This Happened, A True Story (or two)

The Old KayPro Computer!

O.K. first, do you remember this Brain?!  This was one of the first computers my family ever had.  Well, I say "my family", but it was my Dad's and he wasn't really keen on the rest of us using it.  My sister used to play mine sweeper on it for hours at a time but she had to wait until my Dad left the house.  It made this weird little beeping noise when it was booting up and the screen was only one color, green.  I found this one at the computer museum in Austin.  It made me laugh and took me back to those (not so) good times.  But we can not dwell in the technology of the past, which makes a perfect segue into my next topic; The Technology of Today!

Specifically, cell phones.  I believe I have complained before about people who can't seem to drag themselves into the 21st century .  But here it is, two years later, I personally can't even remember a time I didn't have a smart phone and I'm STILL running across people who are living in the dark ages.  So here's a note, if it pertains to you be ashamed and then go and do something about it!!!

People, This is 2012, communication has moved beyond the rotary dial up phone that used to hang on the wall by the kitchen door.  Did you hear?  We went mobile, and then we went REALLY mobile.  It is now possible to speak to people from almost anywhere on Earth provided you do a few, simple, things.  First, you need to actually carry your cell phone with you.  Its not magic, if you don't have it with you all the "G's" in the universe aren't going to keep you in contact with the important folks in your life.  Second, buy a freakin' car charger already, really, come on, there's no excuse, they aren't expensive.  If you go out in the car at all, chances are at some point your battery is going to die.  That thing that you used to use to light your smokes?  In this century we use that as a nifty little power dispenser that can keep you jamin' to tunes, talking on your phone,  answering your email or tweeting what you had for lunch.  Third, Texting Is Not Just For Teenagers!  In these busy times people use texts for many, many time saving reasons.  Get with the program, get a smart phone, get an UNLIMITED data plan and UNLIMITED minutes.  Seriously.  Do you know how bad it sounds these days to say you ran out of mins on your phone?!!!  No one over the age of seven should be saying that! Grow up!

I have no good segue for this topic, brain, so I shall just launch right off on it, then, "grameric" (I made that word up, just like I made up "gynormous"- and since I made up gynormous, I am pointing out the correct spelling is  g-y-n-o-r-m-o-u-s) grace be damned!

OK this cool thing happened and I want to tell you about it Brain, because while it may seem like I am often a vitriolic (B actually called me that today and I was torn between taking offense and trying to figure out how many points he ought to get for working that in to casual conversation) bitch, I do have my moments of appreciation for my fellow humans.  So here are two of them.

The original suburban hedge monsters

The wildflower garden that replaced the hedge monsters.

You may remember Brain, that one of the first things I did upon moving into my new house in suburban hell, was to do battle with horrible hedge monsters and replant with native and adapted plants.  One of my dearest goals in life has been to own some land where I could create a habitat for wild things, snakes and birds and insects.  Everyone is welcome from wasps to bunnies to sparrows to lizards.  I've been steadily increasing the number of flowering plants for the butterflies and humming birds and solitary bees and I find that I have attracted another type of visitor to my yard.  A type I never expected, but one that, surprisingly, I like almost as much as the bees and the butterflies and bats and birds etc.  The other visitor is toddlers.  Two separate families in the neighborhood have been bringing their little toddlers up to my yard to look at the flowers.   My neighbors have to drag their littlest one away from the flowers.  She is obsessed with the bright colors, if they take their eyes off her for a moment when she is in their front yard, she immediately makes a beeline for my yard and the flowers. A couiple of days ago I was working on the computer and looked out the window to see a grandfather help his little granddaughter walk up the sidewalk from several houses down.  They walked up to my yard, stopped in front of the giant flowering Lantana bush and watched the butterflies for awhile, then they turned carefully around and started the long (for a toddler) journey back.    Watching this out my window, I felt my Grinch heart grow three sizes that day.

After I wrote this post I  was able to photograph a Greater Texas Juicesucker and it's parent visiting my flowers.

Last pic, just cause.  Todays hatchling Black Swallowtail.  Sorry, bad cell phone pic , but you get the idea.

OK, this post grows long and the hour grows late, Treme is calling and I must go.  I will have to post my second story about a cool thing that happened tomorrow (or some time later this week).