Mrs. C.B. had surgery on her foot today. She had to have part of her toe amputated. Not very much, just down to the first knuckle.

Naturally, she was pretty nervous about it. It didn't help that the doctor's office called her and told her to go to the wrong place. When she called them back they confirmed the wrong information and only have she questioned them again did they check and tell her to go to the Surgery Center.

Then, once she was there, she had to wait for over an hour in the pre-op area. Luckily, they let me wait with her, so she wasn't just sitting there fretting. Not that Dr.Goodfoot was having such a great time either: he was running late because he got into a fracus with his fax machine, and finally gave up....

Is it just me, or do other people think that the things that are supposed to make our lives simpler don't, exactly? Dr. Goodfoot said that he was perfectly willing to discuss the case involved with the fax fracus over the phone and then send a follow up report in the mail, but the other person insisted on a fax. Then they didn't have their fax machine on. Maybe technology just can't keep up with sheer human stupidity.

People at the surgery center were, for some reason, wildly enthusiastic about my business when they heard about it. So I gave them some cards and said, "Well, be sure to tell people"

"Here, put those on that information table. You got a flyer? Put that out too. We're having an open house on Saturday."

This could be the boost I need. I just wish I had better looking cards. I meant to get some from VistaPrint, but then I could never spare the $4.00. Maybe I'll use some of my birthday money.

Mrs. C.B. is almost ready to go to NC for the winter. Any day her son - the responsible one, who lives the farthest away - will come get her. While I'm glad that she will be in a supportive environment and finally get some help taking care of Mr. C.B. I'm really going to miss her.

I'm still fighting with my cold, and I know that I need to come out the winner. After all, I'm allergic to almost every antibiotic on the market. I'm one of those people that medicine usually makes worse instead of better. Don't 80% of things usually clear up if you leave them alone? Yes, Mom, I know- vitamin C.

While I was in the pre-op waiting room with Mrs. C.B I heard that there is a tomato shortage! Can you even imagine that? A tomato shortage. Just last month everybody was on the run from a bumper crop of tomatos. You know, like the joke about living in a small town where nobody locks their car doors except during August and September because, if you don't, your neighbors will offload their tomatos and zuchini on you!

Now, I understand, at least sort of, the flu shot shortage. But, even with all the hurricaines going through Florida-- I mean tomatos are pretty tough plants. And the fruits themself bounce for goodness sake! They ship them when they're green. When I was a kid, my science teacher told me that by the time I was the age I am now, tomatos would be bio-engineered to be square so they were easier to pack onto trucks. I remember thinking, "Why wouldn't somebody work on inventing better packing material? Why go to all that trouble to change the tomato?" It always struck me as an example of what's wrong with some areas of "technology" : those things that seek to replace an existing thing rather than enhance, work with, or improve it. Anyway, sometimes I do see some tomatos that have a suspiciously boxy appearance, and I wonder about it.

But apparently there is a shortage of all types of tomatos, boxy, round, and otherwise. Remember, readers, you heard it here first!