Return to Civilization

I'm baaaaack.....: My local computer guy (always ready to provide me with an emergency technology "fix") whips up a generic box and after spending a day installing software, restoring backups, fixing connections, and tweaking, I'm about 1/3 of the way back to normal. Gill and I already have our ID cards and licenses, medical cards, and a few other critical bits and bobs, but it will take time to get everything sorted out.

There are several sad bits of fallout from the burglary:

1. We are being forced to install some sort of security system. I refuse to live with bars on the windows, and I truly hate alarms, so this is going to be a challenge.
2. I am now even further behind in my work, having lost a whole week to this nonsense.
3. My students are now shamelessly lying about their test scores, as the grade sheet was a physical page in a binder, not online, backed-up data.
4. We have been forced to cancel our dream vacation.

All in all, a real bummer. People keep saying, "Oh, well, at least it was only stuff," and while I know that they are right, there also the loss of intangible things such as feeling safe in your own home.

We bring up the "d" word again, much to Nadine's disgust. I would love a Pug...
...or maybe a Boston Terrier...
...or how about a little Chihuahua? Basically, anything that I can dress up in ridiculous outfits and tote around with me. All it has to do is bark during a break-in (which is more than Nadine did).