Mercury in retrograde

Apparently the planet Mercury went into retrograde Saturday, and in astrological terms, this means it's generally a good time to stay in bed. Mercury governs communication, so it's particularly bad for journalists, writers, etc.

But the worst problems this weekend were mechanical: In one weekend we lost a kitchen faucet, a washing machine and a lawnmower. We added DSL, and eventually got it to work, but it was really just one thing after another.

My thoughts were frazzled, flitting between dreams of a wired personal Utopia and things I want to write and do, mostly considered whilst driving children hither and yon and making trips to hardware stores.

But no matter how big the thoughts we think or how grand the dreams that inspire us, there is something grounding and pleasant in a waterline connection that does not drip, a hole that is filled in, a yard that is raked.