Wow, I can NOT believe it. I would never have guessed that macaroni could become a weapon. Something for MacGiver!

Hmm wonder how I dodged that bullet for so long???????
do you have "Angie's list" for your area? Maybe ask around and see if there is a retiree in your area that could help? It's probably a small enough job a contractor wouldn't give it high priority.

I am going to ask around at work tomorrow. Hopefully someone will know someone.

When my daughter was deployed there was a Family Support Group - volunteers signed up to give assistance with household 'things' from shoveling, babysitting, repairs...


does your DH's unit have anything like that? It would be free since these volunteers want to show support to our troops.

Man, I'm just so glad for you that the thermos wasn't lying on its side and there wasn't someone standing nearby!!

Here's what you do......
Contact the JAG (military law) Office; apply for a patent; approach the military brass with this new weapon design for use with Homeland Security; make buckets of do-re-mi; retire with DH and start the largest quilt store cum quilt retreat business in the midwest!!

Jan in VA

Jan, you are hilarious :lol: Mistymarie, let me add my thanks to you and your family for your service to our country. I cannot imagine how difficult it must be at times.

Definitely one for MythBusters - those guys love an explosion!
My Nana always said ' A tidy house is the sign of an unlived life'. My life is certainly being lived!

My husband is IA (Individual Augmentation) so he deployed out of San Diego, which means that I have absolutely no military family support while he is deployed, since I am in Colorado. (I do have family about three hours away, though). This is his third deployment and the first where I am on my own without the support.

I do have some great ladies from my kids' school who are more than willing to help me out and neighbors who would be over in a heartbeat if I really needed some help.

Last deployment, our daughter was born three weeks after he left. She was six weeks premature and the hospital made a clerical error and sent me home the day after an emergency c-section to take care of a newborn (that weighed less than 5 pounds) and a 2 year old... with absolutely NOBODY at home. I was an absolute basket case. My husband's CO's wife came by and checked on me about an hour after I got home, brought me some preemie diapers because I was not adequately prepared and the hospital sent me home with three diapers, and brought me a hamburger from Burger King. She stayed for about ten minutes and left. Thirty hours later... on my own for all that time with NOONE coming by to check on me and NO phone call from the hospital to see if I was okay, my aunt and uncle arrived from Southern California (clear up to Whidbey Island, Washington) to help me out. (My mom was snowed in up in the mountains.) It was a true miracle that we survived, because Maggie, my daughter, ended up spending a month in the hospital shortly after she was a month old with failing lungs, a severe viral infection, and dialated intestines... brought on by inadequate post-natal care. (Her body could not cope with infections and her lungs needed more oxygen and more time to develop in an incubator.) Fortunately, by then, I was back in the bosom of my family and my mom and MIL were able to give me the support I needed. My dh met his daughter when she was six months old... and healthy!

So... an exploding thermos lid (and if you read my thread from a couple of months ago about the plumber killing my refridgerator the week after my dh deployed) is mild compared to the last time he left.

Good Lord, you must be one tough lady! I didn't read about your plumber but your story about baby Maggie filled my eyes with tears. Glad to hear you have some helpful friends nearby now. Take good care of yourself & thank you for the sacrifices you and your kiddos are making to help keep our country free!

MistyMarie, your life and mine almost parallel except maybe 20 years in between. Husband deployed for 8 mos, had baby two weeks later with major problems and with no help. He saw his son at over 7 mos for the first time. I feel for you and yes I would have left a puddle if I had heard the cap come off. I had many times like that. One deployment our son was three and decided to use his play razor like daddy. My husband would knock his electric razor off into the toilet to clean it so it was the day of deployment and my husband had just left. Jamie went to the bathroom and then came back to me and pointed to the bathroom. I ran to the bathroom and the toilet was overflowing. I turned off the flow and got a plumber. He had to take the toilet off the floor and found a toy razor in it. You learn to be self sufficient. Good luck and if you ever need to talk, just pm me.