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Several answers right off the bat:

No Logos did NOT call me --but she did a thread entry. That's what an optimist calls progress.

My mother is still hanging in there.

The operation for my grand-daughter to close the heart valve went well and the tumor has probably been removed by now--that operation started about four hours ago.

The birthday greetings were a pleasure and a delight. Our oven is out of a heating element if that's the right word so the long suffering one does not bake. Did buy ice cream though. So the online cakes were wonderful.

Money in the way of presents arrived from son Dan a day early so I was watching Rawhide Season 3, Volume 1 when at 1 minute after midnight at the start of my birthday I began to play a game with the Mrs.

No not THAT game!!!! Young litnetters indeed. Not to mention the Stephen King fans out there.

This involved seeing how long past midnight it would take Ruth to leave the computer and wish me Happy Birthday--and then offer to play a game.

Now you can think of THAT game.

I had a better shot at a call from a beloved moderator or the lawnmower of doom becoming self-actuated and mowing the yard itself. Traditions die hard but expire they do.

The episode of Rawhide ended and I began to experience a sharp needle working on poking a hole in a bloated ego. Shouldn't she be wondering what I was up to? Shouldn't she check the computer clock in the bottom right hand corner of the screen and realize God has proven His pateince again by keeping the windbag supplied with oxygen another year.

Abruptly I hear my cell phone voice mail message received sound go off. I don't keep the phone surgically attached and I miss the occasional but generally routine call. I race for it. Living room to bedroom--four steps tops and it's oldest son James.

I call him back immediately and bask in the attention convinced this noise will arouse the gigabyte obsessed one. Nope a half hour later and she's still e-mailing and typing away.

By the by Jim's original wife Gina (still affectionately known by me as the Devil Child) is about one to to months away from getting her second divorce. And wants to go to Alaska. I breathe a prayer of relief for B-Mental as he no longer blesses Alaska with his presence so he'll never have the opportunity of dropping an oil rig on her but I can dream. Another child shared custody situation. Damion still with her mother and I'm more determined then ever to stay away from the situation. It really seems to be playing out like I thought it would. Must not have been able to milk Harry for very much - thought he'ld be good for another year of extortion. Kids--always in a hurry. Start to wonder what poor Army man has orders to Alaska and a desire to take an anchor with him.

By this time it's 1:17 am and I finally slap the drama queen and go visit the Mrs. Finally get the traditional greeting of the advancing of the sundial on a life from the just slightly embarrassed one but no playtime--she's tired. Let the record show I took it well because truth to tell I'm not the man I was either. As an old joke goes--A legend in His Own Mind. Be curious if anyone catches the slightly adapted source of that line. Two hints--an expanded comedy show from TV about 15 years back.

We seize control of the box and start to panic. The birthday greetings were a truly unexpected gift last year but my presence has not been as abundant of late. Will I be remembered? Andave Ya and family are in Lebanon and Grace86 can't get to a computer much and I talked to my other phone partner last night so let's see. And the blessings are read and appreciated. I remember commenting to Eyemaker about something awhile back but for the life of me can't remember what about but I love the avatar as my sister collects owl figurines. Has over 300 in her triple wide trailer back in New York.

With that ego boost off to bed as I have two major projects later this day.

There is blonde waiting for me at 3:30 pm for a meeting we scheduled on an impromptu basis and I don't wish to be late. Prior to that a visit is made to the Bookery where the long suffering one has given me money to go waste. Of course we buy Avengers--cheap ones. In fact this week I spoiled myself and hit all four local stores. I went from 138 to 195 issues in three days. I'll get to why I can get away with this in just a bit.

With Ruth's blessing I went to AAA to pick up co-worker Brandy for late lunch. Last week she was ranting a bit and I felt it time we did lunch and give her an opportunity to vent with someone who cares about her and also able to give advice without fear of bruising feelings or having to climb over facades and deceits. Brandy is the blonde of the title. We talked about her father mostly and I updated her on some of my doings. Brandy is the one who knows ALL the secrets. There are some things I trust HER more with then Ruth. A friend indeed.

We were there about an hour--then I zipped home to Ruth--reported the news that I was comfortable in sharing. Then off to see Indiana Jones 4. I liked it. Quite a bit but something seemed off about it. I finally figured it out. The pulp period heyday is the 30s and 40s where Jones' type of adventure is tailor made. In the 50s everything has an almost cosmetic feel to it. But Jones adjusts to the times and the ending was truly unexpected and appreciated. No one had ruined THAT moment for me. Now I can call the idiot nephew and celebrate. He loves Indy like I love Batman and Avengers.

Came home watched some of The Fugitive (Season 1, Volume 2). Dan's money paid for that as well. Mike and Sandy had gotten me the latest Buffy/Angel comics as the current series are continuations from the TV seasons.

And yes Spurgeoon was read earlier before the trip to the Bookery.

Both Dan and Sandy called and again it the voicemail beep that got me. Missed friend Steve's call however. We have been telephone tagging for a week now.

Finally some real good news. Being of a suspicious nature and generally believing I'll leave Ruth and elope with Logos before my oldest brother Don can say five sentences in a row without a falsehood being told I checked with the lawyer handling my uncle's estate. I freely confessed I was tired of the pipe dreams of wealth I was getting a little too worked up over and simply wanted to know what shape my share would be.

Without saying how much I can now afford to pay off a bit of the debt and free up some cash on a regular basis. I plan on paying the remaining two and half years left on the loan I was free of for an entire six days last January and the car repair bills and put some away. This is probably the last time in my life I will ever get this kind of a financial opportunity.

And can now afford my medicine again. The check should arrive in about three weeks which is why I played just a little bit.

And that's all the news on this end. Still hoping to start up some environmentally friendly play here in the near future. Think my energy is back.