safari search problems

Has there been a change with safari's search or is it possibly enjoying high load?

I am using firefox 3.0.1 on mac osx. I have noticed the following problems:

1. occasionally, when I click in the search text box, it doesnt realize that
the text box has gotten focus, so the "[Start a new search]" text doesnt go
away and it allows me to start editing it in the same grey text.

2. once in a while when I search for a book I have gotten no results on the
right hand (main results) part of the page even though results show up in the
tree section on the left.

3. searching within current book fails sometimes and works other times. For example, I
tried to search for the word "import" within Programming Python and in
the main section on the right there were no results- only the message:
"import AND ISBN = 0596009259"
and an advertisement suggesting I give safari a try. (even though I am already a
customer AND currently logged in)

All I can do is submit the search over and over and over again and eventually one of
those times it works.

Thanks for any help.