CORNERED!

Fiorella's had her adventure for the week, although really, it was a horror story. She woke up perky, to arrange for the installation of Husband's grave marker, to search out an appropriate kennel for Sonia Dog while Mommy is in Tennessee, and, as usual, to take care of financial odds and ends.

Then she discovered that the land-line wasn't working. Then she realized she didn't know how to use her cell phone for anything but taking pictures of cows. Then she realized that, with no means of communication, she couldn't get her land line fixed or get instructions on how to use her cell phone.

First things first, she drove over to Pflugerville and promptly got lost in the rolling hills of gravesites. Getting angrier by the minute, she was just about to crash the barriers when she spotted a man on a grounds-keeping vehicle across the way. Whipping down the cemetery road, she honked until he stopped. Whaddaya know, it was Ernest, the same guy who had helped her make funeral arrangements back in January. He recognized Fio too, of course. (She tends to make an impact.)

Ernest led her to the office area, where she waited for a l-o-n-g time before he returned with the bad news: there was a problem installing the marker because it was too big. Forgetting that she didn't know how to use her cellphone as a phone, Fio immediately reached for her it to call Elder Son, but couldn't find it in her purse.

Nothing to do but to drive home, which Fiorella did at such a high speed that she missed her first turn onto Hwy 29 and had to backtrack. Once in the house, she found her cell phone (in her purse (of course) and tried to figure out how to call her kids, then remembered that cell phones don't work well in The Dip so she got into Baby Car again and drove to the top of the driveway, where she still couldn't get get a connection.

Furious, she sped up the street  and down the next street, searching for someone who understood technology. Eureaka!  Spotting a young couple outside on the road, she stopped and told them her tale of woe. They were wonderful, helping her with the cell phone and making sure she got her calls through to Daughter and Elder Son. A couple of other people stopped by and asked if they could help, which warmed Fio's heart.

Fiorella would like to say that all's well that end's well, but she's not sure everything has ended yet. She still has a land line to get fixed, a grave marker to be installed, a dog whom she has to find a kennel for, and, as always, those financial odds and ends.