Sleepy.......

so sleepy I can't stand it. I've been working a lot to fill in for vacations and that may be it or else its the weather change....but all I know is that I'm so sleepy lately I feel like I could fall asleep in the middle of a crowd. I've been going to bed earlier and earlier at night. I've even missed a few of my favorite TV programs that have started up this Fall because of my sleepiness. One good thing, I can watch them online through www.hulu.com if I miss them first time around. Last night I watched Medium and The New Adventures of Old Christine online since I missed the original showings. As usual, they were excellent.

On the home front, things have been quiet for the most part and that's a good thing. I'm trying to prepare for the upcoming winter in case its as bad as it was last year. The Farmer's Almanac states that its supposed to be BITTERLY cold in my area but not much snow. That does make me feel better....you don't have to shovel COLD. I'm buying frozen dinner type stuff a little at a time to put in the freezer downstairs. Frozen homemade bread dough (its really quite good) and also powdered milk....just in case the weather makes going to the store difficult.

I have to get my flu shot yet and also get my car winterized. I still don't know if I'm going to have a job next year or not. At first I heard that it wasn't going into the budget....then I heard it was. So I just have to wait and see what happens. It would be nice if I could work just one more year to get some bills paid off....but the thought of not having to get out in bitterly cold blizzards to go to work is also a nice dream. One good thing is that my work is only 6 miles one way from my house and the roads are usually well-maintained between here and there.

I've been reading The Help and its very good. Once again, fiction based on fact. My huge stack of books to be read is 29 books high as it is and then my daughter insisted I read a book she just finished by Philippa Gregory (who wrote The Other Boleyn Girl ) called The Wise Woman. Oh my Gawd.....it was a sit on the edge of your seat type book that was hard to put down. I read it in two nights. Not for the faint of heart.... there's lots of sexy passages, descriptions and acts, not to mention some witchcraft thrown in for good measure. Takes place in the 1500's, England.

So, I hope everyone is having a great start to Fall in your area. Here, the leaves are beginning to turn and that certain little nip is in the air. I do love this time of year.....just not what follows it!

Something is getting more frequent.....

....hatred. Oh, its always been around but it was kept hidden for the most part. Here lately it seems to be everywhere. I'm no goodie-two-shoes but I know I've never done anything like what I'm seeing and reading. Yep, I may have whispered to my girlfriend that so and so looks just awful in that skirt and.....what was she thinking!!!! ....but I certainly would have never publicly embarrassed her by saying it out loud. And, at the age I am now, I've learned to keep my mouth shut about things that could hurt someone. I may be thinking it but I keep it to myself. Of course, thinking it is nearly as bad I guess.....but at least it doesn't hurt the one you're thinking about.

I play on a free online game site. I've played the games there for years. I usually go there once a day and give my brain a little workout. I don't stay very long at any one time but its something I used to look forward to. There is a chat section for each game and I rarely contribute, but I do read it. I have noticed a trend lately. People are getting more and more hateful; they say hurting things or else they take someone's comment and turn it around, blow it out of proportion and the insults start flying. It seems like a lot of people have huge chips on their shoulders now. I have to admit I've gone into certain game rooms and have been so engrossed in reading the chat section because of a 'fight' that is going on that I completely neglect the game. At first it was intriguing....almost like eavesdropping, but now its disgusting to me. I am unable to understand why people cannot get along well enough that they can't come together in an innocent, open to all ages, game room without getting ruffled feathers and flinging insults.

So now that I've seen this happen enough I've also noticed that a lot of the same people are involved. Now I check to see if they are playing the same game I am and if so, I often leave the room and go to another one. There ARE sections that are friendly and polite. What's wrong with these people that they are so quick to start something? Is this a learned trait or is it just the frustrations of their lives coming out and the only way they can find relief in their own misery is to strike out at others? I'm seeing more and more of this behavior and, frankly, I'm embarrassed that people act in such a way. There is a lot of hate being distributed in demonstrations, on TV, radio and in articles, not to mention web-sites and music. When is this going to stop? I don't think a day goes by that we don't hear of something hateful and UNNECESSARY that's been done or said. The anonymity of the Internet makes it all the easier for hate to be nourished and distributed.

I just wish people would stop and take a good look at themselves and stop and think just for a half a minute before spewing out some words that can't be retracted. Remember what our old Sunday School teachers taught us? If you're going to say something and you're in doubt....answer three questions before you say it. Is it true.....Is it kind.....Is it necessary. If you can answer yes to all three, then go ahead and say it. That's sage advice we should all adhere to.

I have no answers to solve this problem and I desperately wish I did. What is so distressing is the fact that the "haters" pass this disturbing behavior on to future generations and therefore its kept alive......and growing.

Well, 'nuff said. Have a Blessed day everyone.

Well, this is just plain creepy.....

To add an update to the previous post.....the dead squirrel. The next morning, after my coffee, I went outside armed with a plastic garbage bag to dispose of said squirrel. It was a task that I was not looking forward to, but it had to be done.

I went to the base of the pole where the squirrel had been and it was........(gasp)....gone!

This is the second time this has happened now during the night. ( *a few weeks ago I found a dead squirrel by the AC unit outside. When I went to get it to dispose of it the next morning....it was gone! I think this is squirrel mating season, they are fighting with each other like crazy right now. He was most likely the loser. I doubt his family came and got the body to give him a decent burial, even though I'd rather think of it in those terms.)

Which reminds me of something. One day I was watching an ant carrying another ant, that was dead. He trudged across my driveway, carrying his load, which had to weigh as much as he did. I thought to myself....isn't that special. He's taking his fallen comrade back home. Wow. I watched as he took him to an anthill and down the hole. It was a couple days later, talking with someone else who apparently has a lot more intelligence than I, that I learned that ants are cannibals and he was taking him home all right....he was SUPPER!

Ok, back to the original storyline here...........

There is something creepy out there roaming around my yard looking for something dead for.......food.

Either that or the hawk has been helping himself as soon as its daylight. But this squirrel was in a heavily leafed area....mostly hidden from a sky view.

I've got to quit watching so many spooky movies....my imagination is getting the best of me in thinking of scenarios.

Shudder........this just makes me very uncomfortable although I do appreciate the disposal help. I've got my own National Geographic series going on in my own back yard. Nature's clean-up.

Speaking of that.....I really miss Meerkat Manor. Any of you ever look at that? It was the cutest show that I became quite addicted to. I suppose they ran out of story lines....there's only so much a Meerkat family can do. Hope your day is a good one.

And it continues.....

Sunday was a nice day. The neighbors to one side of me were having a family BBQ, the neighbors behind me were relaxing on their screened-in porch; the other neighbors in this immediate area were gone. I was enjoying a 3-day weekend by doing mostly nothing. I had been on the computer, then read for a while and finally decided that I would take a nice little afternoon nap.

I was jarred awake by the distinct sound that I've come to know so well. Yep, the transformer blew again and it was a sure bet who was responsible. After shutting down my computer safely (its on a battery back-up system), I trudged outside to see where the body or bodies were this time. My neighbors were kidding me about having squirrel BBQ for dinner. The neighbor behind me who had been sitting on her porch said it was the first time she had actually witnessed it....she said a huge ball of bluish white light came off of that pole and it was indeed frightening. I confirmed the body count of one laying at the foot of the pole. I sure wish they would land in another yard for a change but 98% of the time they land in mine, which makes me responsible for disposing of the body. Yuck! I'll admit there's been many times I've been tempted to toss them over the fence (where a MAN lives) and the only things stopping me is that I'm afraid someone will see me doing it and if I'm going to touch it to do that, I might as well go ahead and get rid of the body (logic takes over).

A call was placed to the power company by myself and I'm sure many other neighbors called too. The recording on the phone stated that our problem should be fixed by 10 tomorrow morning. Oh goodie! That's a good 15 hours away. It was just dark enough in my living room that attempting to read a book was difficult. I talked on the phone for a bit then noticed the power company truck. Wow...I was impressed....only two hours from when the call was made! The guy walked into my back yard and located the culprit's body at the base of the pole. It is now completely dark outside.

Well, we waited and we waited and still no power. I couldn't figure it out, since they located the problem right away and its happened so many times before, they certainly have it down pat as to what to do. I began to have scenarios run through my mind as to why it was taking so long.
1. Since its a holiday weekend, they had to call in more crews because they are short-handed.
2. Since its a holiday weekend, they only have an inexperienced crew working and have to call in the experienced guys if something big happens and all the experienced guys are three states away having a last summer vacation.
3.This call interrupted a BBQ and after locating the problem, they went back to finish their dinners first.
4. The truck appearing was nothing more than a facade to get people to quit calling. The "real" crew will show up early tomorrow morning when its light.
5. This was a particularly violent blow-out which fried 1,900 miles of wires and they all have to be replaced.

I got disgusted and went back to bed at 11. I left my bedroom light on so I would know if and when my power came back on. At approximately 1:30 in the morning, I had power.

Now, if you remember it wasn't that long ago that I had back-to-back outages during a weekend due to squirrels. I reported it to a "person of importance" at the power company that time and he said he would definitely look into putting up a squirrel guard which is what we've been asking for in the 37 years I've lived here.....and have yet to receive. Obviously, they still have not put one up even though I was visited by an inspector who stood at the base of the pole and stared skyward at it for more than a few minutes. In all their infinite wisdom, I figure that the power company has decided that it is more beneficial for them to not put up a squirrel guard which would take perhaps an hour or so. Instead they:
1. pay out overtime for their crews to respond on a holiday
2. pay out overtime for their crews to respond during the night or on a weekend
3. lose a substantial amount of money due to the fact that there are hundreds of meters not running during this outage.

So, weigh out the fact of losing much money on one hand.....to paying out a tiny amount for a squirrel guard on the other hand and I can fully understand why they would chose to not put up the guard. These people, after all, have to prove job security and what better way than this.....as if all the storms we get isn't enough. Besides that, if us old folks didn't have stuff like this to complain about, then we might just as well curl up our toes and check out. Half the fun of getting old is the part where you can moan and groan and complain and get away with it. We have earned that right, dad gummit. Hope your holiday weekend was a good one....its winding down now and, like everything else in my life, it went by amazingly fast.

Mixed emotions.....

about a lot of things. I was told Monday that my part time position was not going to be put into next year's budget. Part of me felt bad that I wasn't considered important enough to be kept....but I realize that these are strange times and so many jobs are being cut. Although I can't begin to imagine that the small amount my job takes out of a budget would make that much difference....I suppose every little bit helps. Since my daughter should be getting her disability starting this month, I am hoping that she will be taken care of that way and my financial help will no longer be needed. If I take care of a couple bills, I can make it on my income if I don't have to help her. I have four months and I think I can pay those bills down so that I can manage....at least that's the plan. I haven't really been able to enjoy my retirement. As soon as I retired my knee went out and I was in a lot of pain....then surgery and by the time that was over I had gone back to work part-time to help my daughter as she had lost her job. So I guess its time that I stopped and enjoyed the roses, so to speak.

My co-worker is going to fight to keep me.....she likes having me there. I've been in this building since 1974 in a different capacity. I am learning more and more about this job and she knows I can be trusted....so we'll see what happens. If I can stay, it will help me pay off some nagging debts....but if I have to leave, I can still make it unless they raise the interest rates even more or raise groceries even more....then its going to be super tight. The important thing I have to remember is that this job came through for me right at the time that my daughter desperately needed help. The timing was right and I know Who I have to thank for that and have thanked a million times. I have faith that things will continue to work out.

I think Fall is upon us. We have had some nights in the low 40's. Today, although nice and sunny, is only 72, yesterday was 70. The leaves are beginning to turn. I'm not ready for this, although I do love Fall....its WINTER that I cannot tolerate any longer. The Farmer's Almanac has predicted that our area is in for bitterly cold temps this winter but not that much snow. I guess I can take the cold....its the snow that just about did me in last year....it just kept coming and coming. So, I'm off to do some earth shattering important things.....like laundry and all the side-chores that go along with doing laundry.

Oh, and you won't believe this one. My great little workhorse computer died. This is the old one that I've had for so many years and recently replaced. My computer guy stopped by to make an adjustment on it so it could send things to the printer in my office and he couldn't get it to come on.....the hard drive wasn't even coming on. This is a VERY bad sign. I panicked at first then realized that I still have the backup of that machine on my external hard drive and so now have been transferring the important stuff onto my new system, like photos and all my word documents. Please....if you haven't made a backup of your machine, DO IT....before its too late. What a nightmare this would have been if I didn't have it. So computer guy took my trusty old machine to see if he could salvage anything. Its been a good worker for me for many years and I feel sad that it has died. Sorry, I'm in just a pitiful mood today....I get like this once in a while....but thankfully it never lasts long. I need to go look at a funny movie, I think. Have a great day.....tomorrow is humpday already!

Its so good when things work like they're supposed to.....

My computer is up and running and is so fast. The programs that I use on a regular basis have installed flawlessly. My bookmarks and passwords have imported into the browser just like they are supposed to and they actually all work! I just can't help bragging even if I may jinx the whole thing. I really NEEDED things to work right.

I still have a few things to incorporate and I need to set up my backup system yet.....but so far, so good. Even the online brain teaser games I play work.

I reinstalled the little weather program that I've used for quite a while and my virus program jerked itself up out of the system tray, stood on a box and literally screamed NO at me. It says there's a trojan in there and I'm disappointed because I like the program, but I'm not taking any chances. Recently the program had to be redone, according to the author, because of changes the weather channel made to its site. Maybe he did something odd...or maybe my virus scanner is having hot flashes....not sure but I'm listening to it. I don't need any more problems.

This afternoon the power went out at work. We have a huge generator which immediately kicked on so we barely knew the difference but having all the offices open and working is a drain on the system, which has to be up and running because of the police department that is in the same building. The traffic on the 5-lane highway out front was bumper to bumper because the traffic signals were no longer working. Then we found out that the outage was extremely wide-spread....at least an 8 mile stretch of the highway and areas surrounding it. Something to do with a transformer that had a domino affect and other transformers went out too. After an hour of being on the generator we found out that service would not be restored until after 11 pm this evening. We were all told to shut down our workstations and go home. It was only an hour and a half early....but great that it happened on a Friday night! To avoid the traffic mess, I took the back way home...which is all gravel roads through the farm route. I take this route frequently when I just need to unwind....no traffic lights and plenty of horses and rolling pastures as well as some areas of deep, thick woods. Very pretty. The rain even stopped for my commute home. Anyway, I was glad to pull into my driveway tonight.

Today is cold and rainy. Its only 60 right now and I swear it feels like Fall already. Its a good night to cuddle with a book.......or maybe play a computer game now that I can.

One step forward 2 steps back.....

I'm done. I concede. Its gotten the best of me. UNCLE. I just get one thing to work and then two more don't work So I'm getting my computer guy back out here.....he can't come until Thursday....and we will reformat the hard drive and I'll start clean. I will have to reinstall everything, but the end result will be that I'll have a system in which everything will WORK.

Lesson learned. If something sounds too good to be true.....be vewy vewy careful...to quote a certain little guy that had problems with a wascally wabbit. PC Mover, I think, is great for moving data files, photos and music....but NOT programs....at least not from one operating system to another. And with a flashdrive, you can move those files yourself without much trouble at all. So I'm saving all my bookmarks and passwords and hopefully my new system will be able to import them into the new installation of my browser. If not....I have them all written down and will just have to put them in manually. Arghhhhh. its never easy.

Hope your weekend was a good one. I'm gonna love this computer when I get it customized to my liking. Hope it gives me as good of service as my last one has....and is still doing....bless its little hard drive heart.

I can't believe that in the third week of August....our high yesterday was the middle 60's with periods of rain. Today is a repeat. Its 64 right now. All this coming week is going to be chilly. I still say that summer forgot about us in Michigan this year. She got stuck up in the Pacific Northwest. My SIL just hated all that heat, which they aren't used to.

I feel like I'm in a maze.....

....just wandering aimlessly, bumping into walls. I think my computer guy felt compassion for me....maybe because of the sorrowful look on my face....but he did come back on Wednesday to fine tune things. He spent quite a bit of time and when he left everything worked. I was at least intelligent enough to log on and pay my bills that will be coming due the first part of next week. I also got my bank statement so I can do my mid-month balance. I don't think it was more than a couple hours later I uninstalled a program using Add/Remove Programs and when it asked for a reboot....the computer did the same DANG thing. I just laid my head down on the desk and went to my happy place for a while.

I once more used my old trusty workhorse in the den and emailed him. He said he will be back on Saturday. I'm beginning to think that its not such a good idea to move all the programs and so we are not going to do that this time. I am only moving the ones that I use every day, which should only take 30 minutes or so.....this would include my camera and printer settings, not to mention all my bookmarks and passwords. No wonder computers intimidate me so much....they just decide to act up for no apparent reason that we can see. Even my computer guy couldn't figure out why its doing this.....but moving the programs may have something to do with it. I will let you know and I may have to retract my earlier recommendation.

Microsoft should hire me.....

They should hire me to test out their programs to see how much abuse they will take before crashing. If I can't crash them, then they must be pretty darn stable. I don't think I had my new computer for more than 6 hours when I crashed it. Yep....you read right. I was going through various programs to see what would work and what wouldn't on the new system and one little game on there just went NUTS. I got the BSOD (blue screen of death), which chilled me to the bone cause that never means anything good. Sure enough I .... or should I say that evil little game..... corrupted enough files that everything had to be done over. It wouldn't even boot up. My computer guy came back on Monday and started the whole process over again (its a 2-day ordeal). So now I have to wait for him to come back to fine tune it again and he can't make it back until Saturday. All I can say is thank goodness I still have my old trusty workhorse in the den. Sigh....it's never easy.

I LOVE my computer.....

Well, today was the big day. Today my computer guy arrived with my new computer. I was really nervous about this whole thing because we were going to attempt to transfer everything on my old computer to the new one. (about 28 gb worth) I always clone my entire system on an external hard drive and thought at first that I could use that.....but alas....the program I use to clone it will not restore it to a computer with a different operating system from which it was originally copied. Rats!!

So I researched and researched and came up with a program called PC Mover. This is not a paid ad by any means but I'm just telling you that if you get a new upgraded system and want to copy programs from your old computer.....THIS is the program to get. You can copy the whole machine or just a few programs and files.....its up to you. Needless to say, the less you transfer over takes the least amount of time. I was skeptical but it took about 3 hours to do my whole system over a network and after it was done.....I can say that as far as I know now.....95% of my programs are working. I've only had to reinstall my firewall and virus scanner, which they said I may have to do. Oh and my printer had to be reinstalled....but so far everything seems to be working. Of course I haven't been through the whole computer yet, but as time goes on, I will come across more that either work or they don't. I found this program on eBay a lot cheaper than what it was selling for in the stores. I think I paid $25 for it and it was worth every penny. So remember this if you're going to upgrade. This is a time saver like you wouldn't believe.

This is the weekend of the "cruise". All week long we've been listening to the music from the 60's....when I was in my prime. They have this every year and its nice. Its gotten bigger and bigger each year. Seeing all the old cars....fixed up to be in mint condition is a treat as well. So thousands of people are cruising Woodward Avenue tonight and tomorrow. The weather is gorgeous, but HOT.....and for one brief weekend, we can close our eyes and dream that we're 16 again, slow-dancin' with our heart-throb. Sigh ~ how fast time flies. Enjoy the weekend!!

My morning takes a different path.....

Usually I get up, have my fruit juice and my meds, then make a pot of coffee, freshly grinding the coffee beans. I simply LOVE good coffee. After the coffee is finished brewing I make some cinnamon toast and then log onto the computer to read the news and my favorite blogs while I'm enjoying the coffee and toast. The news is always a downer and I only read it so I won't have that DUHHHH expression on my face when someone starts talking about a current event. I have to put up the facade of being at least halfway intelligent, you know. This morning was different. When I logged on to read the news I was drawn to an article about a lost, then found, dog. With tears in my eyes I read this most up-lifting article and it has started my morning off on an entirely different path. Matter of fact, I don't even think I'm going to read the rest of the news.....I really like this path that I'm on. I'm feeling good about people right now. So, for your enjoyment, I have linked this great article. Please read it and afterward you, too, will wonder if guardian angels do, indeed, come in the form of animals. I think they do.

Take some time and enjoy

In my ventures I have come across this and it affected me deeply....not only for the obvious talent this young lady has, but for her poignant story and the passionate flair in which she depicts it. If you can spare about 9 minutes, please settle back and enjoy this. You won't be sorry. And...if anyone can translate what she has written at the end.....please tell me. One more thing....my friend Sue is having a giveaway to celebrate having 100 followers! If you'd like to enter a drawing to receive a pretty bracelet she's giving away in honor of that, go here. Sue's beautiful home is a reflection of the beauty within her.
UPDATE: I have found out that the words she writes at the end of her sand art is "You are always near."

All day rain.....

Today is a relaxing day. Its very dark and the rain is gently and continuously coming down. We need it so I'm not complaining. We did have a picnic planned but its been moved inside....we may end up postponing it until tomorrow, I'm not sure yet. Either way we'll have a good time and good food.

Not a lot has happened and I still say that's good. I need these down times to recharge my batteries. Its been extra busy at work with a lot of people gone on vacations. I had to have another condenser put in my car because the AC kept giving me warm air even though I would go have more freon added. So far its ok but its only been a few days. I still don't have my new computer in my possession, although my guy is working on it. This is a busy time of year for him and since I'm not totally without a computer, he is not hurrying with the new one. He does have all the parts....its just when he gets around to putting them all together. Hopefully before the end of this month I'll be all set.

I have met the love of my grandson's life. I was ok until I saw the piercing just under her bottom lip. WHY would anyone think that adds to their charm? I know.....I know....I'm an old fuddy duddy....my thinking is not progressive....I'm not up with the times. Humph....sorry but I can't see where putting holes in your face is progressive. And yes....I have pierced ears and have had them since I was a youngster myself....but somehow it just seems different. Sigh...maybe its not. Maybe its ME. Maybe I should just shut my mouth. HA!

So, I guess I will go refill my coffee mug and settle back with my book. I have about 400 pages to go and then I can start on the next one in my huge stack of books to be read. I think I have 26 books in that stack so I can safely say that I have fallen behind in my reading. The other ones in the stack are not so hefty as the one I'm reading now (1,000 pages) so it should go faster.

Oh....yes I wanted to tell you. I found another dead squirrel in my yard but this one was not next to the transformer nor did it cause me any electrical problems. I don't know what happened to the little guy. So I left him there until I could get out to the garage and find a shovel to bury him with...about 2 days. Yeah, I know...that's yucky, but I was putting it off, hoping that I could con someone else into doing that for me. Anyway when I went out there, armed with shovel, he was gone! Distasteful as it sounds....I'm wondering if the hawk took him. What do you think? If so, I guess that's a good point about having them nearby.....they make a good clean-up crew.

Enjoy your weekend. We have rain forecast for tomorrow too so its likely to be a quiet one for me.

Oh my aching......

back!! I've been semi-out of commission for the past six days due to lower back pain. Woo hoo.....it was something else! I woke up with it so I don't know if I slept wrong or what.....but it sure has hurt. I even missed a day of work over it.

You know when you're in pain, you just don't feel like doing anything. Hopefully I will be back to my old self in a couple more days. In the meantime I'm seriously behind in everything. Sigh....oh well, its not like my social agenda is bursting at the seams!

You know the older you get, the longer it takes for you to get over something. I just wish I knew what I did to cause this.....I sure don't want it ever again! Take care, I'll be back in a couple days or so.