There are some days when I just shouldn't go out in public. Today, apparently, was one of them.

I had a chance to stay home. Bill sent me home from work as soon as I got there. "You look terrible." he said. I opened my mouth to protest, but just started coughing & that went on for some time...after which his girlfriend, who is a nurse and who had just stopped by the shop to see him said, "You really need to get that taken care of".

"It's just asthma" I managed.

"If THAT'S asthma, then you REALLY need to get it taken care of" she answered. At which point Bill sent me home.

I called my mother's doctor, the one whose collegues think looks like Icabod Crane, but his office was closed. For the record, my mother says he doesn't really look like Icabod Crane, but looks very trustworthy. He must: my mother hates doctors and she doesn't trust anybody. Anyway, we'll see if he'll take on an uninsured patient.

So, I went home, popped Henry V into our VCR and watched it while half sleeping on the sofa. Then the power went out during the battle and I did fall asleep. "We happy few...we band of brothers...." etc.

After awhile, The Hub came up and asked if I wanted to go to Lowes with him. That's a great big hardware store, for my non-local readers. Its one of those enourmous places, like Home Depot that has every conceivable thing for the home and garden....plants, lumber, nails, screws, cleaning products, Christmas trees, giant inflatable pumpkins, alarm systems, electric fireplaces, power tools, and even duct tape. Anyway it's easy to get lost in there.

The Hub went off to get some glass cut for the picture frames he is insisting on making by hand. I wandered around the seasonal area where I eventually came upon a plush Christmas ornament in the shape of a parrot. When you press its wing, it sings "tis the season to be jolly" in the voice of a trained parrot and at the end it squalks.

Well, I had to show this to The Hub, seeing as how he calls me "Little Bird" and, really, I sound an aweful lot like a trained parrot when I try to sing - though, regretabley, this often doesn't stop me.

Up ahead of me was a man wearing his coat about his height, but imagine my surprise - no, forget that - imagine his surprise when I came up behind him and set the singing parrott on his shoulder! (Note to self: The Hub's hair is more grey than you think it is.)

"Oh, my God, I am so sorry! I thought you were my husband." I said. My face was so hot it felt like the ends of my hair were on fire.

"That's okay. It was kinda funny." the guy said, pleasantly.

I put the singing parrot back. After I see Icabod Crane, I've got to get my eyes examined!