Whatever advances we had made the previous two days seemed to be negated yesterday. During the night I had checked on Krl and she appeared to be sleeping soundly, laying on her side. For whatever reasons, her leg has really given her fits today. It sure makes me think we need to think seriously about a cast that goes above her knee!

When she got her first cast she wanted a black one. Her reason was it would go with more things! (They didn't have brown!) If they cut off her "hot pink" cast and put on a toe to mid thigh cast and she asks for a black one, I'm going to Victoria's Secret to get her a black garter belt! Woo hoo!

I woke up, went into the home office and waited until I heard Krl moving about. When I knew she and the houndgirls were awake I began my routine. Dog food, check. Water, check. Krl's b/p med, check. Then I decided to practice my omelet making skills again. You know, practice makes perfect.

As in any project, preparation is key! Having my mixture of breakfast sausage, peppers, onions and tomatoes cooked and waiting in a sealed container makes my omelet breakfast quick and easy. I would bet start to finish, I did our breakfast in five minutes or less. I am so domesticated. I'm like a carefully choreographed ballet. Neat and orderly. I did throw Krl a curve and made today's sampling with colby jack cheese (and plenty of it). Heh, I may be a short order cook in the making!

I will never forget one time when Rian and his girlfriend at that time, went to early church with us and returned to the house for brunch. On the way home Krl and I were talking about making "egg rolls". This was the name we gave to a goofy kind of breakfast that I invented that consisted of a thin, almost crepe like egg sprinkled with ground sausage that had been browned, then sprinkled with cheese. This conglomeration was then rolled tightly giving it a neat appearance of layers. Top it with picante and it was pretty good. It was a train wreck in the kitchen though because I would use three skillets. One for sausage and two for the thin crepe like eggs. (I would put the eggs in one skillet, cover it with another and invert it when the bottom was done.) O.K., I got off task, there. The funny story was that Rian's girlfriend talked with him and told him she didn't like egg rolls, she just wanted sausage and eggs. It's no wonder she didn't work out!

Memama and Pepa were in Abilene for lab work yesterday. They had a full schedule of stops, but they did come by to see Krl. Memama brought Krl some bath jell or lotion. I'm sure that it was a treat for Krl to visit with someone other than me. I sent Pat's dishes back to her via Memama and Pepa and they were probably just out of sight when I recalled Pat had asked me to send any books I was through with for Aunt Anna Joyce. Maybe next trip. I'm sure Krl wouldn't mind me sending some of the books out of the house.

My challenge of the day was technology. Trc had given us a VCR/DVD player a year ago and we had never used it. Fact is, it was hooked up, but we had never used it. I know, Hollywood hates us. Actually, the VCR/DVD player in the spare bedroom gets used occasionally, but we aren't really big into movies. Usually we just wait until it comes out on television. I had picked up "Man of the Year" earlier in the week for when Krl was feeling like something different. We usually like anything Robin Williams is in with the exception of his stand up acts. His stand up acts can be pretty raunchy. It seems that when he has a script, he can follow a direction. I am sure that he is both a blessing and a nightmare to direct as he is a master of improvisation. I once read that when Robin came on the scene in Mork and Mindy the writers wrote an outline or theme and it was winged from there! Back to my story, sorry I'm ADD. When I inserted the movie into the DVD player, it didn't work. I checked out the hookups and everything appeared in order. Still nothing. Finally I decided to try something different. Same result. Being from the farm I can usually make something happen, even if my tactics are unorthodox. This was the case and I did get the movie going. Three times in fact. Krl dozed off once, and got distracted another time. Right now, the movie is playing for a fourth time. I'm betting she dozes off again!

I had no idea what to expect from the movie. But I did enjoy it. I would vote for Tom Dobbs as I am fed up with politics. I am also fed up with big business that will sacrifice honesty and integrity for the bottom line, regardless of how it affects others. I'm not sure, I think the evil actor is Jeff Goldblum, I have never cared for him and this movie didn't change that. A company employee had discovered a glitch in the voting machines being used in the national elections and when she reported it to her superiors she was told thanks but no thanks. She was told that the only bad that could come out of this was for the company, that it made no difference that the election winner wasn't the person that Americans elected. The employee was fired and discredited, accused of being on drugs and such. Eventually she went to President elect Tom Dobbs, the comedian turned politician, and told him he didn't win the election. A game of strategy and damage control began with the computer company trying to blame the problem on a disgruntled druggie former employee rigging the election. Dobbs ended up on Saturday Night Live and exposed it all, living up to being a great American and what is expected from elected officials. Honesty and integrity.

It makes me wonder how often things like this happen. How often is the public shorted for personal gain. It is really scary and sad. I'm afraid this happens more often than not. How often do big businesses bully small businesses and individuals simply because they have more resources.

I feel like I am being bullied right now by Cingular and AT & T. In September of last year they had called offering a tremendous program for cell phones. I didn't talk with them, I referred this to the office manager as my cell phone is used primarily for my job. They were told that any service change would be contingent upon retaining telephone numbers. A call was received, a message left on the answering machine by their marketing department, "Your new cell phones have shipped". The office manager responded to their call telling them no-one had authorized this. The new phones arrived with new numbers and a barrage of follow up phone calls began urging us to charge the phones and turn them on to activate them. We didn't. In fact the office manager continued talking to them for two more months telling them the deal hinged on keeping the old numbers. Finally our office manager went far enough up the chain to talk with a Cingular manager who was honest and ethical. She told us that what we had laid out as a requirement was not possible for their company to do because they weren't licensed to do business in the area our numbers were from. She also said that their employees knew this fact and should have told us. She told us to return the phones and gave us a RMA number. The office manager did (with the phones still in the original shipping box) and the following month MY personal phone bill (land line) had a $598 Cingular charge on it. The bill I received yesterday showed a partial credit, but a remaining balance of $235 for early termination. I don't think so. I never even discussed this with them and now they are threatening to report this on MY social security number and telling me it will appear on my credit report. I really think it is a case of sour grapes because a month ago Krl changed our home telephone over to cable phone (kept our old number too). I feel like David taking on Goliath so I'm going to practice up on my slingshot!

Give me a physical address. I've got an Azz whoopin' to dole out!

On a positive note, the company ended up changing to Alltel and it has been a very good experience. By the way, they ported the old numbers over!

One of my sidelines this week has been plant doctor. I moved all of Krl's plants from the entry way atrium to the front sidewalk. I've been giving them a big dose of fresh air and sunlight. Even watered 'em. It appears I will have to move them back in today. We're going to be awfully close to freezing and frost tonight. Some of these plants have known Krl longer than I have.

Late yesterday the phone rang and it was Krl's ex, Trc's Dad. We had seen him at Christmas over at Trc's house. He is pretty much a weasel. Always has been, always will be. He hadn't expected me to answer, I think he meant to call Krl's cell phone. His latest product he is pushing is an all natural Aloevera/vitamin supplement. He had decided after seeing Krl at Christmas she needed to be on this supplement regiment. Of course this is a pyramid program and it's cost is way more than we've got. Krl had been very courteous. I guess when I answered the phone he lost his concentration and began to wing it. He began making his sales spiel and I just listened. I didn't interact and you could tell it made him even more uncomfortable. Before it was all over he was assuring me this would fix just about everything wrong with Krl. In fact he even told me that if the doctor told us three months in a cast, with this supplement it could cut that time by a third. I told him I was not that familiar with his product but that I would tell Krl he had called. When Krl woke up I told her about the phone call and his sales pitch to me. I didn't take what he said seriously but she did and was very offended.

Before she would turn loose of it she had to call and give him an earful!

I'll bet we don't have to ask to be put on the "do not call" list at that telemarketer.

Well, that's my blog fix. Have a day!

FATHER, closer to thee.