I feel compelled to share this story: Best Buy is the only game in town when it comes to electronics in Sherman. Steve and I have spent hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars there. And they have officially lost all future sales from us over a $59.99 keyboard. A Logitech solar-powered wireless keyboard for a Mac to be exact.

I had worn out the option key on my old keyboard and went to buy a new one. I usually opt for a usb-powered keyboard because I don't like using up batteries. This solar power option seemed like a good idea. Got it home, put it to work and I really liked it. Until two days ago.

The keyboard stopped talking to my computer. It's not bluetooth, it connects with Logitech software and a little gizmo that goes into the usb port. I jiggled it and got it to work. Then, yesterday, it stopped connecting to my computer for real. I had to get the keyboard from my other computer so that I could try to fix this one. Luckily, I had another keyboard. 

After reinstalling the Logitech software, it worked. And then a little later, it didn't (no matter how many times I whacked on it with my frustrated hands). Yesterday was chock-full of stuff like this. If I had a gun, I might just have shot the keyboard. More than once. Instead I found the receipt and took it back to Best Buy.

Have you taken anything back toBest Buy recently? Be warned – take a cot because you might have time to nap. They are now routing returns through the Geek Squad line. That means you could be stuck behind people with 30-minute problems. Which I was, along with some other folks. 

I got to visiting with the man in front of me about the stupidity of this – expecially since there were five blue-shirted employees standing nearby chatting with each other. They looked relaxed and happy. I was not. He said he had noticed the manager walking by earlier. I decided to find her – after the nice man in front of me assured me that for someone so irritated I seemed to be remarkably calm.

I approached the group of blue shirts and asked for the manager. One said, 'What can I help you with?" I don't think she was the manager. I'll bet they have strick rules about calling the manager.

I was careful to keep my voice even and my words were carefully chosen. I do live in town and who knew who might be watching, right? I explained that their system of returns was not working and she said that they knew that! They were following the mandate from the home office. I pointed out that there seemed to be a lot of them doing nothing. She was so sorry, but there was nothing they could do. I think I said that her being sorry did no good at all. Then I went back to the line.

The group of blue-shirts knew I was hacked and they sort of moved away. The woman I spoke to went quickly to the back and darned if they didn't somehow figure out how to get another two people to help with returns! Yay.

So I take my keyboard to the person at the register and I'll be darned if I hadn't left the receipt in the car. She was able to look it up in the computer using my phone number and – here's big news – I had purchased it more than 15 days ago.

Best Buy has a new policy – any purchase more than 15 days old is non-returnable. I suspect that if I had pruchased the extra insurance policy when I bought the keyboard that I might have been able to return it. I never buy those things – it feels like extortion. This person was so sorry too. So, so sorry. There was nothing they could do even if they wanted to and she assured me that she really wanted to help me. $59.99 down the tubes. The thing isn't even good enough to use as a doorstop.

At this point I came very close to holding the thing over my head with the intention of smashing it to bits on the edge of the counter. (Have I mentioned that yesterday was not a wonderful day?) I didn't. Later, when I told Steve about this urge we decided that they would surely have called security. I might even have been arrested. Then it would have turned into a really, really bad day. Glad I didn't do that.

I have to have a keyboard. I went back to find a usb-powered mac keyboard and they did have one. But as I walked to the front to pay for it I decided that Best Buy is never, ever going to get another dime out of me. Unfortunately no one else in town has what I need so I am borrowing one from Steve's office and have ordered a keyboard online.

My mom pointed out that I have been really stressed for a long time. It's a combination of things that are just going to be the way they are. Other people have more stress and much harder lives. I cannot complain about my life. That said, it would be nice to relax just a bit. Maybe when this book is done…

I'd tell you about my day but then I'd have to think about it again. I've tried for 3 days to get back to my sewing machine… I did get one seam pressed. That's it. and then I realized that my new iron is brown on the sole. How did that happen! Sigh.

Steve and Chris had better luck on the bathroom. Over the weekend they laid the supports for the new floor. They laid plastic under the supports and then Steve put insulation between them. 

All of the old plumbing was exposed. Steve bumped against the cold water supply at the end of the day Saturday and it broke off. Water spewed but he did the little dutch boy thing until Chris got the water shut off to the house. (What is it with us and water!!!)

Chris, Lorna, and the kids went to stay with her mom and dad. The old plumbing needed to all be replaced anyway so this was not the end of the world. We lined up Mr. Plumber for Monday bright and early.

Sunday they added flooring over the floor supports and insulation. They did more but darned if I can remember what.

Lorna and I found (and bought) the sink and toilet. Chris and Steve opened the box with the tub only to find that it was mis-labeled from the factor. It was supposed to have the drain on the left, it was on the right. Honestly, I'm just not surprised. It took an hour but they exchanged it. I suppose I should be happy that Home Depot had the tub in stock.

Mr Plumber came and fixed all the water supplies: sink, tub, shower, toilet. 

Steve and Chris got the tub into the room but I don't have that photo. There's a lot more to do, but the worst of it is behind them. If I'm lucky, tomorrow will be a smoother day and I will get to my sewing machine. I hope. :-).

Weeks ago we volunteered to help Chris (oldest son) and Lorna (dil) with their last big house project. Their primaray bathroom was just sad:

Honestly, I couldn't love it and it made me want to volunteer…

The bathroom, when it was in use, looked better than it does in these phots.

Here's what you shoud know: behind ever speck of tile, there is concrete. Stupidest thing ever in a pier and beam house. We knew that it would require a worm saw (who ever came up with that name!?) to cut the concrete. Worm saws make a huge amount of dust. This is an interior bathroom. What to do?

Steve and Chris thought about using fans to blow the dust out of the front door. I had the idea of masking off a tunnel with drop clothes. I showed up at 7:15 AM today to put up 'the tube."

There is plasitc on the far side of what you see here as well. And smaller walls in the hallway to the left. It worked like a charm. Look in the photo below and you will see the dust in the air that has been blown out of the house.

The guys wore masks to protect their lungs. Yay!

 This is what the tube, or tunnel, looked llike at the end of the day. I was happy to see that the house (outside of the tube) was not that dusty. Steve and Chris used a shop vac to get up most of this dust and then carefully took down the plastic walls.

Here's Steve, in the concrete/tile-less bathroom. 

Tomorrow they are taking out the iron tub. The they will build up the floor and go from there. There are many days of work ahead, but this was probably the hardest day. Each and every one of us wants to get this done and then call home improvement projects over. For at least a year. If not longer.

Just a quick note to say that Steve's blog post on the summer soltice was picked up by the Huffington Post! Click here. I'm in the picture below – in the center, holding my camera way high over the shorter lady in front of me who is wearing the navy blue pants.

Yes, I'd like to use that 4-letter word. That word has power! It is a very old word that is still in use (a lot) today. It is both a noun and a verb and can be used in anger or in affirmation. It can be a prelude to a fight or said with a smile and a slap on the back. That word is amazingly versatile. However, even with all of this, I know I can't put that word on a quilt that will be in a book. Can you hear me silently mutter a different 4-letter word?

I'm word hunting.

Christopher  (who is working on a PhD in literature from the long 18th century, topic: filth) suggested the word 'white' written in black. It's like seeing orange written in blue. It messes with your brain. The only problem with this is that some people might read something racial into it. Moving on…

Faith (5 letters), hope, love, happy… all are too trite and over-used. Chris later suggested the word 'word'. I almost like that, but almost isn't good enough. 'Hello' (seen in the chart above) is nice, as is XOXO. But, again, I'm not completely sold. 

Do you have any suggestions?

UPDATE: What about 'bird'?

When you look at this photo, where do your eyes go first? And where do they end up resting? Click the photo and it should open up in its own window at a bigger size.

I took this photo while Steve was driving. Pipe trucks always get my attention because they scare me so my eyes go to the pipes. And I like the look of these pipes – the blue, the different sizes. I look at the pipes. But the FedEx logo pulls my eyes over and I end up at the green 'Ex'. 

Made me wonder how it would be in black and white…

Let me know what you see!