My guy got a new computer on Friday with one of these great LCD monitors. This of course now makes me using my own a complete drag. However with him gone all week I can use his. I spent most of last week shopping and comparing prices, finally settling on one, a computer bundle from Staples. Having spoken to a young salesperson there I inquired as to whether or not they would accept his credit card # from him over the phone since he had just left and was told not a problem. I got home and managed to catch him on his cell before he was in a no service area and then proceeded to go back up to Staples. Of course then I had to deal with someone different who said no way they can take a credit card # over the phone. Of course I had thought it was strange that they would so that was not what got me going, it was the fact that I was given the wrong info earlier and made a second trip. Then of course I am told that the sale was ending that night. After explaining that my guy drives truck and wouldn't be back until Friday I was given a handwritten note stating that the offer would be honored until then. Perfect.

Along came Friday, the truck needed to go into the shop for service which we figured would only take an hour or so. Wrong the truck was there from 8am to 3pm and the snow started coming down. However we did get up to Staples and purchased the computer which took us another hour. It took roughly another hour to set it all up, having to follow plugs and wires from the previous computer over and under the desk. Of course I had clean the desk where everything had been sitting. I have to admit I love the plug and play system. Finally everything was set up and we turned on the power. My magic cursed touch then appeared on the monitor, there it was a defective piece of hardware, on the right side of the screen was a stripe about 3" of a pale green that was not going away. We used the system over the weekend anyways since we needed to transfer info from the old one onto it.

You would think that this was the end of the story but having snowed all day Friday and being busy with the computer I did not use my car on Saturday which was a nice warm day. Sunday after he left for work again I disconnected the monitor to take it back for a replacement and went out to my car figuring I would be out of the house maybe 30 minutes or so. The warm weather on Saturday had melted some of the snow on my car but when the temperature dropped through the night it froze the snow. Yep thats right I now had 3-4" of ice on my car, so 20 minutes later I had managed to defrost and de-ice it enough to drive. Once up at Staples there was no problem exchanging the monitor only it took me about an hour because there was only one person working in the computer section so I had to wait. All is good now though.

The next step is replacing the big desk we have in this room. It is huge and takes up most of this room, as well as when we are both in here using our computers I sit at the end where there is a bank of drawers and being 5'8" this does not give me any leg space. We did see what we want so yesterday I put an ad in the Buy,Sell and Trade to get rid of this old desk. And of course now I need to save my pennies so that I can buy a new montitor. I just seen a 19' LCD at Staples on Sunday for $377.00. Hmm maybe Santa will be kind to me.

"May All Your Weeds Be Wildflowers"

Planted by crazygramma at 5:17 AM 0 comments

 

You are an Iris:

You are logical, analytical, dignified, and wise.
You are studious by nature and may prefer books
to people. You tend to be a serious person but
are capable of making others laugh with your
dry sense of humor. Friends always benefit from
your advice.

Symbolism: Over the centuries the iris has come to
symbolize faith, wisdom, hope, and promise in
love.


Which Flower are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

"May All Your Weeds Be Wildflowers"

Planted by crazygramma at 11:03 PM 1 comments

 

Funny thing about the Christmas season I never feel like I need to do anything until the American Thanksgiving rolls around, then I realize how close Christmas is getting.

So yesterday I went to the grocery store and bought the makings for my Christmas goodies, and to the Dollar store for some Christmas cans. Once home I made two batches of peanut brittle, two batches of Poppy cock and a pan of Eatmore squares. This done I then filled seven cans with the goodies to give away to friends and family. By the time I have made enough for everyone on my list I will not be eating any because I am usually sick of looking at it. Great diet aid by the way. I will probably do about 6 more batches of peanut brittle and poppycock, and 3 of the squares. After that is done I will make 2 or 3 batches of Nuts and Bolts.

Some of the peanut brittle I make is traded with one of my girlfriends for shortbread, because I just can't seem to find a recipe that works for me, so this barter system is good.

There is a beef crockpot recipe on Family Food Favorites for Oldroses who is in search for a good one, you might like this one " Chinese Beef and Pea Pods"

"May All Your Weeds Be Wildflowers"

Planted by crazygramma at 4:51 PM 2 comments

 

Well here it is November 15 and Christmas is closing in fast and all thoughts are starting to lean toward it. For some of us baking all the goodies and buying presents are probably right there consuming our free thoughts as we mentally figure out how and when to do everything. For others (and you know who you are) Christmas crafts and baking have already begun. I am one of those people how seem to put things off as long as possible then two weeks before the big event you will find me in my kitchen making pounds and pounds of peanut brittle. A few years ago I started to make peanut brittle to give away as gifts for friends and at one point I had 20 or so people practically lined up at the door waiting for it. Finally when it got to the point where I was having to start making it in October I said enough is enough. There is now only about 9 people on the list. You can find the recipe on the site my daughter set up (Oldroses inspired us) at familyfoodfavorites There will be some other treat recipes added there soon as well.

Also closing in is winter. The last few days I have noticed snow on the mountains around me. The snow kept getting lower and lower, well surprise when I opened the door this morning to let my dog out the snow is coming down. This means I should of gotten the BBQ and the wooden park bench into the shed on the weekend, now I will have to wrap them both in plastic to protect them until the weekend when I have someone to help me carry the two of them to the shed. The other thing I tend to do every year is forget to dig out the extension cord for my car so that when the temperature drops I can plug the baby in. Last year after not being able to locate the brush/scraper for my car windows last year during a big snowfall (in fact I had to go buy one) I was smart enough to just leave it in the trunk on my car after last winter. This was really a sad sight. Here it was colder than ............. With a semi blizzard coming down and I had no way to clean the snow or ice off my card,so using my hands I cleared the snow from the windows and I finally pulled my bank card out of my purse and used it as an ice scraper on the windows. And yes it stilled worked after that. Guess I had better dig out the snow shovel from the shed today as well.

Here is a recent picture of my grandaughters wearing the aprons I made for them. Ivy is the oldest hugging her baby sister Chelsey. *This picture was pirated from my daughter Rachels' blog*

"May All Your Weeds Be Wildflowers"

Planted by crazygramma at 6:08 AM 1 comments

 

In Flanders Fields

In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead, Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Written by Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae - Canadian Army May 1915

This is a special tribute to all.

Harvey E. Myers

A photo of my father in uniform who served oveseas during the Second World War.

"May All Your Weeds Be Wildflowers"

Planted by crazygramma at 11:03 AM 1 comments

 

They are overworked muscles not old muscles I tell you. I refuse to let myself think that the pain radiating from down my neck, shoulders and into my back has anything remotely to do with age.

After the planting spree last week of all the long awaited bulbs I came into the house and showered, then noticed that my shoulders and neck felt stiff. This however did not concern me at all because let's face it with the gardening season winding down the amount of physical labor dwindles. The next day I felt not too bad and the weather was kind of nice so out I ventured once again with just plans of collecting up all the lawn ornaments and storing them in the shed for the winter, and collect some seeds for friendd. A simple enough plan and quick process you'd think. Never on your life! Once out there I decided to cut back and pull out some of the plants that definitely were the worse for wear due to a couple of nights when the frost hit. That was quick and easy, so into the shed that has been a nightmare for I don't know how long to find some kind of storage container for the solar lights, I discovered a big plastic container that we use during the summer when we have people over for BBQ's and drinks, we put all the empties in it as we go so that we can just put it in the car and return the bottles and cans for refunds. Of course somewhere along the line cans and bottles were still in this so I organized them all and put them into the trunk of my car, gathered up the lights and various ornaments, lawn chairs from the deck and the table. One look at the shed with all this stuff to go in made me realize I had to do something. I organized the whole thing and gave it a good sweep in the process.

Last year when I wanted my Christmas decoration they were buried behind all the summer furniture, the lawn mower etc. And I had the choice of pulling everything out or climbing over the mile high pile. I chose the climbing. Well let me tell you that was not fun since it was cold out there. This year I got a bit smarter and the bins which hold the decorations and the tree are now on top of the patio table for easy access, it will still be cold when I need to get them but at least it will be quick. I then proceeded to clean up more of the yard and anything left standing now is pretty much going to be there for the winter and for nature to deal with.

This all said and done I have not been able to move my neck without pain for the last 4 days, and yesterday I had my grandson while the kids were moving. This did not help my neck at all because he is a big boy. But that pain is worth it.

So what do you think is it age or overworking that has the muscles screaming?

"May All Your Weeds Be Wildflowers"

Planted by crazygramma at 6:32 AM 1 comments

 

I am so glad that I decided not procrastinate today when came to planting the bulbs. Outside I went with my planting plans firmly fixed in my head and all the bulbs. I finished planting every one of them in just under an hour, and I have the feeling that the cold gusting wind had something to do with it. It was so cold that I dug those holes fast, popped in a bulb and covered them back up. It's amazing how much faster one works when the weather is nippy. Also I don't know if I am that last person on earth to realize that the length of the blade on my little hand shovel is 6 inches, this little discovery took the guess work out of how deep I had dug, and of course sped up the process.

There was one major change in my planting scheme however, I did not put the Daffodils, Crocus, or Stardrifts in to the grass at the front of the house to naturalize them. Don't ask me how I could not remember the hardness of the dirt out in that area after having such a bad time planting the Lilac bushes. Anyways I just tucked them here and there in different beds. These were also the last to get planted so I was pretty cold by then and the rain had started.

The rest of the planting went very smoothly except for the huge rock I hit when planting one of the lilies. If this had been summer I would of dug it up because it has some great color to it, I dug around it instead. I might go back for it in the Spring hee hee.

So all this done I then came inside put some Turkey soup on the stove and had a hot shower. Now I just have to wait for Spring.

"May All Your Weeds Be Wildflowers"

Planted by crazygramma at 4:27 PM 3 comments

 

They came yesterday all 110 bulbs complete with all the planting instructions and I am glad 50 are going to my girlfriend. By the time I got them yesterday we had a cold wind blowing otherwise I would of been planting then.

It is 6:47am as I write this and I am checking out the sky from my computer room window, kind of cloudy and there is a slight wind. I have decided that if it does not rain I am going out to get some or all of them into the ground today. I am so excited and I keep thinking of all the possible places to plant them. However I am going to try and stick to the original plan as laid out on my Oct blog. It is probably a good thing I have only 60 and not the full 110 otherwise I would spend so much time trying to figure out where to plant them all that the snow would be here LOL.

I know I sound like a little kid in a candy store but I have never indulged myself like this before so it is exciting. I felt the same way last Christmas when my other half gave me the gift certificate for my favorite nursery and I had to wait to use it.

After I plant all these it will be time for me to start cleaning the rest of the beds. It is going to be along wait for spring. SIGH

"May All Your Weeds Be Wildflowers"

Planted by crazygramma at 6:41 AM 1 comments