My laptop has died of old age.

Four years ago DH insisted I needed a laptop computer, so we went down to Gateway and got the est deal we could find. He was right, of course. I really did need it, and it has been such a useful tool for the whole trying to get a book published thing. Today, I turned it on, and I could hear it power up, but the screen was black. I repeated the process, with and without battery, electricity, accessories, and anything else I could think of. I carred it to different corners of the house, thinking maybe the anti-communication curse had expanded. Next comes a pitiful trip to the friendly Geek Squad.. If they can't help me, I will need to start shopping again. I hate this. You spend a ton of money on something and in no time at all, you have to go out and spend a ton of money to replace it because it broke. Four years! FOUR YEARS, people! Is this reasonable? Yes, I know it's an antique in terms of technology, but shouldn't I be able to expect at least half a decade from an appliance? A toaster lives about 20 years if you clean the crumb tray now and then. My Honda Civic is still running around the neighborhood and it's twenty years old this year. Why should my laptop flop and die at four measley years?

Anyhow, no photos till I can - omygawd. All the stuff saved on the laptop. All my pictures! Ohh, I'd better bake up a batch of brownies to bribe the nice Geeks. On CSI they retrieve stuff from computers that have been through fires. Surely they can retrieve my photos.

I can't do a thing about this till Tuesday. I am putting it out of my mind. firmly. At least all the writing, well, most of the writing, Well, a lot of the writing is saved on CDs. (Note to self: finish that job now!!)

So anyhow, I'm doing a mem from Norma. Got to page 165 (I think) of the book you are reading and type the fifth line on the page. I'm going to type the wole sentence. The book is, The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan. "Each weed-free strip is as smooth and flat as a tabletop, leveled with a laser so that the custom-built harvester can snip each leaf at precisely the same point."

This is so unlike me, to be reading a thought-provoking, non-fiction book. Usually I'm hip-deep in fantasy or a mystery or a good hysterical romance. (Ummm, historical romance I meant to say. ) Why this heavy, serious change of pace? I dunno. It was reccommended and I gave it a try. It's well written, but it tells me lots of stuff I don't want to know about most of the food I like to eat. I intend to follow it with the latest Dick Francis novel, written in collaboration with his son.

Yesterday, DH and I stopped at an estate sale where I bought two china teacups and a book. Simple Sweaters the Straight Line Way by Farm Craft Press. Published in 1981. It's a sweater recipe book, and pretty nifty. $2. DH bought a couple books for a retired sailor we know. Published in 1914 they are: An Illustrated Glossary of Nautical Terms; and Essential Knowledge for the Merchant Marine.

And today I got our pumpkins carved. Darn, I wish I could show you the pictures. Looks like we'll have good weather this year. Maybe I need to buy more candy . . .