Has anyone used Skype

or another video calling thingy? Bitsy has a webcam that I want to use to visit my grandkids.

Speaking of which, I have a trip booked to Orlando in about 3 weeks! Five days in the warmth of Florida. I'd have been happy with two or three full days there, but thanks to Airtran's booking procedures, my free trip wasn't available on the dates I wanted, so I took what was available. I need some warm sun and some grandkids' loving.

Woohoo for getting a free trip to Florida!!!

I love Google

Have you noticed the cute things that Google does on holidays, like clovers and stuff for St. Patrick's Day, to the heading "Google"? I expected something big from them yesterday, April Fool's Day, but apparently they're a lot smarter, and quieter, than I am.

I even told A, and patiently waited while she laboriously wrote www.google.com, to check it and see what cute thing they did for April 1. She was really excited about googling something.

Then I got to school and checked, and nothing. Nothing at all. I was so disappointed and hated that I'd apparently lied to my granddaughter.

But last night before I went to bed, I went to google something and there it was, in a tiny link underneath the search box. A link to Virgle, an enterprise founded by Virgin Records owner and the founders of Google, complete with application to join their venture. From Wikipedia:

"Virgle

Google announces a joint project with the Virgin Group that aims to establish a permanent human settlement on Mars (http://www.google.com/virgle/index.html). This operation has been named Project Virgle. it also includes videos of Richard Branson as well as Larry Page & Sergey Brin (The Founders of Google) on YouTube , talking about Virgle.[1] The site even includes a comedic "Application" to join in the settlement. The application includes questions like "What is your major?" A. Physics, B. First Aid, C. Engineering, or D. Guitar Hero II. After submitting the application, the site either notifies you that you are not fit for space, or that application is fine and that "all you have to do is submit your video [as a response to their video on YouTube]." The creators of Virgle wish to convey the following -- 'So long, and thanks for all the fish!'"

They didn't let me (and the world of Google fans) down. But how on Earth am I going to explain that to an 8-year-old???

My Three Sisters

(Or, if they aren't willing to share in this incredible venture, I'll take offers from up to two or three others.)

Today we found The House. It's perfect. All tile floors, lots of windows, huge kitchen and great room, six bedrooms and six baths; five bedrooms have private baths.

Here's the plan. This palace, on two full acres, entirely fenced, is--get this--only $270,000. Yes. You read that right. (Okay, the guy who showed it to us doesn't speak English too well, but I asked over and over, pointing to the price on the spec sheet, and he agreed every time. Yes, 270 thou, yes, two acres. From there to there.

Okay, there are four of us and assorted husbands. Each of us only needs to kick in $70,000 right now (cash preferred; Tom doesn't want to sell that old Porsche yet) and we've got us a mansion in the agricultural area of Homestead, Florida, near the Everglades (and thus the necessity for a fenced yard). Of course, since we found it, Tom and I would get the master suite (wait till you see the photos; getting ready to go to a Brazilian restaurant for dinner, so I can't download them now), but the rest of you can pick your bedrooms. The one in the front is almost a suite.

There's a dining room, a media room, a room that has glass doors but has open arches into another room, a beautiful lanai, on and on and on.

I figure we can have a maximum of 10 dogs, fewer is the dogs are big, maybe more if they're Yorkie or Chihuahua size. We'll have a Great Dane as a guard dog.

So, who's up for this? I'm making a list. Show you the photos later.