"If it weren't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all!" This was a week from heck with the exception of being at the F-100 show in Branson. Thursday morning I go to wash my 03 Ranger and get to the front and "flip!", there goes a paint chip off my hood. I immediately take it to my Ford dealer in which they tell me to bring it in next week for a paint job on the hood. Drive home, pack for Branson, go to work, get off at 7:00 am. get home, pack up and head out. Get about two miles from the house and the truck starts to sputter. "OK Alice, it's done this before. What is the problem?" The choke. Pop the hood and sure enough the choke was shut. Open choke and proceed on my way ignoring the warning sign that will determine the rest of the weekend. Had changed the alternator back Thursday to the chrome one for the show, but had forgot to take it in the day before to have it tested. Starts raining before I get to Joplin. I have no wipers but the rain-X worked great. Get to my first stop for gas and it doesn't start. Hear sirens go by. Get a jump and head out again. No sooner get on the on ramp and the traffic is already backing up. Great. Major wreck on the interstate. I can't shut it off but I will overheat if I have to sit here too long. Put it in neutral and keep the engine revved. Seems to help a little. Call husband. He says to turn around and go home. I have waited for this show for two years, I'm not turning back now. Wreck clears and I head on into Springfield and actually make it without the battery going dead. Stop at the first part store and shut it off. "Do you have an alternator for a 78 Ford truck?" NO. Fortunately, they were able to have one delivered and put it on AFTER the boys got back from lunch. Mechanic notices that my tire is low so I put air in it before I leave town. Finally make it to Branson at about 3:30 pm. (this is normally a 2 1/2 to 3 hour drive. Check in , go to my hotel room and pass out. Get up at 8:00. Husband calls. I tell him I have 2 hours to get my truck cleaned up. Start cleaning my truck and can't figure out why it is so dark so late in the morning and why I can't wipe the dew off my truck. Duh! It's 8:00 PM. I thought I had slept all night. Clean my truck anyway and go back to bed. (Remember, I've been up since 8:00 pm the night before. My hair IS NOT blond!) The weekend was great after that. Had a blast at the show. Won my category, since I was the only one of that year there. Even won best paint. Got up to go the next morning. Loaded up and headed out. Stopped to get gas and bought 5 scratcher tickets. One of them won me five bucks. Broke even. It's going to be a great day. Get half way between Branson and Springfield and notice a small vibration in the steering wheel. Is my tire going flat? About that time I felt my rear end go down. I look up in the rear view and all I see is my tire and wheel flying way up in the air. I shut her down (After doing about 70 while this happened) and pulled of on the side of the road. Call husband. Bring a trailer, I've lost my wheel. Can you get one with a winch? "Why?" Because there is no wheel on the truck. "Can't you put another one on there?" No. "Why?" Because ther is no where to put it. "Are the lug bolts there?" No. "Are there holes to put the lug nuts in?" No. Finally give and up and call a roll back tow truck. Luckily, the guy was really into Fords. He looked around for my tire and wheel but could not find it. Said he would send some guys down this week to look for it. Towed me home to Vinita costing me $400.00 backaroos. The only damage it did to the truck was tear part of the trim off the fender and crinkle it just a little. Then I got a scratch from the tow truck (not complaing) and the cab fell on the tow truck chipping the paint there too. Actually, not too much damage. Could've been worse. Will hopefully have it back in shape in a few weeks. Depends on the schedule of my paint guy. (Hey Galen, you want the good news or the bad news? The good? I won best paint. The bad? Can you repaint it?) Anyway, It is Monday and so far it's been a good day. I brought the Ranger up for the paint job. And my loaner car is a 2004 4 door F150 pickup. Momma likes. Maybe they'll lose my Ranger! So I've just thought of a few errands that I need to run. No mileage limit. I just hope my luck does not get near this truck! Ya'll have a great day and I'll see you at the GTG even if I have to drive the 75 that's not done yet. I am so there!