Topsy-Turvy

I'm not going to go on and on about all the things (big and little) that are happening here at the Clark Homestead. You know about the tree and the lightening, but there has been so much more. It seems that since lightening struck that tree 2 1/2 weeks ago things have been topsy-turvy. Nothing that can't be handled, my children and hubby are healthy and fine, but its just a whole bunch of little things and its all adding up. Things are not always rosy here at my house and this past two weeks have been a condensed version of the non-rosy.

Right now they are cutting down the last of the tree. We went to count the rings and I only got half-way through and got to 50. When my in-laws moved here 55 years ago it was already a big tree. I am estimating between 75 and 100 years old. I never thought I would feel sentimental about a tree, but I do.

Our power was cut off yesterday because of the tree-cutting and even though I was promised it would be turned back on by suppertime, it wasn't. On August 3, in Alabama. At 7:30 pm I called the power company again and was told a storm had come through our little downtown and 400 houses were without power. AND that a local elementary school had caught on fire and all their trucks were there to help with getting it out. Needless to say (and rightly so) we were low on their priority list. So Mark and I load up the kiddos and headed to a hotel. Don't judge me please. It was hot. And it wasn't just the air-conditioning. We had no power and James was hysterical at everything being dark.

Well, Abbie was beside herself at getting to stay in a hotel. Oh my goodness, it was country gone to town. Unlike her momma, she loves change, and this was right up her alley. I never knew that a hair dryer attached to a wall could be so fascinating. James was not excited about the hotel and he told me "it was time for all the peoples to go to their house." The thought of staying in someone else's house (what he called the hotel), when he could be staying in his own little bed, was not appealing to him.

We arrived home this morning to a cool house and lights. They are finishing up the tree and hopefully will have it all cleared out this evening. Hopefully I will have some things in order. Like some laundry done and supper cooked. We are supposed to start school back full-time Monday, but it is looking like it will be Wednesday. I still have to sit down and plan a little.

Thank you to those who asked some questions on my last post. I'll be getting to those soon. Now I am headed off to hand out some hugs, kisses, and instructions.