Ticking off

Ok, O wise ones of the bloggy world - why can't I post pictures? I'm doing what I always do: clicking on the little photo thing to the right of the word Link on the new post page, and then usually I get Browse in a little square (I think) up at the top. I click on this and it offers me my pictures in Picasa. (Gosh, it's like driving - I can do it, but if I try to describe what to do to someone who doesn't know, I can't quite remember.) Anyway, no Browse. Gah. Any ideas?

We've just been marking off our Christmas cards, ticking off on our list the ones we received. This must be a record early date for it. Normally the pile of cards sits in a tottering heap till about April because it never seems an urgent task. As usual, there were some from people to whom we hadn't sent them. And I think - will I add them to the list?

I have a friend - who used to be a very good schoolfriend - who lives just over the water, less than an hour away - whom I've seen twice since we left university (the last time was when Son was a baby and he's now 28) and yet we still send cards. Hers has only her and her husband's names on it: no news, nothing. I send a bit of news but seldom get any in return. I would quite like to see her but the impetus to meet up always, latterly, came from me and I rather gave up the effort. I like her but she was always a bit... well... odd.

Every few years I think, this is silly, sending cards. And I strike her off the list. Then her card arrives and I put her back on. This was one of the years. And then after Christmas she sent me a really nice letter about my mum's death, which she hadn't heard about at the time. I've no idea how she heard about it at all, since I don't think she's in touch with anyone from school, though I am. It was a very kind letter but still said nothing at all about how she was doing.

So: do I write back? Will I suggest meeting up? Or do I take the fairly obvious hint that she's doing fine without me? These are rhetorical questions; I'm not really asking, just wondering.

Grandson is still choked up and coughing but maybe marginally better, so I'm told. We hope to see him tomorrow if he's well enough to come with his mum and dad to lunch, as on usual Sundays. So I'll go and make some macaroni cheese. He likes that. And then: piano practice. My first lesson since before Christmas is coming up on Tuesday. Have I been practising? Yes. Enough? No.

Yes, Anna, I hadn't forgotten about that patchwork! I just need to sit down and think about how to do it and have a spare day and be feeling strong! I will do it!