Eaglets and Other Stuff

I have granddaughter duty today while her parents are at work. She's always a pleasure to have around and, while she's here, I tend to get involved in activities that are not usually on my schedule.  I'd like to think that keeps me young but, alas, it just tends to wear me out.  I've heard it said that whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger.  I wish!

She and I have spent an enjoyable few minutes this morning watching the Decorah, Iowa eagle-nesting site on streaming live video.  I was first made aware of this wonderful site three years ago, and followed the hatching of that year's batch of eaglets. 

I missed that wonderful event this year. The three eaglets were hatched on April 2, 3 and 7, and are already peeking their down-covered heads out from under Mom (or Dad -- both parents tend the eggs and young).

Technology is wonderful.  Pay a visit to that site, if you have time. Just wait out (30 seconds or so) the inevitable commercial that precedes the live feed.  It's worth the wait.

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Microsoft XP -- My desktop computer, which I've had for more than a few years, operates on XP, a system which as of April 8, Microsoft is no longer supporting.  Reading all the hoopla and security warnings about continuing to use XP made me uncomfortable about continuing an Internet connection to my desktop. To upgrade to Windows 7 is not a,  simple task and is more than I care to do.  Although I'm backed up through Carbonite, I'd still hate to have any of my files hacked, or to import some horrible virus that would corrupt my hard drive (that's happened -- not a pretty thing!) So, I disconnected it from the Internet on April 7.

Laptop to the rescue!  Two years ago, I purchased a laptop computer which operates on Windows 7, a system which will continue to be supported by Microsoft for several years -- probably until after I'm dead and gone, if the truth be told. I will continue to work on my desktop sans Internet connection, transferring information to my laptop via Flash Drive as needed, and use the laptop for my Internet activities.

That's all, for the nonce.  Tomorrow is also a day.

I'm baaack! Yay!

After many trials and tribulations, my computer is not only cleaned but polished, as of about 2 hours ago.  I would have posted here a little sooner but, as fate would have it, our neighborhood experienced a power blackout!  Just call me "jinxed."

It will take me days (weeks, even) to try to make even a cursory exploration of the posts on my favorite blogs that have occurred during my lengthy absence, besides which I have to rebuild my favorite feeds, which will take some time.

So, dear blog friends, if you are reading this, please know that I haven't forgotten you, and will be around to visit you as soon as possible/practical.

Happy Spring!

Neither Gone nor Forgotten, Thank You

Thanks for your various inquiries into my well-being, etc. I truly appreciate those who have missed me.

I'm posting this from my church's computer. Someone, who unfortunately is anonymous, has sent me something that contained a Trojan Horse virus. I suspect it was through my Outlook email, which is currently unavailable to me -- blocked off completely by my antivirus program. Where was this wonderful program when the nasty thing came into my inbox? Inquiring minds want to know. I've run a complete virus scan on my hard drive twice, and something is still sitting there, gloating over my distress.

Although my computer has not "crashed," all is NOT well. I'm trying to preserve those of my photographs which had not yet made it to the flash drive, and can only hope that is successful. Unless some computer guru (which I cannot afford to pay at present) can successfully remove the whateveritis, I fear that my hard drive will have to be reformatted. I HATE THAT! (please excuse my shouting, but I feel it is warranted in this particular case.)

Other than having computer problems at home, I've been busy with year end church work which will soon come to an end.

I'll try to post to the blog when I can have access to someone else's computer, so posting will most likely be sporadic until my mess is cleared up.

As a famous general once said (and I DO know who it was) "I shall return."

More, later... probably much later.

I'm Back! - Post 23

Hallelujah! The new computer is up and connected to the rest of the world. I still have some mundane software to install but... I have quickly visited all my favorite blogs and have put them back into my FEEDS. That, in itself, took well over an hour. Do I have too many feeds, you ask? I don't think so! Ha! (Yes, I had the good sense to write down the URLs for all of them from my other computer.)

For some reason, the sites I visited look different on this computer. I'm using the same Operating System, same monitor, and the same settings as far as I can determine. I don't know what's caused the difference; I'll adapt.

I invite you to visit Rhymes with Plague to see what a wonderful post he created today using my Sky Watch photos this week. If you like beautiful music at all, please follow his link to the YouTube recording of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Wonderful, wonderful!

I'm about ready to study the inside of my eyelids for a while. Good night to all! See you later.