Saturday-12:45pm

Lazy Saturday in Fargo. ;)

One degree day. Half sunny.

(I prefer that to partly cloudy--hehe!)

Just popping in to say a quick hello and have a wonderful Saturday! :)

Friday-1pm

Just wanted to see if she would jump up on her chair when it was covered with packing paper.

Of course. She thought it was interestingly noisy.
It didn't hinder her ability to sleep soundly on her chair--hehe!
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Her world will be completely thrown out of whack when I finally get another recliner in here that I can actually sit comfortably in and then can switch back and forth between chairs. That would be something new in her lifetime--hehe! Always good to shake up her tiny world a little, right? Ha! And she thought the reader's table was annoying--ROFL!
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We were both rather lazy yesterday--just hanging out. Today there could well be a repeat performance. Just in a rest-less sleep mode--hehe!
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Dagan and Leah drove down to Minneapolis this morning for Dagan's checkup after his new pacemaker surgery. They are already on their way back. Texts from Leah! :):) Another sunny, cold day--2 degrees. Good driving weather.
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Oh--I forgot! My new check card already came and I am supposed to have Netflix movies coming today--tada! I do miss them on my noodle days. ;)
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I know some of you are suffering from the heat & humidity and some from the ice/snow & cold. May everyone stay safe and comfortable today. :):)

Thursday-4:15pm

I threw the throw (sounds funny) in the dryer to get the cat hair off of it and in the meantime Karma had parked herself on the chair. So I draped the warm throw over the chair and she slept under there for three hours! Like her private cat tent, I guess.

Leah and I got a gift package yesterday from Patricia!! :):)
Pat was my closest friend in high school--senior year--first boyfriends. :) She had a lava lamp and her own princess phone! We both had falls (hair). I wrote somber poetry and a lot of class notes. We had a group who ate lunch together that had been together since the failed 7-1 & 8-1 classes in 7th and 8th grade (what a horrible idea!). We have basically kept in touch with Christmas letters all these years, but she is recently retired...and we are in the new age of cell phones--tada! So I hope we can stay in touch more now. It was so nice to hear her voice and her laugh again! :)
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Anyways, before we connected on the phone--she occasionally checks email at the library and she offered to send us this gift package.
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Magnetic words--the kind people use to ply with on their frigs. We can use them to glue on cards or something.
Stickers and fancy, fluffy yarns.

These are exactly the kind of yarns I use to sew together my handmade paper bookcards! Awesome!

Oopps! The pictures of the yarn came up sideways? Oh well. You can still see the pretty colors. Thanks so much, Pat--if you are reading this! We love them all!

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Let's see...yesterday I spent most of the day on the McLap--without a mouse!! I wanted to try it for a while without a mouse to see if I could get used to the touch pad--and I never ended up going over to get the mouse! And I never once felt like pulling my hair out or throwing it over the balcony!! I am so surprised! Shocked, actually! The Macs are obviously more user friendly--for me, anyways--without a doubt!

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Leah came by later after work. No MagicMcMouse. They are out of stock for weeks. So she is going to order it for me online from Apple so I will be able to get one in a month or so--whenever they become available again. I actually found myself reaching over for a mouse--not a surprise. The surprise was--I was scrolling with two fingers on the table! Me--doing the touchpad stuff! Which is what you will actually be able to do on the Magic Mouse. Awesome!

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Leah played on the McLap for a longer time than she planned--hehe! I had found out how to use the bookmark bar and had been setting that up before she arrived. She found out how to open all the bookmark bar websites and keep them all open--and showed me (and I remembered it today!!) She and I are used to having a whole series of pages open at the same time so we can go from one to the other--and now I can do that on the McLap, too!!

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I had more troubles with the desk computer--with the wireless mouse not wanting to work. But it worked just fine on the old Gateway and the McLap. ?? Long story short--Leah discovered an old cord that had split plugs for both my current wireless keyboard and an old long-ago mouse--so now the mouse part is not plugged in and we are hoping that has solved the problem--(and maybe the problems I have been having for ages with my mice?) You don't want to confuse a computer. Time will tell. :)

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Anyways, I am really brain fired today. Will continue to work on catching up on emails. I think I am about halfway thru my inbox. But I am not sure I am going to get very much accomplished today--even tho I did finally get more sleep last night. Just still very tired. Need a couple more decent nights sleep and I will be up to par. :)

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I am one happy Mac owner, tho. Happier than I ever expected to be!! :):)

Wednesday-noon

OMGoodness! So exciting!

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Dagan and Leah picked up the MacBook last night...

...and since I want to use it for writing...
...I could get the iWork program for half price with the purchase of the MacBook. I said yes. It's like the MS Office program, I guess.
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Leah used the ScorPal on our huge stack of cardstock...

...while Dagan concentrated intently on fixing the desk computer...

...while setting up the new MacBook. :)

I love these chicklet keys that are spaced apart!! Much easier for me to type on.

This is my old slanted reader's table that I have been using with...

...the cheaper Gateway laptop that is so slow.

Dagan fixed the problems with the viruses. The Gateway laptop just wanted a renewal--but the desk computer--well--those warning boxes about a virus actually was the virus. Good thing I didn't do anything it asked me to do to get rid of it. Was hard enough to get rid of it because it blocked routes or something. But Dagan figured it out. My techie hero! ;)

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So--the backup Gateway is tucked away in the closet. I am on the desk computer because I have no clue how to use the photos/camera with the Mac yet--or much of anything, for that matter--hehe! I have a long way to go before I am comfortable with how it works, that's for sure. But--so far--I really like it! :)

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The new mouse (with a wire) we had gotten from Best Buy a while ago for the desk computer has been quitting on me off and on since I got it. So Leah took it with her last night and is going to return that one tonight after work, plus use the Best Buy points I got, and get me a MacMouse! What the heck! I decided to go for it. It is all alien to me anyways, right?

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It does feel almost like when I got my first computer. Altho--I do know what "scroll" means now--ROFL!

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We won't get any crafting done tonight, I doubt. Which is fine with me. :) Leah didn't get a chance to play with the Mac at all last night...plus she can't stay long, has a few errands to run after work, and is tired. Needs to rest up. They are driving down to Minneapolis for Dagan's pacemaker checkup on Friday.

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Me--you can bet I will spend a little time trying to learn how to navigate on the MacBook. :) I have over 50 emails to respond to. It's a sunny cold day--5 degrees. I'm way too tired to wash clothes--maybe tomorrow. Just feeling pretty darn happy today--but I'm really tired, too. :):)

Monday-1:45pm

Yesterday the parking lot was semi-slushy.

I set up my backup Gateway laptop on my reader's table--since I can't use the desk computer (virus?). The reader's table works just fine in bed, but not so well in a lounger because I can't get it close enough and have to lean forward anyways. But it gives me a taste of what is to come--hehe!

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The always curious Karma had to check it out, of course.

She wasn't happy with it being in her way when she decides it is time for a cuddle over my shoulder. But she'll have to get used to the new arrangement, right? :)I'll have a similar table for the MacBook--eventually. In fact--searched for reviews on the first table I liked online and finally found some--not good. Searched for reviews on my second choice table and they were all good. Don't you just love the Internet!? :)

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Meanwhile--woke up this afternoon to a raging blizzard!! Wind gusts up to 45-50 mph.

May not look like much from my parking lot but schools, businesses, roads, and stores are closed or closing. We have all that ice under the snow, too. So--needless to say--Dagan and Leah aren't gong to go over to pick up the laptop tonight. I hope they let them out of work early so they can just make their way slowly home--safe and sound. We'll wait and see what the weather holds. So it may be another day or two. I'm not even sure Caroline will be able to make it or navigate the parking lot tomorrow.
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The snow is fine and the wind is hitting my side of the building--so we have snow covering everything on the porch this time. Karma was begging to go out...
...until I opened the door--hehe!

Curiosity got the better of her, tho, and she just had to got out...shaking her feet as she went.

She ate a little snow...

...quickly wanted in--still licking her chops.

So thrilled that there were footprints to eat that she couldn't wait for me to shut the door!

I had to push her out of the way to close the door--hehe!

Oh, the little joys in life, eh? The blizzard made Karma's day...if no one else's.

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It is now 4pm and I haven't even started fixing all the spelling mistakes! Usually only takes me about an hour. This is why I need a decent laptop. I have been able to work nonstop from my chair but it has taken me this long to upload pictures and write the blog! Lots of troubles with connection to the Internet and the laptop is slow--and now I have a ton of mishmashed words to fix. But--since I'm sitting here in a blizzard, I thought I'd take the time to write today after all. Tomorrow--who knows? hehe!

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Anyways, that's about it from snowbound in Fargo. :):)

Sunday--3pm

Just a quick note--am on the old laptop. Desk computer says I have a virus or might have a virus? So I'll wait to use it until Dagan and Leah come over on Monday night after work to have them check it out. Might be just time to renew the antivirus program or something? They want me to buy something, of course.

Anyways, I decided on the laptop I want (MacBookPro) and Dagan and Leah are going to go and pick it up tomorrow night at Best Buy and bring it over. Dagan will have to figure out how to hook a Mac up to the Internet for the first time--hehe! Exciting! I decided on the better 13 inch one. Tomorrow!!!

Oh--and I decided on a new one and not a refurbished one since you aren't really sure which version you'd be getting with a refurbished one--how old, you know? And the newest ones can handle Windows and aren't supposed to run as hot.

I figure I am going to just try to learn how to use the OSX program before I buy Windows software for it. See if I can adapt this old brain of mine--hehe! I can always buy Windows later and install it--and I have this old laptop and my desk computer to fall back on if (when!!) I get too frustrated--hehe! I'll probably need my PCs to look up instructions on how to run the Mac! ROFL!

One step at a time, right?

Once I learn how to run the Mac with my regular mouse (I am thinking positive) then I can see if I can figure out the touch pad. And if I can learn how to use the newfangled touch pad (I am thinking positive--I have never learned how to use any touch pad--hehe!) then I can buy a new Mac-mouse that works similarly to their newfangled touch pad. And I can see how the laptop is working over the first year and decide whether I want the additional warranty from Apple, too.

Oh--I got the ScorPal video up yesterday--finally! Almost forgot again--sheesh! :)

Spent most of my time the last few days researching online about laptops--and then laptop tables last night. (Could be how I may have picked up a virus?) Found a laptop table that I think would work really well for me! I think it can sit right up next to my chair in between the chair and the end table and then I can swing the laptop out of the way when I don't need it. Awesome! That will probably be the next purchase so that I can sit comfortably and be on the laptop for longer periods of time in my comfy chair. That's the goal--to get around the pain--tada!

I forgot about Netflix. They put my account on hold because Netflix was using my debit card--hehe! So, I won't have any new movies until I get my new card in the mail and can give them my new number. But I watched the end of Big Love from season three last night. Wow! Big changes on Big Love--hehe! :)

Anyways, don't be surprised if I don't blog tomorrow. I have a terrible time typing on this Gateway laptop keyboard. It's what you get used to, I guess. I have never been able to adjust to the keys that are jammed right up next to each other. Takes me twice as long to type anything because I have to go back and fix a zillion mistakes. Fine for occasional back-up like today, but nothing I can manage to use easily every day. So I will be basically offline for a little while here. Bye for now! :):)

Saturday-11:30am

I saw somebody moving in yesterday afternoon when I went down to get the mail. They left the door propped wide open and it was freezing downstairs. Now--I don't know if the two incidents are related--but--there was a huge, door-banging, woman-screaming fight going on in the middle of the night (from about 2-3:30am) someplace in the building close enough for me to hear--and to keep Karma watching the door. The woman didn't sound like she was being hurt or anything--just yelling at somebody...for a long time...while hard rain hit the building.

I hope there's not a repeat performance.

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This morning--yucky out! The "ice-then-snow"storm was in full swing. Looks dreadful out there!

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Some gigantic flakes were coming down for a while. Huge! Bigger than Junebugs! The wind was catching them on an updraft next to the building so that they were floating upwards and plastering themselves to the window and screen. Talk about looking like critters!

What a mess out there! Slush-ruts will freeze--arg! We can only hope they plow as much as possible before we get really cold again on Monday.
Meanwhile...my Blockheads order arrived yesterday!
http://www.blockheadstamps.com/index.php
Foil flakes and sheets...a little anti-static bag...

...and mosaic tile stickers.

Never tried these before.

They are made specifically to be stamped or drawn on and then separated. A kind of window-y effect.

I moved the flake foils into our candle jars.

You don't get a lot in these packages--but you can brush off all the excess and put it right back in the jar for the next time.

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I realized last night that I forgot to upload the video of Leah using the new ScorPal! Duh! So--I'm going to get on that as soon as I am done here. I remembered because Leah wanted me to save the folding cardstock for her on Wednesday. She is more in the mood for a soothing, repetitive, mindless project. A lot of people are bored to death with those, but we both enjoy them. They're very Zen. :)

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Karma's back at the window looking for the big, floaty flakes--but they're gone now. Back to regular flakes. Cat TV weather channel--ROFL!

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Me--I'm going to upload the video while I watch the last DVD of Big Love (season three) and be glad to be inside on a day like today up here in the North Country! :) :)

Friday-11:15am

Expecting a quiet day today. :)

I have another stack of cardstock to fold...
...so we have lots of choices on hand for the scrap cards next week.

I told you I was pressing the cards I was working on. They were under my crayon and pencil tins...

...next to the plastic file box Leah didn't like...

...for storing cards. I'm sure I can find a use for it. ;)

Anyways, here are the things I was pressing. The three sheets of red handmade paper I had lying around...

...and I was playing around with the stencils I had sprayed.

They need additional embellishments...

...but this was a fun start. A few would be okay as is, I guess.

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You can't really see the shimmer very well in the photos--but I found I didn't need to spray so much--and we do need a box where we can spray from farther away to avoid all the dripping. (Altho--I do like the drips on some of them.)

My order from Mulberry Bear came already yesterday! I am such a sucker for cool paper. Leah and I both are! These are thicker (back) and thinner (front) mulberry papers that Leah and I would be hard pressed to duplicate.

I also bought some lace...

...and some pre-cut trees! (Forgot to show you these, Leah!)

I hope you like them. They're cut from textured mulberry paper and I could just imagine we could use them for Christmas cards somehow. :)

And then some fancy flower stamens.

I am waiting for my Blockheads order to arrive next. Ordered a few foiling supplies, etc.

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Leah stopped by quickly after work. My smoke alarms are up and working again. Thanks so much, Leah!

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Been on a good streak for a while, as you can tell. Enjoying every minute of it! In fact, right now--going to go fold some more cardstock...:) :)