Freakishly Frustrating Day

Power goes out again last night around 2 a.m. 

Generator re-deployed.

Generator runs out of gas (too soon).

I search for gas.  This tank?  Nope.  It is dark and trashy (good thing I just splashed a wee bit in).  I take off to pole shed to find other cans.  Find one.   Ella acting weird (picking up feet).  I figure that she got stung by the bell hornets.  I refill generator.

Gas drips out. (Though I thought it was water at first).  Find container.  Call husbando.  Find missing screw.  Attach missing screw.  Bothered by gas smell and unwilling to start generator.

Ella still acting weird.  She follows me upstairs.  I smell gas on her.  Smell faint whiff of gas on her lips (but wasn't quite sure if I was smelling what was on my hands).   Oh my, she has drunk gas-tainted water from a water puddle.  Cannot find mobile phone.  Regular phone fried.  Get Ella in car.  Look at her feet.  Smell them.  All gas laden.  No she did not drink gas-tainted water, she was licking her feet.  Bad enough. Bring her inside. (I have to carry her because she is all freaked out).

I move the generator to the back of the house (away from fumes).  Redirect lines.  Start it (click one thousand switches that only an electrician's wife would understand).  Now can deal with Ella clean up.

Put her in the bathtub.  Wash her feet with shampoo.  Still smells like gas.  Take her downstairs.   Wash her feet with milk/water.  That helps followed by Dawn.   That helps more.

Give Ella some milk for whatever residual stuff she has ingested.

Get computer fired up.  Blackberry modem not working as the modem tether is shot.  This has been coming for some time--and it spiraled downwards.

Go to Verizon store.  Get an Android (Incredible 2).  Downpour ensues.  I get soaked to skin.  Get more gas for generator.  Vent cap is broken.  Slosh, slosh.  Get home.

Spent all afternoon trying to make the modem work.  I might has been disarming a missile for as complicated and counterintuitive it was.  Finally got it to work.  I don't peg my frustration meter very often, but today was one of those days.

Ella is fine.  Power is on.  Android tether works now. My home and car smell like a refinery.

It is now storming again. 

I don't feel like I've accomplished a thing today.