I have finally wrested the computer from Brainiac on the strength of my conviction that one cannot control the remote, the laptop and the satellite radio simultaneously. He loves nothing more than to surf the latest gearhead and/or medical instrumentation news while watching one of those wretched military history shows that feature re-enactments AND computer-generated "footage" of aerial dogfights. No more, I say, one must choose one's media input. We'll see how far I get with this.

Now that I have control of the laptop (which I am using while watching with him a documentary of the Six Day War which, although wrenching in many ways, at least does not offer much in the way in the way of computerized fighter jets - small mercies and all that) I must figure out something about which to write. I am on the record as having hated February and being somewhat non-plussed about March; April and May were merely trying. I am still waiting for June to bring results for my efforts to solve long-standing challenges and so feel a bit at loose ends lately.

So. Here we are. I'd love to share with you my latest project but I cannot because my younger sis reads here and it's all supposed to remain a surprise for now. Or I could show you the dining room chairs I trash picked and am prepping for recovering but that would mean putting the laptop down and leaving the room to get the camera and I cannot risk that the machine would be waiting here for me on my return (Brainiac's corollary to my "one media input" at a time rule is "if you put it down, it's mine" so you can understand my motivation to stay here until he plies me with so much wine that I have no choice but to leave the room). I could tell the story of how I taught the young Ukrainian woman living with us how to make tomatilla salsa - to her sincere and acute alarm, but now that I've come up with all these things I should do but will not I am now exceedingly tired and quite hopped up on Syrah and must attend to other needs. You understand, right?

This weekend we are taking the kids fishing (!) and I am confident that any number of amusing tales will result, and I am also planning to lay in a batch of both chocolate sauce and marinated mushrooms. With luck and the ability to avoid military documentaries, not to mention June taking the turn for which I am hoping, I should have lots to share. Stay with me, will you?