(no subject)

Well, let's see... I slept in on Friday until 5:00 in the afternoon so didn't sleep that night - and that made me the driver for our 5.5 hour trip to Atlantian University, complete with two unexpected blue-flashing-light detours from different Interstate freeways and by a half-hour of really wonky driving at the end of the trip that I thought was due to me getting tired or else my steering system was failing but was actually because somewhere in there we'd picked up at least one nail and I'd been barreling down the freeway at speeds I can't admit to while steadily losing air from the back passenger tire. AAA was called when we reached the parking lot and saw the pancaking wheel. They had a truck out & the tire changed in under 30 minutes. A-freaking-mazing! I even made it to the first class of the day!

University itself was grand - chatted with Tirloch, with Thjora, Eldred & his lady, took a great class on "Cotton in Period" and then amused myself by harassing my protegee, Drea, all through her "Four stitch types from Hairy Oafs Knees". Okay, I may have sounded that last one out... or rather, her 'lesson' in how to pronounce "Herjolfsness" certainly stuck with me. And she was a fabulous sport about Francesca's and my sidecracking smart-a**ing. I was supposed to be helping her but you know how it goes, I was tempted by Fran. Yeah, that's my story - normally I would have been somber and grim all during her class. And silent. Very, very silent. But Fran was there. So it's not my fault.

After the class my lack of sleep started to catch up with me and even the great company in our vehicle (Lauren/Elizabeta & Ivarr, and of course, my hubby) couldn't keep me awake. We ended up bailing on dinner with Drea and The Twins (trademarked) and headed home with the sun behind us. Eleven hours of travel for six hours of classes and a few conversations. And you know, it was well worth it.

I only managed 5 hours of sleep before I was awake again but since I'm used to that I was prepared with a new book so sped through Skin Trade by Laurell K Hamilton, pleased to be reading another book featuring Edward, Otto, and Bernardo. Long on plot, low on porn. Not one of her best novels but definitely a happy-making one for this insomniac. Now that I'm rested, I'm savouring my way through a new Charles de Lint book. And after that...Siggurd & Gudrun by Tolkien. That gives me a happy sigh each time I think of it. I'm using it as a extra-special treat for myself. Then another de Lint and one more Tolkien. And a Flinx book just for fluff... Arn & I pulled a strong raid on the local Barnes & Noble's for our anniversary gift to ourselves. Those are only the titles that I can recall off of the top of my head. :)

Slept a good nap this afternoon, missing a WHOLE BUNCH of cool people at our Fighter's Practise but waking up in time to head out to the Pennsic camping meeting. Good conversation and plans ensued there, then a dash over to catalina_riquel's house for an evening of One Verse. More laughter.

Great weekend.

ARRRRGGGG!

Now is the summer of my discontent,
Made worse by this IE of Microsoft.

I foolishly allowed my computer to automatically download the newest 'update' for Microsoft's Internet Explorer. Now I get to spend long minutes watching the little circle up in the corner go around and around before it stops and the webpage shows, "Internet Explorer cannot display this website". I'm hitting about one 'connect' for every three 'cannot display'. When it CAN display, it usually cannot download the pictures.

Yes, yes, I know that you Mac and Linux users are all smug and distressed for me, the Luddite, who is frustrated and angry - and stuck, as I have no computer skills... I wish there was an "I take it back" button somewhere. And a way to kick Microsoft in something soft and squishy.

*grumble*

Well, at least it's keeping me off of the Internet more although I'm not getting more work done, just playing "Cradle of Rome" (a "match three" game) to get back a sense of mastery after the frustration.