Computer Saga, Take Two!

Hello all. I've been very remiss of late and not getting things up here, and I'm going to try to do better. But most of what's been going on of late is just more struggles with electronic equipment and customer service reps. Just when I thought the tide was turning - we got my computer back to working status and Marc hooked it all up for me. Less than a week later, I was leaving for a 4-day weekend and so I turned it off before I left, which is my usual modus operandi when leaving for a trip. Two days after I returned I went in after dinner to do a little work on catching up from the 4-months without a computer and it wouldn't turn on. I tried everything, for 10 minutes and it's simply dead... as a doornail... dead. I'll admit at this point I broke down and cried for half an hour I was so frustrated. Though most of you know I'm not a violent-natured person at all, I had vivid thoughts of throwing the whole thing through the window! But I didn't want to have to pay to fix a window, so then I thought about dropping it in my big trash container! Those thought passed quickly and then I was flooded with the familiar series of what if it can't be fixed, we've done everything Marc knows to do and it ran fine for just under a week while it was on. So I've done some exploring and know what I'll probably be getting, but I held off. Marc & Sus and the kids were on vacation and I didn't want to ruin it by calling or emailing to tell them the news. They arrived home last night, so I will talk with them sometime today or tomorrow about it. I'm giving us probably a week or so and if nothing happens in that span of time, then I'll be ordering a new one and this time I'll be paying for the 4-year warranty!!

In other news, the 4-day weekend mentioned above was to see my parents while they were stateside. I got a full 3-days with them (and 2 partials) in Indiana just before they left to head home to Thailand. It was way too short, but good to see them. My Dad had unexpected surgery while they were in Dallas to remove a cancerous spot from his nose, but all went well and he's continuing to heal well. We were just thankful that God's timing allowed for this to be discovered and taken care of while they were here as it much more of a "plastic surgery" (for lack of a better term) type surgery than the spot on his head that he had removed in Thailand. He is continuing to heal well and they arrived home safely. We are working on vacation plans now for Februrary.

I've finished another afghan and started on a sweater, which is the first fitted (with the exception of baby Anna's sweater) item I've attempted. Mom and I went through some more stuff in the storage room at Grandpa's and along with tons more yarn, I brought home a few pattern books. I found one I liked and decided to try it, we'll see how it goes. Seemingly slower than the afghans at that moment. I've also started on a Christmas present for friends this weekend. I know it's still in the 90's outside, but the fall is coming and I'm anxiously anticipating it! I've also been reading and listening to audio books per usual. I'm hooked on a series of mysteries about an archaeologist that my parents started me on, they are by Elizabeth Peters. I also listened to All Quiet on the Western Front and finished two books by Nora Roberts. She's one of my favorites as well.

This past Friday night I was at Sarah's for scrapbooking with friends. I finished 8 more pages in my "life" book and we talked alot about the upcoming Octoberfest that I'm attending with some of them. It is basically a retreat for scrapbooking and this one is held at a camp in Sevierville, TN. It is the first time I will have paid to scrapbook somewhere, but I thought that $90 for 2 nights and 6 meals was a pretty good deal! I'm even going to participate in the friendship page swap. I had decided originally I wasn't going to and I was just going to kind of soak it all this first time, but Sarah talked me into it. And, over the rest of this weekend, not only did I get my design for my page all planned out, but I've already begun working on the pages! I've got to keep slowly chipping away at it... the weekend is just over 5 weeks away!

Well, I suppose that's enough for the moment, I should get back to the daily grind. Please pray for my computer if you think about it... and my sanity. Have a great week and hopefully I'll be back sooner than later :o)