My poor computer has, for perhaps the 8th or 9th time in a year and a half, been wiped completely clean. Belle’s friend Anthony then installed XP on it, and Belle returned it to me last night at midnight in a parking lot in the pouring rain, complete with violent thunder and unbelievable lightning. Omens, no doubt. When the storm seemed to lighten a little, I started for home. Unfortunately, the storm was just a few minutes ahead of me, and I was driving straight into it.

I don’t see all that well period, and I don’t see well at night at all. Add to this the blinding storm which blinded EVERYONE and you’ve got a road hazard named Mamacita.

That stretch of Highway 37 is poorly marked; the center lines are all faded and the sidelines are nonexistent for many miles at a stretch. That, and the almost complete lack of visual, and the torrential rain, and the blinding lightning, are why I drove home last night between 15-20 mph, and all those big trucks that kept honking at me can, well, you know.

Oh, did I mention the tornado warnings? Man, the people in Steak and Shake were nearly hysterical.

And what was I doing at Steak and Shake so late at night? I was having supper with BLOG FRIENDS, that’s what.

Yes, my dear lovely friend Garrison Steelle, Scotty and his partner J, and I all met at the Steak and Shake on the west side, and had a wonderful time! Next time, why don’t all of you join us?

And when Robin comes up, we’ll all meet again and it will be even more fun!

Belle, dear, you have fun with that case of Ramen noodles, ok? Some day, we’ll look back on these hard times and laugh. Not yet, but some day.

Hub and I spent this afternoon at Appleacres picking blackberries. The plans were for some jam but I doubt there will be enough left after we are finished eating them by the handful.

Want some? Come on over.

What was I talking about. . . .Oh yes.

My computer. I couldn’t bring it into the house last night because of the storm, so I had to leave it in the car. Hub brought it in late this morning, and it’s sitting on my desk, unplugged, unhooked, and unused. The ram is still sitting on the seat of the chair. I don’t know how to do it (go ahead, laugh. i’m used to it. ) and Hub will get around to it later tonight. In the meantime, here I am still on his computer, which is certainly better than nothing at all, and I really, really appreciate his letting me use it.

We are territorial about our computers; it’s wonderful that he lets me use his. I hope I would be as nice if he had to use mine.

And now I think I’d better go do some more laundry and maybe grab another handful of blackberries.

Since I’m not going to make jam this time, I wouldn’t want them to go to waste.