I'm going to blame the gross negligence I have demonstrated toward these pages on the folks shown smiling or glaring in the two photos here. These folks took a few mornings from me last week in a set of computer classes at the local senior center, a recreation and dining facility for folks in the area.

I have volunteered to acquaint some of the local seniors with the mystery of the computer (a gizmo that still mystifies and dazzles me) on a few mornings each month. Despite the huge gaps in my own knowledge, I can nonetheless translate the jargon about much software into terms familiar to them. Because of that (or maybe because there are no tests), they think I am a wizard who should be seated at the right hand of Bill Gates.

I have my way with these folks for three days, for about ninty minutes each session, about the length of their attention spans and my patience.

That sounds worse than I intend it to. But until meeting these folks, and others like them, I had forgotten how far away from the technology folks who were out of the work force and away from the machines themselves might drift. And until you've met someone who just that morning learned how to drag a card in solitaire, you have no idea what a thrill it is when you show them the Windows Explorer -- files, files everywhere. The first day is cat-herding day, and I come away exhausted.

On a more positive note, these are folks who are amazed by computers and the internet, and people who can be amused by learning that www.whitehouse.com is far different from www.whitehouse.gov. And yes, I did just check to see if the former URL is still up and running, and it is. I've wondered if its presence should be taken as a bellwether for free speech in the U.S. Heh.

The imp at the far right in the top snapshot has attended the three-day classes on four separate occasions, finally buying her own computer after her second visit, and is now at last able to venture beyond mere e-mail, into the great "out there" that so many of the rest of us have come to depend on. She is flourishing there and I think it will be a cold day in hell before she quilts again.

In other news, well, nothing has changed really. I am reading The Grapes of Wrath for the second time this month. I made some prefatory remarks at a meeting of the fellowship on Tuesday about the proposed building expansion (I then scooted off to class). I am continuing to watch Roy Williams' KU Jayhawk basketball team self-destruct (although they did narrowly avoid a second consecutive home loss just a few minutes ago), and classes continue to continue. The boys continue to grow and thrive.

The counter stopped counting in middle of the week, so I've added a new one from site meter. Still haven't figured out why, but it has become important to know who has visited. A matter of an audience, I suppose. Some days, knowing that a few others read this, I suppose it (the knowing) enhances performance. Not today though. Hah!

I have fallen behind not only in writing my own journal, but also in my reading of other journals. The online journaling is really addictive. No, that's wrong. The people are addictive. Chances are good that I will never meet any of the folks whose journals I read, but I have missed keeping up with the events, the joys and concerns, and the musings that they go through. It goes beyond admiration for their skill with words.

My time is up, so I'll end this entry and get back to reading journals right now.

Then Steinbeck.

We've had beautiful, spring-like weather here this week. This weekend I was able to turn the soil and composted leaves in a few beds, and I cleared others of leaves and other winter debris. I can feel spring returning. Yes!!!!