Hobbit-ish Potpurri: The No-Good-Very-Bad Week

Hey Humble Readers...

I totally didn't intend to fall off the face of the earth this week.  But circumstances alter cases, and here I am.  About the only good thing about this week has been the weather... lots of sunshine and warmer temps.  When I say warmer, I mean that we are actually hanging out around the freezing mark. 

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Hard on the heels of the yeast beast (which was something I would be super thankful to NEVER EVER have to deal with again), AF showed up.  She was a couple of days early.  I'm wondering if the yeast infection or perhaps the meds contributed to her early arrival.  And yes, she was her usual bitchy self.

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GG is going downhill very quickly.  My aunt flew from Manitoba to K-town this morning.  Mom has been basically living at the nursing home.  We aren't anticipating that she will make it through another week.  We have looked into the cost of flying, but given that we now have to pay for a full price ticket for Ginny, it would be about $1200 and then having to pay for a rental car while we're out there.  It looks like when GG passes we'll be driving, which my Beloved isn't thrilled with the idea.  12 hours through the mountains in the winter.  Not going to be a fun trip. 

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Pippin has been teething hard this week.  But at least we are seeing some results.  He cut his fifth tooth last night. 

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So, remember how we just got my lousy Dell computer back from the repair guys, just a couple of weeks ago?  Well, I had just gotten all my programs reloaded, downloaded and organized all my photos from picasa, and reset all my bookmarks.  Then yesterday happened...

Ginny spilled water on my laptop.  Or rather, she caused me to spill water on my laptop.  I had just sat down on the couch with a full glass of water, my laptop open beside me.  I was looking at Pip and didn't see her dashing over to plow into me.  The glass in my hand went sideways, and about a third of it landed on my laptop keyboard.  I had to disentangle myself from Ginny before I could attempt to do damage control and I think that was my downfall.  I managed to power the computer down, but the screen had already gone black and I heard some of those sickening crackling sounds.  I left it to dry out overnight, and when I tried it this morning it worked for a minute or two before it crackled again and crashed.  The question before us now is do we dump another bunch of money into having it repaired for a third time in the last 10 months, or do we write it off and try to figure out how to work a new one into our budget. 

In the interim, I'm using my Beloved's new laptop when he's not home.  It's a tad frustrating because it runs windows 8 (not bad, just different) and a differently laid out keyboard (the shift key is tiny!). 

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I want to leave you with something to make you smile, seeing as all the rest of this has been pretty whiney. 

Ginny & Shadow-Girl

 

One thing I forgot to include in my January post about Ginny was her relationship with her "Shadow-girl".  She first discovered her shadow last summer when the evening sun would shine through our kitchen, but as the summer faded, so did shadow-girl.  Around Christmas time, Ginny found her shadow-girl again, this time on our dining room wall, and started talking to her.  Usually just about her toys or dinner, but it became fairly common.  Then she started giving her shadow-girl smooches and hugs.  She's tried to show Pip his shadow-boy, but he's just not interested.  

Hobbit-ish Potpurri: News & Updates

Hey Humble Readers...

Well, I'm back.  Beauregard the laptop is back in my posession and is actually running better than what it did when I first got it.  I got the computer back a couple of days ago, but because they had to completely wipe the hard drive, it's taken me some time to get things back to the way I like them.  Thank heaven I had backed up all the pictures on Picasa.  And the computer tech guys were able to save the files that I was most concerned about losing from my writing and my plethora of lists!  Yay!

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My Beloved's first few days at his new job have gone well.  He says it's a much more professional environment than he's been accustomed to.  And it's a rather posh office... a newly built building with granite countertops in the bathrooms and a water feature in the reception area.  Still in the dark on the medical benefits (which is one of my main concerns) but all in all, he seems happy and excited about his work.  A couple of little bummers... he has to leave a half hour earlier in the morning, and he can't come home for lunch any more.  I miss that little bit of adult conversation in the middle of the day and he misses seeing the wee-lings.

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My mom has had a bit of a health scare.  (Just a reminder that my mom is a 6 time cancer survivor - cervical, uterine, lung, melanoma, lymphoma, lesions on her brain)  One of her past cancer issues was a melanoma on her forehead by her left temple.  A month ago she found a small spot on her forehead on the right temple.  Given her history, her doctors didn't want to mess around, and so yesterday they removed the spot.  It was a little over 4mm, and it was sent for further testing.  I've been able to keep my concerns in check until today, because I found out that her main doc wants to see her on Monday morning.  Part of me knows that it's likely just to check on the incision and possibly remove the stitches, but I'm still anxious.  I know that she absolutely doesn't have the emotional reserves right now, with everything going on with the divorce, to deal with a full on cancer battle again.  DOESN'T SHE DESERVE A BREAK?!?!

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I'm hesitant to say this, but I think we may be past the sleep regression situation.  At least for the time being.  We changed up the bedtime routine a bit.  Ginny and Pippin both go to bed at the same time now.  We do teeth brushing, stories, and prayers together now, whereas before we would put Ginny down first and then put Pip down an hour or so later.  We are doing a modified version of Ferber (I think that's the name of it anyway), where one of us will go in and comfort him a bit every 10 or 15 minutes if he's fussing.  In the last couple of days we've only had to go in twice.  I was just so hesitant to do that, because I didn't want his crying to upset Ginny's sleep (and I really don't like CIO), but my Beloved was adamant that we give it a try... and it's worked.  And it seems like Ginny's settling a little quicker now too. 

QUESTION:  Have any of you found that your baby had a tough time learning to self soothe if they didn't learn to suck their thumb?  (we don't use pacifiers either) 

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Goals for 2013 Update:  I'm well into my third book of the year already.  I'm very happy that I've gotten such a good start on my reading goal for the year.  Other goals have been very slow to start.  I have been better with my line-a-day journal, but my weightloss has plateaued at 19.6lb down (since November).  Workouts have been pretty much non-existent (hence the plateau), but I have booked an appointment for a hair cut tomorrow (my first since last April).  And I'm planning on colouring my hair next weekend.  Potty training... oh heavens... I am so lame.  I am going to get on that on Monday.  My daily to do lists have remained unaccomplished mostly for the last couple of weeks, but I'm allowing myself some slack there because of Pippin's sleep issues for the last two weeks. 

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What's been the highlight of your week so far?

Memorable Moment Monday & Opinions Needed

Hey Humble Readers...

I hope that your Labour Day (if it's Labour Day wherever you're at) is shaping up to be a nice one.  Ours has been pretty good so far, as we have been able to get a few thing accomplished that have been nagging on me. 

Sorting Ginny's clothes

I was able to go through both Ginny & Pip's wardrobes to pack away things that no longer fit or are no longer seasonal while my Beloved took Ginny to the park.  Pippin is pretty well set for clothes for the next six months, and all I need to get for Ginny is a couple of pairs of jeans and one or two sets of pjs. 

Pip's first nap in the crib

Soon it will be time to move our wee little mister from the cradle in our room, into his crib in the nursery.  I'm hoping that the transition will go smoothly for both he and Ginny.  The nursery is small, so we don't have much room to work with in terms of layout and I confess I'm a bit concerned about having the cribs side by side.  We'll see how it goes.

(Posted as part of PAIL Bloggers' Memorable Moment bloghop.)

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Ok... anyone know much about computer viruses?

I have known that Beauregard (yes, my puter has a name) has been suffering with a virus for some time now.  Back in the spring, I went for a couple of days between the end of my free trial of McAfee that came with this computer when we got it and when we were able to load some new software, and I'm pretty sure that's when it hit.  I know it's got some elements of a redirect virus (I've had one of those before) along with pop-ups (some of which are nasty).  Particularly irksome is the fact that the anti-virus software I have doesn't recognize that there's a virus on my computer. 

Anyway, today the sound has just stopped working on my computer.  Headphones don't work, speakers don't work.  Is it possible for a virus to mess with the sound? 

I don't use sound a lot, but Ginny watches youtube clips of Sesame Street on this computer and Elmo without his voice just doesn't cut it. 

I know I need to take Beauregard to the computer doctor, and the thought of that actually makes me kind of sick to my stomach because of the cost.  But I don't want to let this go any longer and cause more problems.  Ugh... and just the idea of being without my computer for a week is icky!

Hobbit-ish Potpurri: Not Much Going On

Howdy Humble Readers...

I hope you've all had a good week.  Things around the hobbit-hole have been pretty quiet.  Honestly not much going on worth talking about, and my brain is mushy with tiredness and pregnancy-brain.

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I've been fixated on those really yummy Mil.ano cookies (the mint ones of course) and I've been trying not to think too much about them.  I used to buy them for special occassions when I was in college, but I haven't had any in years and years.  The kicker is, I can't get them around here.  I don't know for sure if you can even get them at all above the 49th parallel.  I know I shouldn't have them anyway (wretched GD), but dammit, I can't stop thinking about them.  If you are in Canada, and know where I can get some, PLEASE tell me... I promise I'll be good.  I won't get any until the middle of May.  I promise!

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I haven't heard from Dell at all since the initial calls on Tuesday morning.  I still haven't loaded anything on this computer since Monday night.  It's really annoying.  There is a little part of me that's hoping that they'll just let me keep this computer, but I doubt that will happen.  I'm just frustrated that I still haven't heard a damn thing.

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I had an appointment this morning with Dr. W.  It was exceptionally short.  Pee in a cup, check the bp (was totally fine, no change in my meds... doc said not to worry about swelling unless it's accompanied by other pre-e symptoms), check the weight (got a finger wagging), quick glance at him/her on Dr. W's ultrasound... enough to find out that the Halfling is breech.  That's right, what I've been thinking was the Halfling's hiney under my ribs is actually his/her little head.  It doesn't really matter, as we are going c-section for sure anyway. 

The one thing that she mentioned during the appointment, that I didn't really think much of at the time, but now I'm wondering... she mentioned that she's going to send me for a consult with the anesthesiologist.  The last time I had to do that was when I went under general anesthetic for my hysteroscopy (polypecotomy and D&C).  I'm wondering if this is just precautionary, or if she's planning on me being completely out for the c-section.  I hope it's just the former.  I WILL be asking at my next appointment.

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My Beloved lost an aunt this week.  She was 85, I think.  We've been so focussed on my Grandma (she appears to be doing better... and I'm very thankful for that, for so many reasons, not the least of which is that my parents are scheduled to leave for their 25th anniversary cruise in 5 days), that we totally didn't see this coming.  He wasn't particularly close with her, but still, it's jarring to say the least.  We're still debating if he will go to the funeral or not on Monday.  

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I'm trying to come up with some really groovy, unifying theme for my posts for the A to Z challenge.  Food?  Fictional characters I relate to?  Pet peeves?  Books I want to read?  Places I want to travel?  Any thoughts or suggestions?

Frustration

Hey Humble Readers...

So if you read yesterday's post you know that I was soooo excited to get my new laptop. 

Fast forward to 7:45am today... (keeping in mind that my body decided that three and a half hours of sleep was enough and woke me up at 3am.  I finally dozed off again on the couch after 6:30).

I got a call from some guy in Toronto saying that he got my computer delivered to him.  WTF?  No, my computer is right here.  Thanks so much for waking me up, butthead!  (can you tell that a tired hobbit is not a happy hobbit?)  He made some comment about having gotten a free computer and I suggested, none too politely, that he should call Dell and learn about time differences.  I tried to go back to sleep, but I got stressed out about possibly being double charged on our credit card for this 'mistake' computer. 

Less than an hour later, I get a call from Dell, asking me to read a number off my computer.  I do so, and it turns out that I do in fact have the wrong computer.  Again... WTF???  It looks exactly like the one I ordered, and geez, forgive me, but I didn't read through all the paperwork that comes with the computer that said it had more memory and a couple other do-dads that I hadn't ordered or paid for.  I don't want what I didn't pay for, but you'd think that a company the size and reputation of Dell could get an order for a simple basic laptop right. 

So, I've already been setting this computer up to my needs.  I have passwords on things.  I've loaded a bit of software, although thankfully no pics yet. 

They (being Dell) are arranging for pick up of this unit, as well as the one that butthead in Toronto got.  SOoooo I *should* have *my* computer sometime in the next week.  Again, I ask... WTF????  Yeah, I can continue to use this one until the pick up is arranged, but don't load any more software and certainly remove anything that I don't want someone else to have access to.  Because this computer is NOT going back to Dell.  It's going directly to the butthead in Toronto. 

So, this means no monthly Ginny update today, and no Foodie post on Friday. because I don't have pics.  This means that I have to go through and delete things and remove the software that I've already installed. 

I'm irked, frustrated, and pissed off.  Can you tell?

Introducing Beauregard

Hey Humble Readers!

I just wanted to say a quick thank you to everyone who commented on yesterday's post.  I needed every word you guys said.  GG is holding steady today and, while it could change in a heartbeat, it looks like she may pull through yet again. 

In other news, Beauregard, my new laptop arrived today!!! Yippee!!  (Yes, I'm one of those freaks who names inanimate objects.)  I am adjusting to what feels like a huge screen and a full size keyboard.  It's like having to learn to type all over again. 

Now I need to spend some time trying to remember all my bookmarks and favourites, and upload my pics and software (which is going to be so much easier than on the netbook... this computer has a disk-drive!!  Amazing, isn't it?)

Anyway, I hope you're all having a great Monday.  What was the highlight of your day?

March ICLW - If I Had A Gazillion Dollars

Good Morning Humble Readers... and ICLW Visitors...

The last day or so has been a bit stressful around the hobbit-hole.  First, we got a bill in the mail from the taxman yesterday.  After some colourful language and some digging, we discovered that one dollar amount got put in on the wrong line on my tax return from last year... **sigh** Presto, we owe the government $300.

Second, when I woke up this morning, I went to fire up my trusty little netbook, and sadly it had decided to give up the ghost sometime during the night.  It's old (for a netbook) and tired, and it's not really worth repairing again (thankfully nothing too tragic will be lost).  So, before breakfast, we had spent another chunk of money that we hadn't planned on to order me a new laptop.  It's just a basic Dell, but it will serve my purposes.  And keep us both sane as we DO NOT share a computer well.

Combine all that with the fact that it's been a while since I've done a fun little intro for ICLW (and if you are wondering what those letters mean, click on the groovy little green box in the column to the right.  Mel explains it best) and, I thought I would play one of my Mom's favourite games... "If I won the lottery" 

If I won a gazillion dollars in the lottery, I would...

• set up an endowment/trust for our church
• pay off our debts
• buy us a new house (nothing too big... A 3-bedroom townhouse or half duplex with a finished basement and a big beautiful kitchen.  If money were really no object, I might go bigger, so long as we could hire a maid.)
• set up college funds for both Ginny and the Halfling
• buy us a second car
• Take my parents and my MIL on a nice trip.  New Zealand, maybe?
• Take this trip with my Beloved.
• Take the children to Disney World (when they're bigger)
• Hire a genealogist to help me track down my family tree
• Possibly get bariatric and lasik surgery... maybe
• Get my Beloved and I brand new groovy computers, cameras, and cell phones

What would you do if you won the lottery?

Technical Difficulties

Hey Humble Readers...

I had a great post planned for today, but my comment section is going really wonky and attempting to fix it has taken away any of my creativity.  Not to mention patience. 

I hope all is well in your neck of the woods. 

I'll write something worth reading tomorrow.

Frustration

So, I'm trying to upload a slideshow using the blogger widgit... and it's driving me nuts! I've been at it for more than two hours and I can't get it to work. I have a bunch of pictures I want to share, but it's too many for a single blog post...

anyone have any ideas?