These two items arrived the same day. My Medicare card and my Smart Phone. I guess that says something, but I'm not quite sure what. I guess I'm kind of proud of being a senior citizen and still being able to maneuver my way around this phone.

At first, I refused to change phones, just wanting to settle for my old flip phone but one with a back this time. I've been carrying around a backless phone for months now, but it worked fine and dialed the correct numbers and rang decisively, so what more could I have expected.

I just didn't know.

Until my Evo came. I probably know about 1/100 of what you can do with one, but it has been fascinating. I'd still prefer to read and write email and do internet things on my big computer, but when I'm on a trip or just curled up on the couch and don't want to leave the room, I just get out my cute little phone and explore.

There are many things that I don't know what to do with and never will, but so far it's been a world of fun. It's now possible for me to download books from the library onto my Kindle - which is on my phone also now - without even leaving the house. I can also download audio books from the library. There are things I can do with coupons and grocery shopping, but that's all confusing right now. Mike has a matching one, and he's passed me in knowing what he's doing, but he's had a Blackberry for years and knows his way around a little bit.

Another good thing is that I've caused our children endless amusement with my learning process.

Elise: "Mom, you texted me this cryptic message just now. It must have been meant for someone else." I've now found the punctuation marks, so they should all be thrilled with my texting now.

Emily: "No, Mom, it's not a Droid. It's an Android. No, not an I-phone. An Evo." "Ryan's shaking his head." Hey, no mother-in-law jokes. I could be asking how to use a DVD player. Wait. That's over? I guess I missed that. I went from VCR tapes to whatever it is that's going on now with TVs.

Speaking of TVs and couches, when I moved here, I arranged my having-seen-better-days furniture around a rug in front of the fireplace. Cozy. And where is the TV in this picture?




Behind those doors. Behind the couch. For a person to watch TV, they would have to either lie on the couch or sit in the chair and try to see over the couch. So I just didn't watch TV for 5 years unless someone came and helped me rearrange the furniture temporarily for a football game or something.

But now that Mike is here, we thought we might find the TV and turn it on - with pretty dismal results. I saw a room redo in Southern Living yesterday, laid the magazine down, and proceeded to move all my furniture around.

Excuse the props of ladders and vacuum cleaners, but I do think this is more practical. Not so cozy - kind of disjointed - needs a big coffee table - but maybe it'll work. This is just the rough stages. The TV is now accessible right across from the couch and main chair.


I'm open for suggestions and decorating ideas. And some shows on TV worth watching.

I've just come in from the 2nd pruning expedition.
We worked nicely for about 30 minutes, and then the differing of opinion started. We were flagging down passersby asking for names of marriage counselors. I gave permission for the 20-foot "shrub" to be chopped down at the ground. Easier than arguing.