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ALASKA!

So, the eve of our departure to Alaska dawns bright and beautiful when Cheryl comes back from taking Koosa to the Koosa doctor for his regularly scheduled maintenance with the news that the gas prices are going up by 10 cents. Rather than waiting till tomorrow morning to fill the car with gas we take off in search of cheap (quite a relative term, actually) gas.  While out, I check the tire pressure and notice that one of the rims somehow got bent.  Rather than risking a blowout on the Road to Alaska, we search for a new rim and to make a very long and expensive story short (this being Kirksville and all that) this involved Cheryl getting in the old Mazda and driving 2 hrs to Jeff City (our capital) to pick one up.  So, meanwhile I stay back to finish packing, clean the house (which is a mess cuz we suddenly had to fight back an ant infestation) and mow the lawn and stuff while Koosa freaks out cuz he thinks we are moving yet once again (and why not?) plus just having your anal glands expressed can NOT be the most pleasant feeling.  Halfway through the mow job the electric mower Ivan gave us decided to quit working (I think a bearing gave out) which then involved us trying to find someone to mow the lawn for us while we are gone as we now no longer have a mower so that Ruthann (who is staying at the house) can do it.  It wouldn't be so bad, but we just paid $3 to have the blade sharpened.  To top this all off, a killer migraine lays in which ends up with me ralphing into the Porcelain Goddess.  And, yes, my mouth still does hurt from the dentist cutting it up 2 1/2 wks ago, though I'm slowly going back to solids and even beginning to talk again.  But Cheryl's question is does ralphing count as the third thing or is the theme mechanical here and so we'll be looking at getting a new fridge or something in the morning before we leave?  So, if this is a vacation maybe it would be easier to stay back here and work?