Thank you so much everybody! You just don't know how much your comments help right now. It helps me breathe a little easier, to know I'm not overreacting.

We don't have cable or DSL out here, so I can only get on the computer rarely right now. My husband is still in Washington DC and won't be in Iraq until tonight, so I like to keep the phone line open so he can call. Friday we'll have satellite internet yippee!

We survived another night with no quills. I found Kamble's bark collar and while it may seem cruel, his incessant barking just had to stop. Fortunately he knows what it is and stops barking the second it's put on. That way he doesn't get shocked.

My husband isn't in the military anymore. He's a retired Green Beret and he's now a physician assistant, and he speaks Persian/Farsi. He was hired by the government to go over there with a bunch of former special forces guys. I don't really know where he'll be yet.

As for neighbors - I can't believe I forgot to tell you!!! We do have some very close neighbors, because we bought this farm with a "life estate" on it. There's an elderly couple (in their 80s) in a mobile home on the land, and they get to stay there until they die. That's why we got such a great deal. Their names are Bethel and Edwin. Well - I brought Bethel to the hospital Friday and it looks pretty bad for her right now. I think she has advanced lung cancer. Her husband is blind and absolutely, positively will NOT leave that trailer. I wanted to bring him over here to take care of him, but he won't budge. I guess he gets confused at night and wanders. Right now the daughter-in-law is over there taking care of him, but I don't know what we'll do this winter. I sure don't want to find him frozen in the snow one morning.

Anyways. I'm going to get my 13-year-old up and drag him into town with me. I want to get some more work done on the old house and pick up some paint chips and decide how to do this kitchen.

Thanks again for all of your support. If I make it through today, then Kamble will be back home and one more stressor will be gone. Then I just have to get the chihuahuas re-trained. I think my mom is trying to avoid taking them back. I love them, but jeez. My life is so stressful right now, and dog poop on the floor is NOT helping. Plus the climate up here is baaaaaaaaaad. Winter comes in September and lasts until June, and one good blast of arctic air would freeze them in their tracks. I'm going to have to find fur coats and boots for them.