Life in Weyers Cave

Tomorrow is Rabbit Rabbit Day!!!!!! And for those of you Doubting Thomases, try looking up "rabbit rabbit" in the Wikipedia. It has been around since the 1800's!

Well, I gotta admit. Tonight when David came home and I had nothing for him to eat, I knew he wouldn't mind taking me out. We went to Applebee's and had a nice dinner. Spinach salad with shrimp! Num! I usually cook because I am the one too cheap to go out to eat very much. I had a new client, John, age 80, today. He was fun. He HATES his laptop and is trying to get over it. We went over and over how to turn it on and off (NOT WITH THE ON BUTTON!) He thinks I can just show him how to turn it into a typewriter and he can get on with his work. But it ISN'T a typewriter and there are so many things that can "mess up" a document and you need to know how to get out of it. I taught him about Control-Z, and arrows to get around, and keyboard cursors, and mouse cursors, and Delete, and Backspace, and how to get the document back when it decides to hide in the bar at the bottom. It is hard to convince someone that you have to press START at the bottom to turn s...

You find a magic lamp and have three wishes. Nothing ethereal like peace on earth, no wishes for other wishes, no wishing for the "best" or the "most". No physical or emotional or psychological changes to any bodies. No "tricky" wishes where you are trying to outsmart the genie. Just three items that you can see and feel and touch and own that you really want. What do you wish for?

Okay, so this is the truth. Allen called me a couple of nights ago and told me: Chantell was engaged to be married to Ben a year ago in Tucson. They had a marriage license but didn't go through with the wedding. Apparently, somehow the marriage was registered anyway, which means Chantell wasn't legally allowed to marry Allen and is technically a bigamist. They had actually received a phone call from the state saying their marriage was not valid. After my laughing hysterically, Allen admitted it was a hoax. I could hear Chantell in the background, obviously not able to lie with such great facility, but enjoying Allen's show nonetheless. (Watch out, Chantell! NEVER believe a WORD he says! The truth gene seems to be mutated in Fordham males.) I told him it wouldn't work on me but might on others and I wasn't going to stand in the way of his having a good time. So I posted it on my website, embellishing a little and adding that Allen was quickly trying to find a...

I surprised David! Today I was able to successfully pull of a surprise party for him at his school. We had the room decorated with black crepe paper and balloons and the other professors arrived bearing gifts and singing Happy Birthday Cha Cha Cha. (I made them do the Cha Cha Cha thing) I really hope he liked it. He thought there was a meeting he had to go to, and had worked hard on his handout. Tee hee. I am excited that next week when David goes to Europe (the 9th actually) I will be going as well on one of Bryan's Mommy passes. I will go for about a week. Yes, the D will be home, alone and jealous. And that DOES make me sad, but not sad enough to stay home with her!

Okay, so you have to read Allen's blog to see what is going on with him. But it is a doozy. calvinandsusie.blogspot.com Just talked to Bryan. It is barely raining. Now the only thing the hurricane has cost him is several days of pay. Poor kid. Cathryn is happy to be coming back to Utah this weekend and is looking forward to another year of school. Dianna is loving half of her teachers and, uh, not loving the other half. David is enjoying his new classes. I think he is liking having a semi-normal semester, although he goes back to Europe the 9th.

Seriously, I think EVERYone is sheltered in some ways. Tonight, I was talking to David, the PhD computer nerd, and I was sitting at the computer. I had recently loaded the Media Version of Solitaire and wanted to see if the cards bounce at the end like they do in regular Solitaire. So as I we talked, I moved the cards around on the screen. He mentioned I could put the 8 on the 9, and when I pointed out they were both red, he said "So what?" He didn't know you have to alternate the colors. He has never, ever played a computer game! ANY computer game. He didn't even KNOW the cards bounce at the end. Never seen it. All of a sudden, my friend who wondered how they got the exits on the interstate to be in numerical order and didn't know what a mile marker is doesn't look so dumb! And I sure as shooting don't feel so bad for not knowing who lived on the ranch in Bonanza. IMHO, we all have our areas where we are ignorant. (With men, one of those areas i...

Yup, Ernesto is going straight towards Bryan in Key West. At least this time it won't get his car! He still doesn't have one from when Wilma took it last year.

Well, yeah, they're married. But certainly in a fashion worthy of only Allen! We left here at 3:30 am Wednesday because we had an 8:30 flight and the airport is two hours away. David wanted to make sure we were there a good three hours before the flight, like the new standards call for. (He actually DID find one place that recommended you get there three hours early.) We checked in, checked the bags, went through security, ate breakfast, and had only two hours to spare before our flight. I had my wallet in a plastic baggie and had everything else packed like David had warned me. I didn't even bring pens with me because of the liquid ink. But they did let me take my purse out of the suitcase to put the wallet in. They are also relaxing rules about taking laptops and cameras with you. The flights were uneventful and we got to Salt Lake about 2:30, then drove to the Ogden Marriott where Allen and Chantell were waiting for us. It was nice to meet Chantell, but she was just ...

Glad Be Be Be Be BEEEE!!!!! I loved it when the kids sang that song. Anyway, David is finally back from Europe, and his subsequent overnight to DC and, aside from having to relearn how to jerk the covers to my side as I sleep during the night, it is nice to have him home. He DID bring me a LOT of my favorite chocolates. Actually, Friday night he got home, ate dinner and left for DC so I spent the night with the chocolates, who don't steal the covers but do make me gain weight. Which is better? Hmmm. I think I like David better. He's more huggable. Yesterday was Blood Drive and I was supposed to bring sandwiches, which I did. But they said they needed donors. I used to give a LOT but haven't in years, because of my high blood pressure. So I decided to try. At first they said I couldn't because I had been out of the country, but then said it was okay. Darn. Then, they were all excited that I could give something called "doublets", but then said I ha...

What a travesty! What an insult to the dignity of the Bee Box! As I drove out to Gail's yesterday, several people passed me. So what is new! They ALWAYS pass me. I have 1.5 liter engine. I have to pull back a panel in the floorboard and stick out my feet and run like the Flintstones to make the car go uphill. I go from 0 to 60 in 5 minutes flat (if the wind is with me). I don't care because I never speed. I putter. I'm old. I am not in a hurry. I have no need or wish to speed. I am the kind of person that deserves a ticket for irritating everyone by not going fast enough or waiting too long for a big enough opening in the traffic. So imagine my amazement when Dianna told me there was a policeman in the rearview mirror with his lights on! I pulled over and he pulled over behind me! Seems he caught me at 66. In a 55 zone. I kind of laughed and said I didn't think the car would go that fast. Yes, it WAS at the bottom of the hill. Sigh. Of all the people ...

What a travesty! What an insult to the dignity of the Bee Box! As I drove out to Gail's yesterday, several people passed me. So what is new! They ALWAYS pass me. I have 1.5 liter engine. I have to pull back a panel in the floorboard and stick out my feet and run like the Flintstones to make the car go uphill. I go from 0 to 60 in 5 minutes flat (if the wind is with me). I don't care because I never speed. I putter. I'm old. I am not in a hurry. I have no need or wish to speed. I am the kind of person that deserves a ticket for irritating everyone by not going fast enough or waiting too long for a big enough opening in the traffic. So imagine my amazement when Dianna told me there was a policeman in the rearview mirror with his lights on! I pulled over and he pulled over behind me! Seems he caught me at 66. In a 55 zone. I kind of laughed and said I didn't think the car would go that fast. Yes, it WAS at the bottom of the hill. Sigh. Of all the people ...

Last night the D and I went to see a play. I don't know the name. D does. It was at teh outdoor theater and was the dress rehearsal. It was a comedy, but had some serious parts as well. It was about a wife who wanted to leave her husband. She loved him, but he didn't take her love of dancing seriously and thought she just wanted to be rich and live in a rich house, which she considered a prison. We cleaned out the spice cabinet. There were spices from before I got married. It is nice to have that done! I worked on the visiting teaching reports for Relief Society at the church, picked up a computer to clean up, did some consulting twice at the real estate office, helped my excavating friend with her computer, did two months worth of Ruritan reports, and made reservations to go to Idaho next week. I have registered Dianna for school, then went back today to get her parking permit. I am trying to get her into seminary but not sure how that will work out. I talk to Gail ...

I just should not have gotten up today. First I spent four hours trying to read a DVD for a meeting with a client at 2 so I could teach her how to use her Agent Office computer program. I tried on five different readers, even asked the D to try, but we finally decided it was a bad disk. The computers don't even show there is anything on it at all. The client won't believe me plus the program is so poorly written I always feel stupid trying to teach her how to use it. It doesn't follow normal protocols and the instructions are badly written. My new computer has a stupid window that pops up every time I turn it on that says Windows Help can't run because it uses too much memory so I need to turn off another to run it (Windows Help). I have two GIG of memory and I don't even want to run Windows Help and it isn't under msconfig so I have no clue where the message is coming from and it makes me mad. AOL locks up my laptop something awful. Since they announced ...

I didn't think I would be so sentimental about this, but it is my 25th anniversary and yes, I miss David. Sure, we did the cruise thing and he wished me Happy Anniversary every day and I told him it would be okay. But it isn't. I was wrong. Sadness.

Yes, there is an evil streak in the essence of my being! I hate flies that attack me while I work diligently on my Ruritan notes, trying in all earnestness to create flawless transcriptions of all that has transpired in the important Ruritan meetings that reflect the culture and, indeed, the internal workings of the interrelationships of the movers and shakers of Weyers Cave. Such a record is critical to future sociological studies of our society in order to have a true and complete understanding of the network of our community. Wouldn't it be awful if future generations didn't realize that it was Doug Houff who donated copier services month after month or Harry Houff who directed the chicken barbecues? What if they thought Gary Huffman or Martha Carper or Paul Wilson were quiet? What a travesty that would be! However, as I strove to do my appointed assignment yesterday (appointed only because Jeannie Garber had volunteered, but then couldn't because she was overwhelme...

I was able to have my first day as Primary President on Sunday and, of course, I loved it. I turned off the lights and covered the windows. I had pictures of prophets on the walls and gave the littlest a flashlight. She had to find a picture of a prophet and then shine it on the prophet as I told a story about him. If it weren't for the fact that they like shining the light in my eyes more than on the picture, it would have been perfect! I had only six children, two of which were 9 year old boy visitors. They obviously did have a really good time, though, and given the chance I think would come back. The only snack I had was small bags of nuts. They found then at the end of primary and asked for them. Of course I said yes and they were just as happy as if I had given them Airheads. I had better not take it for granted and always be healthy! Three of my best friends have been out of town: Diane, Martha, and TAT. I miss them, but they should all be back soon. I spent the morn...

Ha Ha! Dianna has been in the sun so much she has freckles on her face. Lots of them. We went to the Scion party tonight. We both won lots of prizes. Car polish, hats, keychains, gas additive, water bottles -- we came home with lots of stuff. Plus a nice dinner with fried chicken and veggie platters. We saw lots of other cool cars with lights and sound systems and all kinds of htings to make them really cool. Then DJ and I went to church and cleaned it. We are supposed to be on a team with five others, but they were all out of town. We had to set up all the chairs, vacuum, mop the floors, clean the bathrooms, empty the trash, and wash all the glass windows, mirrors and doors. It is a small church so it didn't take long. Gotta get a picture of the D with the freckles, huh?

Last night Dianna and I had dinner with Gail at her favorite, Rowe's. D & I split a veggie plate because we weren't that hungry (Dianna had made a snack at 3:30) and then Dianna went off to the Rescue Squad. Then I drove Gail to her dance class -- the one she has taught for many years but has only been back once since her knee operation April 16th. She was happy to be there with her friends. They were planning a ball for March and she kept volunteering to be in charge, but they kept ignoring her. It made me sad. I told them if she were in charge, I would be her assistant and make sure everything would get done, but they still planned it all without her. Then they started dancing. I told everyone when I went in that my knees would not allow me to dance. But the dancing they were doing it was not high impact at all. It was kind of gentle "get in two big lines and follow a series of steps", remembering women at that time were in HUGE skirts so couldn't ...

No, really. I am not joking. This is what the vet said. Faraday is either diabetic or else she is allergic to something in her food. Probably simple carbs and/or food dyes. So no more treats and she has to go on a prescription high protein food to clear up her problems, then slowly back to other stuff to figure what does and doesn't give her problems. But he did say there is no problem with the mint leaves from the front yard if that is what she wants. He said it probably would settle her stomach, which doesn't feel that good.

Today was a day that I really got to get deeply into my computer and get it a bit happier. I hooked up a printer and got Ruritan notes done plus a bunch of other paperwork. Then tonight was Ruritan Board Meeting. Allen and Chantell called. They are both so sweet. I am really happy for them. Oh, to be young, foolish and twitter-pated again! David is a pretty miserably little boy in Belgie. He has a summer cold which has gone into asthma. I don't like being this far away when he is under the weather. Dianna spent the day at band and the evening at the squad. So it is pretty much Cat and I. But Cat isn't going to be speaking to me tomorrow after she sees Dr. Gardner. (Shhh. Don't tell her. Although I am convinced you don't have to. She can read my mind.)

Dianna said Monopoly was her favorite game. So last night we played it. But she doesn't understand you have to be aggressive. The stinker had Park Place AND Boardwalk and instead of putting all her money into houses, she saved it in case she landed on my hotels in the yellow Marvin Gardens neighborhood. She finally gave up after she was down to ten properties and no money and I had over $4000. She landed on my hotels almost every round and I just took another property each time. David has left us to go to Europe for a few weeks. He is sick with a summer cold, so I know the plane trip was pretty miserable for him. He actually did go to the doctor and get some medicine to help deglop his sinuses so he would be more comfortable in the plane. I won't talk about it much since I know he wouldn't want me to, but I am sad he is uncomfortable. He says he won't have time to buy me any chocolate this trip. What an abomination! Why on earth would anyone even GO to Belgium...

Last night was an interesting one. The Young Women were evaluating fundraising ideas for Girls Camp (including holding buckets outside of Wal-Mart - Yeow!) just at the same time that our local Ruritan club was asked to host the Zone Ruritan Conference. So the girls prepared a lovely meal for 25 Ruritans. Dianna and Chelsey Hensley were the only two girls there, plus Barbara Tafuni, Kaye Wayts and Nicole Jarvis. They did a super job. I am not sure who brought what. I donated chicken and helped bake and barbecue it and set up, but then I had to attend the meeting. There was homemade macaroni salad, homemade applesauce, homemade cheesecake, and raspberry cobbler made from berries picked that morning. Add rolls and green beans and it was a great menu. I think that everyone had a great time. Working in the Community Center is fun because the kitchen is nice, but many of the serving plates have been stolen. Sadness. The Ruritans enjoyed the meal and the girls made some good money....

I hate computers. I spent hours loading all my old pictures onto a remote drive so I could move them to my new computer. Then I ran something called the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard, hoping to get things like my internet bookmarks and my Outlook files. But no, the Files and Settings Transfer not only made additional copies of pretty much every JPG and DOC file on my computer, but also all the desktop shortcuts, even though they point to programs that aren't even there. Do you think Microsoft will waste its time bringing over files from AOL or Mozilla bookmarks! Of course not! So now my new drive has 69 gig of junk on it, even though the old one only had two 20 gig drives to begin with, and it might be easier to go back and reformat the hard drive than clean up the mess this stupid program made of my new computer. Aagh! I should have known. Files and settings. Yeah. I thought it would let me pick what to send over after I started to run it on the new computer, but the opti...