Computers, puppies, manuscripts and food--a mixed-up day

There's not much worse in a writer's day than to turn on your computer in the morning and it doesn't start. This morning mine had a blue-and-white screen that said something about security open. It had options, but when I hit the tab key, it simply went from the date to something incomprehensible and back again. I tried ctrl/alt/delete, I turned it off, I unplugged it--nothing worked. I was stuck, so I did what all great thinkers do: I went to the bathroom. And there of course it hit me that I should stop trying to fix it with my remote keyboard and use the keyboard on the laptop. Worked like a charm, and pretty soon I had exited whatever that was (probably crucial to the life of my computer but I surely hope not) and had the screen with the picture of my happy family and all my icons. I was back in business and most grateful. Not only do I start my day with email and Facebook, but this was the day I'd targeted to start reading the work in progress, writing out that one plot thread, and evaluating others. What looked to be a day with alternative plans was now back on track.
In the late morning, Sophie and I went to our training class. A big part of training Sophie is to train me. Last night, after she'd just been out, she kept jumping on me, and I repeated "Off!" so many times I got tired of it. Suddenly, she was quiet, and I figured out why--she'd left a puddle. It was like she said to me, "Mom, I tried to tell you!" She did--but it was late, I'd just gotten home, I wanted to clear up the day, and she'd just been out. Tonight I'm paying better attention to her signals.
Today's lesson was about walking on a loose lead. Sophie and I flunked, at least in my mind. She wants to pull and go off in a thousand directions. I realize I haven't taken her out in the world enough, so she is eager for every new person, every new experience. But I'm afraid she'll pull me down. I vow we'll practice hard this week.
Jay and Susan are painting the back side of Jay's office (really their guest house) which means they're in my yard all day. Jay went to the deli and brought sandwiches--lox and cream cheese for me. I should have learned never to order it to go--they didn't toast the rye bread (I don't like bagels) and the lox for some unknown reason was cut up into tiny pieces. Go figure. Still tasted good, and I was grateful. We sat on the porch--perfect porch day.
My main project today is indeed re-reading my first draft, with Fred's suggesitons in mind. I've pretty much kept at it and am working on it tonight. Once into Kelly's neigborhood, the world of the Kelly O'Connnell mysteries, I get sort of wrapped up in it and going through the pages is fun. Trouble is that I know so well what I've written, I'm sure I miss things I want to correct. But I feel no sense of needing to hurry, so it's a nice leisurely day.
Cooking hint for the day: not many people like creamed tuna, but they might like mine. Since I rarely have milk on hand, I make a white sauce with white wine and add a dollop of low-fat mayonnaise for creaminess. A little salt, pepper, garlic powder and thyme and a healthy addition of green peas--it's delicious.
Life is good.

Minor catastrophes and a major computer problem

Kids at breakfast

After a make-your own burrito breakfast this morning, my kids and grandkids packed up to leave. Their departure was not without catastrophes, however. Everyone was concentrating on getting Colin 's dog to put his feet inside his space so the hatch door could be closed. Kaibo finally complied, door was closed--on Morgan's hand. Lots of tears, bags of ice, lots of love, chocolate ice cream, and a bit of children's aspirin. At last report, in the car, she was drawing and could bend and wiggle her fingers, though they are swollen and red. By the time they left, we were getting a few smiles out of her.

Maddie had brought her regulation basketball, and she and Christian went to the school playground to shoot baskets. When they came back Christian and Jacob were playing with the ball and somehow Jacob got smushed in the face with that heavy ball. He recovered fairly quickly but was indignant that this had happened to him.

Everyone was finally off, I finished cleaning the kitchen, ran the dishwasher, started a laundry and settled at my desk--only to find that after about an hour my wireless mouse quit. The keyboard still works, but I have to use the mousepad on the laptop--and I prefer an old-fashioned mouse. Spent a lot of time tonight on the Logitech support page, tried to call but they were closed. I'll call in the morning but I have a feeling that I am only postponing the inevitable new keyboard and mouse. That was Brandon's advice, but I swear I haven't had mine long. B. says they need replacement because the letters on my keys have all worn off--doesn't bother me, because I learned touch-typing the old-fashioned way. My kids don't like my keyboard. That doesn't bother me either.

Smurglets--they're everywhere, plus Friday the 13th

In September, TCU Press will publish a book of children's poetry titled Smurglets Are Everywhere, poetry by 2005 Texas poet laureate Alan Birkelbach and illustrations by my neighbor, Susan J. Halbower. It's absolutely a magical book. So the picture above shows six of my seven favorite smurglets. When the seventh, who was sick, made it to the picture, his oldest cousin made awful faces, so I chose this one to post instead. I wanted to post the book's front cover, but it's a pdf and they won't post to blogger. Take my word for it--it's wonderful. And if you look closely enough, you can make it out on the T-shirts above. Maddie's T-shirt somehow didn't make it to Frisco so I gave her my XL shirt. She clowned about the way it hung on her, but tweens are so clever--she rolled up the sleeves, tied it in the back, and it looks great. She opted however to give it back to me and get one that would really fit her.
Computer dependency is awful, but boy do I have it. Last night when I turned my computer off, it froze at "Please do not power off or unplug. Updating 2 of 11." I went to bed, but this morning it still said the same thing, so I did the unforgiveable and powered it off. It wouldn't start. A long weeked of no e-mail, no writing on my novel, no Facebook, nothing, loomed before me. Sure I could spend it reading, and I have a lot of cooking to do, but still. I called Jamie, because he bought it and I didn't know whether to call Sony or take it back to Best Buy or wherever he got it. He talked me through turning it off, taking out the battery, and putting it back in. Magic! The computer worked, though it's made me nervous all day. It's only five months old, so I didn't think it should crash. Of course, Jamie began the conversation with "Do you have backup? You've lost everything," followed by "Just joking." He's so good at that. So there I was back in business. When he returned my call this morning, I was in the bedroom and asked him to hold on while I went to the office. He said he would but by the time I got to the office, the phone was dead. I thought the world was conspiring against me, but he called back quite quickly. Then when I scanned my card in the little machine at the grocery, the machine went beserk. I'm afraid to touch anything else mechanical today. It's truly Friday the 13th. I think it was also 105 today. Both good reasons to say in, which I've done since the grocery store.