OT - I`ve been missing...

Hi everyone!

My computer died and Im still trembling...trying not to be stressed. All my old family photos were stored there and over 3000 original mandalas.   Back Up.... yes, well some is....alot is not..my bad!

Fortunately my five mandala colouring books are on another IBS stick hard drive.  Derek put my tower into my trunk and off I drove to the Computer Hospital Emergency...the doctors are looking at her now....I will hear the diagnosis by Monday afternoon. Its going to be a lonnnnnnggg weekend!

Fortunately, Derek is working nightly...his BOUNCER job...each night as well as his daily work on his snowplow business so after he leaves for work, I can sneak down now to use HIS computer.  His mouse is very anal-retentive, I swear,...darned thing sticks repeatedly.

We have had well below zero temps all week with severe high winds that cut right thu anything you wear.  Even the ole red flannel longjohns cant keep my jiggly butt warm...thank goodness for the HEATED SEATS in my Buick or I`d NEVER go pout.

Mom continues to amaze me at how well she is doing now at her new assisted living home..I am SO relieved!  Yesterday I took her winter coat and boots so that she could go on a tour of the Festival of Lights in Niagara Falls and along the Niagara River...its an annual tour..the colours are amazing! ` The `chair van has a `lift`for her wheelchair and she doesnt have to climb ANY steps at all.  

She says that she wants to learn new crafts!  This from a 90 yr old woman who was ready to give up and die just a month ago!

Ive spoken with the kids and they agree that, since Gramma cannot handle all the stairs (we have a split-level) at our house, that as long as Gramma can handle it, we will simply have our Christmas dinner TOGETHER at a local restaurant instead of having it at home...Mom just cannot manage the stairs to get to either of the bathrooms at our house....so everyone is giving up my homemade stuffing (from home baked bread and home grown herbs and veggies), my special orange-cranberry sauce and other favourites so that Gramma can be with us for Christmas dinner which we have Boxing day, December 26th.  I will force myself to relax and let someone else (the restaurant) to cook.

I am also helping organize a Solstice Party for Dec 19th as well as a family party (JBs side) on December 23.  Danny & Amy will come late Christmas morning to exchange gifts and I always have set out `pickies`all day...veggies, dips, cheese balls, quick breads, french toast casserole, croissants, homemade jams and jellies, turkey kolbassa, shrimp rings, meatballs, cheeses, crackers, fruit. That way, no matter when anyone drops in, there is always stuff prepped.

I will do the What Are We Eating  thread when I can get online but anyone can feel free to start it anytime because I wont be consistent til my computer is either ressurected or replaced.

Nancy B on Derek`s computer!

So glad to hear your Momma is adjusting to her new environment.  I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas dinner at whichever restaurant you decide on.  You can alsways do all that hard work and stress to have a big meal at your house on some other day of the year.

I hope once your computer gets home from the emergency room, you consider getting a program that will automatically back-up important things onto an external hard drive.  I'm rather anal myself, so I have it backed up weekly onto an external hard drive and then, once a month I put all my genealogy stuff and pictures on CDs and put them in the safe.  It's fire and water proof!

Grammylew