May 28, 2013

Back to Normal(ish)

Hello everyone! Sorry the blog has been quiet for a week. I've been having blogging withdrawals, but   hopefully starting tomorrow things will be back to normal.

I had to take a break from the blogging mainly due to computer troubles (and also just plain being busy - we went away for a few days, it was the hub's birthday, my brother-in-law visited, my sis and I were prepping our entries for the fair - anyway, posts & pics to follow on some of that!).

The computer was definitely the BIG problem though. My laptop died and I was forced to go out and buy a new PC. I'd known I needed a new one for a while but kept putting it off because I was overwhelmed by the options (Mac or PC? Laptop or desktop? Touch screen??). But when your computer dies, your forced to do some quick shopping.


I decided to get a desktop (since I have an iPad I didn't really need a laptop anymore) and also decided to stick with a PC. After being a PC user for ages, I just didn't think I could make the switch to a Mac, much as Microsoft makes me nuts. (Don't get me started on how annoying Windows 8 is. Luckily I've been finding work-arounds!)

Then once I got the new PC up and running and all my old files recovered and restored, I started having internet troubles. After many phone calls with tech support for both my ISP and my router, I discovered through some research that that also seemed to be caused by Windows 8. Oy.

Anyway, I'm finally back in business. Even though today I'm posting this from my iPad (thus no pics...) because I'm typing while waiting for the hubs in a doctor's office. Remember when he had meniscus surgery on both knees back in October? Well, the one knee got better but the other one refused. So now we are on to the next phase of Operation Get the Hubs Back Up and Running (Literally). This phase involves pulling stem cells from the bone marrow in his hip (doesn't that sound like fun??) and injecting them back into his knee. They are also taking some fat from his butt (if you've seen my hub's butt - which is actually kinda concave - you will know how funny this is) and shooting it into his knee for padding.

I offered to be his fat donor, but, alas, it doesn't work that way!

While I sit and wait I thought I'd catch up with y'all cuz I missed you! (I hope you missed Rita and I too.)

There's actually not that much to catch up on (although I'll post pics soon of the Santa Barbara trip and the fair entries!), but I did want to share some exciting San Diego dog-park news....

If you've been reading the blog for a while, you know we LOVE Fiesta Island - a huge (I believe it's over 100 acres) dog park/beach/bay off-leash area for dogs. It's Disneyland for Dogs. For the past several years there's been a certain contingent of boaters/paddle-boarders who want to split the island up and add a road and some storage facilities. Obviously the dog-people (led by Fiesta Island Dog Owners - FIDO) are not keen on this idea.

Well, this weekend the mayor of San Diego came to visit Fiesta Island and said he's on the dog-owner's side, and he thinks what we have here is "rare" and special and needs to be preserved! Hopefully that will be the case. We'd hate to see this fabulous place broken up.

Oh! I managed to add pics, even from the iPad, so here are a few shots of Rita romping at Fiesta Island. It's her favorite place in the world, just like it was for our angel Abby. You can get an idea from the second shot just how HUGE the park is by the expanse of green behind Rita. If you're ever in the are, you have to stop by with your pup!

That's it for now! Hopefully bak to my normal blogging schedule tomorrow!



31 comments:

  1. Sorry about any typos - it's not easy to blog from the iPad! So glad to have a "real" computer again!

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  2. I was having computer problems a couple of months ago so I bought a laptop for a back up. I haven't had a problem since. Hope your life goes more smoothly.

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    1. You don't realize exactly how much you rely on your computer until it's dead, right??

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  3. Us too. We had to rush off and get it sorted this weekend as well. Now we have the awful Windows 8 to get use to. Hate it already. Have a terrific Tuesday.
    Best wishes Molly

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    1. Ugh, Windows 8. So horrible. The "apps"/"tiles" are such a pain! I just go to my desktop like the old days and use Google Chrome to circumvent the apps!

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  4. Woof-hoo! Glad your computer troubles are behind you!!! I sure did miss seeing you around...though, if I am to be honest, I have been missing in action of late as well. Gosh, how life just gets in the way of blogging sometimes.
    *Cairn cuddles*
    Oz

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    1. Yes, life does sometimes get in the way! Glad you are back too!

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  5. Welcome back, even if it's only temporary. I'm surprised you got a PC. I've been using PCs all my life and I've decided that the next time my laptop breaks, I'm going to jump ships and use Macs.

    I hope your husband's surgery and recovery goes well. Wouldn't it be nice if we could be fat donors for people who need it? If we can donate our organs, why not fat? I bet there'd be an influx of donors :)

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    1. Yes, there would be an influx of donors for sure!

      I seriously considered switching to a Mac, but I'm a much older dog than you, so harder to teach new tricks! The hubs recently tried to switch to a Mac at work, and he said he couldn't stand it and his productivity went way down so he had to have them switch him back! I figured I'd be in the same boat, so stuck with what I know, although now I'm stuck trying to learn ways around windows 8!

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  6. I hope this round goes well and is successful. Sounds like somebody needs a margarita.

    I got an iPad. Hated trying to blog from it. Gave it to my Hunny. He's so much happier with it than I ever was. No place for a desktop, so I got a laptop. Returned it a week later. STUPID TOUCH SCREEN. HATE. Grr. Got another laptop with a regular screen. I have to be mobile.

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    1. I could definitely use a marg! no margs for the hubs though. They don't want you to drink for 6 to 12 weeks afterwards, except for a glass of wine here and there. Bummer!

      So frustrating to try and blog from the iPad. I could see the typos, but couldn't get the cursor to where I needed to fix them. Oy.

      I figured I would hate the touch screen, and also figured it would just be another thing to go wrong... So stuck with the old fashioned screen.

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  7. Wow, lots going on over there! I wish you hubby the best of success and if they ever do figure out the fat transplant, I'm your girl! :) Ugh, I tried just replying to peeps on their blogs on my ipad and it was sooo irritating! Yep, PC is way easier! But I think I might have tried the Mac if I could swing the $$'s. Hope everything gets better for you all the way around! Fast!

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    1. Yeah, it's not easy to reply with the iPad. For some reason, it's easy on some sites, but not on others. I don't get it.

      And, yes, that's another thing about Macs - they are a lot more expensive than PCs.

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  8. I wouldn't trust a word Filner says. He told the news and some local businesses that he was stopping this construction project on University that removed a bunch of parking spaces and he was going to have the work torn out. Total bullshit. The stupid project is now finished. The parking in this hood is so challenging that this just made it worse. I feel bad for those businesses.

    Hope Mike is doing well!

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    1. Yeah, I must admit the way he worded it - it just sounded like he was placating the dog owners.

      But I also heard that there's only a few thousand dollars in the fund for this multi-million dollar project the boaters/paddlers want - so it doesn't sound like it even *could* happen any time soon.

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  9. My computer sucked when I first started blogging... luckily I got a new laptop at Christmas so no troubles for me now. Windows 8 is a hassle at first, but I mostly just ignore all the windowy stuff and stay on the desktop area. I just don't understand the point of apps on a computer?

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    1. I know... I think they are trying to be cool and iPad-like, but it's stupid.

      I've just been going straight to my desktop too. Even the photo editing stuff has changed a lot (I had XP before so a big difference in the jump from that to 8) so I need to get more comfortable with that. It's definitely more steps now to simply crop a photo, which is a PITA.

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  10. Great update - I missed your posts :-) Not saying a word about your pc problems and knocking wood (don't want to anger the computer gods or anything). Thanks for not posting any pics of your husband's procedure ;-) sounds painful and totally frustrating. Love the pics of Rita, though :-)

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    1. Nice to be missed! Hope you didn't anger the computer gods!

      Yeah, that hubs' procedure sounded really awful after he got out of there and told me about it. He said it was one of the "least fun" things he's ever done. Eeeesh.

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  11. Welcome back. Glad to hear you've got your computer woes sorted!

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  12. I hope hubs is doing well - big hugs! :)

    I've heard of lots of people not liking Windows 8, but I hear you can buy some software for about $10 that makes it look and work like Windows 7 which seems to help lots of people, will let you know if Mum remembers the name of it! :)

    Hope you're having a fun day :)

    Your pal Snoopy :)

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    1. So far I'm managing to work around W8, but I'll keep that software in mind!

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  13. I have a little kindle at home so i hardly ever blog from there, i get very behind over the weekend! Fiesta Island sounds like grand fun!
    stella rose

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    1. Fiesta Island is the best! Rita's fave place in the whole world.

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  14. Computer troubles are the WORST!!! I still use a laptop and the iPad....when it comes time for a new laptop I might make the switch to a Mac, LOVE their "user-friendly" products!
    Who do you use as your browser? I use Google Chrome and love it!
    Hoping hubby is on the mend soon!

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    1. I considered a Mac... but a friend told me he'd tried to switch and things like not being able to copy/paste the same way made him crazy. He was so used to doing things the PC way!

      Yep - I use Chrome as well! (Was using Firefox, which I also liked on my old PC, but now using Chrome.)

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  15. So glad you're back! Boo on computer troubles! The hubs and I build our own desktops and we are partial to using those. He has has a laptop for work, and we have another laptop that we rarely use. We're too nerdy/not hip enough for Macs or any kind of iProducts.
    Interesting procedure your hubs is having! I hope it works as intended. Too scary for me... I'd probably just live with having a "bum knee". But I know that's unacceptable for those who are active/athletic.

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    1. Wow - build your own desktops! That's impressive!

      And, yes, I'd live with the "bum knee" too - but he LOVES to cycle/run, so he needs to get back to it! Fingers crossed this will work!

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  16. Welsome back! When it rains it pours, doesn't it? Hope that everything goes well with your husband! I cringed reading about it:)

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  17. Wow, I'm super jealous of that park. You west coast folks sure know how to make parks and not just dog parks either. :-) We have nothing that comes close to that here in the northeast.

    Sorry to hear about the Hubs, you know with all the advances they've made in medicine you'd think fat transference would rate a little higher. ;-)

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