We were in Amsterdam. Amazingly we had been invited to a royal dinner and were dressed for the part. Arriving early we selected a table near the wall near the front, sat down and watched the beautiful people of The Netherlands arrive and mingle. We were content to gaze in wonder.

A few minutes before dinner was to begin there were six empty places at our table. A flourish of trumpets and the queen herself, Queen Beatrice, arrived with her entourage. She glided straight to our table and the empty chairs. She scanned our faces and dress and furtively looked around for escape to a more appropriate, and interesting, table at which to sit.

Then I woke up.

And that's what I'm thinking about.

The most astonishing thing!

I was watching a lecturer on a video last week and was stunned to see her hands. At first I was drawn to her hands because they were so beautifully manicured. Then I was flabbergasted to see...six fingers on each hand.

I blinked and blinked once more. Did I see that right? No, there were only five. Then a second later, six again. I was positive I was seeing six, no five...What was going on?

Bifocals will do that to you.

And that's what I think about it.

When I was the mother of young children I tried to always make sure that if there were contingencies or consequences or parameters to a privilege that the children knew these before they accepted whatever it was.

And so, if they wanted the car, they knew that the car had to be returned by a certain time, or that seat belts were required for all passengers or that nine people could not safely ride in the vehicle.

When they were given an allowance, they knew ahead of time that lunches and music lessons had to be paid for out of that allowance. Those were the parameters.

These things were laid out ahead of time so there were no surprises and all parties knew what the expectations were.

It wasn't that the children were unintelligent, it just made good sense to reinforce the rules.

Imagine my outrage (no, it is not too strong a word) when banks were given billions of dollars in federal (read: taxpayer) money and used it for bonuses, retreats, renovation and decorating of offices.

As irresponsible and stupid as that is I wonder at the ignorance of any body that would give this kind of money to anyone without stipulations about how it was to be used. Surely the politicians did not think the banks would use the money responsibly. They had not up to this point which is why they were in trouble. I am not sure who I am more upset with, the bankers or the politicians.

One good thing.

Attorneys are looking pretty honorable to me in comparison.

And that's what I'm thinking about.

Sometimes I sit here and wonder what the rest of the world is doing right now.

Like the peasants in Camelot, wondering what the royals are up to, I think my friends may be out having fun, like maybe they are sitting in a movie theater eating popcorn and watching The Pink Panther. Perhaps in Ohio they are sipping a glass of wine or in California, they are thinking about the next class they will attend or the book they are writing. Here in Indiana I think some friends are getting ready for a trip to Florida to visit...other friends (it is always about this time I wish I had friends living in, say, the south of France).

I think I have friends napping, studying for classes tomorrow, playing games with other friends or even on a date.

I do not believe that even a one of them wonders what I am doing right now (I should just name you people so you know all of you who are not thinking about me right now).

Just kidding about that last.

But that's what I'm thinking about.