Hard to believe, but summer is only a memory. Went to Surfside Beach in August with Mom, Brenda, Shirley and Sandra – we all had a blast! September has been busy, but Sandra and I took a girls’ day last week and kicked around Elkin and Harmony a bit. Next month is the Balloon Fest in Statesville – looking forward to that, too! Just us girls again 🙂
Heading for exercise this evening. Going on the bike instead of jogging this afternoon. Let’s see how far I can get.
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We all had a blast this year. Sandra went with us for the first time, and is going back next year. Went dolphin watching and then WENT BACK! Still haven’t downloaded pics from my camera hoping that the dolphin pictures will be good.
Not looking forward to work tomorrow. I am so over work any more. Don’t know what to do……. but I will get up and go to work tomorrow.
I wanna go back to the beach and take more pictures.
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I miss you, ya know. Some days more than others. Granny seems to be better today than I’ve seen her in a while. I’m getting things done a little at a time. I think you would be pleased.
Love you
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 The story of my life… Imagine Judy Garland singing “Somewhere over the rainbow…”
Now, let’s look for our pot o’ gold. Yup. There’s mine. Right at the end of the rainbow. Not sure if THAT’S the pot I was really looking for. Oh – and, no, I didn’t sift through it to see what treasures were left for me…
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Like I knew that it would… sorry, James Brown. That’s just the tune that hit me when I typed in the title for this post. I know, I know — that’s not how it really goes, but it’s close enough for me.
I had lunch with Mom after church today, then Dennis came over and brought my newest toy: a table saw. Cool. Now I get to learn to play with woodworking.
I was washing my truck and the dogs were loose in the yard when my new neighbors showed up to unload mattresses. Majik went to the fence to check it out. I called her twice, then ‘chirped’ her. She Came Running!
I saw the neighbors watching the dogs, so I went over to introduce myself and let them know the dogs were noisy, but not a threat. On the way, I told the dogs “Down” and Majik dropped on the spot. Pepper (of course) didn’t, but she circled Majik and didn’t get much closer to the fence even when I went around to introduce myself. I could see the look of respect (or admiration?) in the young man’s eyes when Majik stopped in her tracks and didn’t even consider getting up until I came back into the yard and released her. Good Dog!!
I know if Majik hadn’t just been buzzed, she would not have been nearly as cooperative. I don’t zap the dogs – it isn’t necessary. When I say buzzed or chirped, they get an audible reminder that they are doing something inappropriate. They really have to be in danger to get a zap.
Anyway, it felt good to go say hello to my new neighbors. I found out they will be moving in about 3 months, so this fall they will be there regularly. I guess they are getting married late August or early September. I will have to see if I can make a cake or cupcakes or something of the sort when they move in.
Posted in Learning to Live
In first grade I was convicted and sentenced by a jury of my peers. I wasn’t aware I had committed a crime until after sentence was passed. My jurors met in secret to pass judgement. They refused to hear my side of the story. I was tried. Condemned. Sentenced. Punished. Exiled.
I was devastated. I still remember the utter shock – panic – and how I begged them to hear my side.
Probably why I have always tried so hard to make people like me. Why it is so important to make my side known – not just known but understood. Why it is SO IMPORTANT to know what is going on. Why it is so important to be the “good girl.” And why I NEED to feel included.
Knowing this about myself should make it easier to change my actions and reactions. Doesn’t help in the panic of the initial “attack.” Regardless of the intent, it is always an attack.
When decisions are made around me and about me then dropped in my lap, it is an instant replay of first grade. This happens quite often here, and one coping mechanism is to withdraw until it is “safe” to come back out.
Maybe this is too much sharing, but again it is part of my “need to make my side known.”
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One Torrential Downpour (lasting all day long by the way) + One Day Working Late = …? Does anyone in the class have the answer to this one? Hmm? Anyone?
Well, the answer is: One 2″ Screw in Right Rear Tire!
I don’t know who the GENIUS is that invented the remote tire pressure sensor, but I sure would like to thank that person! I got in my truck to go home and the dashboard went off! Lights flashing – sirens screaming – horn blaring. Well, the dashboard light indicated low pressure in right rear tire – “Please inflate to 80 pounds.” Same thing, right?
I got out and walked around the truck – tire looked fine to me. I wondered if the rain had messed with the sensor because as soon as I moved the truck, the pressure plummeted from 63psi to 57. Fifteen minutes later I pull in my driveway and check one more time… this time I hear the telltale hiss and the screw is quite visible in my tread.
It’s after 6pm – now what? All the tire places close at 5. If I leave it until morning, it will be COMPLETELY FLAT. So I called WalMart. Their auto service is open until 7… maybe I can get there on the 58psi left (yes… now it says 58 instead of 57. Heat from the road pumped it up one whole point.)
Well, I made it. They fixed my “pre-flat.” I will get to work tomorrow. And I am once again 2 years old: I did it by myself. Am I puffed like the NBC peacock? What do you think?
Anyway… Genius. Pure genius. The being that put the remote tire sensor on my truck. I take my hat off to you. And I didn’t have to get under my truck in a driving downpour and change a flat. I was able to shop for a few minutes in WalMart while waiting for the repair. Well worth the $10 to NOT to get up in the morning and be a drowned rat trying to change a flat tire.
Note to self… need to clean out the garage and get a GOOD floor jack! I could have done it myself with the proper tools and dry location.
Or so I think.
Posted in REVIEWS
Said goodbye to a dear friend. Foxy was hit by a car Saturday in front of Fox Creek. We will miss her. I cried when I got to work this morning – she always came running to greet me and often would roll on the ground to offer a warm belly to be rubbed. Didn’t matter the weather – she just wanted loved.
And she was.
Catch that mouse, little girl! I miss you.
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Nothing has changed.
Not. One. Thing.
Except me. My knowledge of something has changed.
Why should I let it bother me? The more I think about the issue, the calmer I have become. I am going to file the survey Monday and worry about what happens when it happens. Since it is an easement for a ‘street’ that never was built, it probably actually belongs to the county. Especially since no one seems to know who it really does belong to. At least I won’t be paying taxes on it any more. And I have the right to use it.
Nothing changed. I just need to wrap my head around information. My knowledge of a fact that has been in place since before I was born is all that has changed.
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New day – new computer.
This has been an INTERESTING journey. But a surprisingly short and happy one.
Last month I put together a new PC and saved it to my Dell cart expecting to purchase the computer in a few days. Actually, I was waiting for a recent payment to hit my card. I was back at Dell looking for my saved cart less than 2 weeks later and what the …? I didn’t have a “saved” cart. I had tweaked the build to suit my needs thinking all I would need do is submit the credit card number and my order would be placed. Not. Quite. Thanks, Dell.
So, I re-built my machine and submitted the order. In addition to the XPS, I selected a monitor, 1TB external backup drive and speakers. Order was submitted on April 24 with an expected delivery date of May 3-8. So, hurry up and wait.
Naturally the order did not ship as a single unit. There were 4 components shipped separately: XPS 8920, 27″ monitor, Passport backup drive and Dell speakers. I had the complete order delivered to my work since my dogs can’t sign for packages.
First item to arrive was the external hard drive. Nice. Order submitted on April 24th – delivery on April 26th without incident. I was more than just a little impressed. So I looked hopefully at the remainder of the order and noted the speakers were due to arrive May 1. Again, impressed. Due to medical appointment, I wasn’t there May 1. So, Tuesday morning (May 2nd) I searched for my speakers without luck.
Things went just a little sour then. I tracked the package to find out the speakers had been damaged in transit and returned to the shipper. Tracking showed it had been delivered in Independence, Virginia and Lockbourne, Ohio. One package had been delivered 2 places the same day. NOT DELL’S FAULT. I was a bit frantic trying to figure what happened, and even FedEx reps had to research what happened. By the way — FedEx told me someone would call me back and he did. No run around. Took a couple hours for them to track and follow the package but they did it AND returned my call. Good job FedEx!
And more GOOD NEWS– the XPS 8920 was delivered on Tuesday! Now just need speakers and monitor.
So now to find out when I will get the speakers. I contacted Dell via chat on May 3 and discovered nothing had been done to replace the damaged speakers. In fact, they followed tracking and told me they had been delivered to Independence on May 1. About 30 minutes on chat for the Dell rep to go through the tracking and speak to FedEx. Dell rep was helpful – merely being thorough. Got new speakers on their way 2 days after tracking said they were delivered.
Check that off the list. Speakers now on their way. Next.
The monitor didn’t even ship until May 3, but it arrived on May 5 in perfect condition. Speakers arrived May 10 – this time they made it without incident. Complete system!
But – huh?
I didn’t order security software! I KNOW I didn’t – I NEVER pay for security software! So I called to complain about the antivirus I “ordered.” No Problem. We will refund your card for the subscription – “have a nice day.”
The worst part of having issues with a big company? Getting all worked up because you just KNOW what is going to happen. Stress levels increase – heart starts pounding – face gets red and hot and you are just READY for a fight. Then they smile and say “Yes ma’am – you’re right. We’ll take care of you. Have a nice day.” Talk about deflated!
I give Dell 4 stars on this purchase.
Why not 5? Reason 1- Let me create a machine just to remove it from my cart? Boo. 2- I understand components will ship separately because they are not included in the “build,” but it would have been nice to have the monitor arrive by the day the machine arrives. *sigh* 3- Transport wrecked the speakers and sent them back to the shipper. Dell, I’m dinging you on this because I had to contact you to ask for the speakers to be reshipped. Yes, the returns facility is in a different state than the originating warehouse, but considering you are Dell you should have software to connect returns and shipping. These 3 little dings cost you a star. But this is DOUBLE what I would have given you on the last Dell purchase I made (which was a Windows XP machine way back in the day after Windows ME fizzled. Still have that machine by the way – and it still (mostly) works.)
Dell has improved greatly in the years since my last Dell purchase. It was a little annoying that the monitor shipped the day after the computer arrived, but all items were shipped well within their expected delivery dates. I expected long drawn out battles over the errors, but to my surprise the reps I spoke with (total of 5 at Dell and 3 at FedEx) were helpful and courteous.
I’ve had the computer less than a week, but I’m very pleased with it to date. I will review the computer in a separate post once I’ve had a chance to work with it a few weeks.
Posted in REVIEWS