Computers and spring

We went to Madison today and I got a new laptop -- a Compaq Presario 60-215DX, Nothing fancy, just a basic little machine that should serve my needs. Tom will spend a few hours getting it all set up while I sit back and watch a movie.

More importantly, on the way we saw some signs of spring. Well, Wisconsin signs of spring, anyway. Some tree limbs are starting to show red where the bud tips are beginning to form, and the bark on some of the trees has begun to lighten up. The Wisconsin River is opening up -- still plenty of ice, but lots more water visible. And although it will still get below freezing at night, over the next ten days the highs will be in the upper 30's and into the lower 40's. (Say 2.2-6.1 C).

Also, my friend Barry and his wife get back from Florida tonight, and I should be able to get back into my routine of having coffee and a chat with him every week. I look forward to that, too.

I am off tomorrow (Monday), but the day will be mostly things like doing some banking, making an appointment for my annual check-up at the doctor (and renewal of prescriptions), housecleaning and laundry.

And that is all the news that's not even fit to blog.

Blah Thursday morning

Just starting out as that kind of day.

It is 5 degrees at 8:00 AM (-15 C), and today is the day we load carts at the library, unload carts at Our House Memory Care, load carts at Our House, unload carts at Golden Living, load carts at Golden Living, unload carts at Colonial Apartments, load carts of Colonial Apartments, unload carts at the library. Not that this is much physical work, but it does involve standing out in the bitter cold over and over and over and over, between which we are in overheated nursing homes.

Not that I'm complaining, mind you!

It has been a fullish week, too, and I am tired and ready for a weekend. But since I had Monday off, I will work Saturday. And I have been to two extra meetings this week in the evening after a full day at work (after a 10-hour day on Tuesday), so I am not getting my usual downtime.

ON THE OTHER HAND, I am not working Kirstin's crazy schedule plus trying to take care of a baby and all the rest of that! Nor am I preparing to move or to have people move in with me. So I should just be happy I have a job I do still love and the worst thing I have to do is come home to a hot meal Tom has prepared for me, watch a little TV and go to bed.

What's not to like, really?

Oh yeah. The backup computer I had been using died ...

To balance that, someone just bought nine books!

Dog name

Loki.

There is a rationale, but I did not quite understand it because Tom and Peter were explaining it at the same time.

Loki is a Norse god (or not), who is a sort of devil figure (or not), maybe more like the Trickster figure in Native American legends. Hard to get hold of, sometimes helpful, sometimes destructive.

Sounds more like a cat's name to me!

Noko?

Ashley (and Peter) got a puppy today, a Huskie (mix?) born in November. They were discussing the name and that went all over the place. I googled some Native American names, suggested Paphnutius (a holy Egyptian monk of the fourth century) and other improbable things. Tom was pushing for Schlomo. Last I heard it might by Noko (short for Innoko, the wilderness through which the Iditarod dogs race).

At any rate, Tom and I tried to get photos, and I think Tom had better luck. That's his photo above. Ashley finally held him up for me to get a close-up, insisting that I crop her out of the picture. As you can see, Noko (or Whoever) was not all that happy to have his photo taken. That was one reason I suggested a Native American name -- some traditional tribesfolk don't like to be photographed. He was a totally calm puppy, though, and very quiet. (The cats, needless to say, disappeared into the basement as soon as the pup appeared on the scene.) He has those lovely ice-blue eyes, which I understand often are linked to poor eyesight.

I also suggested to Ashley that they put him in the middle of a room and four or five people could stand around, calling out different names. When he responded to one, that would be his name. She is a friendly young woman and smiled kindly, but she clearly thought this was not a good idea.

BTW, if you are worried about the cats, I believe He-Who-Must-Not-Yet-Be-Named will be living mostly at Ashley's for now. I told Sundance that a new puppy doesn't mean we don't still love her, but she looked totally skeptical about my explanation.