Weekend fun

I’ve tried and tried to write this update but OD seems to have some sort of grudge and won’t let me.  But alas I have gotten past it’s stubborness and was finally able to get it to work!  lol

 

So let’s see….

 

Last Thursday Mom came down and picked me up just before noon.  Got everything loaded and we were off.  DH was working so it was just me and the boys that got to go.  Stopped at Mom’s and picked up my tractor and headed out from there to go to the showgrounds.  My son had a blast because he got to ride on it all the way down there.  lol   Lots of running around that day trying to get things all set up and whatever.  Thursday night we had a big potluck which is always yummy.

Friday was the first day of the show.  See, we belong to an antique club that puts on an annual show where collectors can display antique farm equipment, cars, etc.  I have a tractor that I inherited from M and my son has a tractor that my Mom bought for him.  So we take both of those down to display for the show.  And this year just happened to be MY year.  lol  And what that means is that since Dec. 2005 I have been working with this organizaiton from Missouri to get them to come to our show this year and be featured.  It’s all tractors that are like mine, which are rare and most people have never seen them before.  So I organized and chaired this year’s show to get them here and what not.  Anyway, with a little work I got a good turnout.  I sent out a personal invitation to each member of that organization (220+) knowing full well that I wouldn’t get a ton out of it but what could it hurt.  Well, one couple came from Nebraska simply because I sent them a personalized letter.  They told me otherwise they would never have thought about coming.  So I guess a little thought does go a long way sometimes.     I also got people who hauled equipment from Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska and the farthest one came from Maryland.  So I was stoked!  It was a great turnout and everyone told me what a great job I did to get them all there.  It was a great showing.  DH finally made it there late Friday night.  But only after freaking me out by taking waaaaayyyy longer than normal to get there because he took a wrong turn and went the wrong way.

 

Oh, and Friday also brought a bit of drama as well.  When DH was getting ready to leave I get a phone call from him asking me if I had bought anything on my credit card on Thursday or Friday.  I said no because I hadn’t been anywhere where I could use a credit card.  Then he wanted to know if I had my credit cards all in my possession, which I did.  He said that when he got home there were messages on our machine from two different places providing confirmation numbers for a recently placed order.  One was for callingcards.com and another for a place he couldn’t understand on the message.  So I called my credit card company and found out that on Friday FIVE transactions had been made on my card, one right after the other.  The first one hit Paypal for a small amount.  I think this was a ‘feeler’ transaction trying to find a valid credit card or something.   The other four transactions were for various calling card companies online and they ranged in price from $3 to $70.  All total they spent over $100 in just a few minutes buying up calling cards all over the place.  The real kicker is that the card they used is what I call my online credit card.  I only use it for online purchases, it never leaves the house, and I keep a low limit on it so that I don’t have to worry about this sort of thing. 

So I called and talked to my CC company.  When they told me the charges and verified that I in fact had not made them they cancelled my card immediately and flagged that account number for the fraud dept. in case who ever was trying to use it tried to use it again after I closed it out.  So at least we got that part taken care of.

The part that bothers me more than having someone using my CC number is the fact that they seem to have more info on us than just that.  See, we have an unlisted phone number.  We rarely give it out to anyone unless it is absolutely necessary.  For anything online we use a generic number so we don’t have to disclose our real number and risk having a bunch of stupid calls come in for crap we don’t need or want to be bothered with.  But somehow whoever used my credit card managed to get our real home phone number.  And they used it, which is why we got the confirmation calls for the calling cards.  And we have also found out that whoever this person was created a gmail account using our name and whatever.  So I’m not entirely sure exactly how much info they do have.

DH called and alerted our other credit card about this, just in case.  They said no one had made any attempts to them yet but appreciated teh call alerting them to the possibility.  And he ordered our credit reports to check and see what may have shown up there.  At that point everything seemed to be find.  And I told him to call our local police dept., which he did.  They said since it was online it’s harder to trace and do anything about.  But they were making a report on it and if our credit card company should need it they would be glad to get involved and provide that. 

I have no idea what happened or whatever.  I never go to places that aren’t secure.  But like everything else in this world, nothing is safe these days.  So now DH has pretty much locked down our computers.  Which is annoying to me because whatever program he put on there displays these security alarm alerts all the time because something tried to access our computers or internet and it got blocked.  It’s crazy.  But he said there have been a couple of times when he’s checked that in the past few days now that indicates that someone has tried to take a peek at our computers.  So I guess it’s a good thing but it does take some getting used to.  So for now I think we have the problem curbed.  I’m just sick of people like that being out there lurking around every corner.  It’s like get off your lazy a&& and get a job if you need money to buy this crap instead of ripping off honest people.  And if your a kid doing this to get your kicks, then parents need to do a better job of raising their kids or paying attention to what they are doing becuase obviously they have ENTIRELY to much time on their hands.    And yes, I know there are people out there that will say "get rid of your credit cards and you won’t have that problem".  True, but it just isn’t happening .  I should not have to change my life and choices becuase someone else can’t behave and leave innocent people alone.  And if it’s not one thing they will find another way to do things.  I mean, hello, a few months after we moved in someone broke into our garage and made it to the door coming into the house before the neighbors making noise

or whatever scared them away.  This world just keeps getting stranger and worse all the time.  But anyway.

 

Saturday was our big day at the show.  I had to help a friend of ours with registration for the tractor pull.  That was an allllllll day job.  I was kind of hoping to get away from it for a while but that wasn’t happening becuase we got swamped.  I got a short break right around noon becuase I had to organize a parade of the features I had gotten there.  And then we had the parade.  It was a full day that was non-stop busy.  Then at 7 I had to go to a meeting.  That was pretty much the first time I had had a chance to sit down all day.  And boy was that nice!  lol

 

Sunday was the last day of the show.  I almost froze to death during church service.  Who could have ever thought it would be so cold in August?!?!?  lol  My DH bought a fireplace poker at the silent auction we had becuase it was made by the blacksmith on the grounds and he really liked it.  Which would have been great but we have a GAS fireplace!  lol  But the money went to a good cause so not a problem.  Now he has something he can poke at fires with when my Mom has bonfires.  lol  We hauled everything back home Sunday evening.  And we finally got some dinner, and headed back home pretty late on Sunday night.  It was a long but pretty fun weekend.  Especially for the boys.  They are both absolutely in love and crazy for tractors and all that kind of stuff so they were in heaven.

 

Poor J, at some point during the weekend, got this HUGE blister on his finger.  We didn’t know it was even there because he didn’t cry or indicate he had hurt himself at all.  And it wasn’t like he was ever out of our sight so it was hard to figure out what he did or when it happened.  But it was sure gross looking.  Ewwww.  It was huge, deep red, all blistery looking and it covered like half of his little finger and it was kind of on the side between two fingers.  Just nasty.  Didn’t seem to bother him one bit.  My Mom discovered it when she was washing his hands off.  He still has it.  The blister has actually popped but it’s still deep red and funky looking.  I’ve cleaned with with peroxide and keep it clean and I’ve been watching for any  sign of infection but none so far.  I tell ya, these boys get into more stuff.  lol

 

Monday we played lazy.  Well, at least the kids and I did.  lol  DH had to go back to work.  But the rest of us just had a pretty laid back day.  Recouperating from the weekend, which was much needed.

 

Tuesday the boys and I had to go to Wallet Sucker (aka Wal-mart)  to go grocery shopping and what not.  That place can really put a dent in your wallet right quick.  Yikes.  I never intend to have a huge bill but I end up with more than I expected it to be when I get the total.  And that is just buying the things we’ve run out of, necessities and what not.  Not even buying any fun stuff!  Blah.

 

Yesterday I spent a good portion of the day in the kitchen.  Cutting things up for the dinner I was making last night so I had less work to do at dinner time.  Then making lunch for K.  Which got interrupted by the neighbor boy coming over AGAIN.  I’m really getting tired of this kid.  We made the mistake of allowing him to come over and play once.  And since they he has been relentless.  Yesterday he was ringing my doorbell over and over, pounding on the door.  My son, the ever gracious one, hollers out "come in" while his little brother keeps hollering "hi" over and over at the door.  Uggghh.  I got my hands cleaned off and was heading towards the door when I see the kid has his face pressed tightly to the window next to the door. And he had his hand on the door knob ready to opened it it seemed.  Ridiculous.  I told him that K was eating his lunch and then it would be naptime so he couldn’t come out and play.  I mean the kid is 13 yo.  It’s crazy.  I’ll be glad when he goes back home in a few weeks.  We thought we were doing a good thing by playing with him that one time but I guess not.

Last night I baked fresh bread for dinner.  And spent about an 1 1/2 making dinner.  I remembered why I don’t make that dish very often!  lol  But DH enjoyed it thoroughly and so did I.  Even K liked it and the fresh bread.  Then last night K and I made a cake together.  He loves to do that sort of thing with me.  So like I said, I spent the majority of my day/evening in the kitchen.  lol

 

Today is going to be another of those lazy days I think.  Maybe do some of the laundry.  Hang out with the kids.  Maybe make out the Thank You cards to those who came to the show.  I’ve already paid the bills and did all of the banking stuff and fed the monsters.   Might as well have an enjoyable day!

 

Next week is going to be a stressful one for me.  Oye.  At the end of nextg week is the hearing to close out the estate.  It’s been something I’ve known was coming for a long time, but when I got the actual date and time set it was suddenly all very real.  Right now I think I may get lucky enough and just be able to appear by phone.  And I honestly hope it stays that way because I do not want to have to appear in person and risk the chance of being bombarded by all of them looking to scream at me one last time.  Just not my idea of fun.   The good news (so far) is that no one has sent in any objections in writing.  But that’s not meant a whole lot before.  It’s hard for me to wrap my head around the idea that this whole thing will soon be over with.  What a relief that will be.  Is it possible, can life go back to ‘normal’ after dealing with this for so long???  I guess we shall see.