Saturday: Crafty Backyard Grills; Kids and Computers; Guitar Lesson

I grilled lunch today, and discovered depths of deception previously unknown in my old reliable grill. Just as I was getting the burgers scraped off the grill and onto a plate, the flames reached out and touched me.

Thanks to the after-effects of carpal tunnel syndrome, the thumb and first two fingers on my right hand are still fairly numb. More to the point, they don't sense heat.

Pain, however, is another matter. The pain receptors must be on another circuit.

So, my right middle finger experienced the inside of a tongue of flame for a fraction of a second. Then, having been heated sufficiently, those nerves which handle PAIN sent their special message up to headquarters. No damage done: but that hurt. Most of the neighborhood may know that it hurt. I wasn't diffident about my short, but very sincere, yell.

But the burgers were worth it. I like grilled meat.

My son has two defunct computers, and some spare parts, on the floor of the living room. He hopes to make one working computer out of the assortment. Today, he got the main power switch on one to work: a step in the right direction.

He says he wants to fix computers for a living, when the time comes. He's off to a good start.

My wife's feeling better. She came up from the basement this evening, face filter in place and leaning implements in hand. She's been organizing the house, one section at a time. With two kids and me at home, she'll won't run out of that sort of work soon.