every so often I do

little technology-related things and have to pat myself on the back.  I am no computer whiz and never have been, ever since day one of Computer Science in junior high.  I hated that class, along with the inner workings of computers. :A/, :C/, RAM, ROM, or something and all the lines of symbols and letters to issue a command... yuck.  My style falls in line more with the ease of pointing and clicking on the internet.  Anyway, my computer illiteracy aside, I've been having an issue setting up the wireless printer with the iMac.  I was about to give up on it all and this morning I sat down, deleted everything I'd already installed and tried, and tried it all over again.  It worked.  That's setting the tone for the rest of the morning.  I'm ready to conquer now, right after I print out a few more things.

Anybody else need some labels?                                                                

I've been on the computer a lot

trying to take care of wedding stuff.

I went to the website where I found the bagpiper for Dodo's funeral to try and find a vintage car that could take Eric and Paige from the church to the reception.  How pretty would an old Rolls Royce be?  It's just so classic.  Well, I didn't find anything like that.  I searched vintage cars and chauffeurs and got nothing.  I thought I'd try searching driver.

No luck there but just in case we ever need a Dr. Phil impersonator...  I wondered who else there was.  They've got Sylvester Stallone too.  You know, just in case.

I was also trying to find cups.  I had something in mind but of course, I found something different that I really liked that cost more.  I told Cosme.  He replied with "figures" and then I replied, referring to the time Dodo was proud of me for picking out expensive china.

Samsung tried to take the wheel, but, no.  

Later on I got an email.  Tripadvisor confirmed what I've been telling everyone for a couple of months now.

It was online so it's true.  I need to show Cosme.

And in things totally unrelated to technology, I found this in the flower bed by the front door.  I wish I would have focused on the outer shell rather than the inner shell.  Yuck.

I'm wondering if there's a nest in the rain gutter.  I would look but I don't feel like being attacked and falling off the ladder.  I've got better things to do, like letting the dogs out so I don't have to clean a mess out of the cage.

it's day three of allergy

crap and I've put everything off as long as I can.

I have to get to Brazoria this morning so we can work on a wedding project.  I took the stuff over yesterday afternoon but the wrath of oily popcorn hit and I didn't feel like doing anything.  (Oily popcorn is now in the trash.)  I came home after we sat there for a little bit so I could stick dinner in the oven.  I got that going and took a Benadryl.  The sneezing and sniffles stopped and I passed out on the couch.  So anyway, if I want Mom's help with the tree, we HAVE to get it started today.  Drainage and watery eyes can't hold me back today.

Oh, I also have to bake a cake to drop off at the church tomorrow.  Do I feel like it?  No.  Did I sign up for it?  Yes.  I could always go buy a cake but... Well, you know me.

It's also the first day of March and while I haven't done either photo challenge for a while, it's the first day of a new month so I'm going to try to jump back on the daily photo train.  We'll see.  If being preoccupied doesn't distract me again, I'm pretty sure allergy symptoms will.

Right now though, I'm thinking hot, scrambled eggs might help.

I don't have any pictures

to share today.  Most of the time my pics come from my phone and believe it or not but I haven't even done my photo challenge since... I don't know, sometime last week?  I did it one day thinking I was ready to jump back in after taking a break for a few days but apparently I thought wrong.  I just haven't been feeling it.  It's not that I'm bored with it, I just don't want to do it.  It's not the people because most of the strangers I deal with on Instagram are nicer and more pleasant than some of the real life people I know on Facebook.  Speaking of Facebook, I guess I haven't been on there as much either.  Lauren and I were talking about an outfit for the wedding.  She mentioned that she didn't like her arms to show.  I said that I don't either and I also don't like my legs to show.  I added that most of the time I don't even want my face to show and prefer to just stay tucked away in the house.  I guess now I don't even want my thoughts to show.  Okay, this might be sounding like an actual issue now - and it's not.  And I'm not in denial.

One of the reasons I like to stay home is to keep an eye out on things.  Yesterday I left for the store and noticed there were a few policemen in the neighborhood.  One driving through the neighborhood isn't a problem.  After I saw that one, I noticed two parked on their motorcycles and then another coming through the back entrance.  Something was definitely up.  I found out a little later that a man broke into a house in the back of the neighborhood.  The woman was home and in her bedroom feeding her 5-week-old baby.  She heard a noise and then saw the man and his car in her driveway.  She then heard glass shatter.  The man broke her backdoor with one of her landscaping rocks.  She ran out the door with her baby and keys and started to back out but his car was blocking her in.  He banged on her car window and she ended up hitting his car in the process of getting away.  I don't want to sound trigger happy or that I just want to shoot someone (even if I did, I wouldn't admit it online in a public blog) but I sure wish she would have shot him.  I have no idea if this family owns guns or not.  I don't know them.  I do know that I love a story with a happy ending where the good guy shoots the bad guy.  Maybe that's the beginning of a different issue but when I hear a story about a good guy getting the bad guy, it honestly puts a smile on my face.  I wouldn't say it makes my heart happy (at least not online in a public blog), but the warm and tinglies are definitely there.  I should also add that it's times like this that I appreciate a barking dog. 

Now, what's for breakfast?  Maybe some food will inspire me to get back to that photo challenge.  I doubt it but maybe.  I guess this trigger happy hermit will go find out.

i was being spied

on this morning by an intrusive reptile.

Speaking of which, I watched some of the Presidential debate last night.  I wasn't watching it by choice.  Cosme was watching it and I was right there.  This whole election and the nastiness it's brought out in people on social media is disappointing.  It's all really too much for someone like me to put up with, someone who although totally passive aggressive, likes to keep her mouth shut.  I expect it from the candidates, that's what they do.  I don't expect it from people on fb.  I mean, when you connect with someone on fb, it's friending.  Being a friend involves being nice and somewhat respectful.

You know what I think is pretty funny?  I'll tell you anyway.  As teenagers and young adults it seems like, just from what I've experienced, everyone was all "stick it to the man" with anarchy symbols everywhere.  It's sad that now a lot of these people are the same ones buying into all the BS they're being fed from the media and its politicians, like they lost having a mind of their own.  I'm not saying a lack of government would in any way be a good thing.  Trust me, I understood we would one day have to grow up and get with the program.  I'm just saying how crazy it is to grow from anti-establishment to so (I don't even know how to word it), so... I believe and trust everything the man tells me because they are the government and do no wrong.  Do I like being an American?  Definitely.  Do I trust the people running this country?  Definitely not.  But guess what.  That's the awesomeness of being an American, having my own opinion.  I'm not going to sit here and trash one candidate because I'm not in the mood to be one of those people... right now.  "Here, let me preach about how horrific bullying is and everyone is equal... but I'm going to harass you and call you names because being a bully isn't that bad and I only meant we're all equal if you have my same beliefs."  That's all I'm going to say because I'm tired of it.

I'm tired of it all.  I'm tired of people.  I'm tired of their opinions.  I'm tired of all the BS.  I'm disappointed and disgusted.  They say your true colors come out when you drink.  That statement needs to be amended: Your true colors come out during a presidential election year.  And besides, what happened to way back when you weren't supposed to talk about who you were voting for?  I guess that went right out the window with so many other things.

I'm stopping here.  I feel like I could sit here and rant for the rest of the day.  I've already had one Coke.  I predict another before the day's over. 

i can say one thing about all

that baking I did, other than the fact it made me eat way too much, it put me in the mood to cook.  Yes, we were back in the eating out habit but I think that was mainly because we were so busy.  Since I've done all that baking though, I've found myself planning more meals to cook instead of calling in for take out.  As for groceries, I like shopping for certain things at Aldi just because they're cheaper.  Today I decided I'd drive to the one in Alvin since we're running low on eggs.  I almost went to the one in Pearland to stop by another store as well (Sprouts) but I wanted to hurry because I'd baked two chicken breasts for chicken salad before I left.  There are several things I like better about Aldi in Alvin than Pearland but one of the things I don't like better is the drive.  Instead of a 30 minute drive down 288, I made the little bit shorter drive down 35.  That road is just not safe.  It's small, one lane for each direction and there are always wrecks.  I say it all the time and I'll say it again because I believe it's a valuable tidbit that my great grandfather said when I was a kid and I don't think enough people do it but...  Driving down a highway like that, if you keep to the white line on the right, it leaves so much more space between you and the car in the other lane.  I think it's one of those things like using the left lane to pass that people just refuse to do.  I was behind a guy on the way to Alvin and there was a dump truck in front of him.  This guy kept trying to pass but couldn't.  The dump truck finally slowed down with his right blinker on and this guy started to pass him ON THE SHOULDER.  Luckily for him he caught on before he spent the rest of his evening at the hospital.  Also lucky for him that I didn't have to give a statement because I would have let anyone know how erratic his driving had been up to that point.  Anyway, I made it to Aldi and came back home down 35 with an SUV tailing me the entire way.  There was also a car in front of me so passing wasn't really an option.  Once we got close to Angleton, the road was down to one lane so I turned right to bypass the town... so did he.  As my lane was merging into his, he started to speed up to cut me off but it didn't work.  We traveled down the road until my left turn came.  I turned my blinker on, slowed down and as I made my turn, the guy had the nerve to HONK AT ME.  Now, I pretty much keep my language family friendly but if there's not a crowd and my road rage strikes (which strikes pretty hard), I will flip somebody off.  So that's what he got.  Of course the whole way home I thought about what I should have done instead but it was too late.  He was gone and managed to get me worked up.  I made it home and unloaded my groceries and started to make my chicken salad.  You know what is good at clearing your head?  Cutting and chopping.  So I did.

There's something about it that I like.  It can be calming.  It helped so I kept on and made my chicken salad.

And that, folks, has been my day so far.

And how about those blog changes?  I don't know if I'm totally satisfied but of all the new colors and designs I've looked at so far, this has been my favorite.  I could pay a few dollars and get a different one but I'm way to indecisive to make that bold of a move.  For now I'll keep what's up until I come across something different that suits whatever my mood is at the time. 

Now I'm just hoping I can stay motivated to get a few things done before the afternoon lazies hit.  That's been happening lately.  Yesterday it hit at 2:45.  I'm hoping for at least 6:00 today.  Wish me luck.

what can i

say?  I've been busy.  I had a post going and left the house and never finished it.  Like I said, I've been busy.  I had birthday stuff going on, I've had raffle ticket stuff going on, I've had doctor appointments going on and then there's all the regular stuff that was also going on.

Want to hear some good news?  I'm all checked out and healthy.  And the B word I was fearing from the eye doctor?  He suggested a new type of lens that's "made for people our age who aren't quite ready" for the B word.  It's some new technology thing that helps all the strain on your eyes from computers and all the gadgets it takes to survive in today's world.  I should have my new glasses in a few days.

Oh, the dentist said everything looks good and to keep doing what I'm doing.  (I'm assuming he means the routine I started 3 weeks before my appointment.)

I did walk away from all of that with one prescription but it's just for vitamin D, a rather large dose at 50,000 whatevers with one a week for eight weeks, but it's just a vitamin.  After the 8 weeks I'll start taking a smaller, non-prescription strength daily.  I'm okay with that.  One thing I did read after researching what all vitamin D deficiency can bring on is that it might be linked to my skin and stomach issues, which always show up together.  I'm hoping that's the answer.

So the doctor visits are done and the church bazaar is next weekend which means the end of raffle ticket duties.  Hopefully everything will start slowing down after that... hopefully.

Today I'm going to try out a new recipe.  I'll need to get other stuff baked during the week too since I signed up to bring baked goods for the bazaar's cake walk.  Today's recipe is just one I want to try out before putting my name on and turning it in.  Maybe tomorrow I'll be able to share pictures of a wonderful cake that looks as good as it tastes.  Maybe.

i think i'm going

to need a bigger calendar.  A while back I mentioned how I was looking into a bullet journal.  While I didn't go and buy one, I adjusted a spiral notebook to fit my needs and loosely based it on a bullet journal.  It works for me.  If you aren't sure what a bullet journal is, it's too much for me to describe but you can find out here. The quote on the site says it all.  "The analog system for the digital age"  I've mentioned before that I'm a little bit obsessed with the details (needing my multiple lists) and then there's how I prefer to operate out of a spiral notebook.  So I guess while I don't actually use a bullet journal, the stuff I've read on them has helped me to organize my thoughts and lists in my spiral notebook.  Oh, it's also given me a good reason to buy colored pens.  So back to what I was saying, I might need a bigger notebook.  Or maybe I just need to write smaller?  Or maybe just not be such a busy gal? 

Pinterest sent out an email asking for volunteers for some beta testing program they want feedback on.  I figured I'm on it enough so sure, I'll try it.  Then they added the fine print.

Pinterest has obviously never had a conversation with me.  I don't even know how many Christmas and birthday presents I've let slip on accident.  Sure, I'm no good at keeping that kind of secret but even when I'm doing a great job I usually accidentally slip and ruin something.  So if I do it and accidentally spill the beans, please don't tell on me.

I was looking through my iPad and found some old pictures.

This was our holding pattern before landing in London.

It's crazy and making me dizzy.

I did a screen shot of this because I misread it.  I thought "kids" was "AIDS".

That was a little heavy and maybe a bit harsh.

And then there's Lucille reacting.  The top is Faith No More blaring on the speakers.  The bottom is Food Network.

That's Lucille for you.  She's so unlike Strat, who enjoys Metallica and The Real Housewives of New Jersey.

Now I'm off to make a bigger calendar to make note of all the doctor appointments I have coming up.  I guess writing smaller won't be an option.