Soon and Very Soon

Found out this last weekend that I did not lose my hard drive!!! Now moving forward to get a new screen - don't know whether to send it back to Gateway for $200 or just try to get a new one here locally???

What Am I Going To Do????

The other night I fixed some bacon - breakfast for dinner meal - and was sitting down in the living room with my laptop plugged in and sitting on my coffee table when all of a sudden my smoke alarm went off in my kitchen ( I mean, I had finished cooking!) - well I jumped up and went running out to the kitchen to stop it and caught the cord on my foot and pulled the laptop off onto the floor.

I finally got up the courage and opened it up and it looks as though someone had taken a hammer to the screen and broke it up internally. I have to take it to my son-in-law and have him plug it in and see if I've lost my hard drive. Still haven't done it because I'm chicken. the mfg. says they'll fix it for $200. No - I didn't back it up - though I've been talking about doing it - nice!

I've had time for reading and read a wonderful book by Elizabeth Goudge. The Scent of Water. another blogger told me about her. She is an English writer and I have more of her's to read thanks to the public library.

Hope to be up and "running" soon!

A Special Lunch

I have been visiting my daughter, Lauren, and her family in Washington, DC this week and I'll be staying through until Monday (the joy of not having to be at work on Monday morning!). This has been so much fun spending time with my three grandsons, talking and hanging out with Lauren and April (my fourth daughter that lives in DC also) - Monday, April and I went to the Botanical Gardens and the National Gallery of Art!

Anyway - today when I took my three yr. old grandson upstairs to read stories to and to settle him down for a nap (yes, I dozed off too) - when I came back downstairs my daughter, Lauren, had fixed this salad plate for me - it was so beautiful I just had to share it - plus she has just given me a tutorial on how to download the photos off my camera - save them on my laptop - and how to post them to Facebook and my blog!!!

This Christmas I was given an ipod and a webcam - so watch out all you "techies" (?) because I am marching into the next century!!!

The Last Day

Today was my final day!!! I am fighting a really bad cold but went in to work anyway for my last day and my exit interview - any other day I would have called in sick - and I don't do that to often. Ended up staying until 4 p.m. trying to leave everything in good shape for my team. Can't wait for tomorrow morning knowing that it is finally over and I am free from all the stress and worry!

Free - Free At Last!!!

Yesterday I was informed that I was being laid off at work and that my actual last day at the newspaper will be on January 4th - my 11th year anniversary of working at the newspaper.

I know God has answered my prayer and I am so peaceful about this next chapter in my life - I cannot wait to see what is going to happen next! The way it has worked out is that Friday will actually be my last day of work because I had scheduled two weeks of vacation and that has to be honored because I scheduled it before the termination notice was given to me!

The next few days I am trying to get "my ducks in a row" as my mother-in-law would have said so I will be prepared for everything that I have to take care of - unemployment, Social Security (I am eligible), finding out about medical coverage and I am sure the list will get longer! It is an adventure and I am ready for it to begin!

Additional Thanks

Two major problems were solved at work - found an email list that I was missing and the designer from the newsroom volunteered to put the wedding announcements "on the page" each week. That last one is a major help!!!! I haven't had a good day like this in a long time!

Thankfulness

I've been getting buried under stress, frustration, failure, grief and anger lately and I need to turn it around.

Here is the beginning of my Thankful Monday list:
1. My "Quiet Time" early in the morning with my Bible, Steams In the Desert and the Power of a Praying Parent books.

2. Daughters - four of them - and they love and care for each other and bless me with wonderful sons-in-law and more family.

3. My Mom - 89 yrs old - and still imparting wisdom - and telling me to drive safely everytime I leave her home and sings "Day is Done" for us at dusk.

4. My car - it is old and the hood needs to be repainted - but it runs faithfully and it is all paid for!

5. The home I live in that is just right for me and is affordable.

6. Losing 10 lbs recently.

7. Christmas as coming and so are some of my grandchildren!

8. My laptop

9. Cell phones

10. The people that I work with everyday that are helpful, considerate, and always ready to laugh.