A new Word for me

Not the Scriptures, but Microsoft Office which includes Word. When I got my new laptop last year, I took it to the computer guy who had tried to fix my gas powered desk top machine. He, then, transferred all the data from the big one to this new one, including an upgraded version of Office. I was quite pleased when young Steven delivered my freshly loaded laptop and hooked everything back into it. Justin was not called upon to do any of this for me, I had a paid professional on the job! I explained to Steven that I needed the new computer to write my newsletter and such since I did not have any word processing capabilities on the little laptop. Steven reached in his pocket and pulled out a jump drive, and proceeded to load Office on the other computer. Wow! I was ecstatic to be able to do it all, just about, from my bed!


Well, recently, when I opened Word on the bigger computer a warning came up, saying I had only 30 days left on my trial use of Office. Oh no! There was a box for me to enter my 'code' (not another code!!!!) which, of course, I do not have. Yes, I could have contacted Steven to see if he would give me the code, but I suspect this was not, um, the right thing to do. 


In discussing this with Justin, I had looked on-line to see how much it cost to buy my own copy and wondered how I would get it loaded on the little one without buying the downloadable version. I know, I know, too much to think about. He suggested I purchase the software at the store so I would have the back-up disc for installing, and figured if I ever had to update the little laptop, I could simply enter the 100 character code. Okay, I exaggerate the length of the code, but the little laptop has no place to insert a disc to download it so would be updated via the code---we think!


I went yesterday to Office Max, as I had only one day remaining on my 'trial basis'. When Justin came home from helping his father, he wanted to take a rest but I coaxed him into loading it for me. He HATED to do because it seems I had the top-of-the-line version in place and the one I bought was closer to the bottom. My needs are really simple in that regard. 


Justin had to uninstall what was yet in place, and install the lesser-quality version, which totally galled him! "But, Mom, on Publisher you could make origami swans and write stuff on their wings...." Yeah, I am all about that...and he is all about the bells 'n whistles. I so appreciate his help, believe me, and have to understand his passion for the upgrades! And he did get his rest before Trivia!
                                          
Monday Justin asked me to force him along when I left for Ladies' Group and drop him at the gym. I can wrestle him into the car, right? I said I would and told him I'd be at church at least an hour and a half, plenty of time for a work out. When he came home, he said I did not have to force him after all. He spent part of the day 'weight lifting' at the office, apparently stacking desks in the extra space. Why stack desks? There is going to be yet another 'yard sale' at the end of the month, selling the remaining office equipment and furniture. He stacked the desks by himself, so, yes, that was quite a workout!


At Ladies' Group, we had two extra ladies who came in response to an effort to get more interest in our group. I had made invitations (not origami ones!) with a Valentine-theme to hand to those not normally coming. It was also noted in the Flock Talk. Michelle used to be a member of GS years ago, had moved with the Navy, and then got orders back to Jax. Terri T. was the other 'guest' which was also nice. Judy C. made heart-shaped cookies, formed in a deep-dish cookie mold. Oh, my! Were they ever delicious!!??


Jean brought a lovely plant to offer as a door prize, which was won by Ellen, who had announced how she murders plants, prior to the drawing. Jean almost wouldn't let her take it home! I had to leave sort of quickly as Justin was making our dinner and didn't want to have him wait too long, but Judy packed up some cookies to-go. Justin got none of them!


He entertains himself nicely with his video games and declines my offers to help him put his clothes and such away. Hint, hint! His friends on the other side of the river are busy on weeknights with work, classes, or other activities. Weekends he generally does stuff with them but this past one he went over on Sunday after church for movies and football.


Saturday he shuffled some stuff around in the other guest room but much remains to be done to make it habitable. I have some house-guests coming next month and though they have been made aware of the now tight quarters, we should still make every effort to make sure they are comfortable. 


A choir is coming down from WI Lutheran College next month also, appearing at Victory on a Thursday night. Guess Judy C. and I will be missing BIC. I suspect Pastor will wish to go as well. The secretary there gave me 10 tickets to distribute to our members at GS but already I am out of them! Hopefully she give me a few more tomorrow when I go for Bible study. Love to know so many from GS are interested in this event. It's been a long time since we've had anyone come down this way, I guess it costs too much to venture so far from home!

An en'light'ning conversation

“..they will try anything to push their secular agenda down the throats of the religious community..” Boy, this made me sit up and take notice! I was ‘watching’ my radio show and heard this horrific declaration made by a guest on the program, the spokesman for the Catholic League. He was speaking in regard to the battle being waged against the edict from HHS requiring religious hospitals and medical facilities to provide “services” contrary to their doctrine. Nancy Pelosi, herself an R.C., said, “But we have to pass the Bill so that you can find out what is in it, away from the fog of controversy…” Controversy about contraception, and also abortion. Um, yeah, that’s a good idea, Nancy, and, now, according to Rev. Wright, “the chickens are coming home to roost!”

A letter was composed at ‘headquarters’ for all priests, bishops, chaplains, etc. of the Roman Catholic faith to read to their parishioners explaining the church’s position on this matter. That’s fine, except that the Dept. of Defense stepped in and forbade the chaplains to read the letter. Oh oh! Might that be construed as government interference in the church? Who ever saw THAT coming?? All the soldiers swear to protect and defend the Constitution which speaks to religious freedom, and yet, the chaplains are barred from reading the letter. Hmmm…A variation on the famous Niemoller quote from the late 1930’s: “When they came for the Jews, I said nothing because I am not a Jew. When they came for the Catholics, I said nothing because I am not a Catholic; but when they came for other Christians, there was no one left to speak for me.”

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My breakfast this late morning consisted of two leftover mini-subs from the Super Bowl party. Judy had made them and left a couple for Justin to take for lunch. He forgot them twice so now, they are mine! Monday at Bible study, one of the ladies asked how the party went, wondering if it was standing room only. Judy and I laughed, reporting that only 4 people were there. The ladies were stunned, and said they didn’t come because they thought it would be too crowded!!! I should have posted a sign-up sheet, I guess. 


Monday night the same remarks were made. Though it was not how I planned it to be, I am quite happy with those who did come and the great food we enjoyed! Amber, our prospect/friend, came over after Judy called to tell her there was plenty of room for her. Amber doesn’t like crowds, so no worries!

While Amber was here, her first visit, she kept saying, “You could have some mean parties here…” I assured her that usually I do have a larger crowd and have plenty of room for entertaining. She said she remembered ‘my’ parties in the past and I told her I was glad she back in my realm again. I hated it that we lost track of each other when her spouse stopped working for us. So glad that Judy told me that she worked with her at Moosehaven, and now, we go to church and BIC together!

After the Tea on Saturday, Justin and I cleaned the chandelier which badly needed attention. First I tried using the compressed air to push the dust out but that did no good. Simply wiping the cups on the fixture would not do it either, so Justin must dissemble it in part for me to wash the cups in the sink. We have a fairly good system, having done this about twice a year since 2007. However, this time, it was different---when it came to rotating the fixture to remove the bowls, the yellow one tipped right off the bracket!

It seems some Super Glue might be needed to secure the clear ring which supports the cup to the clear ring, attached to the arm. He had not touched it yet, but it tipped off anyway. Now, it would seem to me it was already detached, which leads me to think one of the housekeepers might have had an encounter with this and knocked it loose. The cleaners I ‘bought’ from Groupon used a vacuum cleaner for much of its dusting of fans, etc. and I am guessing this might have loosened the part. Oops!

Not having time to make the long-term repair, he asked me if I had anything in my scrapbooking supplies to hold the cup in place for now. YES! I had some blue tack which he applied between the cup and clear ring, hardly noticeable, and it held! Boy, that was pretty upsetting because I don’t know how ‘we’ would get that repaired otherwise, short (ha, ha, electrical humor!) of taking the fixture down and having it repaired by a glass artist, I guess. Such an artist repaired one of the flowers which serve as a center-piece on the dining room table. The repair is not visible at all! Perhaps the blue tack will stay in place for the rest of my days!

Before I left for the Tea event, I told Justin we would take care of that chandelier when I got home. He muttered, “That thing is more trouble than its worth…” and I corrected him immediately. It is of great value, if nothing else, it warms my heart! To remind you all---I had seen this chandelier hanging in a Murano glass shop in Florence, Italy when on a cruise with the Nichols’ ladies and fell in love with it. However, there was no place for such a fixture at the lake house, so I left it behind.

In 2006, after moving to this home, I took Justin on a cruise for his graduation, and we went to Florence. Instead of touring the Santa Croce and seeing those famous graves of Michaelangelo and Rossini, we went in search of the shop. In my mind’s eye, I knew exactly where it was, but in reality, I did not. He was relentless and eventually found the shop. And there it was!!! I am sure we surprised the shop clerk by being so decisive when it came to buying it. The price was less than I remembered and I was happier than I ever imagined!