I figure when that many things go wrong all at once, I must be good to go with no major issues for a long time. Let's hope so, anyway! I'm driving halfway across the country next month.Have you had a very bad day that ended well because of a saintly helper in your life? Share your story to win a Pheasant Hill mini charm. Here's hoping your problems are "mini", your troubles few.
Oh my gosh!! I can't top your tales of woe. My bad day also involved a car. A Sears outlet missed an alternator problem and just installed a new battery instead of a new alternator. The next day, on my drive home for Easter, the battery died in the middle of nowhere. A kind tow truck operator left his kids who were dying eggs and towed my car. the next day the car was fixed and I was on my way.
ReplyDeleteWow - what a day, huh? Glad things turned out okay for you! Sometime when I'm having a crummy day, I ask hubby to stop on his way home from work to buy fast food for dinner - it's a big thing if I don't have to cook - and helps me feel better!
ReplyDeleteI do the same thing. Some nights when I get home from work I just cannot face making a meal! It is such a pleasure not to have to spend time in the kitchen occassionally.
DeleteOh Lynne, I'm glad their was resolution and happiness to a day of crudiness!
ReplyDeleteOh I'm sure there have been days like that for me. I can't remember specifics, but I recall not too many years ago, days of my underwear, ponytail holders, screws from the blinds, being flushed down the toilet, followed by my Bluetooth being immersed into candle wax (yes, the candle was burning, and yes, I am an attentive and over-protective mama!) by my then baby who was under two years old! He once even went into my friend's master bathroom and tried to flush her beautiful ponytail holders, etc. down her toilet! Oh my embarrassment! But you know what...they were some of the best days of my life, and I can look back on those precious memories and smile! :)
I'm having one of those days today. My husband pulled the car up to the curb. I opened my door on the passenger side right over the storm drain. It was pouring rain. I tried to jump the grate to make it to the curb. Caught my foot on my big quilted bag and dragged it out of the car and dumped the open bag right over the drain. I tried to scoop up everything I could but just missed grabbing my keys as they disappeared. The day is not over yet so I'm still waiting for my saintly helper. Happy to hear your adventures ended well.
ReplyDeleteMy worst bad day was when we went shopping and as we got out of the car I slammed the door shut, somehow I managed to trap my thumb in the door. OMG, I can still feel the pain and the sickness....we had only made the decision to go at the last minute and I wished we hadn't!! My saintly helper was my hubby, he kept putting my head between my legs so I wouldn't pass out!!!! So helpful... not. Thanks for the giveway. Linda x
ReplyDeleteHELLO! YES,I SUPPOSE EVERYONE'S HAD A "BAD DAY">MINE WAS A WHILE BACK WHEN THE PIZZA WAS DROPPED UPSIDE DOWN ON THE OVEN DOOR>YES, STICKY MOZARELLA ON THE DOOR,IN THE BOTTOM OF THE OVEN,IN THE OVEN HINGE,ON THE FLOOR! JUST SO AWFUL TO CLEAN UP !!!!
ReplyDeletemsstitcher1948@yahoo.com
About a year ago, I had one of those days. Bad day at work, what could go wrong did, computer acting up, Loud thumping noise coming from the ceiling. It is giving me a headache. Students are having a bad day and now snow storm hitting at the time we leave. But the end of the day was the worst. I live on a steep hill with a dirt road. First, I skidded into a ditch because of the slippery road. I push my car out, thank goodness for small cars. Now back on the road hit a pot hole and my muffler falls off. Got out of my car to pick it up, slipped on the icy road. Now, my pants are wet. Finally home, change my clothes, go to the barn to do chores. The bag of feed breaks open and feed is everywhere. Clean it up. Boom I fall hard; hit my head on the ground. Now my bottom hurts and my head is bleeding. Go into the house and do not move the rest of the night.
ReplyDeleteJust had to share....if you like Dansko's, you should try Klogs....that is what I now wear and my DIL even switched after trying them.
ReplyDeleteI have had bad luck, but I think you got hit with it all in one day, lol.
ReplyDeleteOne year we went camping in NH and realized we had no clothes when we got there, someone forgot to pack that in the car;)
Debbie
Your story brought back memories of a really bad day for me. I use to do craft shows and was driving from SW Iowa to Minn, MN. I drove a mini van loaded with my creations, when the front wheel kept shimming back and forth until.....the front driver's side wheel came off and I proceeded to work like crazy to not roll my vehicle. Somehow I managed to slide into the ditch on I-35 (interstate) as I watched my tire rolling like crazy into a nearby farm field. Like you, I had just had my tires rotated and either the lug nuts did not get tightened or they rattled loose. Needless to say I was one lucky person. A guy in a pickup truck stopped, got my tire, and took me to Mason City where the Chevy dealership there made repairs to my van and got me back on the road. When I arrived at the show....some friends of mine had already heard about my near mishap and they helped me for the rest of the day get my booth setup. That day my guardian angels had to work overtime. They sure took good care of me though.
ReplyDeleteOH MY You are a brave soul - I would have laid on the ground and refused to move!! That Bill has somce great CARMA coming to him (heh heh see what I did there hehe)
ReplyDeleteMany years ago we took a trip from the coast to the valley in CA. in a camper pulling a boat with 5 kids and a dog in this camper. We left in the afternoon. As we were traveling towards Merced, CA. I noticed something flying off the camper, several times. When we stopped we noticed several lug nuts on the tires had come off. The truck tires had been replaced by Sears. We limped the truck to Merced worried with the heavy load and children. It was after 5 when we arrived and everything had closed this Friday evening. We checked several places and finally found someone who knew of a gentleman who had these heavy duty lug nuts (a 3/4 ton pickup with large tires) and he came back to his shop and "gave" my husband the needed nuts to secure the tires. It was dark as we arrived at the lake and felt secure and thankful for a strangers generosity to us. I have never forgotten this wonderful man. And Sears? My husband worked in the auto area and told the tire person how serious the situation could have been.
ReplyDeleteIn 1976 my husband was traveling out west with his father and brother. I was driving from Dubuque to Detroit with two daughters (14 & 8 yr old) and a dog. Had 4 new tires on station wagon. It is Sunday afternoon & blew one tire past Des Moines and nice young man came across the interstate and changed our tire. It's now dusk, spitting rain, getting closer to Chicago area and we blow another tire and we are stuck. A few men stop but can't help and finally State patrol stops and takes us and dog into the next town, to a station. Every thing is closed so will need to wait til Monday. Holiday Inn next day and they agree to let us bring the dog into room for the night. The men from the station are so kind, they take me in the wrecker and a used spare tire back out to put on the car, to get me back into small town. Goodyear Tire store opens at 8:00 but they don't have any tires for my car, there is tire strike going on! They call next town, find my tires, put on two used tires and send me on my way, no charge just leave the tires at next store. Everyone was so kind to me and went out of their way to help a mother traveling with children and a dog. I was really scared but couldn't show my fear so remained calm (or I thought I was calm!) for my girls!
ReplyDeleteGloria
gyates625@bellsouth.net
Morning Lynne, sometimes when our days are difficult, like your trip, makes me count my blessings. You are safely home! Thanks for sharing. Blessings and smiles, Emilou :-)
ReplyDeleteTwo days ago I had an extremely demanding work day, then I thought I would relax while getting my hair done. We finished up about 6:30 and headed for home but something about the vehicle sounded weird so we pulled over and one of tires was completely flat! Waited for an hour for the tow truck and finally arrived home about 7:30. It was a long day but not nearly as eventful as yours. I am glad it had a happy ending.
ReplyDeleteBad day turned better. Monday,February 11, 2013, the Orthopaedic octor tells me that "they" think I have cancer based on biopsy. February 11, 2013, my mother's 82nd birthday, which we celebrated. Tuesday, February 12, 2013, the chemo-oncology tells me that I have stage 4 terminal cancer with 6 months to live if undergo chemo and radiation. Friday, February 15, 2013, 5:00 pm, the chemo oncology doctor calls and tells me that the lung cancer committee is 99% sure that I have stage 4 terminal lung cancer that has metastatized into bone cancer.
ReplyDeleteSo, the good news is that my loving family and friends are helping me enjoy every minute of each day and only God knows how long this will be.
Marcia,
DeleteSo wish your story ended on a healthier note, but angels will be with you throughout your journeys. Prayers and good wishes.
Lynne
Glad you were able to get your car fixed and find some shoes. As for me, I'm thankful for my son's girlfriend. They met at work at the corporate office of Dillard's, Inc.(home office of the department stores) located in Little Rock. Late last Friday afternoon, after my husband and I had traveled three hours north to visit our daughter and son-in-law, my son phoned and told me that several people, including him, had been terminated without prior warning and weren't given severance pay. My husband and I would have turned around and headed back home if our son's girlfriend hadn't been with him to offer support.
ReplyDeleteMy son learned today that a dozen more people were terminated. Earlier this week, it was reported that each of the Dillard siblings had reaped hundreds of millions each by exercising stock options. I assume that the sudden, cruel termination of employees is a "smoke and mirrors" ploy to cut expenditures and make the company's bottom line appear that it's on a better financial footing when it's clearly not. I suppose the only part of the story necessary to share with you was the part about my son's wonderful girlfriend offering comfort and support to my distraught son, but venting about the dastardly Dillard's, Inc. was quite cathartic. Mamas do not appreciate maltreatment of their kids, even if that child is 24 years old. By the way, Dillard's, Inc., did a similar thing to my daughter several years ago. She now has a bright future with her current employer, and I know my son will find employment soon with a great company that will appreciate him. P.S.: Glad you didn't shop for shoes at Dillard's!
I think we all can say we have had some back days, once I taught a class, and the student cut her fabric wrong, and it was the last on the end of the bolt,there was no more! and I had just purchased a new coffee cup, a very special one, and it got broken at the class! I never taught that same class again!!!!! SMILEY FACES!
ReplyDeleteLynne, I had one of those bad tire days, when the kids and I were heading home from a 4-H fair held in Melvern, which is in Osage County Kansas. I was behind a slow poke on Hwy 268, so I attempted to pass it, then he sped up, then I sped up trying and get around him, and then heard what seemed like a loud 'firecracker' sound, and my car immediately slowed down, and pulled drastically to the right. The 'blanketity blank'person, I was trying to pass, just drove on down the road. I got out of my vehicle, walked around to check out which tire blew, when down the road from the direction I had just driven, came an "ANGEL" sent from God above. This guy didn't bother to introduce himself. He got out of his vehicle, opened up his van got out this 'powered up' tire socket remover is the only way I can explain it, sounding like I was already in the shop....zzzztt.....zzzztttt...zzzzttz...well you get the picture.... then BIM...BAM.... thank you mamam and he was done... getting the blown tire off, and the spare put on and taking no more than 5 minutes, if that. He didn't want any money, He then did give me his name but I wish I could remember it. Then... maybe it really was an "ANGEL", because the way my car veered off the road, there sure could have had a different outcome that 'bad tire' day.:)
ReplyDeleteLynne,
ReplyDeleteSorry I missed you in Pearl City last Saturday. (I was on the benefit committee for a local cancer patient and Saturday was our big event.) I did stop in PC yesterday and picked up my signed copy of Loose CHange. Thank you!
I had a day like that about 5 1/2 years ago. I live in Rock Falls, IL and my son had just returned to WyoTech in Laramie WY from Christmas break and was EXTREMELY homesick. I had promised if he went 1 semester and didn't feel he could do it - he could come home. Soooo, he had just a few days to get moved out. I left home at 6 am on Frday morning and by the time I got to IA City my "low tire pressure" light was on. I stopped and put air in the tire and continued on down I80. Well, this went on for miles. Stopping and airing up. DId I mention, I had just had my car servised before I left town? By the time I got to Omaha I had had enough. So, I asked in a local gas station where I could get my tire serviced. Luckilly, there was a Sears tire store right up the road. I took it over and explained my situation, I needed to be in Laramie that night. The guys got my car right in and replaced the tire stem and I was on my way! At a cost of only $20!
So, I go to get back on I80 and just after I got on there was a HUGE crash and the whole westbound lane was blocked! After I sat there for awhile, watching numerous cars turn around in the median and get in the eastbound lane to get to the off ramp - I did something I had never done before - I followed them! Thank God I had my new GPS unit - I had to drive through the city of Omaha to get to the next on ramp!
I progressed west, only to drive into a snow storm. By the time I was driving through the mountains and the swirling snow coming into Laramie at 9 pm that night my low fuel light had been on for about 20 minutes. Thankfully, I made into Laramie and to the gas station before my tank was completely empty - I had to have been on fumes!
We got my son's stuff all loaded up and then headed to the hotel for a short night. Up by 5 am and on the road, by the time we hit North Platte heading east, my car would not go when I tried to accelerate and the temperature gauge was in the red. Off went the cruise control, the heat and the radio. It only got worse! When I stopped for gas, I was afraid to shut the car off. DId I mention, we were still dealing with the snowpacked and icy road conditions from the snow storm the previous day? As we came into Des moines there was 1 semi and 4 cars in the ditch along one short stretch of highway. Mind you I kept calling my husband through all of this and he just told me to deal with it - I was so glad when I made it to Des moines - because at this point I felt that I was within a distance that my husband could get his buddy to come get me with his flatbed!
Well, we made it back to IL about 10 pm Saturday night. That was the most driving I had ever done in a 36 hour time period and what a trip it was. I found out the next week that I my catalytic converter had started melting and that is why my car would bog down! But, all was well, we made it home safely!
I just received my Fons and Porter Quilting magazine and was pleased to see an article about my favorite designer. Wonderful article! Love the pattern and can't wait to get started on it.
ReplyDeleteCheck out Fons & Porters' Quilting with the Stars this month, too, for 3 interviews with Mary. She made it alot of fun!
DeleteHi, Lynne, Want to tell you how I enjoyed your presentation here in Blue Springs. It was great.
ReplyDeleteBad experience -- 2 yrs. ago my husband and I were headed from Branson, MO to Eureka, KS to visit my son's grave site - I hadn't been there for many years. We pulled off the major highway onto a state road because of a strange sound - yep - flat tire. He was calling our roadside service and I commented that we're in Kansas someone will stop & help. I hardly had the words out of my mouth when 2 cars stopped, folks changed the tire and told us where we could find a Wal-Mart to get a new tire. The Kansas attitude continued when we got to Wal-Mart as they were just about to close the automotive dept., but stayed long enough to take care of our situation. Kansas folks are the best.
Thankfully I can't remember any bad days right now! Thank God. I know there were some hum-dingers!
ReplyDeleteGlad you're home safely and hip-hip-hooray to Bill at Firestone!
My really bad day (actually 3 days) and the saintly rescuer happened months apart, and in between was nearly as challenging. My husband was in his last year of college, we had one son, and I was pregnant with baby number 2. We had prepaid our share of anesthesia costs and some toward other hospital fees. Baby number 2 decided to make his appearance in late November, a few weeks early, while we were out of town. So that meant different hospital, OB, and anesthesia fees. On Christmas Day (also a Sunday) I awoke quite ill while at the in-laws near Atlanta. In-laws found a walk-in-clinic where I was diagnosed with a urinary infection (which was incorrect), and with medicines I was prescribed had to also take something to dry up the baby's milk. So now we had to find a store with bottles and formula, another expense. Less than a week later I was admitted to the hospital (at home now) and after exploratory surgery ended up with my gall bladder and appendix removed. (More charges!) The surgeon's fees were the first to be paid off, and then through the next 8 months we gradually whittled away on the other fees. My original OB doctor told us to worry about his fees last. Then after the yearly bonus my husband received in September we had the last bill to pay off. I drove to the OB's office and after just a few minutes the receptionist called me to her office. No one else was there, which I thought was odd, but with 2 babies I really wasn't paying much attention to that. I told her I had the money to pay off our bill and just needed to verify the exact amount before writing out the check. She told me the doctor was closing his offices in order to go to Loma Linda University to teach obstetrics and that the bill was zero. I got the kids buckled into car seats and buckled my own and then broke down and cried. Now that was a saintly rescue!!
ReplyDeleteAh, yes, my SAINTLY HEROS s are June and George in a little suburb of Sacramento, California .
ReplyDeleteI had driven down to San Francisco with a friend (we came from just north of Seattle, Washington) where we picked up her daughter who was flying in after a year teaching in China. We then drove to Sacramento to a specialty school where I was staying for 10 days then flying home. The school included lodging in a VERY slimy hotel a few miles away, but on the train route for easy access. My friends spent one night in the hotel with me, and while we were not impressed, I thought my biggest concern was having to make sure I wore shoes and stood on towels in the shower and bathroom. NOT! They made me lug my stuff to a smaller room, on the top floor (no elevator, no cart, no help and I have health issues with asthma and am not supposed to carry anything bigger than a five pound bag of sugar.) So, exhausted and winded, I finally climb into bed after scrubbing the tables and counters down (complaining only got me a spray bottle of cheap cleanser) and finally dozed off....
SCRITCH.... SCRITCH.. SCRITCH... lights on... What the @#%#¡?! Seeing nothing I tell myself that I must be hearing something else, there could not possibly be... I had hamsters when I was a kid, I knew that noise.... Laying awake in the darkness... Yawn.... SCRRRRRRRRITCH... SCRITCH..., I hit the light, grabbed a shoe and WHAM! SCHREECH! SCURRY! (the rat) SCREEEEEECH! (me) I call the front desk. THE STUPID LADY asks, "Well, what do you want me to do about it?" and hangs up. I called back and had a very colorful one sided conversation. She put me in a different room, apparently THAT was a big concession, but I still had to haul my stuff without help. At 4 AM, outside, alone, in the dark, in a hotel parking lot, in a not so nice area of town... (can you spell DANGER, the night clerk was afraid to leave her office to give me the key and would not stay outside while I moved.) I wasn't the only "GUEST" in THAT room either.
Exhausted and nearing hysteria, I grabbed the phone book, and called the nearest hotels. Marriott and another large hotel were completely full. I call the Mark and sweet little June answers the phone. Tearfully I explain my crisis, and not only is she a great listener, she is the most COMPASSIONATE lady at 4 AM with a half crazed woman (me) on the line. She sets me up with a suite (and it was SWEET) AND sends George and another footman over to get me and my baggage. She was waiting at the front door when we arrived.
It was the nicest hotel, including free breakfast and 2 drinks in the lounge a night, a beautiful suite and although I only saw June once more, I saw George every evening, he greeted me by name and became a friend. It was the best hotel stay I have ever had! THANK YOU JUNE & GEORGE!
I am forever grateful and always will remember the kindness of the many hotel workers who took me from a nasty situation and made me feel at home.
You always have to look for the bright side, and seek it out.
Please bring back something from "Butterfly Garden" for the Favorites II collection.
ReplyDeleteP-Dub in Mo.