Whack a Kitty

Hey, all!

Maybe you saw this already, but maybe you didn't. It was on CNN the other night, and Bobby and I were practically rolling on the floor laughing.

I guess I shouldn't be surprised that some people responded negatively saying that this looked like abuse and should be reported to PETA, but the people were being very gentle and trying to get the kitties adopted. What a better way to show their darling little faces!! PETA actually was made aware; and they responded saying that they, too, think it's cute and funny. :D

I've stayed away from YouTube for quite a while, afraid that I'd catch a virus; but this one had me going back, and I think it's alright. (If not, CNN will be crashing any time now!) Here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_udqEp_YR4 (Hm ... can't get that to be a link, so you'll hafta cut and paste. Sorry!) 

Smiles and giggles to ya!

The Knitwit

Note: My current extra prayer/support list is:
- Lovlee, Rikki, and her family
- Gloria
- Gypsy Froggie
- Jacky

Ho Hum ... I'm so Boring! :P

Hey, all! I just can't believe it's Friday already and that two weeks have passed since I posted last. I guess I'm not much better at keeping up here as I am elsewhere. :P In my defense, I will say that last week was a bad anniversary week; and I'm always quiet then. The frustrations I talked about in "The Best Laid Plans" continue, so I started working at some things I COULD affect.  

This past Wednesday was what I call "Three Ring Circus" day ... the yearly checkup appointment for our three kitties. I take them together 'cause it's cheaper, but it really is insane managing them at once. This year I was totally amazed, though, because they were much calmer than ever before. They still "sang" me there and back and were scared, frustrated, mad, etc.; but it's almost like they finally realized that we ARE going there whether they put up a fuss or not. Though exhausted, I actually arrived home without medicine, urine or poo all over my clothes, and their travel boxes were clean!  

I got a lousy feeling last week that I had better take extra and more consistent care with backing up my 'puter 'cause I push it so hard and have it crammed with so much that it would be a complete disaster if it were to crash or need servicing. So I spent quite a while setting up two exterior hard drives, either one of which can now be plugged into Bobby's 'puter if mine bites the dust. I'll still be able to function even if a bit awkward, keep an eye on the shop and lessen the lost-time damage of mine being down. It would be terrible if someone I don't know wrote me at the shop or bought something, and I was outta commission due to a bum 'puter. So I took care of that this week.  

I also thought it was high time I scanned the pics that belong to my cousin so that I can give them back to him. It's not right for me to let them sit here and not be working at them. I wanted to use my old scanner for this as it's easier than the neato 3-in-1 machine my Da got me, but it was hooked to the laptop that just refused to boot. Every time I cleared one error, another would occur. Then it reported missing several files, and heaven only knows where they went or why they'd suddenly be gone when everything seemed fine the last time it was running. Makes no sense. So I figured I'd hook the scanner to the 'puter. I fussed around with the wires which I've always got secured and bound together in bunches, and freeing those was a job in itself. After I hooked it up, I fussed for more hours trying to get a driver that would run it. Nope, it will not work with anything after Windows ME. Argh! So, I switched all the wires back and fussed with the laptop again only to have it get worse and worse rather than better. I finally figured it was better to just reconfigure and start fresh with it.  

Today's main chore was to do that -- reload Windows onto the laptop and get the scanner re-installed and running. Who'd have thought it would take all day (and I DO mean all day), and that it still isn't right. Toshiba thought they were so smart that they "tailored" Windows to their wishes, rendering some of the normal functions unusable and forcing those things to be done via Toshiba's programming. I learned to live with it, but now it's messing up the reconfigure to the point that I may not be able to ever get it loaded properly enough to use the machine at all. What a bite. I will fuss with it more tomorrow......  

Well, I guess that's the news here. Pretty boring, I know. But better to tell ya boring than for ya to wonder where I am, right?

I send y'all smiles!

The Knitwit

Note: My current extra prayer/support list is:
- Lovlee, Rikki, and her family
- Gloria
- Gypsy Froggie (cripes, girl! I DO intend to write ya!)
- Jacky (still hoping you pop up!)

The Best-Laid Plans

Hey, all! Um, what's that they say about the best-laid plans? Well, today was surely a demonstration of that cliche. No, I didn't get to any laundry; and no, I didn't get to update even one listing in the shop; and no, I didn't do a lick of the maintenance that is way overdue on here; and no, I didn't even do a single stitch of knitting (MAJOR withdrawal on that one!!) ...So much for plans and cliches....

I've another cliche that's apropo even if it is of my own creation ... "getting old stinks!" That applies to people, animals, buildings, equipment ... just about everything on earth (and including it)!!!! 

My day consisted of non-stop phone calls all of which had to do with aging something or other and what to do about it. Machines, systems and buildings are annoying when aging, but annoying can be rolled off the back. When it's animals or people, though ... especially close and dear ones ... it's a complete different story and cannot be shuffed off. It's extremely upsetting and more than a little frustrating.

Bottom line for today and the ravages of age -- what age has stolen from my parents is becoming more of a fright than a frustration. It's not like something bad might happen to them (aside from their illnesses), it's more a question of when and how soon. Very disconcerting and upsetting, especially given the fact that they argue with all suggestions, nudges, beggings and pleadings to get into another accommodation that would be safer, happier and better.  We "don't want to be a burden" about makes me choke and, ironically, IS now the burden as it means worry, tension, upset, etc.

My siblings and I need to soon have a conference with them and tell them there's no choice but to change their situation ... and the whole thing is extremely stressful. I'd love to just jump ahead the next several months and find that everything is resolved and them safe here near me and Bobby.  

Though you can tell I'm upset and frustrated, I gotta tell you what a joy and uplift y'all are to me. Your notes here via comments as well as personal emails are absolute highlights and joys, especially the last couple days. I apologize for not writing each of you individually, and I'm now really glad that I went ahead and opened this again so that I can at least reach out to you this way. 

Donna ... I'm dancing and giggling with delight that Marley is alright! Thank God, and I'm still gonna keep y'all on the prayer & support list just to be sure ... and, of course, including Vinni too! :P

Nora ... has Tom's leg trouble recurred? How come you're going to the wound care center? I will "up" y'all on the list for the extra prayers too! 

Puggy ... I was so touched that you stopped to visit Ma and Da, and they were tickled pink and phoned me. You know how Ma loves all her non-blood kids calling her Mama, Da is always too choked up to talk and just sorta gasp-giggles; and it's a blessing to know how much they're loved and not forgotten. Please keep them and us all on your own extra prayer/support list, eh?  Thanks, dear!

I'm gonna close this for tonight as I fear I might be ranting or rambling or something odd. I send you all smiles, hugs and love!

The Knitwit

Note: My current extra prayer/support list is:
- Lovlee, Rikki, and her family
- Nora and Tom
- Gloria
- Gypsy Froggie
- Jacky (still lookin' for ya girl!)

I think I'm jinxed!!

Hey, all!  Another day of thinking I was getting somewhere with the 'puter, fixing what I messed up yesterday and hoping to get to amending the shop listings. I actually WAS moving along fairly well and had reinstalled the program that malfunctioned after I messed it up yesterday when the 'puter started talking and telling me "switching to backup power" rather than the little alarm that used to sound.  Argh! We had a POWER OUTAGE.  I still can't believe it because it was still and quiet, and I didn't hear any alarms like there was an accident either. 

I first thought it would just be a few minutes as often happens, but it dragged on for the rest of the afternoon.  We could've BBQ'd the meat for our dinner, but I was dying for a cuppa ... and the thought of just meat and maybe some lettuce quickly grabbed from the fridge (don't keep that door open more than hafta, ya know!) wasn't appealing at all.  I guess it would've been had it included a cuppa....  

So we headed for town and Burger King. Ah, not so bad -- it was a change from our usual fare, and we stopped at the druggist for a refill I needed anyhow.  

By the time we got back home (wasting time and wandering around to do so), the power had returned.  Something happened to the phone with the outtage, though, so tomorrow the repair guy will come about that (not here, at the other place). I just hope there isn't a line down through the woods as that always means an extra day, unpleasant work for the repair guys, and more need to be away from here and accomplishing what I *should* be doing.  

That couple/few days of warm to hot weather we had a week or so ago really spoiled us ... as well as the plant life.  Everything popped out and is glorious, but we've had frost the last two nights now.  I think another is expected tonight.  The lilacs are incredible this year and nearly drooping from the huge amount of blossoms, and even the frosts haven't seemed to hurt them like usually happens.  

I was so intent that I'd work at the 'puter and get things done as needed that I "forbade" myself to knit yesterday and again today.  Gee, it was like withdrawal!!!  When the power went out, though, I plugged myself into the MP3 and knitted away happily ... trying very hard to push away that wouldn't-quit craving for a cuppa.  :P

Guess tomorrow I'll go back to a no knit day 'cause I've gotta get things straightened on here as well as do the maintenance that's ridiculously behind ... plus if I don't soon do laundry we will be unable to leave the house as nothing will be remotely presentable! I'm glad I wasn't doing that when the power went, though, as that's a real bite and aggravation. Hopefully the phone repair doesn't keep me away too very much.  

That's the blab for now! Smiles to y'all!

The Knitwit

Note: My current extra prayer/support list is:

- Lovlee, Rikki, and her family
- Donna, Marley and family
- Gloria
- Gypsy Froggie
- Jacky ... where are you, girl?

Oh, DANG!

Hey, all! Guess this will be a quick rant and then onward with fixing what I messed up today....

I was working along at redoing the shipping quotes for all the stock in my shop, hoping to finish and get to actually amending the listings tonight and tomorrow.  I was cutting and pasting a LOT, and while hurrying (of course), I accidentally deleted the New Clip section of my neato Clipboard Cache that I use for absolutely everything.  I managed to find and save the actual information, but when I recreated that section, the whole program is malfunctioning.  Bottom line ... I hafta uninstall and reinstall.  That's not a big deal, but what IS a big deal is saving all the other info that I've stored in there which is ridiculously voluminous.  I've been at saving and moving for hours now, and I don't know if I'll finish tonight.  

Just when I thought I was getting somewhere......  ARGH! 


So that's me there!  You can see that I've now learned to place a pic in a post somewhere other than at the top ... but I'll hafta do some more reading/learning to see if I can use a .gif animation. That little guy is supposed to be animated -- jumping up and down on the 'puter. 

Smiles to y'all!

The Knitwit


Note: My current extra prayer/support list is:
- Lovlee, Rikki, and her family
- Gloria
- Gypsy Froggie
- Jacky

PS - Welcome home, CB! Glad you made it there and back safely ... and without melting! :P

A Shout Out....

 ... one good and one not so good (complaining!)

The first is, of course, to wish y'all a Happy Mother's Day!  Three cheers for mothers!!

The second, the complaining one, is my frustration with the (stupid) USPS for not updating their site to compute mailing/shipping rates that are raised tomorrow.  I thought I'd (for once) be on top of things and get the shipping costs in the shop updated today so that all would be correct tomorrow ... but the ridiculous PO has only issued a hard-to-follow PDF document listing the new prices.  SO stupid, when they closed business last evening every single thing that would be mailed or picked up the next they were working would be subject to the NEW prices; but did they have the foresite to let us, their customers, know what those charges would be?!?  ARGH!   If they weren't a monopoly, they'd have already put themselves outta business.
 

K, enough of the spouting. :P

Thought you'd like to see the progess my so-loved Thomas Jefferson has made in about a week. Here's a pic:

 ~~~~
Well, as you can see, the pic I tried (and tried and tried!) to put here just refuses to land anywhere but at the top of this post.  I even attempted copy and paste to put it where I wanted, but that just turned it into a little un-clickable thumbnail or something completely unviewable via most browsers.  I checked all through Help and, of course, found nothing about this at all.  I'll hafta go to the Forum later and see if someone there can help.  Hopefully I don't find what was there before -- more ads for international hookers and such than you'd ever get in a year's worth of spam. Ridiculous, and these creeps are absolutely everywhere! :P

Guess I'll close this.  Wishing you all a wonderful day and lots of love for Mother's Day!

The Knitwit


Note: My current extra prayer/support list is:
- Lovlee, Rikki, and her family
- Gloria
- Gypsy Froggie
- Jacky

Still a bit nervous about this.....

Hey, y'all!

I finally got the notes to y'all to tell you I'm here, and I had such a great day receiving emails from some of you and, most exciting of all, even a phone call to hear a sweet voice I hadn't heard in I can't remember how long. :D

Since I mentioned the amazing springing of Spring the other day, I thought I'd show you a couple pics that were taken just one day apart (4/25 and 4/26). This is my so-lovely Thomas Jefferson that's one of the first bloomers of the season, leaving amazing butterfly shaped leaves for the rest of the summer.  In the first pic, you can see that the other things in the bed are just showing wrinkly trying to push outta the dirt. In the second, they've not only emerged, but they're lush and filling in -- and the Trillium is blooming.

Since then the lilacs are blooming, our trees are (finally!) pushing their leaf buds out, the Day Lilies are up mid-shin high, the Narcissus are blooming, and it's so nice to see as much green as brown when looking out.

Better shove off for the day. Smiles and hugs to each of you!

The Knitwit


Note: My current extra prayer/support list is:
- Lovlee, Rikki, and her family
- Gloria
- Gypsy Froggie
- Jacky

By George, I think she's got it!

Well, I think I've finished with the fussing and adjusting to compile this blog. It's not exactly how I wanted, but it's functional this way. Trying to add a slideshow, badge or other active content made the blog inaccessible through Internet Explorer. (Thanks to Donna for checking and re-checking for me!) I didn't want to write y'all till I could be at least fairly certain that you could get here without aggravation. Now that it's done, I'll be writing to ya so you know where you can find me. :D

On "fronts" other than the blog, shop, and 'puter, I'm (of course!) still knitting away but accomplishing only the minimal otherwise. I was already spoiled 'fore Bobby retired, and now I'm getting even MORE spoiled. :P I've readily fallen into the "it'll wait for me to get around to it" excuse, and I allow more things into that category constantly. Worst of all is that I've continued to let the correspondence and contact with friends slip ... and I'm hoping this blog fills at least some of that gap.

Spring is finally springing here with dramatic changes this past week, and it's lovely to watch the changes right before your eyes ... like time-lapse photography. We're fighting nasty colds, though; and just when we thought we were on the slide to it being gone, it 360'd on us and reared up again with a vengeance.

Today's Derby Day, and I don't know if I'll watch the race or not. I would never miss it in the past; but it seems that the last three times I watched an important race, one of the horses was seriously hurt or died. I just can't see another go down and flail in pain. Maybe I'll wait till it's over, insure that none of the horses was hurt, and then watch it recorded. If one was hurt, I'll pass.

I'm off to write y'all with news that I'm here! Smiles to each of you!
The Knitwit


Note: My current extra prayer/support list is:
- Lovlee, Rikki, and her family
- Gloria