Sharks in the kitchen...

I picked baby boy up from summer camp..."Mom....what did you do to your finger?" Well, you see there was this shark, that's what we call the mandolin slicer. I was slicing some onions and the onion rolled...there went the tip of my finger. It flew, ever so gracefully, into the sink and sat there like half of a sliced grape. The blood began, my daughter screamed and ran away, I grabbed my finger to stop the blood. I looked down into the sink and saw the disk of flesh that used to be a part of my finger and now would never be again. I live in the country in Real ville, there is no way a hand surgeon is going to meet me at the hospital (1.5 hours away) and reattach a half grape to the end of my ring finger, right hand or not. I doubt that it would have worked anyway.

After many layers of gauze and much tape, it stopped bleeding, but not throbbing. Had to hold my hand up all day to reduce swelling. Strangers waved at me all day thinking I was waving at them. The grocery store cashier, who is a teacher during the school year, kept saying, "Yes? Do you have a question?" And, to everyone I know, I had to explain the whole icky story as each in turn shivered when I got to THE SLICING part. (ack, I just did it again) And a word of warning, it seams there is a blood vessel that runs through the forth finger so there will be a LOT of blood if you decide to try this activity. Also there is a nerve that runs through this finger . When I bump "my boo boo" I have an electric jolt running through my hand up to my shoulder causing me to burst into tears. If you see me, don't be alarmed. I'm not waving at strangers, nor am I experiencing hormonal fits of crying. I'm just an idiot recovering from a shark attack. Peace and love to you all....

Tough Guy....

I sent my baby boy off to summer camp at Catalina Island. Big tough guy, I hugged him and said, "Don't do anything that you would be embarrassed for me to know about". He smiled and said , "Sure, Mom, bye-bye". He didn't hug me back and kept his sun glasses on. Tough guy, you know, everyone is watching. I told him I wouldn't leave the parking lot until he pulled out. Then I noticed he was watching me. He walked over to the scoutmaster's suburban, his head turned slightly in my direction. He climbed in and ducked his head down so he wouldn't break eye-contact. Then, he gave me the tiniest little wave, sat down and closed the door. As they pulled out he turned around in his seat and looked at me once more, yeah, I'm here, like I said I would be...tough guy. I watched until they disappeared in the distance, then I drove home. It was an hour and 30 minute drive...I cried the better part of an hour...I'm a tough guy too I guess.

My son called on Sunday morning and wished his father a Happy Father's Day. His voice was gruff and gravelly. His father didn't recognise him at first, then he did and his eyes filled with tears. "Oh, he remembered" my husband said, quite choked up. Tough guy. The dog jumped on my son's bed and began to whimper. He isn't a tough guy and isn't shy about the fact.

My daughter shrugged her shoulders, "He'll be back in a week...lighten up"... Now that's a tough guy... peace and love to you all...

Passwords...

I forgot my password...yep, I did. And I was locked out of my own computer. Did you know that if you fail to give the right password several times in a row, you are locked out. That's right, push off... nothing to see... get lost pal. So I called my daughter in and she got me back into my computer. (Jeez Mom, your so lame) Any way, then I found out it might not have been me. That's right, my inter net access was hacked. I received an email that contained a tracker and accessed my contacts. Then it spammed everyone in my address file. The AT&T filters picked up on it and shut off my service. Then they notified me of the action...by email...that I couldn't access... Ah modern technology.

My husband dropped his phone. It is an industrial phone used by the military, it can withstand a fire fight, total submersion and magnetic interference. Just don't drop it when it is open. Nope, that will kill it. So, off he ran to the techno-store only they don't have that phone available any more. They showed him frilly, frou-frou phones that make coffee and do your ironing. The problem is they could break if you actually touch them as they are made off tissue and air. My daughter was able to find a phone that worked just fine "and it's pretty". So, she got an upgrade and my husband struggled with a "piece of crap" until he could find a phone that would work for him. We told him, just get one that does what you want and get insurance for it. The salesman said to just get a cover for it that would protect it, then he threw his own phone across the room at the wall. His phone was fine and my husband was impressed. But, he still wanted his old phone. He has a new phone now and complains that it isn't the same, but it is better than nothing.

I am considering... nothing. I am sick of technology. I want to be able to go somewhere and not be available. I do not want to have to remember passwords, PIN numbers, code keys and access numbers. All of this convenience is very inconvenient. I have to carry a code book just to have access my own life.

AT&T sent us a new wireless broadband modem for the new service it is offering. Well, offering isn't the right word, we are required to take this service and the new equipment, period. So...guess who had to set it up. And they require new passwords...oh dear. Not to worry they have security questions. The account is in my husband's name though I am the primary user. How am I supposed to know what his mother's favorite song was or what color his grandfather's first car was? Honestly, I think I will stay with my tried and true password *PASSWORD*. It works for me and I can usually remember it. Don't tell anyone though, very hush hush.

Peace and love to you all....

Election Time Again...

And so we come to another "election". The big heated debate in our area- Prop 29. The tobacco tax. The proponents say, "It will fund research", the opponents say "It is just another tax to impart morality". I think we should just look at the history of these "special" taxes. Remember 9/11? The two towers were hit by planes destined for California. So, the state proposed a special license plate "tax" to fund scholarships and what-not for the families of the victims. Last week it was disclosed that the funds were being "borrowed" to pay part of the deficit that California has accrued because of run-away spending. Hmmm, probably won't affect prop 29 money. After all that money is ear-marked for the families of the victims of tobacco.

California, were they keep doing the same thing expecting a different result. My father-in-law, (RIP) said he had to vote for Brown because "that woman" was going to spend all of his money. Hmmm, well that isn't happening now, is it?

America used to be founded on the principals of Liberty and supported by new ideas. We have politicians who are in place for DECADES. They lay around and maintain the status quo. And the people are glad to keep it in place. To have re-elected Brown, a man who nearly bankrupted the state before... this state is silly. And when they run out of other people's money?

Peace and love to you all....