The Best I Can

If you are a regular reader of this blog you are already aware of my friend Colleen. For me, reading one of her columns is like going on one of our walks. We do this at 7:00 AM each summer morning in Jefferson Iowa. Our walks are not only exercise for our bodies but also for our minds and our conversations feed a need in each of us. As I read her latest column below, I am thinking about this park and the people who are in it and the fact "We are all doing the best we can."

‘It’s important to assume positive intent on the part of others regardless of their behaviors. They are doing the best they can at the moment.’

March 19, 2014

~a column by Colleen O’Brien

This quote above has been floating through my life for a year or two. I wrote it down without attributing its owner, which I regret. I searched Google, but even the Great G herself could not come up with the person who said it.

(Obviously, Google does not know all. This was disappointing as well as satisfying; I found it refreshing to learn that she, if only in one instance, could know as little as I. G was doing the best she could.)

In a book group discussing The Glass Castle, a memoir by Jeanette Walls, I defended Jeanette’s mother, who was flakey, self-centered, troubled. She seldom served meals or cleaned house because she hardly ever left her art studio. She had inherited land but refused to sell it to make her family’s life tolerable. When I said to the book group, “She was doing the best she could,” three women took umbrage and attacked me for giving the benefit of the doubt to a bad mother.

At the time I came across this quote I was not thinking of other people, I was thinking of myself. I needed to at least hope I was doing the best I could and wanted others to think likewise. In other words, no judgment, folks. If I could do better, believe me, I would.

I soon assimilated the controversial quote into my dealings with the lives of friends and strangers alike – assuming positive intent on the part of others regardless of their behaviors. Yes. A good point of view to maintain. Most of us are doing the best we can. And if I doubt it or am uncomfortable with how the person is doing the best he can, I don’t have to hang out with him.

Perhaps there are born sociopaths; I know there are people who learn to be vile because they’ve been treated vilely. But I do believe that the general run-of-the-mill human is struggling with finances or kids or health, befuddled by relationships, always preoccupied with one inconsequential thing or another. In this broad spectrum of non-sociopaths, people are doing the best they can.

When my husband and I first traveled around the country with a trailer, meeting all kinds of people from everywhere in the U.S. and Canada, I was struck by how people were friendly one day and, often, unfriendly the next. It soon dawned on me that I didn’t have to feel ignored or shunned because I could pigeonhole them as mostly old, which meant they couldn’t see, couldn’t remember or had hemorrhoids.

When I found the quote about humans doing the best they can at the moment, I could smile, say hi whether they said hi or not, and keep walking. I no longer had to make up stories about hemorrhoids because I was no longer hurt that they didn’t say hi.

Sometimes I myself can’t even smile. That I’m walking and acknowledging at the same time is a feat in itself.

Like you, I’m doing the best I can.

Ethan plays

Ethan plays a video game for the first time. His Mom says it did not last long.
Just the other day one of my friends asked why I didn't have a picture of Ethan lately so I was happy to see this one. He is growing up very quickly!

Marlene's Lemon Meringue Pie

Butch's sister, Marlene, makes the world's best Lemon Meringue Pie and I am not the only one who thinks so. My friend Peggy says it makes her mouth water just thinking about it. Yesterday at crafts we were discussing her pie and I said she most likely has the recipe in her head and wouldn't be able to tell us. But I emailed her and asked and she shared her meringue recipe with us this morning. So here is Marlene's Meringue.
From Marlene:

It’s a strange recipe, but works for me –

                                    Never Fail Meringue

                                    1 TBLS. Cornstarch

                                    2 TBLS. Cold water

                  Blend cornstarch and cold water in a saucepan

                                    ½ cup boiling water

                  Add boiling water and cook, stirring until clear and thickened,

                  Let stand until COMPLETELY COLD.

                                    3 egg whites

                                    6 TBLS. Sugar

                                    1 tsp. vanilla or lemon flavoring

                                    Pinch of salt.

                  With electric mixer on high speed, beat egg whites until frothy.

                  Gradually add sugar, and beat until stiff but not dry.

                  Turn mixer to low speed, add salt and flavoring

                  Gradually beat in cold cornstarch mixture.  Turn mixer

                  Again to high and beat well.  Spread meringue over

                  Cooled pie filling.  Bake at 350 degrees about 10 minutes.

Mother Earth News

I subscribed to Mother Earth News 30 years ago. I still have a bread recipe from that publication.
Today I found this site of the day. Good old Mother Earth News is still around.

Directory of Culinary and Medicinal Herbs. "Discover the exceptional flavors and gentle healing capabilities of more than 40 of the plant kingdom’s finest. This is your one-stop shop for reliable information on cultivating, cooking and healing with these special plants." From Mother Earth News.
motherearthnews.com

Considering a Chromebook?

Where I get much of my info: http://thundercloud.net/infoave/new/255-2/

Considering a Chromebook? I agree with the assessment below. I love the chromebook but for some things I will still need a Microsoft computer and will purchase one after they come to their senses and offer one that is old timer friendly. Apple is for those who like to spend money more than I do. I am taking very good care of what I have...and waiting.

Terry is considering buying a Chromebook
i have many questions about my XP--and decided i am too old and set in my ways to learn 8--or 7 for that matter-(had it once but took it off and had XP put back in)--(so very many of my purchased software would NOT work with 7)-can i still use my email (earthlink.net) on a chrome book?

With EarthLink can I use their web based mail box or download it INTO my PC--i am considering your suggestion for a chrome book---i could keep all 3 of my computers , all running XP , off of the internet-- -hopefully i could then transfer info between the PCs and chrome book--using one of those stick things---or with the external hard drives---do the chrome books accept the use of the externals and sticks?--(do they have USB ports ?)-considering having you do your "thing" with moving IE to chrome OS--and adding new virus---your price for that service?---sure would hate to loose or make inoperable all of the stuff that i have collected using IE if i do decide to go with the chrome book?

Like most folks---my life is in my computers---and all running XP with IE---!!!!!--crochet-craft patterns saved for years--plus thousands of links saved in favorites and thousands as icons on my desktop--does the google chrome book run PDF files? -PS--am trying to use google chrome instead of IE---truth be told am having an awful time---thank you for your time and answers---Terry.

Our answer
Hi Terry, As an owner of a Chromebook and an Android tablet, I will first admit that I'm not an expert on either. I use both quite often but rarely for business.

First, right at the start, I'll tell you that we don't move things from Windows to Chromebooks with our service -- there really is nothing to move. I'll explain as we go along.

First, you can check any web mail account, including EarthLink, on a Chromebook. You sign in just like you do now. However, it would be super convenient for you to have a Gmail account and set up Gmail to check your EarthLink Mail. To learn how to do this see our article here http://goo.gl/Bd4U8T . It's very easy to do, then you can login to your Gmail account and your EarthLink mail will be there.

The reason why I'm suggesting a Gmail account for Chromebook users isn't because I'm a big fan of Gmail (and I am), but because it just makes sense if you're using a Chromebook to have a Gmail account. Why? Because when you have a Gmail account you also have all other Google services like Google Drive, Google Calendar, Google Chrome Store etc. When you have all the Google services your Chromebook becomes even more useful. For instance, you can create and read Microsoft Office documents like Excel, Word, etc. Chromebooks (at least mine ) come with 100gb of storage space on Google Drive -- this is important because, since Chromebooks are Web-oriented, they have very small storage drives. So you aren't going to have a lot of hard drive space to store files, documents, etc. But with 100gb of Google Drive space, you have plenty of room to store your favorite files.

Chromebooks have USB ports just like Windows computer, they also have HDMI ports so you can connect it to a high definition TV and watch YouTube videos, Netflix, etc. on your TV via your Chromebooks.

You cannot run Windows software on a Chromebook, so you can't move IE to a Chromebook nor any other Windows program. Chromebooks use the Chrome operating system, not Windows, so if you're planning on moving a bunch of your favorite programs to a Chromebook, it's not going to happen. That being said, the Chrome store has a lot of free apps you can use, some of them actually better than their Windows counterparts. You can browse the Chrome store by clicking the Chrome store shortcut on your Chromebook.

I am really not sure what you mean by "sure would hate to loose or make inoperable all of the stuff that i have collected using IE if i do decide to go with the chrome book..." You can't have anything in IE but your Favorites (bookmarks) and these are easily exported into Chrome. In fact, if you have Chrome on your Windows XP computer you can import all your IE bookmarks (Favorites), settings, etc. into Chrome. If you have a Gmail account you can save them and use them on your Chromebook on the Chrome browser.

You ask about cross stitch patterns and icons on your desktop. Desktop shortcuts are mostly shortcuts to the programs you installed, since these are all Windows programs, you can't move them to Chromebook. As far as cross stitch patterns, if they're in a format such as PDF, yes you can read them in Chromebook; Google docs can open PDF files. But if those patterns are for a specific program and can only be opened by that program, you're not going to be able to use the cross stitch program on a Chromebook, because, again, it's a Windows program.

Google Chrome is actually much easier to use than IE. IE has senseless warnings about scripting errors, add-ons, and, probably the worst of all, the stupid Smart Screen filter. Once you learn that all Google Settings can be accessed by clicking the rectangular icon (with 3 horizontal bars) in the top-right hand corner, you'll see how much simpler it is than IE which is actually very difficult to configure due to its arcane "Internet Options" dialog.

But frankly, Terry, I don't think you'll be happy with a Chromebook. It seems to me you're a Windows guy and there's nothing wrong with that. And a good 15" or 17"Chromebook is only going to save you about $50 to $100 over the cost of a Windows 7 computer (yes, you can still buy Windows 7 laptops and desktops). Windows 7 is not a huge leap for Windows XP users. And if you choose, you can get a really great deal on Windows 8 computers (less than $400) and we can make it work just like Windows 7 for you. All you need to do is buy a Cloudeight Direct Computer Care key and we'll set up your Windows 8.x computer to look and work just like Windows 7.

We recommended Chromebooks for people who typically use their computers for checking email, updating their social networking sites, playing games, browsing the Web and looking at and working with digital photos. It's really not going to be something a dyed-in-the-wool Windows user, like you seem to be, is going to be very happy with.

Most of the programs (90%) you have installed on XP will work on Windows 7 (and Windows 8x). And you'll have IE too if that's what you like.

I hope we've answered all of your questions and we've helped you make a decision as to what your next computer will be.

Leo-11 months

25 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About The Web

The Web is celebrating its 25th year in 2014. Very hard to believe!

25 Things About The Web

http://www.webat25.org/news/webfacts

Northbound thoughts

It happens every year and it is called "Hitch-itch". Things wind down in the park, activities taper off and you know before long that you will indeed be northbound. I have made a 'last trip to Mexico' list and a checklist for things to get done before take off. The question this year is how far we will be going north. We think our first days run will take us to Sattler (Canyon Lake) Texas. When we leave the park will hinge directly on the new manager. In the past we have stayed over a few days by paying a prorated fee. But word gets back to us that others have met with a stone wall on this issue with her insisting a full month be paid. That will not fly with us. So we will either be leaving the 31st of March or a week later if allowed to prorate our fee.
Our Canyon Lake friends have made reservations at the Llano City RV Park where we have stayed in the past. In fact we stayed there in October on our way down. Their reservations are for 6 days and we will be doing the same starting April 10th with perhaps a longer stay depending on when Spring breaks in Iowa. It is nice to have a plan in place.

Pole Dancer

Butch is the pole dancer in our house.

March

Two Bits

Two Bits of interesting items from our most recent RV newsletter. One could happen here and the other has happened here...or close anyway.


A 300-acre campground in Welch, Minn., has been closed by court order. Hidden Valley Campground was shut down in a dispute over its sewage disposal system. Owner Cory Axelson said he's sunk more than $400,000 into system repairs, but a judge says his campground is closed until state officials issue licenses for the system.

Police in Mission, Texas, may have broken up a ring of thieves who specialized in stealing Ford F-250 pickups and selling them in Mexico. Police staked out Mission Bell RV Resort in February, where pickups had been previously stolen, and netted four adults and a juvenile who were charged in connection with at least one truck theft.

Saturday thoughts

Yesterday we found out that a former resident of Magnolia Park is back in the area and looking for a place to rent or buy for next season. As it turns out there is not much available but I digress. This person left quite disabled and left paperwork behind, perhaps things she should not have. It was discovered that she had been married and divorced multiple times, like over 10 times. I have heard different numbers but all of them were over 10. When Donn G heard this he stated that apparently she liked to sleep around legally. That tickled our funny bone.
People are starting to leave as they usually do this time of year but I was reading the Des Moines Register this morning and they said a 130 year record for low temperatures was broken last Monday. LAST MONDAY!!! There has to be some changes made before we can in good conscious leave the warmth for the cold so recently brutal.
Butch was in another Pool event today. He finished respectable but not with a medal. He has one more time to play in league play and then it will be just playing for fun the rest of the time.
Till next time!

Sun

Or rather lack of it. In the last computer class we were discussing photos and getting them in the computer. Judy said that she had not taken many pictures this season because the days have been so gray and the weather so crappy that there were not many photo taking opportunities. And right she is.
It has indeed been a very different season and that continues to be true. We are still in a quandary about when we may head north. We are paid up through March. We will be keeping an eye on Iowa's weather trends. We are pretty certain we may spend some time in Llano TX but that too is not set up yet. So as usual March finds us in a state of limbo. We will get it lined up. We always do.

I did take some photos today while on my walk.

To back up a bit on Friday night the Pool league players had a gathering at the Cleavelands on Willow street. Here are pictures from that event.

Tuffy and Char did BBQ Ribs. Big Yum

Wonderful

I had a wonderful birthday yesterday and as I told someone I have had many of them. I hope to have many more.
The night before my birthday we went to the Alamo El Dorado, that is the best one, with our friends Bill and Kay Stilson and Donn and Peggy Gordon and enjoyed another great meal there. Bill Stilson's birthday was on Monday so we were celebrating both events. Great food, great company you cannot beat it.

Then yesterday we met at Bill and Kay's for ice cream and cake, afterwards we went to Denny's so I could get my free breakfast Slam. So my birthday has been nearly a week long event. My friends treat me very well and I am very grateful for them. Life would not be much fun without them.

*

After we settled in for the evening and scanned the TV for something worthy of watching and finding nothing we turned to Netflix. Last summer we started watching the Netflix series "Breaking Bad". There were four seasons of it and as a rule it would not be something I would watch. It is very violent in places. But it is one of the best built series I have ever seen and all very believable. We watch in wonder as this seemingly ordinary family man sinks lower and lower into a very BAD place. Well, we now have season 5 and that is what we are watching. There are 3 episodes left and we are so ready to find out what happens next. This is the final season.

*

In a few minutes I will be teaching another computer class. I need the beginners  to feel comfortable with what they know and we only have 3 or maybe 4 more sessions to make sure that happens.

First Week in March

The first week in March is very fast paced. So much happens here in the first week and everyone is trying to get things done before the big leave for northern climes. This year may be the time to sit tight and wait for warm weather but we are such creatures of habit that I look for many to head out anyway. I wish them the best and safe travels but I do believe we will hold back and watch for a change in the weather patterns in the northland.
Last year we rushed home because we were anxious to get our little bungalow finished up and then we froze our hiney's off for two months before the weather broke in June. So this time I think we will wait for difference in the trends before heading that way.
There has been so much happen in the last couple of weeks that it easy for me to get way behind. Nothing drastic just the usual events. So I will start with just a few minutes ago. Butch came home with a 3rd place win in 8 ball men's doubles. Don Louks, one of my star new computer users, was his partner.

I got my haircut today and my hairdresser Yolanda told me my hair was very soft, like a baby bunny. She tickled herself by saying so. We decided my hair was so soft because it hasn't been processed in any way. One of my blessings is my hair. I cannot say it has ever been a problem for me. I am happy and grateful for that.

Keeping Up with Missouri Great Grands

Here is giggling baby Leo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-kvMz9XVzU#t=60

And here is his sister Elise who went to the high school production of Ariel and loved it!!

Salad Greens

This worked well for me for many years - it's a simple, weed-free way to grow lettuce, spinach and even radishes. Take a 2 cubic feet bag of potting soil (I used Miracle Grow), rumple it around quite a bit to loose the soil, poke quite a few holes in the back side for drainage, then lay the bag on a smooth surface that will allow drainage and not get too hot, and cut out the top, leaving about a 4 or 5 inch border all around. Lightly rake through the soil to even it out and loosen it even more, then carefully, and evenly sprinkle the seeds around. I put my salad green seeds in an old spice bottle with large shaker holes, added some cornmeal, shook it all up to mix well and sprinkled them out of it. I put the cornmeal in there to allow me to see that I had covered the soil evenly. If doing radish seeds or spinach, just make lines the depth mentioned on the seed pack, plant the seeds and cover appropriately. For salad greens I sprinkled a lite covering of soil over the cornmeal and seeds and then spray-misted to water them in. I put my bags on metal sawhorses and grates to make them waist level. This kept the bags off the hot concrete and I didn't have to bend over when cutting my salad. When harvesting, just use a pair of scissors and cut what you need - don't pull the plants out. Same goes for spinach - they will grow back almost magically overnight, and you can't tell where you cut. Spray mist the seeds and plantlings at first when watering, until they are established, then you can water more vigorously as the plants mature. You will probably need to water more often, since the depth of the bags are not as deep as a regular in-ground garden. I just kept mine moist, but not sopping wet.

Jigzone Puzzle

Click on it and waste a few minutes putting it back together

Costco Thursday

Friend Peggy takes a few of her Buds who want to, shopping at Costco. The good news is there are many things I really like that I can only get at Costco. The bad news is Costco Thursdays will come to an end when Peggy makes her way back to Nevada and we make our way back to Iowa.
There is a Costco in Des Moines but it is not practical for us to have a membership there. I think I made it to Des moines twice last summer . The fuel spent to get there does not compute to be a practical thing to do. So I will load up here as best I can on the products I love most and  make the best of it.
My Costco list:
Kirkland Fine ground coffee ( I use half the amount because of the fine grind)
Kirkland Albacore Tuna
Kirkland Chunk Chicken
Quinoa and Brown Rice
Fuji Apples
Boiled Eggs
Sharp Cheddar Cheese
Kirkland Hormel thick bacon (precooked)
and more that do not come to mind readily.

Greene County meets in Texas

The Greene County Iowa people who winter in Texas get together at least once a season and yesterday was the day at Olive Garden in Weslaco. Some of the comments heard; "Worst winter ever" "I have never made so much soup and chili as I have this winter" " Our golf day is on Tuesday and it is always the worst weather of the week on Tuesday" "I hear the frost level in Iowa is 50 inches deep" "I am not going north too early this year". Everyone agrees it has been a doozy of a year and I think that applies to the entire USA. We all still live with hope in our heart for better days to come.
Sunny South Texas has been once again smacked in the face with a cold snap. Just as we think the last one has made its way through another sneaks its chilly toes in the door.

Peggy's Birthday

We helped Peggy celebrate her birthday at the Riverside in Mission Texas. It is on the banks of the Rio Grande River. Later in the day we enjoyed cake and ice cream at the Stilson residence

 There seemed to be some action of some sort on the Mexican side of the river.

 Pecan Bill and Butch looking things over.

 Peggy received wine holders for her birthday...Gee, her friends know she enjoys a nice glass of wine!

Happy Birthday Peggy!!

Country Western Song

Many people can relate to this song. Saw it on Facebook. I thought it was "cute". 'It is hard to kiss the lips at night that chew your as- ... '
Well, you get the picture!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjkLf_X88WM

From Mickey-snow pics

In case we forget what we come south to avoid....

see where the snow is over the fence

this is looking down my sidewalk toward my front deck

this shows the drift between my place and next door

LEMON MERINGUE CUPCAKES

LEMON MERINGUE CUPCAKES!!!!

Lemon Filling:

3 egg yolks (reserve whites for meringue)

3/4 cup granulated white sugar

3 tbsp. all-purpose flour

pinch of salt

3 tbsp. lemon juice

2 tbsp. lemon zest, loosely packed

1/2 cup water

2 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

Cupcakes:

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

3 tbsp. lemon juice

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Meringue:

3 egg whites

pinch of salt

1/4 cup sugar

1) Make lemon filling: In small saucepan over low heat, whisk egg yolks, sugar, flour, and salt; whisk in lemon juice, lemon zest, water, and melted butter; increase heat to medium and, whisking constantly, cook until lemon filling is smooth and thick, about 7 minutes; remove from heat and set aside

2) Preheat oven to 375 degrees

3) Make cupcakes: In medium bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy; beat in eggs, lemon juice, baking powder, and salt; beat in flour until just combined

4) Divide cupcake batter between 12 cupcake liners in a muffin pan; bake 15-16 minutes until center of cupcakes firms up; remove cupcakes from oven and cool 5-8 minutes (do not turn off oven)

5) Meanwhile, make meringue: beat egg whites with salt until mixture begins to stiffen; add sugar and beat until meringue is stiff and forms pretty peaks (don't overdo it)

6) With a sharp knife, remove center of each cupcake (about 1" in diameter), leaving a layer of cupcake beneath cut out; discard cupcake core (or treat the weary baker to a tart little snack); fill cupcake centers with lemon filling

7) Divide dollops of meringue between cupcakes, spreading out to edges and gently tapping with back of spoon to form peaks; return cupcakes to oven and bake an additional 5-6 minutes until meringue peaks are golden brown; remove from oven and let cool 10 minutes; refrigerate an hour or more before serving

Makes: 12 absolutely delicious cupcakes

Slow down

I sent out an email to some of my newbie computer people because I haven't heard from any of them for a few days. The feedback is that they are figuring out things on their own. Good news! For them and me. I did get a bit of a hint that Fridays lesson should be about organizing files and folders. That is something that can get out of hand before you know it as we all know.
Butch has a cold/allergies. I also have a touch of the allergy business. The trees are leafing out and it is always a time that gives our allergies fits both north and south. Butch being the energizer bunny that he is always works through this cold/allergy business. I on the other hand if it is severe curl up in a ball and wait till it goes away. I am not at that point but if I were suffering in the same way he is I would be.
Our friends in Canyon Lake, Terry and Lisa Linder will be picking up our headboard at Ikea for us in the next few days. So that seals our path out of the valley this Spring. We will be going to Canyon Lake for sure. Do not know where from there. That is still an unknown.
My thoughts have been turning in that direction lately but only my thoughts. We went back way too early last Spring and we do not plan to repeat that mistake. We shivered for two months last year. We would have the house this year so we would not be shivering in the moho at least.
So it is time to check in the the Sochi Olympics...
Till next time!

Snow Rollers in Iowa

From an Iowa friend:

This was on Channel 8  KCCI tv in Des Moines tonight.  I had never heard of them.   John the weather man said he has been there for 27 yrs and he had never seen them before.   Guess the wind and the snow have to be just right for them to form.

http://www.kcci.com/news/central-iowa/rare-snow-rollers-form-in-iowa/24524000

Love Janette

Spread the laughter, share the cheer
Let's be happy, while we're here!!

Spring Has Sprung

There is hope. Spring has sprung in Sunny South Texas.

The leaves have returned to the trees and the forecast looks closer to normal

It seems fine having our weather returning to what we are more accustomed to.

WEBSITE OF THE DAY-LibriVox

LibriVox https://librivox.org/. Free public domain audio books for anyone to listen to — on their computers, iPods or other mobile device, or to burn onto a CD. More than 7,000 cataloged works available, and growing. Librivox is a non-commercial, non-profit and ad-free project, powered by volunteers (maybe you?).

Elise in a train hat- Super cute!

Hopeful

The weather moderated a bit today and tomorrow is supposed to be a jewel with temps in the mid 70's with sunshine! Next Tuesday is another dip but then it looks good for 10 days out with temps staying in the 70's. I really feel bad for people coming to the valley for the first time. They are not getting the best view of this very beautiful place and I could see where they would think we were not worth a second look.
We have been in bad weather mode for what seems like ages. I am hoping we can venture out into the sunshine and do some different activities more in keeping with summer...like grilling a burger...or wearing shorts...or watching the bobble heads in the pool. Hopeful...ever hopeful!!

Winter in South Texas

This has been the coldest winter we have ever spent in South Texas. In the olden days the weather is a non-issue. We used to joke about the weather report being all of of 30 seconds long and monotonous. Today the temps did not get out of the 30's. Has that ever happened before? Yes, maybe once or perhaps twice in a whole winter!  We are having to wash our winter clothes far more frequently and many of us did not bring enough with us to last from one wash day to the next. Cabin fever is taking its toll as well. Yes, we can get out and scurry from one building to another but being the warm blooded folk we have become we are very reluctant to do so. Butch and I had a conversation this morning whereby we are toying with the idea of staying here longer this Spring. It is far too early to make that call but it is a seed in the back of our minds.

Butch had a pool league to play in this afternoon and he did not do well. We came to the conclusion that his hands are like ice and being plagued with arthritis form all his winters of outdoor work they simply do not work as well as he would like. He sat with a heating pad on his hands for the remainder of the afternoon and finally managed to get the cold to leave his hands.
I have stayed in most of the day and worked on beading some rings and some computer work. I have on two pair of socks, two shirts topped off with a hooded sweatshirt and I have not once broke a sweat.

So tomorrow I must get out because I have computer classes in the morning. Will anyone show up?

Clean Your RV Windows & Mirrors Super Fast (no window cleaner )

Today is not a good window cleaning day but it could be a perfect video watching day.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egT7FYHlWho

Up North Great Grands

Leo is learning to vacuum very early in life

Elise is working with edible glitter

And Ethan is outside having fun with snow,,,lots of snow!

From Grandpa Gary

Who has no school today and has not had school for most of the week.
View of his deck...

And then...
Gary says...

Got around to editing a pic I took last week. Leo was a little fussy so I thought he might need his bottle early. Next thing I know, he put himself to sleep by the back door where momma left from.

The Days are Full and Busy...

Coffee hour this morning of course and then I came home to get a soup going since our weather has been soup type weather far too often this winter. This next week is predicted to be more of the same. I was short a couple of carrots so I moseyed down to my friend Kay's place to borrow a couple of carrots. The veggie cart was scheduled to be here at 1:00 but I wanted the soup on its way to completion by then. And it was. When the cart arrived I bought 6 very large carrots, 2 very large heads of farm fresh cauliflower and a stalk of celery for $7. I returned Kay's carrots.
Then I helped one of my Apple/Mac people who has Chrome get the Magnolia contacts into her gmail account. That went smoothly and quickly.
Next a 3:00 pm haircut appt with Yolanda. Quick stop at the grocery store for some Crackers for Butch.
Home-
Soup for supper
And then Butch off to the Pool hall and me getting caught up on the computer. And this is how it goes. And here we are!!

Teeter kids go swimming!

The goggled girl-Elise

and her baby brother Leo-now 9 months old

It came to mind...

I took a few pictures for the next directory. They missed this years deadline so I put them in a file named  Magnolia directory 2015. 2015!! Oh my how time flies no matter if you are having fun or not!. It is so hard to believe we are into February already.
This afternoon I went to a friends house and there I was when the cold front came through and dropped the temp by 10 degrees in a matter of a few minutes. I had come without a jacket so I made the return trip in a beeline for home. Missed the second walk of the day. That has happened frequently this season, one of the coolest on record for South Texas.

A house was moved here in the park yesterday and I swear half the park were preoccupied with the process. I was preoccupied with other stuff but my friend Deon did get pictures and will be putting together a smilebox slideshow so keep checking for that.

Costco Thursday!

Peggy is kind enough to take us on a Costco tour, usually on Thursdays. We have a bunch of fun on girls day at Costco. We have a little lunch from all the offerings and sometimes we succumb to temptation and buy into it and other times we pass it by.

Letter to My Grandfather by Colleen O'Brien

Reading my friend Colleen's column is like an early morning walk with her on the bike trail.
In this one she ponders what her grandfather would think of the newfangled stuff we all have now.
Enjoy
http://greenecountynewsonline.com/2014/01/22/letter-to-my-grandfather/#more-2029

Catch up

Well now really, what have I been doing, the answer my friends is the same stuff as I was a week ago. My two brand new baby newbies are coming along at a very fast pace. I said to Sally,"When was it that your Chromebook got here?" The answer is 4 days ago! She is sending email and checking in on Facebook and beginning to be comfortable in doing that. Her hubby Don pretty much has his Kindle Fire figured out and can navigate it almost faster than I can. I doubt that it is a month old. They both have taken off like big agile birds.
Our weather in a word stinks. The trees were coated with ice this morning however the high for tomorrow will be 70+ and I am ready. I haven't had a good walk now for a couple of days.

I was very surprised to get an email from my sis-in-law Keri telling  me that her workplace is switching to Chrome/gmail. She isn't all that crazy about it, of course, because it is always a bit uncomfortable to change. Daughter-in-law Susan wasn't either when her workplace did the same. It has been long enough now  for Susan that I imagine she has figured it all out. I came to Chrome basically because I liked the speed of the browser compared to the other top two-Mozilla Firefox and Internet Explorer.  I kind of doubt that Internet Explorer is still in the top 3 but it might be. It has probably been 8+  years since I last used it. The last time I did use it, on someone else's computer, I found that it had not changed much. Still slower than molasses in January.

So I find that helping others with their computers makes me a bit buggy eyed by the time I get to my own stuff. Oh yes, that reminds me of the 20-20-20 rule for sitting at the computer. To prevent eyestrain you are supposed to take a 20 second break every 20 minutes and look up and out at a point at least 20 feet away. Very good advice-Pass it on.

Now I think I will check in with my "Words with Friends" people and see how bad they are beating me.

Here we go again

The temps are to drop into the 40's and stay that way for a couple of days. I am always so grateful that my interests basically revolve around indoor activities. I love to walk and bike but a couple of days away from those activities are not bad. Now when we get into the 3rd day I start getting antsy.
This morning I wandered over to the pool hall to join the other ladies playing. I had a good time and played well.

I decided to look for a bit of color to add to the blog. It is kind of amazing that when I go back and look at pictures I take, I am whisked  back to that moment in time and I know exactly where the picture was taken, This was taken at the Leo and Keri Brooker house on their patio on the northeast part of their yard.

Now this is freaky. I turned the channel because I was "watching" the public television station but they decided to show a Texas political show so I stayed with public television but a different one and they were covering photographers and asking them how they feel about their photos and what they were thinking at the time they took the shot. My photo above was taken because I loved the color contrast and I am always partial to flowers.

Happened Yesterday...

Admit it. You saw the title and started anticipating something big happening. Sorry to disappoint you. I do not know if you would have an interest in my discoveries of yesterday or not but it is my blog after all.

In my discoveries and rediscoveries of all things Internet helping others is a great refresher course for me. I did an overview of Chrome with a newbie and we were briefly  looking at each of the apps in her Chrome apps collection. It struck me just how much there is to learn! We have only begun on email. Then there are all the things you have to join or sign up for. That is a tedious part of it all. Lining up newsletters and websites of interest and getting them bookmarked so they can be found easily. And then we looked at Youtube and particularly the tutorials. There are many great tutorials on youtube and that is an area I have neglected in my own daily computing. We watched a couple; one on a seed bead bracelet, another on the Kindle Fire for beginners. On the Kindle Fire tutorial I was reminded that you can watch movies and TV shows on the kindle Fire and on Chromebook so we need to take a look at that sometime soon as well. And we have not even touched online shopping and searching. The world is large and there is much to learn for them and me!

And then after all this I went to the pool hall for the mixed scotch doubles league. I think I have won 3 games all season and you play 5 each night. I do not feel I am that bad at it but the numbers say otherwise so may decide enough is enough and stick with what I know. Someone has to fill that bottom of the barrel spot each season but no one wants to be that person. I am sure my partners will  be feeling they have lost when they see me coming if they do not already. Unlike years past I do go practice on Monday mornings. I may stick with practicing.
Butch read his book on Kindle, practiced hitting some golf balls and watched 2 Mexican women sitting in chairs on Mexican TV. Oh, and I am sure he won his matches at Mixed league scotch doubles as I was not his partner.

Cold...again

They said it would be in the low 30's but they were wrong! It was only in the low 40's but I am okay with that. Cloud cover made the difference. We apparently had a nice warm blanket of clouds that kept us toasty warm. Yeah clouds! Never thought I would say that.
For me yesterday was a day filled with computers of one sort or another. I am seeing progress and that is gratifying. One of my newbies said I got much more out of today's class than I did last week. Music to my ears.
Butch played pool in the morning and bridge in the afternoon. They need more bridge players. As it is if someone doesn't show they have to go get them or go home. It takes a commitment to learn to play bridge and not everyone is up for that. Square dancing is the same way. Both are fun activities but you do have to learn the ropes. Some people like to take on a challenge and many are reluctant. Tis what it tis.

Cold snap!

A friend on facebook pointed out that this is our 4th cold snap of the season! We usually have 1 and it usually happens in January or February. The low this morning was 35 degrees!! That is the bad news. The good news is that it will be 75 by Sunday. It has been a roller coaster ride in the South Texas amusement park.



Butch came in 5th in a big pool tournament yesterday. More detail on the Magnolia blog. And I am still immersed in computer business. I need to get some cleaning done but cleaning has never been my favorite choice of activity.
 I have returned to beading in a small way as I have made a few beaded rings.
Just putzing around and having fun doing what we love to do every day. We could not be more grateful for all that we have.

Our lives today...

Our lives today and this season in sunny south Texas have evolved in a way I never thought would happen. Butch is playing very little golf and much more pool. He is good at both of course but one of those two is far less of a strain on a back that has had 3 surgeries. We sometimes see each other in bits and pieces throughout the day and it is working out that we are both okay with it.
My part of busy is largely computer related and it will reach a leveling off once we get everyone who has issues of one thing or another settled. The number of those issues has increased from years past and thus taking longer to level off
I have been playing more pool this season and enjoying it. My skills are improving but still have a long way to go.
I read on Facebook that son Gary and family have suffered with the flu. Gary did not have a flu shot and seemed to have it much worse than Susan who had a flu shot. She was surprised to learn that 35 people have died in Texas from the flu. I told her a lower number but they just reported that the number is up to 35 and they expect it to go higher.  When Butch and I were at Walgreens on Sunday there were people lining up for flu shots. It takes about two weeks for full protection from the vaccine.
I am doing this particular post on the chromebook and run into my first tiny snafu. I have been saving some photos to put on the blog but they happen to be on the Toshiba so not today, Maybe tomorrow.
It is now time for a long winters nap.
Goodnight ya'all

Tiny House

I am fascinated by tiny houses. I think the one we have is small enough but this guys house is really cool too and so much smaller than ours.

http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/21990470?utm_source=Houzz&utm_campaign=u423&utm_medium=email&utm_content=gallery0