Monday I turned on the computer and it froze loading the Windows drivers. I rebooted. Same again. And again. I called DELL and spent the rest of the day getting the system back. Never did find out what had happened, but it's working fine now. So far.

Monday night Ma went to have her taxes done after work. At 6:40 p.m., ten minutes after our Tai Chi class began, I decided that one of us had better go to class so that we wouldn't fall too far behind. I called Ray, her tax guy, to let her know (and to make sure that something besides taxes hadn't happened to her), and off I went. I was only twenty minutes late.

On the way home from Tai Chi-- which was enjoyable-- the Jeep started its bucking routine and stalled. I put the clutch in and tried to restart on the fly, but no go. I put it in gear and tried a jump start, but that didn't work either. Luckily, Steere Farm Road is all down hill from the Elementary School where we had our lesson, so I coasted into town. I had to come to a stop at Central Street because of traffic, but I couldn't have coasted any further anyway because that's where the flats start.

I was under a street light there at the intersection, so I put the emergency blinkers on and got out and put the hood up. I poked what could be poked, and jiggled what could be jiggled-- it's not the battery, by the way; the battery is fine and the engine turns over strongly; it just won't catch-- tried again, and gave up. I put the interior light on (the cops like that because it makes the vehicle very visible), locked the door, and hoofed it. It was a beautiful night for walking.

The library was still open. It was about 10 minutes before closing, so I went in and called Moe's Towing. Their answering machine said to page them, so I did, and gave them Ma's number. Then I called Ma to tell her what to tell "Moe" if he called. (One of these days I'm going to remember to ask if there is a Moe at Moe's.) Then I hoofed it to Ma's.

When I got to Ma's I called the Cops to let them know that the getting of a tow was in process, and I was waiting for "Moe" to answer the page. They said the officer was already on the scene-- it had been twenty minutes by now--, and they'd get "Moe" and call me back. About 20 seconds later, "Moe" called and said he was on the scene, too, (the officer must have called him before I did) and wanted to know how long before I could get there. Five minutes. I took Ma's car, and I followed "Moe" over to Eagle Motors. They know me-- and the Jeep-- there. I locked the Jeep up, but I didn't leave the key. They don't have a drop box, and since they fixed their front door, there's no space to slip a key under. And besides, I figured I should leave a note...

I went back to Ma's and demonstrated the new Tai Chi forms, Parting the Horses's Mane, and White Crane Spreads its Wings. I had the Mane thing down, but I wasn't too clear on the Crane when I came to demonstrate. We'll have to pay extra attention next week. I made Ma do the breathing and relaxation exercises with me. Then I had a chocolate milk and some peanut butter and jelly crackers. Then I wrote a note to Joe at Eagle. While I was pondering how and when I'd deliver said note, Ma volunteered to drop it and the key off on her way to work in the morning. I thanked her and went home.

I read the vampire book. I didn't turn the computer back on.

That was my Monday.

When I got up today, Tuesday, I called Eagle to find out about the Jeep. They told me it would be a while before they got to my car because they had "... a whole parking lot full of cars that won't start." Misery loves company, right?

I worked until six, pottered around the library until six-thirty, and forgot all about the Jeep. Nothing I did at the library seemed to screw up. That seems a bit ominous somehow.

I had supper with Ma, and afterwards we practiced Tai Chi. Then we spent a whole lot of time looking for the antique silver needle case with the bone-handled crochet hooks. Aunt Ida scarfed it up when she and her friend Dick were cleaning up the Lincoln Estate, Dick's family home. She thought Ma would like to have the case, and would get some use out of it, too. It's really neat. Sterling silver, very elegant. I wanted to find it so we could include it in the display of antique crocheting and embroidery that we have in the exhibit case at the library this month. We looked everywhere. And I looked at my house, too. We found the leather wallets of needles (they're about a hundred years old and the needles are bright and sharp as new-- in fact, we use them quite a lot) that were Mrs. Ballou's, but, as for the silver case with the crochet hooks, as Ma said, "I'm dished if I know where it went."

It's cold in my house tonight. The furnace isn't cooperating. When I came home to look for the crochet case, I noticed the cold. Even though the temperature was down to 50, and the thermostat was set at 60, the heat wasn't on. I pushed the thermostat up to 80 before I went back over to Ma's, but when I got back the place was even colder. I prodded the thermostat, and the heat didn't come on. And it didn't come on when I went down and poked the reset button, either. It finally did come on a long time later, but only long enough to raise the temperature to 52, then it shut off again. The radiators didn't even get completely warm. Well, that's another thing that has to be fixed.

I think I was quite brave to turn the computer on tonight, all things considered.

After I finish this up, I'm going to do a little yoga, then I'm going to go climb into bed with my hot water bottles and go back to reading my vampire book. In the morning I'll hike over to Eagle and ask Joe if he's figured out what's with the Jeep...

Beware the Ides of March. Today, after three weeks of retrograde motion, Mercury turns direct. What next will befall? I wonder.

Please feel free to comment at:
The Madwoman's Message Board