Do You Know of A Good Gas Station APP?

The Racer is the small
black and white chicken
in the background.

I know my posts have been really heavy this week so I decided to lighten it up with some farm business.  This week some friends of mine were kind enough to babysit the children while Thadd and I had a farewell dinner with his former employer.  It was an enjoyable dinner despite the alarming and tragic death of one of my favorite chickens.  Wait, all of them are my favorite.  No "fowl" play is suspected and I believe she choked on her food and died.  She was very near the food source and without injury.  Although she did not have a name, she shares a name with her twin sister and together they are the Racers.  Now I only have one Racer so I guess her name will now be Racer and the other one will be RIP Racer?  Ok.

My friends were kind enough to perform a chicken funeral and dig a hole for a proper burial.  Later one of them remarked, "I've never buried a pet before."  I was glad to offer him a strong dose of reality here on the farm and he may never be the same.  Oddly, they agreed to babysit my children again.  They must enjoy the entertainment.  My husband opened the refrigerator where he found two six packs of IPA.  He asked why these were in here as he doesn't usually choose an IPA.  I respond, "I bought the babysitter and her husband beer and wine in case they have to bury another animal or possibly because they have to babysit our children!"  You will be happy to know they are closer to 40 than 20, so alcoholic beverages during babysitting time is sort of like playing parent, but better because you get to go home!!!  Well,  better for them as I rather like my children despite their flaws.  The more I look, their flaws closely resemble my flaws.  That is its own blog entry.

Chloe and her band of boys(aka the neighbor's sons and Brett) managed to cut and remove the large trees from my driveway using an ax, a saw, and a pick/ax(sp?).  I expressed my concern over the use of the pick/ax and the children promised only to use the ax side.  The saw?   Well at least it wasn't a chain saw.  It took them three afternoons of heavy manual labor to cut and remove the trees, but they were diligent.  It probably helped to have the strict taskmaster, Chloe, on the job.  The boys worked together chopping and Chloe yelled orders from the sidelines.  I'm glad she isn't bossy.  She gets her unbossiness from me.

Thadd had to drive to Corpus Christi to get a special ID for permission to be in a refinery without an escort.  I decided to join him since most of my school was attending our basketball playoffs for state(which we won and will compete for state tomorrow!!!!)   I'm slightly annoyed by the drive, but imagine it will be a nice almost six hour drive of us visiting and sharing our dreams and goals for 2013.  Instead, I was asked to be Thadd's chauffeur while he answered and created e-mails.  I watched the 1/4 of a tank dwindle hoping to find just the right gas station.  He whips out his phone and finds us the closest gas station.  We are at 6 miles left in our "range."  We drive 3 miles and find out the gas station has been closed, for what looks like, ten years AT LEAST!  We ask for directions to the nearest gas station inside and they direct us to the blinking light.  I ask Thadd if he is sure there wasn't another station off the expressway within range.  He gets frustrated with me and says sternly, "No.  I already told you no."  We drive 4, 5, 6 miles and no blinking light.  About ten miles down the road we reach a blinking light.  We turn left, as directed, and follow another 3 miles up a hill.  I am praying at this point since I am in need of a miracle.  We arrive at the gas station that happens to be along side the expressway that, if you recall my husband saying, DID NOT HAVE A GAS STATION.  Needless to say I was a little frustrated by the triangle I drove.

I guess I should've started at the beginning.....I was getting a car wash this morning(first time in two months) and Thadd calls wondering where I am.   Getting a car wash is my reply to his, "Hurry up and get home!  We have to leave!!  My appointment is at 11:45 in Corpus Christi!"  It is 8:45am and we are in Boerne.  I get home and unload the hay from my visit to the feed store earlier in the morning and rush up to the house to grab coffee or food or something.  He is very impatient and promises to let me stop and get food.  We leave.  Since I'm driving I pull in to Starbucks and get myself a delicious breakfast sandwich and an Earl Gray tea with cream and three Splendas.  Yum.  Now I can start my day and drive this man to his destination.  It has become 9:20 and we are still in Boerne.  I drive faster.  He complains about my driving the entire trip and in between e-mails.  Anyone who has ever been in the car with me knows I am a fantastic driver.   STOP LAUGHING!

We arrive after almost running out of gas, leaving late, and my "bad" driving.  The return trip wasn't too bad since Thadd was on conference calls or having me type e-mails for him.  He DID NOT let me drive.  We did spot a herd of goats on the side of the expressway not confined by a fence.  I pleaded with Thadd to pull over so we could make sure they were safe and maybe bring a few home.  He refused!  I know they would love it at our house!!!  He vetoed my goat rustling adventure and I spent the rest of the trip looking at magazines.  We made it home safely and I still am no closer to finding out Thadd's dreams and goals for 2013.  Well, here are mine....

1. Be better at hearing God's voice
2. Be a better wife, mom and friend
3. Be better at my job
4. Get bees
5. Have fun!
6. REPEAT

I am thankful for long car rides with my husband even if he works, complains about my driving, gives bad gas station directions, and doesn't pick up stray goats!(Day 81)!!  Goodnight Friends.