Alec,

As you would say, no problem, so just take a picture of your garden, zip it to me and I’ll sort her out. Just let me know if you would like it sorted ascending or descending, from A to Z or from Z to A. No problem either way. Just give me the word and I’ll give it to you both ways. Yes Alec you can count on me for good advice as you can plainly see by the advice I gave that old girl that called me the other day about her neighbors’ grass being greener on the other side of the fence. I might have a few years behind me but I’m not over the hill yet even if Ruthie expresses a different opinion at times. Sometimes when she makes aspersions about my manhood not being as good as it used to be I remind her that I have some two toned underwear down in the basement that has to be taken care of. You know, brown on one side and yellow on the other. I reminded her she’s not getting it as white as she used to either. After a couple more of her nasty remarks I suggested she might try using just a little more bleach. She comes right back and said she tried that but then I complain about the little holes the bleach eats in the fabric. I just can’t win. I’m beginning to think women are like those rotten EXE files the PC’s send me. A constant aggravation!

Alec, you and Walt Tenay are better than I could have ever imagined. I wanted in the worst way to hear some of your music so I went to keynote’s site. Guess what stared me in the face? EXE files!! Oh no I thought and sunk down in my chair. What a bummer. But then I remembered you said that could be fixed also. What the heck I thought, let’s give it a try. Alec is fast, but not that fast, but maybe, just maybe. Viola! Couldn't believe it. There it was. Slick as you know what! Alec you play just as good as you dish out help. Great! I realize what you played was to demonstrate and make a point of what can be done with the Tecnics board and that you don’t have to be anybody special to be able to take advantage of all it’s wonderful features and fantastic sound samples. I know the KN makes me sound a thousand times better than I am. In fact I don’t even mind sitting back and listening to me even if Ruthie gives what she terms constructive criticism. But Alec how about one for the 20-4-1. To bring out what I know is deep within you. Your heart and your love for people. A mighty thanks to you.

As for Walt, what a player. Walt does with his fingers what you do with your brains. If he doesn't make a couple of contributions to the 20-4-1 I ain’t going to buy any more hard drives or books from him. Just kidding! Especially Manhattan. I’m taking some of the songs from each disk and making a few listening disks. I then put them on CD’s and play them in the car. Also I make some for my friends so they can also enjoy the sounds that are funneling into my ears.

I don’t think I’m quite as obstinate and bull headed as I used to be. In the past I have been kind to Mac, my old computer. I have tried not to burden it with Dos. Yesterday I called up the makers of Stuffet Delux, my Zipper and UnZipper program. I asked them about those crazy EXE files. You do everything I need to be done except those dumb EXE files, I cant open. Ain’t you guys smart enough to do that. Cool it grampa, cool it the guy said. The guys that make Virtual PC are are friends. If we fix EXE there would be no other reason for you to buy their product. You can read all their files as it is, except open EXE. Besides if you get a taste of Billie's stuff you’ll appreciate more what you got. I know how bull headed, tight and obstinate old people get but loosen up, spend a hundred and a half and get Virtual PC for your Mac. Just think you’ll have two computers in one. You can run system 9.2 and OSX Unix on the Mac plus Dos, Windows 98, Millennium, XP and any other clunky copy cat windows programs Billy comes up with. If they brag about their old EXE files and their windows tell them it cost you a little better than a C note to fix that but for all the money in the world they can’t do what you can. So there! See! - and stick your tongue out for good measure. If nothing else it will make you feel good. I guess your right, I said, it might not make my underwear any whiter but I might even appreciate Ruthie a little more I thought. Guess I’ll give it a try.

Hey Ruthie, where did you hide the checkbook again? What? I suppose your going to that old computer store again. Aint you got enough for that old machine? What are you going to hang on it this time? Come on Ruth, I said, it’s not just for the computer but it will help me to get more files for my keyboard. You know how you like my new board. It’s not the keyboard that needs help just your playing she responded. Ruth, you know I’m getting a little arthritis here and there. Give a guy a break! Here and there? Ha, I think it’s mostly lodged in you brain she said. Just tell me where the checkbook is and have something good for supper for a change when I get back.

Ruth, I said. Now what do you want, she quipped. How about sending me off with a little kiss. Remember the old days, how it used to be? Oh shut up, ---kiss---, see ya when ya get back.

Grandpa Doug