Back in the world

I’m back! I have a computer—a new Lenovo, a new remote keyboard, and a large remote screen. I’m in business again and so glad to be!

Several years ago, I had a TIA (mini-stroke) and ended in the emergency room. The doctors mistakenly said I didn’t have a TIA (later demonstrated by MRI) but was in what they called a state of altered consciousness. I’m not certain what medical textbook they got that out of, but the phrase certainly describes how I felt this past week. Without a computer, I was useless and didn’t know what to do with myself. I felt isolated from the world, though I tried to keep up on my cell phone and iPad. But I can’t type fast or accurately on those gadgets, so it was a losing game.

Worst of all I had projects and deadlines that required a computer. My online class on creating a fictional chef began last Thursday with me missing in action; on Saturday I was on a Zoom panel for the Boerne (TX) Book Festival—managed that on Christian’s computer. A calendar note popped up reminding me I had a deadline for a guest post about Saving Irene—I did a rough draft on Christian’s computer. Jordan was a magician and set me up on that with my email account and Word program. Wonder of wonders, when I opened Word on the new computer, that file was there. The internet world continues to amaze me.

This morning, in addition to going to church online I played catch up—answered emails, apologized to some for my absence and failure to congratulate on some good news, thanked my youngest son who spent three hours last evening setting all this up. I wouldn’t have had the faintest idea where to begin. I have been working on a computer since they first came into common use—probably the late eighties. Remember those ancient slow machines with two big floppy disks? One for the program and one for the document you were working on? So give me thirty-plus years, and I’m still techy challenged. I think it’s less me than the fact that technology changes so rapidly. And I’m glad it does—today’s streamlined computers are such an improvement. And in a year, my new one will already be dated!

The grocery list was a big frustration of my week of isolation. I keep a running list on my computer—with items for both households, at least for our dinners. Thursday Jordan had to go to the store with a list reconstructed from memory and as we planned meals for this week, she kept a list by hand. I’m pleased to say we got most of what was on last week’s list, and I’ll send a new order to Central Market tonight.

I had a grand time on the book festival panel, talking with authors Sarah Bird (Daughter of a Daughter of a Queen) and Elizabeth Wetmore (Valentine) about strong Texas women. My first Zoom panel so I was a little intimidated, but I found I felt quite at ease—more so than when appearing onstage in person—and plenty to contribute to the discussion. A wonderful hour. Thanks to Caren Creech of the Patrick Hearth Public Library for putting the program together—and most of the festival, I think. We got good response online from people who had watched it. Zoom is going to be a good thing for me, enabling me to attend meetings that, if they were held in person, I couldn’t make. So this Thursday I’m going to “zoom attend” the meeting of the Tarrant County Historical Society.

In the category of it’s always something, a critter—probably rat or squirrel—has died under the kitchen of the main house, and the odor is apparently unbearable. So in a sudden reverse, Christian is not fixing us supper—who wants to cook in a kitchen that smells that foul? So I’ve fixed chicken pot pie—my own recipe and one of the few things I cook that Jacob really likes. I caught him once scraping up the last of the sauce with a strawberry.

I am certainly looking forward to this week as a change from last. Cheers, everyone!

 

 

 

Water, Water Everywhere…or not

A quick lesson in how we take for granted the modern conveniences of life: I used the bathroom a few minutes ago and went to wash my hands at the sink. Nothing. No water. Tried the kitchen. No water. Called the neighbors, who answered with, “Is your water off?” They heard it will be five of six hours—something to do with work at the school across the street. So there I was feeling like Lady MacBeth—desperate to wash my hands. I put a quick post on Facebook saying I had no water and guessed I’d have to drink wine. Jordan lost no time in calling to say she wished she was here to drink wine with me. Big help! She did suggest I fill a glass with ice and let it melt. Done!

I had spotted a jug of water way back in the shelves over the dryer, but I was afraid it was so out of date it wouldn’t be potable. Still, I could wash with it. Moved everything around, got to the jug…and it was empty.

Next step—five small individual bottles of water that someone, not me, had left in the fridge. I did everything but plunge a knife directly into the bottle—could not figure out how to open it. My magic gadget that opens everything didn’t work; running a knife blade around the seal didn’t work. The thing had a clear plastic cap on it—so you could drink and re-seal I guess, but I couldn’t figure out how to do it. Finally, with a knife blade, I popped it off…and wasted precious water. But I washed my hands. Mission accomplished. Surely when you set off on a picnic you’re not supposed to take a knife blade for prying off the top of the water bottle! Bottled water, especially a jug, just went on my grocery list.

Discovered I can do all my nightly “toilette” ritual without water except brushing my teeth—will use just a bit of that precious bottled water for that. When they tell me five hours, I don’t quite trust them.

Meantime, I now deserve that glass of wine.

On a serious note, we read directions, instructions for emergency preparedness kits everywhere, from magazines to the Internet. I don’t know about you, but I usually shrug it off thinking, “I’ve got all those things.” Now I know better. Going over a checklist and checking it twice.