I'll Huff And I'll Puff And I'll Blow Your House Down!

January 31, 2013

It's 6:55 a.m. and the wind has been howling and blowing away all night, and it's still going strong.   Pogo lost a bit of sleep over it.  The flag outside over my door has been flapping and banging against the house all through the night.  Poor Pogo didn't know whether to chase away the unseen intruder or stay close by to protect me.  Or maybe he was just trying to hide from the noises.

So far, none of our trees or branches has come down on us.  At the moment, it's really quite warm outside and still very windy.  The temp all through the night  has been 59 degrees F.  Later this morning, it will start it's downward drop till it reaches the low 30's.  That's quite a drop, almost thirty degrees.  Then it will be back to the cooler temps for several days. 

Yesterday I decided to get me a new hair cut.  So on my way home from doing my errands, I stopped by the salon and had a few inches of hair chopped off.  After that, I took Pogo to a new groomer, just not the one I had planned on going to.

 I found out that a very old friend (and groomer) had moved back to our area so we went to visit with her.  She took Pogo right away.  I picked him up a while later, and oh my, my little guy is just so handsome!  Here's a photo of him sitting on Janet's lap and wearing a new hoodie that she brought for him. 

Isn't he just the cutest?  His new groomer kept remarking about how well behaved Pogo was the whole time she was trimming his hair.  When we got home, he strutted around as though he was a big Doberman Pincer. 

I have another photo to share of the Monday morning sky.  I got so many wonderful shots of the sky that morning.  This one was taken shortly after daybreak.  The colors were just gorgeous.

Well that's my news for this morning.  I'm going back to bed to catch a few more winks before Janet comes.  We're hoping to finish up my taxes this morning.  Oh wow, wouldn't that be wonderful!  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a fabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Woo Hoo! A Heat Wave Today!

January 30, 2013

Oh boy, it's 50 degrees F at the moment.  It's only going to last until around noon tomorrow, but I'll take it!  After that, it's back to the 30's for a while.  I hope it's a sign of good weather to come.  It's only seven weeks till Spring, and five and a half weeks till vacation time.

This morning I located a new groomer for Pogo.  The one I go to is quite a distance away, and this new one is right here in town.  I hope this new one works out.  I did warn them that I am a feisty lion when it comes to my young 'uns.  I will be very nice as long as they treat Pogo nice.  Pogo's appointment is for 9 a.m. tomorrow morning. 

In a little while, I have to go out and do a few errands.  Today, Pogo and I will stop at the Town Hall to get him a doggie tag.  That will make him an official resident of our town.  At the moment, he is trying his best to demolish the little phone book that I had set on the sofa.  He has a thing for magazines.  They must all be chewed up as soon as possible.  He has no teeth, so this is a difficult chore for him.

I have a couple of photos to share this morning.  These are a couple of the photos that I took of the sky this past monday morning on my way home.  I have more but I'll save them for later. 

The first photo was taken when I was about half way home, and the second was taken a couple of minutes from home.  The sky was just awesome that morning.  Every few seconds there was a different view along with different colors.  You should have a look sometime.  I mean really look.  It's actually quite fascinating.

I hate to chat and rush, but I really must be getting dressed and out to do my errands.  Janet will be coming by in a few hours to help me with my taxes.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a  fabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

A Freebie For You

Good morning from my cold and snow covered part of New England.  It's currently 28 degrees F, and will be working it's way up to 36 degrees.  Of course Mother Nature will be tossing in a bit of rain sometime today.  Tomorrow is supposed to hit 56 degrees, then work it's way back down to cold again. 

Pogo and I will have to get outdoors for a bit to enjoy this little heat wave.  After the snow melts of course.  Looking at my calendar is making me happy because every day now, we are closer and closer to Spring. 

First on the agenda this morning is your freebie.  I have a Valentine QP for you.  I enjoy making these, so expect a few more over the next few weeks.   So here is the first one.  You'll note that I'm not using the usual color red.  Well, I like being just a little different.  I hope you can use it.

Here is your download link:

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Today I  will have to spend a few hours working on sorting out my papers for taxes.  Ugh!  Ugh!  I almost think I'd rather do housework than work on the taxes.  Good Lord, did I really say that?  You know, many moons ago, I actually enjoyed cleaning my house and seeing my floors sparkle and shine. 

I think I had just about entered my 50's when I struck up my long standing friendship with dust bunnies.  They make pretty decent neighbors.  They're not noisy, they mind their own business; and as long as I don't bother them, they don't bother me.  They don't even get upset when I eradicate a few of them every now and then.  (There's another big word!  Woo Hoo!  I'm on an educated roll!)

Many years ago, I was an executive secretary to the Vice President of Sales at Ocean State Cranberries.  My boss had a thing for using new and big words.  I swear his only friend during his growing up years was a huge dictionary.  Well anyway, it was then that I began to learn, and use, at least one new word every day.  Later, I found other fun things to do in my spare time.

Yesterday, Su posted her last two parts of the December kit.  If you haven't already picked them, stop by her blog.  While you're there, do take a moment to say thank you.  We really appreciate your comments.  Here's her preview.

Enough chatter for now.  I need to get busy sorting those papers.  I also have to call and make an appointment at the beauty salon for Pogo.  He's really getting shaggy.  lol.  Even with his shaggy hair, he is just beautiful.  So till tomorrow, Y'all have a fabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Are You Getting Old Waiting For Your Wrinkle Cream To Start Working?

January 28, 2013

I'll bet that caught your attention!!  You know, I was watching TV a few days ago, and a commercial came on, and that was the first line of the ad.  It really tickled my funny bone, and I thought "Why this would be a fantastic title for a blog post."

Actually, there's more to it than that.  Many years ago, my hubby (God bless him!) just happened to mention that we were collecting a few new wrinkles.  Well that did it!  I bought me a jar of wrinkle cream, and several more over the years. 

But when I look in the mirror now, I realize that while I've been waiting for all these creams to start working (they never really did), I've turned into an old lady.  With wrinkles!  My gosh, I have wrinkles in places I never dreamed would wrinkle!  Oh well, at least I'm a happy little raisin.

I have a photo to share for Mandarin Orange Monday.  I'm sure I probably showed it a few years ago, but it's perfect for MOM.  I love my dolls, (especially my witch dolls)  and my favorite color is orange, so one year my daughter Audrey made this little witch doll for me.   Isn't she just precious?

I took a lot of photos of the sky this morning on my way home from work.  Once I have a chance to look through them and pick out a few to share, I'll post them. 

Boy oh boy, I really should have invested in the tissue company.  Especially Puffs!  In the last three weeks, I have gone through at least ten boxes of tissues.  Twice, I've had to re-stock my supply.  Sad to say, the nose is still going strong!  I sure hope it dries up before I leave for Florida.

I picked up a couple of  "Big Breakfasts" at McDonald's this morning for Pogo's sitter and myself.   I gave half of my little sausage patty and a big chunk of scrambled eggs to Pogo.  He ate every bit of it, and is now asleep curled up beside me.  I  think he's a happy little kid.

 So now I'm going to drink my coffee while I do a bit of blog reading.  Till tomorrow, Y'all have a wonderful day.

Hugs, Edna B.

p.s.  I forgot to post your freebie, so please stop by tomorrow to pick it up.  Thank you for your patience.

How Does A Little Dog Keep Warm?

January 27, 2013

Brrr.  It was in single digits this morning when I first got up.  In the past hour and a half, the temperature has gone up 13 Degrees F.  My house is big and very old, and of course drafty.  When the heat is on, it doesn't make it's way out to my little apartment very often.  That's why I have the little electric fireplace.  It surely does help a lot.

It's even too cold for Pogo.  He's so tiny and has a hard time getting his body temperature very warm.  Here's a photo of him in bed this morning.  (This is how he slept most of the night.)  At the moment, he's still in there.  Every now and then I check to make sure he is okay.

Next, on the to the lovely blog award that Andrea at From The Sol gave to me a few days ago. 

The rules are pretty easy:  (1) Visit and thank the blogger who nominated you.  (2)  Acknowledge that blogger on your blog and link back to them.  (3)  Answer the five simple questions.  (4) Nominate blogs for the award and notify  each of them.  (5) Display the award on your blog somewhere. 

Here are the questions with my answers.

1.  If you could change one thing, what would you change?
There's a lot I would like to change in human behavior, but I would really like to see an end to animal cruelty.  I would like to see people being punished severely for hurting and torturing our precious animals.

2.  If you could repeat an age, what would it be?
Now this one is a toughie.  There were so many wonderful highlights in my life, but I guess I would stay the age I am now.  I'm pretty happy and have a great family and friends.

3.  What is one thing that really scares you?
The lack of respect that so many people have for each other and our earth and country really scares me.  I am so glad to have grown up at a time when every body loved our flag and country and our streets were safe to walk on.  It was okay to love God, and we all respected each other's religious beliefs.

4.  What is one dream you have not completed, and do you think you'll be able to complete it?
I had so many dreams, and I think I've pretty much accomplished most of them.  When I was younger, I thought it might be nice to be beautiful and rich and famous.  It was not to be though, and I was okay with that.  However, when I took the time to really think about it, I found that I was indeed rich with so many blessings.  I had everything important to me.  Famous?  This stopped being important many years ago.  And my Pogo thinks I'm beautiful and that makes my heart happy.

5.  If you could be someone else for one day, who would it be? 
Hmmmm, there's really no one I would want to be.  However, maybe it would be nice to be President for one day so that I could make some changes in how we spend our money.  My first priority would be our citizens, and keeping our earth healthy.

Now I would like to pass this award on to: 

Kyra at Russian-Dutch Heart
Nani at The Chronicles of Nani
Su at Suruha
Mat at Mat' Memories
Judy at Aquascrap

Have a cup of coffee, and treat yourself to a visit to each of these wonderfully entertaining blogs.  You'll love the stories and the photos, and you'll even pick up some wonderful scrapbooking goodies.

Now I must go and find out wny Pogo is barking at whatever is out by my door.  (Yes, he's finally come out from under his warm little cocoon.)  Till tomorrow, Y'all have a fabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

A CuddleUppet For Pogo

January 26, 2013

Oh wow, be still my heart!  I'm looking at the calendar and see that we're almost out of January.  I'm like the little train engine who is going uphill.  I can do it, I can do it, I can do it!!  I can make it till Spring.  Beautiful, lovely, warmer Spring is only seven and a half weeks away.  And, Florida and all it's sunshine is only five weeks away. 

Good morning.  Just the thought that these things are so close is giving me a new boost of energy.  Not that I'm going to run around and kill off all the dust bunnies, but each time I have to go out will get easier now.  I just do not like going out in the cold!

Yesterday, my relief at work came early, so I stopped to pick up my orders at Best Buy on the way home.  Each day, I get the deal of the day from Best Buy in my in-box.  One of those deals was this adorable CuddleUppet.  It's a fleecy blanket that doubles as a big yellow doggie puppet.  Oh what fun for Pogo!  (Well, sort of.  He loves the blanket part, but absolutely does not like the big yellow dog!)

The other item was a 32 GB high speed SDHC.  I like to have extra cards in my camera bag, along with extra batteries.  One never knows when things will fill up or need to be charged.  While I was at Best Buy, I had a look at the external hard drives, and bought me a new one.  I tend to fill them up rather quickly.  This one is a Western Digital 2TB portable drive, and should last me a while.  It's such a cute little thing!  Only 4 3/8" x 3 1/4" and less than 3/4" thick.

Today, I hope to get out and do a bit of food shopping.  The salami and sliced turkey deli meats from last week were delicious, and I want to pick up some more along with another package of sandwich buns. 

Yesterday, I did not post my new award because I was at work and did not have time to think about the questions that come with it.  I will work on that today, and post it all in the morning along with a list of new recipients.

And guess what?  Blogger has finally got the browser box fixed, and I was able to do the post and upload the photos all on Blogger.  Woo Hoo!

Now I'm going to have me a hot cup of coffee and work on the award questions.  Till tomorrow, Y'all have a splendid day.  (Wowee, there's a new word!)

Hugs, Edna B.

A New Comet Is Coming

January 25, 2013

Good morning.  It's quite nippy here, only 6 degrees F.  It's supposed to get all the way up to 25 degrees later today.  Woo Hoo!  Tonight should be a few degrees warmer than last night, but no warmer during the day.  Glad to see that January is almost over.

I did notice that the sky is getting lighter much earlier now.  That's a good sign that the days are getting longer and Spring will soon be here.  I'm still at work, and the Mrs is asleep.  So, I'm enjoying a hot cup of instant oatmeal as I type here.

My friend Mary Ann sent me some info about a new comet that is coming into view later this year.  According to  http://newsdiscovery.com/space/  we should be able to see Comet Ison around November 28, 2013.  I hope the news folks remind us of this when the time comes so that I don't miss it.

Last night, the moon was so round and bright that I just had to try for a few photographs.   This was such a beautiful moon with two large auras around it.  This first photo is straight out of the camera.  Isn't it gorgeous?

Here's another shot, just a bit more zoomed in on.  As you can see, there are a few little clouds and they are moving.  Gosh, what a pretty sky.

I just went outside to get a shot of the morning sky here at 7:05 a.m.  The pink colors were so pretty, but when I checked my camera, I had forgotten to put the memory back in the camera.  So I put it in now, and went back outside to try again.  The change in the sky in just one or two minutes is amazing.  There were still pink rays, but they were already much lighter as you can see in this next phto.

 

I'm not sure what is going on, but I finished this post, and hit save, publish.  Then I came back in to make sure all is well, and all is not well.  What is going on with Blogger?  It is now even interfering with my trying to post using Firefox.  Ah well, I'll try again to save this and publish it.

 

Mrs is waking now, so gotta go.  Till tomorrow, Y'all have a wonderful day.

 

Hugs, Edna B.

Pogo Is Just Too Darn Picky!!

January 24, 2013

Gosh, it is so cold here!!   It's 14 degrees F, going down to 6 degrees this evening.  The cold even seeps through these old walls and makes it very hard to keep the inside of the house comfortable.  I don;t have much energy to do things once I get all bundled up with several layers of clothing.  I'd much rather deal with the warmer weather.

Today I was going out to pick up some things that I had ordered at Best Buy, but I'm re-thinking it now.  Maybe I'll just stay in and pick things up on Saturday.  We'll see how I feel about it later.  Actually, tonight I'll be working from 7 pm till tomorrow at 3 pm.  Maybe on my way home tomorrow, I can stop and pick these things up.

Andrea at From The Sol has given me a lovely award, which I will post here tomorrow.  I have to give some thought to the questions that it asks me to answer.   Andrea, thank you so much for this honor.

The theme this week at Photo Art Friday is "hardware".   I did not have a chance to get photos of hardware, so I'm posting a new piece of photo art.  I used a photo that I had taken of Dee Dee's white roses, and separated the roses from the background.  I applied the cobblestone texture (from Bonnie at PDPA) to the background, and applied the"multiply" blend mode from Photoshop over all. 

I placed the roses on top of this new background, and applied Bonnie's "Beauty Is.." texture over the whole picture, and applied a silver gradient at 50% to finish it off.

My Pogo is just not eating so good lately.  I does not matter what I give him, he is just not tempted at all.  I know he gets hungry because he does come looking for food.  I've given him different kinds of soft doggie food, and several different deli meats.  He has turned his nose up at everything.  I've even bought baby food in jars to tempt him, but to no avail.  I wish there was a kind of doggie food that he would like.  This is definitely a challenge.

Now I really should try to get a few things done around here before it's time to get ready for work.  Thank goodness, I have Saturday night off.  I'm looking forward to staying in that night.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all be well and have a great day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Put Something Warm On Your Pets

January 23, 2013

Good morning on this very chilly, BRRRRR, day here in New England.  It's 8 degrees F above zero.  On my way home from work this morning, it was 5 above zero, and I passed several folks out walking their dogs.  These folks were all bundled up in warm pants, jackets,  boots/shoes, hats, and some gloves.  The doggies were naked.  No shoes, coats, or sweaters.

Helloooo!!  Has it not occurred to any of  these folks that if it is that cold outside, maybe there pets should also be protected from the cold??  Folks, we have domesticated these animals.  They no longer can survive out in the cold cold wild.  For goodness sakes, if you insist in taking your pets out naked in the cold, at least do the same for yourself.

Do not wear a sweater, coat, hat, gloves or shoes/boots.  See how it feels for your precious pets.  See how it feels when your feet stick to the snow and ice.  Lots of fun shivering and turning blue, isn't it?  So what makes you think that it's okay for your pets??? 

I do realize that there are some animals with nice thick coats and who love to frolic in the snow.  Obviously, this little rant of mine was not meant for them.  Nuff said.

The second stalk on our Amaryllis plant has been blooming away this past week.  Finally though, the stem got too heavy leaning toward the sun (through the kitchen window) that it fell over.  I tied it back up with twine, and it is still blooming away.  Gosh, it is just so beautiful!  Here's a photo that took.

 It's like a fresh breath of Spring to see this lovely plant blooming.  This phrase brings back a fun memory from many years ago, when I joined a theatre group hoping to meet new people and get over my shyness.  Yes, I was very shy way back when!  I was hoping to work on props and scenery.  However, I was asked to help the folks auditioning for parts in the new play by reading a part opposite them.  They assured me I would only have to read to help the others.  YUP!

The bottom line is that I got one of the leading parts.  I was flabbergasted!   Speaking in front of people made me turn red and purple and get all flustered.  But that was sort of perfect for the part that I got.  I was a rather ditzy little old lady who carried her little bottle of "medicinal liquid" in her skirt pocket.  The play was called "A Breath Of Spring".

Photographers took our photos, and mine showed up in the newspaper.  Gosh, I was just the cutest little old gray haired lady you ever did see!!  When the curtain went up and the lights came on, I had the most wonderful time playing my part with the other players on stage.  I don't know where I got the guts to do this, but I'm glad I did it.

I've just spent over an hour looking for the newspaper clipping that goes with this story, but so far I have not found it.  It's here somewhere though, and one of these days I will find it. Well, now I think I'll make me a nice hot cup of coffee and play with Pogo for a while.  Till tomorrow, Y'all have a wonderful day.

Hugs, Edna B. 

Ever Tried Stippling?

January 22, 2013

It's 3:50 a.m. and I hope I can get a nap later today because I'm working tonight.  The friend who has been covering for me all last week needs a couple of nights off this week so I'm filling in for her.  It's a win win situation. 

I promised I would tell you what I see in the photo art that I posted yesterday.   I see people dancing, kicking up their legs and raising their arms and eyes to the sky.  It's a joyous photo, and you can almost hear the music they are dancing to.  I think they are joyful because Spring will soon be here, and that means new life and new beginnings.

I found several smaller objects too.  Hearts and butterfly wings.  This brought old memories to surface from when I was a little girl.  My dad's hobby was painting and making things from wood or whatever materials that were handy.  He was very creative and talented.  I remember how he would paint our bedroom walls and then stipple them. 

So, what's stippling?  Here's how my dad did it.  You paint the walls one solid color.  Then pick two other colors, crumple up bits of a brown paper bag, and stipple the colors onto the wall.

Example:  Start at top of first wall using color A, stipple on wall  (dip crumpled paper into paint and pat onto wall.  Do this every 4 to 6 inches down the wall in an even row.  Then take color B, and stipple all the way down the wall in between the color A stipples.   For the second row, start with color B, and use color A for the in-between spaces.  Repeat this all the way around the room.

My brother and I always had to go to bed early, and so spent many hours finding all the different little objects painted on the wall.  If you look at stippling for a while,  the stipples begin to look like things - people, animals, objects, etc.  It was really quite interesting and creative.

By the way, did I mention that it's been snowing since late yesterday afternoon?  It's not very heavy, at least not yet, but we're supposed to end up with a few inches.  On top of that, it's cold!  It dips into the single digits during the night.  I could almost not care about the snow, but I do not like this cold.  Brrrr!

I got an email from Staples (computer and office supplies store)  offering me 250 business cards for only $10.  You could even create and upload your own design.  So I did.  I mean, for $10, this is a good bargain.  So why not?  Here's my new card.

 

The card itself is much brighter and cleaner than this shot that I took with my camera.  The shading that you see is my shadow. On the card, the snow is white.  I've left off any contact number or web address on purpose.  These things tend to change so I'm having a stamp made.  The back of the card is blank, and when needed, I can stamp the appropriate information there.

Okay, I've gabbed enough and now I need a cup of coffee.  I'm looking at one lone little breaded cheese stick leftover from last night, and it's making me hungry.  I think maybe I'll have a big bowl of Raisin Bran Flakes with my coffee.   Oh my, that sounds so good!  On that note, I'll be on my way.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a wonderful day.

Hugs, Edna B.

It's Fun To Be Creative

January 21, 2013

Good morning.  It's 5:45 a.m., and I'm at work.  It's been a pretty good night, but it will feel good to go home.  I want to thank everyone for your well wishes.  It's good to be back on my feet again.

The cold spell is back.  Brrrr.  Thank heavens it will be Spring pretty soon.  Spring and Fall are my favorite seasons.  The temps for these seasons are just right.  Not too hot and not too cold.  Perfect for folks like me.  Plus these are the seasons of birth and change in Nature.

Well, New England did not win yesterday, but congratulations to all you Raven and 49ers fans.  Good luck to you both at the Super Bowl.

Let me post my picture for Mandarin Orange Monday.  I used yesterdays finished photo, and colored it orange to give it a "sunset" glow.  I think it came out quite pretty.

 

Yesterday, Andrea asked me what I saw in this picture.  That's something I've never given a lot of thought to, but I tried it anyway.  Before I tell you what I see, would you leave me a comment and let me know if and what you see here?  That would be so appreciated, and it's fun too!

 I have not heard from Su yet, so I don't her preview to post yet.   But I do have another freebie QP for you.  This will finish up my series of New Year QP's.  Hope you like it.

 

Here is your download link:

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Once I finish this post, I will hop on over to Blogger (on IE) and make this link clickable.  Foxfire is nice because it lets me upload photos, but it does not let me make links clickable, and it doesn't let me change the color of some of the type.  At least it does the important stuff!

The Mrs is calling so I must get back to work here.  Till tomorrow, Y'all have a fabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Go Patriots!

January 20, 2013

Good morning.   It's nice today, 44 degrees and heading for 48 degrees.  It's also quite windy.  Sad to say, the cold temps are headed back this way starting tonight along with snow showers for a couple of days.   Brrr.

I've been busy this morning playing in Photoshop.  I finished a couple of new QP's, and started on the February collab kit.  In between working on these, I made a big pot of corn chowder.  Yum!  I fed Pogo his breakfast, doggie food, and wonder of wonders, he ate half of it!  Of course, then he went out into the house and barked at Joe for his meat treat.  Today it was a bit of turkey.  My Pogo's a smart boy!

I dug out a photo that I took last April and cropped it.  Then I took in to Color Efex Pro 4, and applied the Detail Extractor and Tonal Contrast filters.  It's rather interesting, I think.

I'm hoping this photo is centered here.  I'm still using Firefox to upload photos, and today it seems to be playing games.  Ah well, if you can't lick 'em, join 'em.  I sure hope Blogger gets things fixed soon.

Yesterday I was out to do a bit of food shopping, and it felt pretty good.  I was getting pretty low on a lot of basics and doggie food.  They had German Bologna on sale for 99 cents a pound.  Wow, now that's a bargain!  Actually, all the deli meats were on sale, so I got a little of this and a little of that.  I'm all set now for a while. 

For all you football fans, I hope your team wins today.  Of course, I hope one of those winning teams is the New England Patriots.  That's it for the news today.  Till tomorrow, Y'all have a fabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

A Surprise Gift In My Mail

January 19, 2013

It's a cold Saturday morning here in my little part of the world.  We are currently at 33 degrees F headed for 46 degrees.  In a few days though, our high will be 20 with a low of 8.  Brrr.

I got to watch a lot of television this week, and well, you know me.  I notice mistakes and oddities in commercials, etc.   The newest Nationwide auto insurance ad tells how their customers are looking both ways before going forward.  They are not texting or talking on their cellphones.  They are stopping for squirrels, cows, chickens and anything else that is on the road.

Golly gee, if only this were so!  I'm wondering which drivers they followed for this survey.  If the ad is correct, then we have no Nationwide customers in my part of the country.    It's becoming an oddity to see a person driving a car without talking or texting on their cellphone.

Likewise, crosswalks are becoming useless.  We spend a lot of money painting crosswalks on our streets so that pedestrians can cross safely.  However, it is quite rare to see anyone actually using these crosswalks.  Today, people just cross where ever and when ever they want to.  Not many of them even bother too see if there is any traffic coming.  I guess they figure it's up to the drivers to stay clear of them. 

The newspaper had an article yesterday about a recent study on why or how most people get hit by vehicles.  The bottom line was that most incidents were caused by people walking out in front of vehicles.  How smart is that? 

Enough rants.  How about something nice?  I opened my mail yesterday to find an awesome gift from Kyra..  (Russian-Dutch Heart Design)   It was a beautiful layout featuring Pogo.   Isn't this great?  Kyra, I just love it!  Thank you so much.  This really brightened up my day!

She made this layout with her new kit "Hope In Dark Corners" which she will be posting on her blog in the near future.  Here is a preview of this beautiful kit.

 

Every week, Kyra posts some really wonderful kits on her blog.  They're beautiful and they're free.  And her friend Arlene makes some really gorgeous clusters from Kyra's kits.  These are also posted on Kyra's blog.  So don't forget to stop by and say hello while you gather up some great freebies.

That's all my news for this  morning.  Now I'm going to make a cup of coffee and catch up on some blog reading.  I'm taking one more day off work to rest up before going back to work most likely tomorrow night.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a wonderful day.

Hugs, Edna B.

I'm On The Mend!!

January 18, 2013

It's two in the morning, and I'm sitting here playing on my laptop.  So yes, I do believe I'm starting to feel better.  Most of the day and evening was spent in bed getting lots of rest.  Tonight, my favorite programs were on TV, so I'm feeling pretty good right now.

Tonight on Double Divas, they were trying to make a sexy bra for a nursing mother.  I must say that they certainly did succeed.  Wowee, they never had stuff like this when I was a young new mother.  It's probably just as well though.  Without the sexy nursing bra, I had five babies.  Imagine what I could have done with that glorious new bra!  (I think the Alka Seltzer cocktails are getting to me!) 

It's amazing how short the down time is this time.  Getting the flu shot really does make a big difference.  Normally, without the shot, a bad cold will put me down for more than two or three weeks.  So, a week or less is pretty good!!

I obviously don't have much news, seeing as how I haven't been anywhere all week.  But I do have a new photo art for Photo Art Friday.  The theme this week was entrances and exits.  I think this sort of fits my piece of photo art.  My little group of goslings are headed off into an unknown future together.  As they pass by, their friend Robin is asking "Can I Come Too?"

 

I started with a photo of the robin in the grass, removed the robin, then applied "Leafy landscape texture" from Bonnie at PDPA.  Then I put the robin back in, added the group of goslings and the moon from other photos (of mine), added a speck of the texture again over all, then brushed in the light rays. Voila!

Now I'm going to turn in.  Till tomorrow, Y'all have a fabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

It's The Flu!

January 17, 2013

Good morning.  It's only 4:50 a.m., but my days and nights seem to have run amok.  No big deal.  I hope that not being here yesterday did not cause any worry.  I slept a bit late in the morning, and got up in time to feed Pogo and then get ready for my doctor appointment.

The doctor confirmed that indeed I did have the virus.  Thank goodness I had my flu shot a while back.  I can only imagine how much sicker I might be without it.  He said that a light case should run itself out in a week or so.  He also gave me a couple of scripts for cough medicine and a nasal spray.  When I went to fill them, I got quite a surprise.  Medicare does not cover any of this stuff, so it would cost me $170 to fill both scripts.  Needless to say, I said "no thank you" and left without them.

So, I'm sticking to my Alka Seltzer cocktails, juice, water, hot tea, and whatever else that appeals to me.  Pogo seems to know that I'm not feeling my best because he wants to cuddle more.  Well, that's okay with me.  It feels good to fall asleep with Pogo lying across my chest.

Obviously, I'm not out shooting lots of photos of all the snow that fell overnight (Tuesday to Wednesday).  But I did take a photo of my newest blog book.  Currently, I have a book printed at the end of every six months.  But now I may have to reconsider breaking the year down into three books. 

My new book had 441 pages.  WOW!    I thought I was cutting back on the amount of photos, but I guess instead I've become quite the chatterbox.  So instead of fewer pages, each book gets fatter than the one before.  Ah well, here's the photo I have to share.

 

As you can see, I've changed the picture on the front cover to a piece of my photo art.  And , of course, Pogo is on the back cover.   These bigger books are getting a bit pricey, but in the long run, I think they are well worth it.  

Now I'm going to make a hot cup of tea and hop back into bed.  Till tomorrow, Y'all have a great day.  

Hugs, Edna B.

The "Cold Bug" Has Got Me

January 15, 2013

It's almost good afternoon.  Sorry, but I've been sick as a dog with a nasty cold.  This will probably be a short post.  I'm doing my best to just breathe.  I can handle a lot of things, but my "wimpy" comes out when I get a bad cold.  I just feel so bad for Pogo.  He wants so much to play, and I don't want to be breathing all over him.

I was asked what makes me happy.  It's rather hard to pinpoint, but it's a lot of little things.  This morning, Pogo started playing with his newest toy, a fat little pink and red elephant.  He was tossing it around and then chasing after it.  Now this makes me very happy.

Yesterday afternoon, I came to my blog to read comments and thought I heard music.  Well gosh and be golly!  My music player here at the bottom of my blog was back and playing music.  Now this makes me very happy!  (You can click on any song you want to hear, and it will play.  Just turn up your volume.)

The mail came this morning and with it came my newest blog book.  Woo Hoo!  Now this makes me happy.  When I read the comments on my blog, that makes me happy.  When I look at a flower, or take a nice photo, that makes me happy.  When I make a new photo art, I get all excited and want to share it.  This, too, makes me happy.

It's just so many little things that make me happy.  I'm sort of like a cheap date.  It doesn't take much to amuse me and make me happy.  By the same token, when I'm crabby, I'm very crabby and any little thing will make me crabbier. 

Yesterday, I forgot to post my photo for Mandarin Orange Monday.  So I'll post it now, and then it's back to bed for me.    This is a close up of a mum.  In the second photo I've cropped it even more and then applied the HDR toning blend in Photoshop.

I don't know, I think I like the original better.  Well, now I think I need to feed Pogo.  He's looking at me with that "feed me" look on his face.  Then I will hop back into bed.  If you can, make sure you all have your flu shot, and stay well.  Till tomorrow, Y'all have a great day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Lots Of Freebies Today.

January 14, 2013

Good morning.  Gosh, do you believe?  We are almost at the half mark for the month of January.  On one hand,  this is good because we move closer to Spring.  On the other hand, this is bad because I'm running out of time to get my taxes done.  I have an early date with my accountant this year so I really have to get with it.

I'm at work, and overnight my cold has blossomed into a doozy.  I know I caught it here because everyone including the Mrs has been sick with a cold.  Unfortunately, some people don't know enough to stay home when they are sick.   I suppose this is where the old saying "Misery loves company" comes in.

Last night when I was coming into the house, I noticed a tiny weed growing near the steps outside the door.  I picked one and put it in a vase so that I could photograph it.   I have no clue what it is, but it sure is rather pretty.  If you know what it is, let me know.

Today I have a couple of freebies for you.   These are two 2013 QP's to make layouts with your New Years celebration photos.  I hope you can use them.  There is a TOU included with each of them naming the sources of the materials used.

 

Your download link:

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Your download link:

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Later this morning, Su will be posting her Parts 1 & 2 of  "A Child's Xmas"  so don't forget to stop by her blog and pick them up.  She also has a new brush set for you to download.  While you're there, do take a moment to stop and say thank you.  It is well appreciated.  Here's her preview for Parts 1& 2:

 

Well, it's getting close to 6:30 a.m. and I need to check on the Mrs again before I start packing up my stuff to go home.  So till tomorrow, Y'all have a fabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

A New Bed For Pogo

January 13, 2013

Good morning.  I'm still at work, and it's dark and very foggy outside.  When I drove to work last night, the fog was pretty thick in spots, but it has been super thick all through the night.  Hopefully it will be cleared up a bit before I have to drive home in it.

I want to thank you for your very good advice in the comments yesterday.  I never gave a thought to the salt content in the deli meat.  I think today I will cook up more hamburg and rice for Pogo.  Then it's back to the doggie food for a while.  Hopefully, he won't go on strike for too long.  It's very difficult to eat my own food when he looks at me like he's starving.  Breaks my heart!  (It might be a good way for me to diet, though!)

Yesterday, I went on E-bay and ordered an adorable soft sided doggie house/bed for Pogo.  It was only around $21 with free shipping.  If he likes it, I'll order another one to leave in Joe's room for when I work nights.  Here's a picture that I copied from the web.

This looks like it will be quite comfortable.  I ordered the large size so that there will be room enough inside for Pogo's blanket and maybe a toy.  Something like this might also be good for doggies that do not like thunder and lightning.  The closeness of the inside space gives a sense of safety for the doggie.  I'm sure kitties would love this too. 

I'm still waiting for Blogger to fix the problem of not being able to upload photos to the blog post.  I have to use Firefox in order to post with photos.  Ah well, I guess if everything ran smoothly, there'd be nothing to complain about.  lol.

Last night I worked on another freebie to be posted here soon.   Later tonight, I hope to chat with Su so that we can discuss what we will be doing for February.   Speaking of February, I just looked at the calendar.  Gosh!  Only seven more weeks and Pogo and I will be on a plane heading for Florida.   Oh, that does sound good!

Did I mention how our trip on Friday turned out?  No?  Well......talk about fiascos!!!   Pogo and I got in the car and drove off, stopping at the bank and then the gas station to fill the gas tank.  Then I pulled over to the side of the parking area and got out my "smart phone with the GPS".   I turned on the GPS and it said "You have no service."  Excuse me?   This think was working just fine the night before.  Then I tried to make a call and got the same message.

 I drove forward a few feet, and tried again.  I got the same results.  After poking several buttons on the phone, I was able to make a call to Eddie.  Maybe he could talk me through this predicament.  As it was, he could not.  So then I called my sister in law, Edie, to get directions.  Guess what?  No one is answering her phone.  I left a voice message, and then Pogo and I turned around and went home. 

So much for our day out.  Maybe we'll try again later this week.  We'll see.  The Mrs is stirring so I must be getting back to work here.  Pretty soon it will be time to go home.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a wonderful day. 

Hugs, Edna B.

Where Are You Pogo?

January 12, 2013

Good morning.  It's cloudy here, but the temp is pretty good.  39 degrees F headed toward 48 degrees.  Of course, there is a chance of rain, but that's okay.  Tomorrow is supposed to be even better.

My mood is getting so much better with this nicer weather.  I even have a bit more energy.  No, I won't go crazy and scrub everything in the house, but I will do a bit more around the place.  lol.

Pogo is putting his little feet down on what he will eat and what he won't eat.  Imagine!  Chances of getting him to eat his doggie food are quite slim.  So I buy packaged deli meat to slip in with the doggie food.  However, lately he's been insisting on fresh deli lunchmeat.

His regular routine is to turn his nose up at what I've given him.  Then he goes out into the house to bark at Joe and lead him back to the refrigerator.  Joe, of course, obliges.  This morning he enjoyed two and a half slices of (Joe's) deli sliced turkey breast.  This is one smart doggie!

Speaking of Pogo, he gave me quite a scare this morning.  Once I wake up, Pogo is usually right there looking for some breakfast.  But not this morning.  So I went looking for him, but could not find him.  The first and last place I looked was in his little bed.

No Pogo.  Hmmmm.  Then I noticed a tiny speck of gray near the upper left corner of the blanket.  Well what do you know?  I think I've found Pogo!

I don't know how he does this.  Somehow he manages to crawl all the way under and inside his blanket.  I will have to see about getting him a little soft sided doggie house to sleep in.  He will probably feel quite comfortable and safe in it.

Last night, I spent a few hours working on a new piece of photo art for next Friday.  I just could not make myself put it away until it was finished.  Nope, I'm not going to show you a sneak peek.  I've also been working on some new parts for a future collab kit.  Plus I have some freebies ready to post when Su posts her kit parts.  I believe this will be happening this coming Monday.

Years ago while on vacation, Michael and I stopped by a local artist who was sketching tourists, and had a sketch done of us.  Later, I painted the sketch onto the glass in a frame, and backed it with crumpled foil.  You can buy the special "glass" paints at a local craft shop, and then you just need a frame with glass, and a large piece of foil.  You crumple the foil, then smooth it out to put behind your creation.

Tonight it's back to work so I think I should really get busy and do a few things around here.  One thing I need to do is to package the disks that I made for Audrey of the last Project Runway series.  She does not have cable so I like to tape this program to share with her.  Speaking of Project Runway, the new series will begin pretty soon.  Yeahhhhhhh!

That's all my news for this morning.  So till tomorrow, Y'all have a fabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

A Fun New "OOOH LA LA" Program on TV

January 11, 2013

It's a little after midnight, 12:08 a.m. Friday.  I thought I would post my blog now so that Pogo and I could get an early start in the morning.  We are going to visit my sister in law, Edie.  Edie has never met Pogo, and Pogo just loves women, so this should be a really fun visit.

I was busy earlier, and missed some of my program, Project Runway All Stars.  Thank goodness it is repeated again within a couple of hours.  I also got to watch another new program, Double Divas.  I don't know if any of you has watched this program yet, but I find it quite entertaining. 

These ladies make women's lingerie and bras.  They specialize in making good fitting bras for extremely endowed ladies.  This is not so easy, as some sizes don't exist.  They have to custom make them for their customer.  There's a bit of fashion and fun tossed in which makes the program rather entertaining.  If you're interested, it's on Lifetime channel at 10 p.m. Thursday.

This week at Photo Art Friday, the theme is to use one of our photos with the "Brown Rice Paper" texture overlay from Bonnie at PDPA.  I've used my photo of mums, applied the texture and Photoshop's "difference" blending mode, brushed in a few twinkling stars, then applied the texture again.  I call it Midnight Garden.

  

 Actually, I think I just might play some more with this bit of photo art.  I think I'd  like to insert a few tiny fairies and maybe butterflies.  Hmmm, I'll have to think on this.

As you know, I love taking pictures of the sky and the clouds.  I took this next photo a while back in the Costco parking lot. The clouds were so big and fluffy, I just couldn't resist!

I've just taken my Alka Seltzer Nighttime cocktail, and now I'm going to finish my strawberry ice cream before shutting off the light.  Till tomorrow, Y'all have a wonderful day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Only Ten Weeks Till Spring

January 10, 2013

It's almost noon.  I've been so busy playing around on my laptop that I lost track of time.  The good thing is that I found out how to convert PDF files into WORD files.  I've also been enjoying the re-runs of SUITS, the TV program.  The new season starts soon, and I am looking forward to it.

I thought this year I might post my 2013 calendar page each month.  So, here is the cover page and the month of January.

Each month, I'll try to remember to post the page for the current month.  I put a lot of work and my very best photos into my calendars, and I'm quite proud of them.   This year's calendar also includes some of my photo art.   I think I'll do the same next year too.

I'm working on gearing myself up to do some work here.  I've been quite lazy all week, but now it's time to get with it.  There is laundry to be washed and shopping to be done.  I need to swing by my bank to deposit all my rolled up coins. 

Every year, it seems that January is a sort of "blue funk" month for me.  I really don't know why.  Maybe it's the weather - I don't like the cold.  Maybe it's the let down of the previous year coming down off all it's highs and trials.  Whatever it is, I'm working to get past it and start looking forward to Spring.  Which, by the way is only ten little weeks away.

Now it's time for me to get busy here.  Pogo wasn't happy with his breakfast, and is looking for some "real" food.  I have another cute cartoon to share with you before I start the washer.

So till tomorrow, Y'all have a fabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Happy Belated Birthday, Kyra

January 9, 2013

First let me say a belated Happy Birthday to my friend Kyra.  I've been so busy concentrating on my own woes, that I've been late with all my birthdays.  Shame on me.    This was a very special milestone birthday.  Kyra is now at the big 60!! Yeah!!!!!  This is a very good age my friend.  Kyra, I hope your birthday was a beautiful day filled with love and happiness.

It's 1:19 a.m., and I'm sitting here blogging.  Crazy, huh?  Well, to be honest, I got so sleepy earlier, that I finally just lay down and went to sleep.  Unfortunately, that means that I will probably be bright eyed and bushy tailed through the middle of the night.  But hey, that's okay.  It's just me and Pogo, so it's okay if our days and nights get turned inside out.

Well, I got all my braves gathered up yesterday afternoon, and downloaded Firefox.  All by myself!  I was feeling pretty good for all of one whole minute, then whammo!  There it was again.  A bunch of questions about what I should, or want, to do with the program.  I unchecked everything, and put in an emergency call to Wayne.

Of course, he forgot all about me, and I had to call him back a couple of hours later.  He helped over the phone, and promised to come over Thursday after work, and clear all the extra crap out of my laptop that gets dumped in when you download a program. 

The first thing I did was to look to see if my browse box was now available on my blog so that I can upload photos.  Yeahhhhhh!  It was there!  It was after that, that my eyes got so heavy that I had to lay down and go to sleep.  All those frazzled little nerves trying to finally unfrazzle.

I felt pretty good until just a little while ago, when I tried to download a freebie.  Well, it seems Firefox has done the big no no and taken over the rest of my laptop functions.  I downloaded one file, a bit differently I might add.  Then the fun began.  I spent the next half hour trying to find the newly downloaded file.  It was nowhere to be found.  I even downloaded it again, but got the same results. 

Finally I thought I would check my download file (comes with windows)  only to find that this file was also missing.  Now what is going on here?  I knew I should have waited for Wayne!  After much frustration, I finally located my downloaded file, and put it where it should have been.  Yeesh!  I am just too darn old for all this excitement!

Debby, thank you for that suggestion about using the html.  I had thought about doing that, but the way my brain has been going lately, I just knew that I would just dig myself an even bigger hole.  I think the better half of my brain has gone on vacation to a nice warm sunny place, and has left me to fitzle along on my own.  Not a smart thing for it to do!

I have just finished drinking my Alka Seltzer Nighttime cocktail.  Yuk yuk.  This is just one of my precautions to keep from catching the dreaded  flu.  This year seems to be an epidemic year for the flu.  I wonder if a lot of folks just did not get their flu shots back in the Fall.  If you did not get your shot, it's not too late to get it now. 

Speaking of the flu, my friend Nani, from The Chronicles of Nani, landed in the hospital because of the flu.  Thank goodness, she is finally back home now and feeling much better.  I've missed her a lot.

Enough of my babbling.  Here's a cute cartoon that my friend Rhoda sent to me a while back.

Ain't that the truth?  If any of you finds the medication bottle that has this printed on it, please please let me know which one it is so that I can buy some too!  Although I have to tell you that one day last week, a gentleman did give me a nice smile .  I remember thinking "Why the old coot is flirting with me!"  Then I realized that I, too, am an old coot.  Now how did that happen?  lol.

I have a photo to share that I took a few days ago as the sun was setting behind the houses across the street from my house.  By the time I ran back into the house and grabbed my camera and got back outside, the beautiful deep colors were already fading.  However, it's still a pretty sight.

Gosh, it feels so good to be able to post my photos here.  I was really getting worried there, because it's almost time to start posting new freebies.  Of course,  if I hadn't gotten my browser box back, I would have asked Su to post my previews on her blog, and put the link here on my blog.  See?  I can be very creative when I have to be.  lol.

You know, I think Microsoft needs to update it's spellchecker.  I just clicked on it to make sure my spelling was okay, and it did not know what to make of the word "fitzle".  Amazing.  Doesn't everyone use this word?  Or is this another left over from my youthful human days?  Hmmm.

On this note I shall leave you.  Perhaps I will try to get some more sleep.  Sounds like a pretty good idea.  So till tomorrow, Y'all have a fabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Time To Try A New Strategy

January 8, 2013

Good morning on this beautiful sunny day.  I do believe we are in the beginning of our January thaw.  It's already 39 degrees F and working its' way up to 45 degrees.  Next Sunday is supposed to hit 50 even.  Woo Hoo!

I just checked, and there is still no box for uploading photos to my blog.  So I guess I'm just going to have to try to install Firefox by myself later today.  It's really not such a big job, but I'm leery about installing things.  They usually ask questions that I don't know how to answer, and they dump a lot of other stuff that I don't want in with the program.  Well, we'll see.

I got me some new clipart books, and I've been playing with them all morning.  It's amazing how quickly the time goes when you are having fun!  I have so many things to do today, and I have no energy whatsoever.  Oh Oh!  I just remembered that I had an appointment this morning for my car's checkup.  Hmmm.  I guess I'll have to take a break here, and call to change the appointment.

Okay.  That's all set.  I called and moved the appointment up a couple of hours.  I could have made it for a different day, but I really need the shove to get myself outdoors.  So this is good.

It feels so weird to be posting here and not sharing any photos.  This problem with blogger has even taken the fun out of making freebies.  It also takes away my incentive for taking new photos every day.  Ripple effect!  Oh well, I'll take my camera with me today and maybe I'll find something to photograph.

The good news this week is that Pogo finally figured out how to play with one of his toys.  It's a little pink elephant, and he chomped away on it for about ten minutes.  This is really big for him because I don't think he ever had toys.  Everything that your fur baby should be able to take for granted seems like a whole new world for Pogo.

Su will be posting her parts to the December kit soon, so keep checking her blog.  She is also going to be posting a new tutorial.  Now it's time for me to get dressed and get started on my day.  Till tomorrow, Y'all have a wonderful day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Oops, My Lack Of Memory Is Showing

January 7, 2013

Good morning.  It's 5:45 a.m. and I'm still at work.  The Mrs is sleeping, and I'm watching the weather channel.  They are promising us some warmer temps this week, and I can't wait!    At the moment, it is 26 degrees F, and working towards  35 degrees.  Starting tomorrow, the next six days will all be in the 40's.  Woo Hoo!

The photo upload problems on Blogger are still not fixed.  I've been advised by a few folks to install Firefox.  Last night I gave this some serious thought, but I would rather wait until I have someone to help me do it.   I will call Su later this morning from home, and see if she can talk me through it.  If not, then it's time to call Wayne, my computer guru.

I know how to press the download button to get the new program.  My problems start when the prompts start asking me to make choices, and pick items to change, etc.   You know, some time ago, I looked into the local senior center to see if there was someone there who was knowledgeable about computers.  I was hoping to learn some things but there was no such person there at that time.  I think maybe I'll look into it again.

Now for an explanation to the title of this post.  Once again, I have missed Jasmine's birthday, and sent her greetings on the wrong day.  I think now I have that figured out.  Jasmine's birthday is really on the 5th of January.  The 6th of January was my daughter Kerri's birthday.   So maybe I am subconsciously thinking of my daughter when this particular date comes around.  In any event, I know that Jasmine counts on me being late and finding the extra dollars in her birthday card.  (A dollar for each day that I am late.)

Today I was hoping to have something to post for Mandarin Orange Monday.  Sad to say, the upload problem won't allow me to do this.  I'm hoping to be back on schedule soon.  I also had a freebie to post, but that too will have to wait until things are back to working again. 

I can hear the Mrs starting to stir, so it's time for me to get back to work.  Till tomorrow, Y'all have a wonderful day.

Hugs, Edna B.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JASMINE

January 6, 2013

Today my youngest granddaughter,  Jasmine, turns 13 years old.  She is now officially a teenager.  My oh my, where have all the years gone?  Happy Birthday Sweetie, I love you.

I am still not able to post photos here, so I may have to consider getting Firefox to use for my blog.  Gosh, I surely hope that Blogger gets this problem fixed soon.   Su has been looking into this mess and hopefully she will figure out a way to fix it. 

Last night was the first time I took my computer to work and never took it out of my bag.  Imagine!  After the Mrs was all  tucked in for the night, I read my sale flyers and looked up a few things in my new camera manual.  This manual is written as though I'm very technologically inclined.  Of course, we all know that is just not the case.  I'm a show and learn girl.  I learn so much quicker when someone actually shows me what to do.

Mr. Pogo is on strike against eating dog food.  He says "give me meat!"  If I don't give him his deli meat fix, he goes  running to Joe and barks at him until Joe feeds him some meat.  He has even tried this with a couple of the other dwarfs, but they don't understand "doggie talk".   I tell you, this is one smart little fellow.

I have been buying "gummy" vitamins for adults for quite a while now.  But did you know that now you can get "gummy" diet pills?  Yup, Yup!  I think I shall look into this.  I can't swallow most pills, but I sure can chew my gummies!

I really don't have much for news this morning.   My battery is running down quickly, and I think it's time to hop into bed for a nap.   Tonight is another work night.  So until tomorrow, Y'all have a wonderful day.

Hugs, Edna B.

My Crabbiness Is Showing!

January 5, 2013

Good morning.  Well, browsing the internet and blogging became quite challenging yesterday, last night and then again this morning.  It started with a missing "browse" box which meant that I could no longer upload photos to my blog.  I spent hours checking into and trying to get this problem fixed. 

Finally last night, after a suggestion from a friend and another unknown blogger, I installed Google Chrome and made it my default browser.  At first, it let me get to my blog and upload my photo.  But then more problems began.  It would not let me preview my blog, and it told me that I was not a nice site.  It also would not let me order my new blog book because it said that I had never been to that site, and now I could not use it.  (Scroll down below this post to view my newest photo art.)

Next it stopped me from opening my blog site at all and any other blogs that I normally go to.  I was not able to figure out how to fix any of this, so I uninstalled Google Chrome and returned to using Internet Explorer as my default browser.  So far, I am now able to open my own blog as well as other blogs. 

Now I will see if I have a photo ready to post, and I'll try that.  OOPS, that still does NOT work.   So, for the time being, I won't be posting any photos or previews.  Hopefully, this will be fixed really soon or I shall have no choice but to find another place to blog from.

I did learn something about myself from all of this.  Even though I have been trying to be such a nice old gal, I find that I am still quite the crabby old lady.  I react rather well at regular life disasters, but messing with my computer or my blog brings out the beastie in me.  I pay a tidy sum for the privilege of being able to use the internet, and when my internet is not working properly my patience disappears.  Then it's back to being a regular crabapple. 

I looked into uploading my photos to Picasa, and then maybe from Picasa to here but I don't really want to change my albums to a new storage.  I don't upload full size photos to the web, just resized small photos.  Picasa was telling me to upload full size photos and do my editing, etc. with their program.  I don't do well with change anymore, so I chose not to go that route.  For now.

Next on my "to fix" list is my eyeglasses.  It's time for a new eye exam, and a new pair of glasses.  First thing come Monday, I'll call for an appointment.  Hopefully my new glasses won't be getting dirty so often.  No matter how often I clean my current glasses, they are dirty again within minutes.  It's really quite annoying.  (See what I mean?  Crabby!)

Then within the next couple of weeks I need to make another payment on my real estate taxes.  Boy oh boy, that bill was an eye opener!  The other eye opener was my car insurance bill.  I have been driving since 1955 (that's 57 1/2 years!) and have a very clean driving record.  Yet, my bill is $1200.00!!! 

I wonder if it would be cheaper to hire a chauffeur?  Think about it.  You don't have to buy a car, pay for repairs or auto insurance or auto taxes.  You just pay the chauffeur, and he has the responsibility for all the rest.  Now this is something worth looking into.  I think.

Well, that's it for this morning.  I think I'm going to just plop myself onto my shower chair and try to unwind a bit under a spray of nice warm water.  Ohhhh, that does sound good!  So till tomorrow, Y'all have a fabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.