Spent the early evening at Starbucks where a group of us were listening to a wonderful singer who has spent time in Ireland. Her name is Jennifer - can't think of her last name right now, but what fun. There were wonderful Celtic ballads and a few of the Irish pub songs we joined in on. She has a range of music and even sang my favorite country song sung by both Keith Whitley and Allison Krause (I like Krause's version better), When You Say Nothing at All. Hated to leave, but knew I have computer stuff to do when I got home.

I am so proud of myself! I not only downloaded the digital pictures from my camera to the computer (Mary wanted the pic she took of Michael and I), but I also figured out how to download books from Audible to the SanDisk MP3 player I bought on sale, with a $5 coupon too! :-) So thrifty of me. I am going to be obnoxious about sending pics to everyone since I know how to do it now. It is so funny - I love technology, just not learning how to use it. I want to know how - by osmosis or something. I have the patience of a gnat so that doesn't help. I had a computer when DOS didn't exist yet - I had a Kaypro, the Apple II, and even one of the first IBM laptops that cost an arm and a leg back then. So I am not computer phobic, just lazy I guess.

I downloaded Pirates! by Celia Rees, Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafizi, The Time Traveler's Wife by Audry Niffenger, and The Traveler by John Twelve Hawks. I had already burned them to CD, but I didn't set it up right so the CD goes back to track one every time I turn the car off. GRRR. So now I have them all in one place and all I have to do is turn the player on and off and it starts where I left off. I am in heaven!! Wish I had done this a long time ago. I have my iPod for music, but hadn't gone the player route for books until now. I was amazed I was able to fit all 4 books on a 1GB player. I didn't have much left over, just a smidgen of memory, but I was so pleased with myself. I am all set for the trip now. The camera is empty and ready for me to snap pics in Key West and of the girls in Kansas City. Can't wait to see how much Kady has grown in the last month. Ally's birthday was today so I sure hope her gifts arrived - I was going to pack them in my suitcase but when Steve reminded me I had to pack for both warm and cold weather I decided sending them UPS was much wiser. Even stuck a couple of Christmas gifts in there too. Ally is 5 already.

My book for plane reading is Tripping to Somewhere by Kristopher Reisz - a Simon Pulse title. I was hoping to have it read by now, but work keeps getting in the way of my reading!

Music for the car ride between Miami and Key West is Alan Jackson's new ballads CD Like Red on a Rose. He has such a soothing voice. Allison Krause produced this CD and her gentle touch shows.

That's it for me tonight. I still need to pack. Have the iron heating up so I can get the major wrinkles out of my Dockers and jeans. Need to find my shorts for Key West too. Oh yeah - need to get my coat packed as soon as I get off the computer so I don't forget.