Wireless and Lovin' It!

NOW I feel at home. As of yesterday, all systems were go. Stupid stuff like being unable to find my pc power cord and running out of printer ink kept everything from functioning in a way that gave me peace. At last I have Kindle, iPhone, PC, two TVs, an X box, laptop, printer, and sewing machine all operating the way they are supposed to. All that is left to for me to conquer is the full use of my new iPhone and the TV remote. I caved in and bought iPhone for Seniors for Dummies to help with the phone (it's a stretch for a former techie who wrote manuals to actually break down, buy one, and read it). Conquering the TV remote I'll leave for some day when boredom sets in. I'll know I'm home when I find time to sit down and sew once again. My fingers are itching to touch fabric.

I upgraded my iphone 3 to an iphone 5s the day before I left Ozark. So, I took off cross-country not knowing for sure how to even answer a phone call. I quickly learned how to use the map feature and "she" guided us to our hotels most of the time. I'll let the mis-direction in Flagstaff slide for now.

I've bought cleaning supplies and implements, food, and some plants for the back yard, so I'm starting to feel settled. Pictures still need to be hung and I need to clean house. Once I've cleaned, I'll feel like it really is mine.

Logan is settling in, although he is lonely and bored some of the time. He has made some acquaintances by hanging around the pool. It's really tough when you are 17 and need to be cool all the time. I want him to bring the new people around to meet me and the idea horrifies him. He wants to go hang out with them and I don't know anything about them. It's tough. I'll be glad when school starts and we can get a rhythm to our lives. Now, he sleeps late and stays up late. All of this is so normal for a teen-ager, but it is still a bit inconvenient for this morning person.

More later about the move, the trip, the new place, etc.

New Love

Some things change and some things are immutable. The wheels are now larger, swivel effectively, and roll smoothly. Two of the shelves have morphed into baskets and they are made of wire. 

I

It's not my mother's kitchen utility cart, neither the one in my kitchen nor the blue one in the photo above. I borrowed the photo above because I don't have a photo of my mother's green version. I much prefer the newer version. My mother's sat immobile near the kitchen stove in my childhood home. The kitchen was large, dilapidated, and had very little usable space like counter, and cupboards. I think the cart was intended to compensate in some degree for those deficiencies, but as near as I can recall it was only used to hold dish towels (our version had a handle or rack on the top level).

My new cart serves me as a laundry cart when I move clothes from the hamper to the washer, the washer to the dryer, and the dryer back to my bedroom where I fold them. It saves my back and many steps. It also serves as an auxiliary walker. I leave my walker in the car and push the cart around the house. It's useful when I'm using the dining room for meals and need to carry food and dirty dishes to and fro. I love it!

And here are three of my new loves all in one! Watching and listening to Downton Abbey on my new Kindle Fire with my new headset has given me enormous pleasure. I wondered what all the buzz was about Downton Abbey and now I know: my dears, the costumes, the scenery, the characters, the setting, the story, and Maggie Smith! I'm also delighted with the Kindle cover which doubles as a stand. Buying all this seemed so indulgent and as I grow older, the acquisition of things often seems burdensome. This is different -- I am enthralled!

I still take time out from new addiction to practice the old -- I've completed two more table runners, only one more to go and I will have a complete set of twelve. And I keep on quilting on other projects.

Can Your Dentist Do This?

My dentist has recently moved into a fancy new office, bought a bunch of fancy new equipment, and trained his assistants/technicians in a some amazing new skills and technologies.
I had to have a crown replaced; the underlying tooth had decayed, so the old crown had to come off, the decay treated, and a new crown installed. In the very recent past, this meant  anguishing time spent with a mouth full of goo while impressions were made, a "garbage can" temporary crown, and once the lab had fabricated the new crown and returned it to the dentist a second visit was required to cement in the new jewel.
This week, the dentist removed the old crown, fixed the tooth, and called in the assistants. They placed a device in my mouth which isolated the tooth and yet allowed me to breathe, swallow, clear my throat, and do everything but talk. Then they used a special little camera and began making digital images of the tooth and the space the crown would occupy. Working on the computer in a 3D graphics mode, they designed the new crown. When the dentist was satisfied, they pushed a button and the crown was manufactured while I sat in the chair. It was cemented in place and I went home a happy person. What truly amazes me is that someday this technology will seem primitive.
I don't have a picture of the tooth, so I'll show you my latest table topper.