purloined 'puter

I'm sneaking my roomie and landlady Joan's lovely HP 15" computer to write this. Don't tell my Dell! Joan took it to work today to ship it via FedEx (where she works) back to the Dell Baby Factory for "some work". Dell can't come home fast enough for me!

But the Dell story reminds me of just one of the little mind-games my dad used to play on us. Yes, I've mentioned before that he was a bit of a sadist. Pretending the car was out of gas by lurching on the gas-pedal, sending 4 little girls into spasms of fear. He called that game "bump the peg", after the way the gas gauge looks when it's nearly empty and the indicator is resting on the E. My mother spent a lot of time chastising him "Oh Dave, cut it out!" she'd yell.

The Baby Factory game was when he would not like our behavior, and would swing by the old Cass County Hospital where we were born (thus Baby Factory) and threaten to leave us there. It was a scary looking place, 3 stories brick and very forboding. I once had my stomach pumped there after drinking lighter fluid - New Years Eve when I was 3 or so. My sis Susi recalls one time, Dad went so far as to take her inside the old place while they were remodeling and there were plastic sheets hanging from the ceiling. So it was scarier than usual! Scared Straight anyone?

Another little thing Dad liked to do was to try to freak us out about supper. Betsy would notice that we were grilling (that was the only time Dad was on food duty back then) and ask "what's for supper tonight Daddy?" and he'd say something like "Dead Chicken". Just because he knew that would gross us out. Back then they would buy whole chickens to grill - the grill had a rotisserie, and they'd even cook the hearts. They were quite crunchy and satisfying. Kinda reminds me of the 'ol Bill Cosby Turtle Heads routine.

Dad couldn't get to Cindy though. If we were having steak he might say we were having snake, and she'd say "yum!" That Cindy liked (and still likes) everything. Or he'd say "We're having Frog Legs" and she'd ask, "Are they green?" When she was around 12, the whole fam was in a New Orleans restaurant and Mom was busy with Betso and me, who were only 9 and 5 years old. So Mom didn't notice what Cindy ordered until they brought out a whole horse shoe crab for her enjoyment! I think I got spaghetti and meatballs - I'm much saner (read boring) than Cindo when it comes to food!

Dad and Cindy made life interesting! Cindy and I are built like our mother - very sturdy thighs and legs. I sent her a copy of an article I read in the New York Times saying a new study shows that women with larger thighs have fewer heart problems. So we've got that going for us!