Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
We were up fairly early and worked in the office. I went through the bills and nearly passed out because we had several surprises this month! The rental property had to be refurbished; I needed a second 20 TB hard drive; the fridge went on the fritz, so we needed a new one, etc. Unplanned!!
I poured over the books and determined I was broke; well, maybe not!
Yesterday I decided to make a small “improvement” to the AvalonBall website.
And by “improvement,” I mean I used my four thumbs, clicked a few things with great confidence, and promptly blew the whole thing up.
Naturally, I went looking for my backups. And alas, much like my dignity, they were nowhere to be found.
I was only slightly upset — in the calm, measured way a person is upset when their website has vanished into the digital witness protection program. But then I remembered: I pay my ISP to back things up too. So I sent in a support ticket, and within a couple of hours, everything was restored.
Suddenly, that $90-a-month “insurance policy” felt less like an expense and more like a tiny tech miracle wrapped in a monthly bill.
At noon, Mary was ready for her painting class, so I chauffeured her over like the supportive husband/part-time Uber driver that I am. Then I came back home to resume computer work, along with some laundry, folding, and KP duty — because I like to help! Also, it seems only fair to assist Dr. Mary, since she does so much around here to turn this house into an actual home instead of a building where I occasionally misplace tools and break websites.
When I picked Mary up, she showed me her latest painting — and wow, she really is amazing.
She had not finished by 3:00 pm, though, so the painting didn’t have a background yet. Fortunately, I still had access to AI, which I had not managed to destroy earlier in the day, so I generated a temporary background for her.
Honestly, after what happened to the website, I’m just glad the painting didn’t end up with a spaceship, three raccoons, and a volcano in the background.
Here are some funny and surprising trivia bits about the Monarch butterfly:
- They taste awful on purpose. Monarch caterpillars eat milkweed, which contains toxins. This makes adult Monarchs taste bad to predators. Basically, they are flying warning labels.
- Their orange color is a threat. That bright orange-and-black pattern is like a neon sign saying, “Eat me and regret it.”
- Birds learn the hard way. Some birds that eat Monarchs vomit afterward and remember not to try again. Monarchs are tiny teachers of bad decisions.
- They go on a road trip without GPS. Monarchs can migrate thousands of miles to Mexico, even though the individuals making the trip have never been there before.
- One generation does the marathon. Most Monarchs live only a few weeks, but the “super generation” born before migration can live around 8 months.
- They use the sun like a compass. Monarchs navigate partly by the sun, with an internal clock helping them adjust for time of day.
- They can smell with their feet. Like many butterflies, Monarchs taste plants by standing on them. Imagine deciding dinner by walking on it.
- Male Monarchs have little black spots. Males have black scent glands on their hind wings that look like tiny dots. It is one way to tell males from females.
- Their caterpillars are eating machines. A Monarch caterpillar can increase its body mass thousands of times before becoming a chrysalis.
- They hang upside down to transform. Before becoming a chrysalis, the caterpillar hangs in a “J” shape, looking like it is dramatically rethinking its life choices.
At 5:30 pm, Mary began her prep for a colonoscopy, which is always fun to watch if you are NOT the one doing the prep. Since she likes to watch TV, I moved a chair into her bathroom and got her the supplies she needs for the next few hours!
Mary called the creator of Giggleguts, Dan Gibson, and asked for some advice!
We watched TV, and that was the end of the evening. Mary watched TV in the bathroom, and I ran errands back and forth to the Ladies Lounge!
