Who knows if this entry will every see the light of day. That being the case, it prombly don' matter what I say, right?

Maybe it's time to quit. Maybe that's the hidden message behind all this Basic Connection Unavailable krep. (Ha! Spell check wants to change that to crêpe. Little does it know.) Somebody's trying to tell me I overstayed my welcome. Time to hang up the shingle, huh? (Or is it time to take down the shingle? That's a confusing metaphor in my current state of bewilderment.)

I don't know what I'd do without this, though. My house was a wonderland of scents today, thanks to a kind reader who sent me a crock pot recipe. (And you know who you are, and thanks.) It's the first time I've used the slow cooker Tammy and David gave me when they upgraded. It was still in the box until last night. Now it's been christened (sorry) with a zesty old-timey soup, at least three days' worth (unless I share).

Without this magical ability to connect with distant friends, I'd hate to think what I might have eaten tonight. Something totally ordinary, I'm sure.

When the optician called this afternoon to tell me my lenses were in, I had a dilemma. I don't usually leave the house with anything motorized or electrical running. That's one reason I don't get my laundry done in a timely manner. But my soup was in the middle of a seven-hour cooking process, and I didn't want to screw it up. So I (shudder!) left it on high when I went out to get my new glasses.

I actually half expected the old homestead to be a pile of cinder and ash when I got home, but no, all was well. Better even, because now I can see it. I didn't realize until I walked out of the optician's office today that my distance vision could be improved that much. I knew I needed more help reading than I was getting from the old pair, but I thought I was seeing through the top half of the bifocals pretty well. I guess I was wrong, because everything is clear like a digital image now. It's a whole new world, as they say.

So it was a good day, despite the occasional lapse of connectivity. Good food, heightened vision, and tonight I watched a DVD of Steve Goodman on Austin City Limits that made me laugh and cry at the same time. Man, do we need that kind of humor and energy and all-around good nature now. The good ones die so young, it seems.

Not me, though. I'll hang around as long as you will let me (as Steve once sang). I just don't know how often we'll be able to get together, at least until the DSL issues are resolved. Plan on me not being as reliable as you're used to, for a while anyway. Just don't think I'm going anywhere, because obviously I can't take a hint.