It’s minus what?

Most likely preaching to the converted here,  but we do go on about the weather some times.

I only did that one so I could practise how to do a “print screen”,  although at this point I’ve forgotten already and will no doubt have to look it up again.  It still involves the “Paint” program,  which I’ve never used for anything else.

 

Here’s the thing.  I wouldn’t have actually known it was minus 19 outside this morning if Travelling Companion hadn’t blurted it out.  We do that whole lying in bed with our coffees as we watch TV in the morning thing.  It can be habit forming. But I can dig it.

The other thing that I can totally dig is, being completely oblivious to what was going on outside temperature wise.

See, it wasn’t always that way.  Once upon a time this house was pretty darned draughty.  (I wanted to say,  “drafty”,  but my spell check doesn’t like that one,  prolly ‘cause I’m on the British system here.  That’s OK.)

The story goes, that one evening not long after we moved in here (winter of ‘92) T.C. thought the cat was moving around behind the curtains in the living room.  No sir! 

I was on afternoons at the time,  so I didn’t witness this little phenomenon.

Turns out there was a pain of glass that was missing.  No,  not just an open window,  but an actual f**ing pane of glass missing! 

Honest to Gawd!

Of course, I couldn’t exactly ask the former owner just what the heck happened,  since he had passed away the previous December.  

So my first job was to get some glass cut.  And that was the beginning….of the jobs. 

See, in this “zone”,  something like 6 or 7,  some very wise building type research Dudes (and I read somewhere that they were Canadian,  go figure!) not only pointed out that attic insulation should be a whopping R49,  but that the biggest source of heat loss,  apart from not using non conductive materials (like thermo-pane windows) was AIR LEAKAGE. 

And man oh man,  did we have THAT.  In spades!

So this house and I are at odds in the leakage department.  The older it gets,  the tighter it gets. Thank-you.

Whereas in terms of my structural integrity in the leakage department?  Probably best not to go there.

 

I mean,  I did go out briefly to get the car out of the garage,  but it wasn’t until I hoofed it down to the bank that I truly realised how much of a nice day it was. 

For a penguin.

I was starting to question my decision when I was within the last 50 meters or so of my destination.  Telling myself a good brisk walk was a healthy choice.  Yup.

I’ll admit to this though,  if there were a vehicle sitting in the driveway,  I would have driven.  So in a way (and it’s a twisted sick, kind of f*cked up way) not having that second vehicle is a healthy thing for me. 

Boy howdy,  that sounds like a lifestyle choice.  Or at least that’s what I can tell myself.

Speaking of lifestyle choices, (do you see that coming?)  continuing to live for a little while longer is one of the choices we’ve both decided to make.  It’s for this reason that the two of us both have appointments at a certain clinic over the next few months.  

My only problem was,  I had misplaced the little slip of paper that I had used to keep track of my appointment.  So I had to call them.

They found me, so that was good.  And then I thought I might make use of one of the cute little add-ons that came with this computer.

 

It’s “post-it notes” for the computer screen!  I think some programmer must have had me in mind.

Once upon a time I used something called a Daytimer,  which was awesome for that kind of thing, along with keeping track of hours spent doing little odd jobs “on the side”.  I may have to get something.  I suppose there’s an “app” for that,  but I don’t have the device to put it on.   Wonder what I ever did with that Palm Pilot? 

It’s long gone, actually.

A friend foisted one off on us once upon a time,  and that damned thing never did work.

 

Meanwhile,  I’m up to my old tricks.

 

And yes,  it was good.  And yes,  I just might have another piece before the day is over.

 

I think I’ve managed to bugger up the ratio on a couple of those pictures,  but it’ll have to do.

 

Time to take off the “Susy Homemaker” apron and get familiar with the paint roller again. 

Oh joy!

 

Keep those sticks on the ice.

 

Thanks for stopping by.

 

 

.

And not a moment too soon.

 

First,  this:

So it “warmed up”. 

But often when that happens,  it’s just warm enough to snow. 

Swell.

It was the light fluffy stuff,  so not overly daunting.  ‘Cause you know,  it is March after all.  We need to taper off. 

I think that should have been sarcastic font,  or maybe “eye rolling font”?

As it happened,  T.C. emailed me an article a couple days ago on just how easy it is to have a heart attack while shovelling snow.  OK then.   Trying to tell me something I’m guessing?

Had to do with constricted blood vessels,  caffeine,  nicotine (I don’t smoke) bla bla bla.  Apparently breathing ice cold air while getting a little cardio isn’t the best combination.  Who knew?

Hey, I’m not going hog wild out there.  It’s never a race.

We will be looking into getting a snow blower. Trust me. And THAT will guarantee that we’ll have a mild winter next year.  Just a prediction. 

I’ve survived this long, but I sure do miss having that working snow blower. I mean, I have one,  it’s just a non functioning one….

There’s no magic blue pill for non functioning snow blowers either.  Let’s not even go there.

 

So,  why “not a moment too soon”

 

Well.

The laptop was running just fine up here in the office,  and I was using it right along with the new machine to you know,  look up different things about Windows 8.

It’s always helpful to have a second device handy for looking up sh*t on the net.  Then when I figured it was time…I decided to move it downstairs. 

I guess it didn’t like that.

 

Can you see the lines on the screen there?

 

Um ya  She’s pooched.

 

That’s the culprit there.

The little box with “Toshiba” written on it?

It’s the drive, and I can hear it clicking.  That’s all it’ll do. 

click click click.

I suppose if I had some sort of sentimental attachment to it, I’d try and source a new drive or something.   But it’s by now an antique.  Bought in 08.   Coming up on six years.  That’s like nearly a hunnert in computer years.  Give or take.  I was all set to load ‘er up with Mint too.  Son-in-law had burned me a disc and everything.  Oh well.

Truthfully, there’s always a slight emotional attachment that we have with these things.  I remember spending hours playing Attack Chopper with Daughter Number Two on our Commodor 64.  It was awesome.  But eventually we moved on.

And really,  after all the computers we’ve had over the years,  you’d think I’d be a little more tech savvy than I currently am. 

Of course,  I gave up doing my own oil changes a while back too,  so it’s not like I’d want to strip down an engine and rebuild it, even though I’ve been driving a car for *thinks* FORTY-TWO years.   Jaysus,  best not to think of those things.  Just need to know how to drive it, not program it.

 

I might go down there and fart around with it some more.  You know, since I can’t really make it any worse.

 

Just to leave you with something tasty,  it’s rarely too cold to BBQ. 

Had us a couple of those tenderloin thingies.

 

Enjoy your evening.

Thanks for stopping by.

 

 

.

I think I can get this.

Although I’m really missing the keypad from the laptop.  But I figured I’d give this a shot.

So, I downloaded “Live Writer” to the new gismo,  and off we go.

Here’s the thing about learning a new operating system:  it all has to do with that blasted short term memory.  Seems I ain’t got much of a one. 

I “learn” something, (loose definition)  and damned if I don’t forget it in about nine tenths of a second.

And truth be told,  I can’t readily say that I completely “learned” the old system,  which was XP,  but at least I could damned well find “programs” when I had to.  Gah!

But hey,  this too shall come to pass.

I don’t think I have a whole lot else to offer.  I’ve just been frittering away my time trying not to get frustrated.  Thankfully I can go out to the net and get answers,  or I’d really be stumped.

Remember when people would actually sign up for a “Computer Course”?  I suppose it still happens,  but I’d just as soon try and muddle along here on me own.  I mean really?  What do they teach you?  How to work a mouse?

There are only a couple little things that need tweaking.  I need some closed cell foam to set the thing on, since it does tend to use to desk as one big amplifier plus,  I could do with something similar for the keyboard.  Too…. “clicky”.

It’s probably the cheapest of the cheap.

Mind you,  I think I have a wireless keyboard lurking about somewhere.  That might be an option.

 

Other than that,  it’s all good.

 

We’ll pick up where we left off when I think I have something worthwhile to offer. Meh, Monday maybe? 

I’ll update on the “Oscar Pool”. 

 

Just for the fun of it,  I’ll throw in a pic I took on the “Road to Hana” on Maui. 

Nice to see some green.

Gotta have at least ONE picture. 

 

Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

 

Thanks for stopping by.