It’s time to slow down for a moment with Susanne and friends at Living to Tell the Story to think about the blessings of the week before their memory is gone forever. Please feel free to join in!
1. End of school celebration. We had a little party with pizza and confetti cake after Timothy finished his school year.
2. A long talk with an old friend. We had touched base on Facebook, but it was good to have an extended conversation and catch up on all the family.
3. Timothy’s help. Jim bought a big pile of dirt to fill in several paces in our yard. Timothy wanted to bring his shovel over to help. 🙂
4. Not cooking. Jason and Mittu brought dinner the night Timothy helped with the shoveling. Jim was out of town one night, and I splurged with a takeout meal. With dinner for Timothy’s party and takeout Sunday, I’ve had a light week in the kitchen.
5. Humor. One evening when the sky was overcast, I asked Alexa if it was going to rain. It gave me a weather report, but said nothing about rain. Then Jim asked it, “Is it raining?” It said, “It will start raining in half an hour.” I sighed and shook my head and said, “We’re a long way from making a Commander Data,” the human-looking android in Star Trek. Then we began to come up with ways Data might answer like Alexa does:
Captain: Data, fire phasers!
Data: Would you like me to put phasers in your shopping cart?
Captain: Data, are the Borg nearby?
Data: Here’s what I found on the web. . .
Captain: Data, plot a course to Deep Space Nine.
Data: Setting a course for Deep Space Nine. By the way, I can also track meteors.
Captain: Okay, do that.
Data: Go to the Data app on your phone . . .
We shared these on the family group text, and my oldest son added this one:
Captain: Data, slow the ship to one-quarter impulse.
Data: I don’t know any devices named “Ship.”
This reminds me of a quote by Henry Ward Beecher: “A man without mirth is like a wagon without springs, in which everyone is caused disagreeably to jolt by every pebble over which is runs.” I’m thankful for the way humor can turn irritations into a fun exchange.
Stray Thoughts 
I laughed out loud at Commander Data’s responses. I have a Google Nest which gives me some interesting answers sometimes! She even tells jokes!
Alexa will do that, too. Timothy has fun with that. 🙂 He also likes to ask it to beatbox. 😀
I laughed reading your Commander Data responses. Everything is becoming so automated now – even our car has a voice operated help mode. I’ve never used it, well not intentionally but sometimes if there’s been a few of us in the car and we’re talking loudly it will respond, usually with something like “I didn’t catch that. What can I help you with?” A light cooking week is always a blessing. Enjoy your weekend.
Alexa does that, too. That would have been a good one to include!
Captain. Number One, would you get me the data on the conference next week?
Data, I’m sorry, I didn’t catch that.
Captain. Not you, Data…
hahah oh my goodness…my husband and oldest daughter would TOTALLY love your Data conversation. So funny.
I love having light kitchen duty during the work week but alas…i cook almost every night…..although tonight if my husband can get off work and these phone calls to India, we might have a date night with a gift card we’ve been saving.
How fun to have Timothy come over to help shovel dirt and congrats to him for wrapping up his school year. We have 3 more weeks here in NY.
Happy Weekend!!
Those are hilarious! And I haven’t seen ST in ages nor do I have Alexa, but AI has a long way to do, doesn’t it?
Yay for less time in the kitchen. I’m always pleased when I can successfully use up left overs or bits and bobs from recipes during the week. Love that Timothy likes to participate in family activities 🙂
It sounds as if you had a wonderful week of blessings. I’ve had two weeks worth of not cooking while we were at our son’s home so this week I have been re-adjusting. 🙂
Our son has Alexa also and I found it quite amusing.
Laughing at the Captain and Data fun. How fun to have such a willing helper with shoveling dirt. I need someone so eager! Yay for light cooking duties this week. That’s always fun. Congrats to Timothy on another school year accomplished.
I love the idea of taking the time to count your blessings. It truly can lighten your entire day. I personally have no faith in Alexa. LOL