On dryers: I had one flash(?) burn as soon as I turned it on. The door blew open and a bunch of soot blew out on me and all over the wet clothes. I pulled the plug and then ran around like a crazy woman for a while, feeling for burns and missing eyebrows and bangs. It scared me silly. As a I was also 8 months pregnant, I had my BIL come over and pull it away from the wall to check for other damage.

On names: I did not like my father or his family. My father was a famous athlete (for our area) and so I used to get a lot of, "Oh, you must be Steve's sister!" (I was the product of a teenage fling.) I was SO tired of correcting them and even having to admit any relationship. So many people here thought he was a wonderful person, but I knew him better than that. I was very glad to lose that name and will never change it back. My brother changed his name, too.