Technology

At some point my recent technological problems became absurd comedy. I would hear from a few blog readers, "Hey!? Why aren't you posting on your blog?" Well, first I had camera problems (really) And my words just aren't fancy enough to fly without a few pictures. Then, I got the camera working and the card reader to upload the pictures went kapoot. I got another card reader and just then, my son came for a visit and asked me to bake him a blueberry pie.

It was one of those magical mother-son connection times. He sat at the kitchen counter while I rolled out pie dough. He had brought his external hard drive over to load some things on my computer that he thought I'd like to watch. While I fidgeted with the pie he began to fidget in a something's-not-quite-right sort of way.

Right about the time he started to tell me how he'd just found a virus on his own computer (but not to worry! It was quarantined!) He said, "Wow, now YOUR internet is freezing up too." Then, the words. Oh those horrible words. "oh oh, this looks like the same virus I had on my computer!" I reached over, ignoring all the rules of disable before removal and yanked the cord connecting his hard drive to my laptop. It was too little too late. Just when I'd regained the ability to post pictures, I lost the ability to access the internet.

We still had pie. But it was a sad computer night.

I used to work with computers for a living. I wasn't all that good at it then. I was really kind of glad to walk away from the stress of viruses and glitches. I notice my brain really rebels against being called back up to process technical information. I rebel. I just stared at the computer screen for a day or so hoping that virus would decide there wasn't anything of interest on my silly laptop and take a hike. I slept on it. Two nights I slept on it. Each morning I'd return to the laptop and there would be the monster that had taken up residence in my life.

This morning I found my resolve. I found my guts and my determination and I came out swinging. I'm happy to report that I won!

In celebration I want to post a picture of some beets I recently worked with. They look like a bowl full of jewels. I was so enamored of them I wanted to marry them. I settled for a picture instead. After all this, I roasted them with sherry and when I removed them from the oven I splashed some really nice sherry vinegar on them and when they cooled I topped them with some crumbled chevre. I don't care if you don't like beets. You'd like these beets. I promise! A handful of fresh chopped chives, parsley and Marjoram would be delightful added to the mix after it has cooled as well.