Visiting over Coffee

 

Can you meet me for coffee today? A couple of my friends and I enjoy getting together for “coffee” on occasion. Except, none of us drink coffee. That’s okay though, our favorite coffee shop makes marvelous drink, Italian Soda. I have no idea what’s in it, it is topped with whipped cream, I just know it’s good, and full of calories. But that’s okay, it’s also a cold drink, which is fine for summer, but not for winter. In the winter, I have tea. They have a wonderful selection.

Of course, we generally have a biscotti while we’re there. Would you like one?

When you and I have coffee, the first thing I will do is breathe deep and inhale the intoxicating aroma of your coffee. I may not drink it but I love the smell. Go figure.

What can I tell you? I’m not planning any travels in the near future. Although I would love to hear about your trips, either those planned, or your recent experience. Laurel over at Alphabet Soup, who gave me the idea for this little coffee meet is planning a trip to Italy. It will be so fun to hear about it when she returns.

I take it back. I have traveled recently. The drive was only forty-five minutes, but we traveled back in time to see the dinosaurs.

We, are me and my cousins Jared and Teresa. Jared is my second cousin,(I think) and his mother Teresa, is my cousin by marriage and my friend by choice.

Jared has special needs and we had a wonderful time “visiting” with the dinosaurs. He got to pet a baby dinosaur and bought a dinosaur shirt.

 My favorite picture of the day is one I don’t have a copy of. It is a picture of Jared sitting on a dinosaur, yes it is photo shopped. The best part though, they also took out his wheelchair. Jared has often made comments about something he’d do, or would like to do if he could. However, it’s something well out of his reach. To have a picture of him “doing” something he enjoys with no wheelchair in sight is fantastic to me.

After visiting the dinosaurs we went to one of the three Italian restaurants in Krebs, a nearby town. Krebs is known, at least in Oklahoma, as Little Italy. Anyone who visits wants to eat at one of those three places. I think the food is more Italian/American than authentic Italian, but it’s still unique and tasty.

Thanks to Laurel Regan at Alphabet Soup, for having coffee with her readers this morning and giving me this idea. This post is part of the Ultimate Blog Challenge.

What would you tell me if we had coffee?

What is your favorite hot beverage?

Have you traveled recently?

Please let me know in the comments. I love visiting with you.

Computer Gratitude

On Day 8 I’m thankful for computers, all computers. They have become so much a way of our life we often forget about them. Us mere mortals, hospitals, schools, law enforcement, airlines, travel agencies, and city halls, are among the few entities using computers. Of course there are small areas where computers aren’t commonplace, but I’m thankful for all of the ways computers have enriched our lives.

Recently my cousin Steve was in the hospital and his entire stay was computerized. Every time a nurse or tech entered the room to attend to Steven, or give him a procedure they’d first check his computer, instead of reading handwriting in a chart. Since some of the handwriting of medical staff is often illegible, this system of typing information into the computer seems to be a great improvement.

Watching the procedure each time gave me comfort, I knew Steven was receiving the correct care. Steven’s modern medical care reminded me of my cousin’s backwoods medical care.

It wasn’t really backwoods, she received the best care available at the time. The time though, was the middle of the last century. Despite her rudimentary care, she survived and thrived. Today she is a healthy, fun adult. The only lasting result of her computer-less hospital stay was the loss of her sight. She says that’s a small price to pay for having a good life. We are both grateful that babies today have a better chance of surviving and thriving with no lasting effects of their lengthy hospital stay, thanks to computers.  In fact, there are babies who faced near certain death before the computerized care.

Technology has come a long way enriching our lives. Computers are part of that progress.

The writer in me however, viewed the almost complete dependence on the computers from as a plot line in a story or two. I could only imagine what a writer of horror, suspense, science fiction, and the paranormal could do with a computer (working or not) in a hospital situation.

Since I don’t write in those genres, I don’t even dabble, I’ll leave all those possible ideas to others better able to craft such a story. However, thanks to the computer, those writers another possible, plausible, plot line for their stories.

The writer in me does appreciate, and is thankful for the computer for another reason. I can make changes, either typos, or idea changes easily with the computer. Making one little change doesn’t involve retyping an entire story, thanks to the computer. Plus, the computer has reduced the paper clutter in my house. Less clutter is always good. 🙂

What are you thankful for today?