Happy at the Bakery

Some days, I'm really excited about high-tech gadgetry and dream of doing all our business online. Though I admit I'm stymied by the logistics of e-mailing fresh bread....

Today, though, I'm content with our 'bread and mortar' business.

Here's what happened - we subscribe to a really nice "postcard from Provence". A couple of times a week it arrives in our inbox with a painting by Julian Merrow-Smith. Each painting can be ordered online, if you wish, or you can just look at the picture and smile and dream, which is what we usually do.

But today, Julian upgraded to new software. And it all went a little haywire. Every time someone sent in an email to his site, the new autoresponder immediately forwarded it to everyone else on the list. My inbox started filling up with irate "unsubscribe me immediately" messages, interspersed with frantic notes from Julian telling us all not to respond to any emails from him until the problem was fixed.

I can only imagine how horrified he must have been that the wonderful new program he had installed was going so terribly wrong. There haven't been any new emails in several hours, so I'm hoping he's sorted it all out. I really like getting the postcards.

And it really has helped me to be more appreciative of my very low-tech bakery. I'm sitting here now, watching the snow swirl down (we're in the middle of another blizzard). There's fresh bread on the racks, and the sample today is a really tasty balsamic and herb bread dipping oil. Think I'll go have another little taste....