Saturday, April 23, 2011
I'm sitting here looking out at yet another grey day, just a glimmer of sun in the dark cloudy day. I'm very affected by weather and lack of sunshine. This spring is tough on any number of levels. For one, there hasn't really been a spring yet. We've had a couple sunny warmer days, but then it has quickly gone back to cold and even snow. The buds are coming out on the trees reminding me that spring is trying to break free and spread the vibrant color all around, but Mother Nature has not set it free yet. Tomorrow promises to be sunny and warmer and I will soak it in and be energized by the sun we've so seldom seen.
I went up to my hometown in Upper Michigan (L'Anse) last weekend with my Mom for her birthday weekend. I'm going to say that she's 70, which I don't think will piss her off since I already posted her age on Facebook. But, like I am proud of my age and the things I have gone through and conquered, I am also proud of her because I learned the ability to conquer whatever comes my way from her. She is a beautiful woman and doesn't look near her age, which is definitely something I aspire to! She's gone through so much in her life and now is at such a happy place, with a new home that is stunning, animals all around her even to the point of peering in her windows. She lives near the lake and near her sisters and all is good. It is wonderful to see the smile on her face and the contentment of being where you want to be. I'm so very proud of her and her energy, her passion, and the way she is always there for family, no matter what.
I love going to my hometown. It's a small town that honestly hasn't changed much since I was a kid. Still the same landmarks and the best thing about that town is looking out at Lake Superior. There is a certain kind of peace that comes from seeing that lake and just taking in the wonder of it. I haven't been up there this time of year for a long time so I grabbed my camera wherever I went. There was still ice on the water and snow on the shore, but it was a kind of intrigue that goes with something that is alive and always moving and changing right before you eyes. I stood on the shore in the cold wind and listened. The ice moves ever so slightly but it makes a noise like when you step on a puddle with ice over the top. That crunching ice-shattering sound comes from all directions of the lake in front of me, the ice pieces hitting each other with the slight movement of the water underneath. I was mesmerized at this process that was going on in front of me as far as I could see in the water. I suddenly realized I was shivering in the light cold breeze but it's a sight and sound I won't forget.
The wildlife is also something that has me with camera in hand. The deer that come into my Mom's yard are so fascinating to watch. You get to see their behavior in nature and just watch them do their funny and interesting things. When I stepped outside onto the porch for a bit, I turned around to come back and there I was, face to face with a deer only about 6 feet away. The deer is just staring at me like "you're new around here, aren't you" and just wants to watch me and I stare back at it, looking at its gentle brown eyes, the large black nose that has a little grain stuck to it, and ears on the alert. A couple seconds went by with just observing each other, it stepping into the human world and me stepping into the deer world and then the moment passed and it backed up and went back with the other deer. The next encounter with wildlife was driving into town and seeing a furry animal waddling across the road. I stopped the car and ran out with my camera . . . it was a beaver going back into it's swampy home. It took no notice of me running along side it to get in front of it and take pictures. I think it was a little annoyed by the dog that was finding it quite interesting as well, but it just moved forward looking at the dog momentarily and continuing on it's journey seemingly without a care. It slipped into the water and into the sticks and reeds until you could hardly see it camouflaged lying just barely sticking out of the water. It stayed still until I walked away.
It's coming close to the year marker from when my love Tim passed away. I think that will be another blog, but I have my red flag at the ready to plunge into the mountain peak that I feel I will have reached when that day is upon me. I have been climbing with determination to be able to say I've made it through the first year of the most difficult thing I have ever endured. Another day, another blog to come.
I went up to my hometown in Upper Michigan (L'Anse) last weekend with my Mom for her birthday weekend. I'm going to say that she's 70, which I don't think will piss her off since I already posted her age on Facebook. But, like I am proud of my age and the things I have gone through and conquered, I am also proud of her because I learned the ability to conquer whatever comes my way from her. She is a beautiful woman and doesn't look near her age, which is definitely something I aspire to! She's gone through so much in her life and now is at such a happy place, with a new home that is stunning, animals all around her even to the point of peering in her windows. She lives near the lake and near her sisters and all is good. It is wonderful to see the smile on her face and the contentment of being where you want to be. I'm so very proud of her and her energy, her passion, and the way she is always there for family, no matter what.
I love going to my hometown. It's a small town that honestly hasn't changed much since I was a kid. Still the same landmarks and the best thing about that town is looking out at Lake Superior. There is a certain kind of peace that comes from seeing that lake and just taking in the wonder of it. I haven't been up there this time of year for a long time so I grabbed my camera wherever I went. There was still ice on the water and snow on the shore, but it was a kind of intrigue that goes with something that is alive and always moving and changing right before you eyes. I stood on the shore in the cold wind and listened. The ice moves ever so slightly but it makes a noise like when you step on a puddle with ice over the top. That crunching ice-shattering sound comes from all directions of the lake in front of me, the ice pieces hitting each other with the slight movement of the water underneath. I was mesmerized at this process that was going on in front of me as far as I could see in the water. I suddenly realized I was shivering in the light cold breeze but it's a sight and sound I won't forget.
The wildlife is also something that has me with camera in hand. The deer that come into my Mom's yard are so fascinating to watch. You get to see their behavior in nature and just watch them do their funny and interesting things. When I stepped outside onto the porch for a bit, I turned around to come back and there I was, face to face with a deer only about 6 feet away. The deer is just staring at me like "you're new around here, aren't you" and just wants to watch me and I stare back at it, looking at its gentle brown eyes, the large black nose that has a little grain stuck to it, and ears on the alert. A couple seconds went by with just observing each other, it stepping into the human world and me stepping into the deer world and then the moment passed and it backed up and went back with the other deer. The next encounter with wildlife was driving into town and seeing a furry animal waddling across the road. I stopped the car and ran out with my camera . . . it was a beaver going back into it's swampy home. It took no notice of me running along side it to get in front of it and take pictures. I think it was a little annoyed by the dog that was finding it quite interesting as well, but it just moved forward looking at the dog momentarily and continuing on it's journey seemingly without a care. It slipped into the water and into the sticks and reeds until you could hardly see it camouflaged lying just barely sticking out of the water. It stayed still until I walked away.
It's coming close to the year marker from when my love Tim passed away. I think that will be another blog, but I have my red flag at the ready to plunge into the mountain peak that I feel I will have reached when that day is upon me. I have been climbing with determination to be able to say I've made it through the first year of the most difficult thing I have ever endured. Another day, another blog to come.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Computers, girl time and such things
Here I am again. I could not blog for a while because I had computer problems. This is an area where my back ground (waaaaay back) was in IT and computers, but that has no bearing on knowing anything about computers now. Turns out, when you get out of it for say . . . 12 years, some things change and I've never caught up. I do know how to take the hard drive out and put a new one into my Dell laptop, but that was because I had to do it 3 times and then watched the Dell tech replace it the last time. And we the inexperienced look at the computer as it gets slower and slower and throw up our hands and swear at it (at least I do) but it has no mercy until finally it doesn't even recognize it's own hard drive. It's like a good relationship gone bad; and so bad it pretends like it doesn't even know you anymore.
That's when we have to call the dreaded Tech Support. Then we get to talk to our friends in India about our computer and they reassure us that everything will be fine and they will help us. I know that's what they said because instead of talking on the phone and saying "I'm sorry . . . what????" I made the switch to online chat with Tech Support and now I find I can understand everything they say. And they are very sorry that I had to call them and they want to make me happy again. When I am mad, as I was after the 4th hard drive and one motherboard, I ask for a supervisor because I wanted a replacement. My Indian friend was very understanding and I tried to hold the hard line, but it's very hard when they are being so respectful and nice to you. In the end, he did make me happy and sent out a replacement computer. Unfortunately two days into having it, the keyboard went bad. I know, right??? By this time I was a seasoned veteran of Tech Support so I had them make me happy again by sending a new keyboard and a technician that comes with it. But he'll only fix your computer, nothing else...I checked. He was the same tech that came with the 4th hard drive and he did give me a slightly incredulous look, like YOU AGAIN? Now, thanks to my friends in India, my computer works again and only types one letter at a time when I press a key. I think that I spoke to Tech Support so many times in the last month, I may be invited to dinner if I ever go to India, but I'm not sure.
Now that I have time on my hands, I totally enjoy spending that time with my girlfriends. I have many girlfriends, some go back thirty-mumblemumble years. Wow, it's weird to remember that long ago. I remember people saying that when I was young and I also remember thinking "they are soooo old" but time and age puts things in a different perspective, doesn't it? But girl-time is not like hanging around with any other group of people. You may, but you certainly don't have to "serve" your girlfriends. They serve themselves, they get things themselves, and best of all, they clean up after themselves . . . without even being asked (that's how they differ from kids). They are always there when you are saying "Am I crazy thinking that?" and they are saying, sometimes even in unison, "No way, you are totally NOT crazy on that" and many times a "You go girl". They love candles and incense and notice when they come into a room that you have those things going and will comment about it. When I have people stay at my house, I have special towels I will lay out on the bed, they're the ones that pull the moisture off of your body from about 2 feet away they are so absorbant. Men will say "what are these for" and throw them on the floor like you forgot to put away the laundry or something. Women oooo and ahhh because they are so plush and they ask if they should really use the "good towels", because they know that the towels have been set out just for them.
I am sitting here a little guilty for not being outside. It's lovely out, in the 50s which is warmer than it has gotten in quite some time. It came by in the brink of time, or there might have been violence at the least likely places because it's the year when winter wouldn't end. People started to say the word Snow like it was a swear word. People would remark "It's nice today, but I saw there is snow in the forecast" with a certain hush in their voice. Like saying it out loud was going to push someone over the edge into insanity. But I will be outside, there will be another day. And I do have a reason for not being outside, however lame it may be. I did not only neglect my lawn last year, which is obvious from how it looks now, my dog has decided to spread her love all over the yard and the yard is a little bit soggy to do the big poop pick-up yet and I don't especially want to see the job that is ahead quite yet.
That's all I've got for today, but it feels good to write again, I enjoy it so much. My Blog hits are up over 600 now, I'll keep writing, you all keep reading and pass it on to others! Thanks!
That's when we have to call the dreaded Tech Support. Then we get to talk to our friends in India about our computer and they reassure us that everything will be fine and they will help us. I know that's what they said because instead of talking on the phone and saying "I'm sorry . . . what????" I made the switch to online chat with Tech Support and now I find I can understand everything they say. And they are very sorry that I had to call them and they want to make me happy again. When I am mad, as I was after the 4th hard drive and one motherboard, I ask for a supervisor because I wanted a replacement. My Indian friend was very understanding and I tried to hold the hard line, but it's very hard when they are being so respectful and nice to you. In the end, he did make me happy and sent out a replacement computer. Unfortunately two days into having it, the keyboard went bad. I know, right??? By this time I was a seasoned veteran of Tech Support so I had them make me happy again by sending a new keyboard and a technician that comes with it. But he'll only fix your computer, nothing else...I checked. He was the same tech that came with the 4th hard drive and he did give me a slightly incredulous look, like YOU AGAIN? Now, thanks to my friends in India, my computer works again and only types one letter at a time when I press a key. I think that I spoke to Tech Support so many times in the last month, I may be invited to dinner if I ever go to India, but I'm not sure.
Now that I have time on my hands, I totally enjoy spending that time with my girlfriends. I have many girlfriends, some go back thirty-mumblemumble years. Wow, it's weird to remember that long ago. I remember people saying that when I was young and I also remember thinking "they are soooo old" but time and age puts things in a different perspective, doesn't it? But girl-time is not like hanging around with any other group of people. You may, but you certainly don't have to "serve" your girlfriends. They serve themselves, they get things themselves, and best of all, they clean up after themselves . . . without even being asked (that's how they differ from kids). They are always there when you are saying "Am I crazy thinking that?" and they are saying, sometimes even in unison, "No way, you are totally NOT crazy on that" and many times a "You go girl". They love candles and incense and notice when they come into a room that you have those things going and will comment about it. When I have people stay at my house, I have special towels I will lay out on the bed, they're the ones that pull the moisture off of your body from about 2 feet away they are so absorbant. Men will say "what are these for" and throw them on the floor like you forgot to put away the laundry or something. Women oooo and ahhh because they are so plush and they ask if they should really use the "good towels", because they know that the towels have been set out just for them.
I am sitting here a little guilty for not being outside. It's lovely out, in the 50s which is warmer than it has gotten in quite some time. It came by in the brink of time, or there might have been violence at the least likely places because it's the year when winter wouldn't end. People started to say the word Snow like it was a swear word. People would remark "It's nice today, but I saw there is snow in the forecast" with a certain hush in their voice. Like saying it out loud was going to push someone over the edge into insanity. But I will be outside, there will be another day. And I do have a reason for not being outside, however lame it may be. I did not only neglect my lawn last year, which is obvious from how it looks now, my dog has decided to spread her love all over the yard and the yard is a little bit soggy to do the big poop pick-up yet and I don't especially want to see the job that is ahead quite yet.
That's all I've got for today, but it feels good to write again, I enjoy it so much. My Blog hits are up over 600 now, I'll keep writing, you all keep reading and pass it on to others! Thanks!
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