Uploading !!!!!!!!

Dear Becky,

              I am writing this blog to you because you always enjoyed hearing about my endeavors with the computer and usually laughed all the time you were getting me out of the mess i had created.

              I am trying to learn how to put pics on the computer so I can put some of them out online for the family.Last night I put a sd card in the computer and saw that it had over 350 pics on it, from different occasions during the year. I thought, "I can  put them in folders, according to the different occasions", thus be able to find something I want to look for much easier.

            I made 3 folders and could not figure out how to put the pics in them. Just the Adam came in from where ever he had been, so against my better judgement, I asked him for some help.He began his usual  act of hitting keys, mumbling words and saying "I'm not sure how this works". Finally, after about 10 minutes of this rapid demonstration, he announces, there, that's how to do it. He lost me on the first minute of the lesson. I did catch on to the fact that I must name the folder and the check all the pics I wanted to go in it and then drag all the pics at the same time to the correct folder, so I guess he did help me in his own way.
              That dragging and dropping thing is what was never explained to me in terms that I understood, so armed with this new and valuable information, I attempted to make a folder. The first group of pics I wanted to enfolder only had 5 pics in it. After 2 tries, I was overjoyed to find I had achieved my goal.I went on and made 3 or 4 other small folders.
              I was now ready to tackle the big folders.The first one i wanted to put together had 64 pics to go in it. Not knowing any other way to do it, I went down the list and checked all 64 pics.  I tried to drag it to the folder   and in the normal scheme of things in my life, something happened!!   They did not go into the folder but magically doubled each photo so that I now have 128 pics.I must say the computer is very nice about it as it marked "copy" after each copy made.So trying to fix the problem I noticed that I had made copies of the" copies" on about 5 of the pics.  Now I am up to 132 pics.  I finally figured out that I must check all the copies and tell the computer to delete them, which worked but was very time consuming  because 132 pics is a long list and the original and copy were one right after the other , so that I had to check every other one (except the 5 that I made extra copies of, had to check 2 in a row for them)Finally got all the extras deleted, and tried again.   
don't know what I was doing wrong but couldn't get them to drop in folder. Finally tried only 17 of them and it worked. Had to only check 17 at a time to get them in the folder. tried 18 once and it wouldn't take them. I know you would think this  another one of my crazy ideas, but I'm telling you, that's the only way I could get them in that folder.(since then I have made other folders and put as much as 200 pics in them at one time )
                When I finally got that folder made, I only had one more with about 35 pics.Figured I was a whiz by now, WRONG. I did the magic trick again and doubled all 35 pics. So here I go again, deleting every other pic till I'm down to 35 once more. I did get those in a folder before I started screaming.  Wish you could have been here to share. Since it was late at night, I'm sure I would have called you demanding you tell me why this stupid computer wouldn't do what I wanted it to, and I can hear you laughing and saying'"now mom,.......... and leading me right thru the process.
             You would be proud though because I finally learn how to do the things I want to do, howbeit the long way around. Well, I better close now for I'm going to try and make an album......................

Thanksgiving 2011

Thanksgiving, 2011. Just the three of us this year. Adam didn't have to work, so had dinner at noon. Fell asleep on couch Wed. night and woke up at 3. Went upstairs to bed, but couldn'dt go back to sleep for and hour or so. Got up at 6 to put turkey on. Laid down on couch and slept a little.

Finally got up and started the rest of dinner.Gonna keep it simple this year. Put potatoes on, for the mashed potatoes. Went to basement and got jar of green beans, coming back up stairs, saw bag of sweet potatoes, decided to cook a couple. I'm the only one who will eat them, so don't need many.

Found a can of corn to put on later, The only Vegetable Adam will eat. Started peeling apples for the apple crisp. Gonna let it bake while we are eating. Made a sugar free pumpkin pie last night. Had to make two crusts, so have empty crust just sitting there. Adam said he would like it if I made a Butterscotch pie, when I asked him what kind he would eat. Decided to make a home made filling for it. Started getting it together and found I didn't have enough brown sugar and no vanilla.

Called Heather to see if she could bring the needed items, but no answer on phone. She is pulling in drive. Begged Adam to run to store for the ingredients, so he did. Heather brought a pea salad.

Now it is time to start finishing the dinner and I have an apple crisp to finish and a butterscotch pie to put together before I can get it together.I call for Heather to help me. Adam willbe called a little later

I take the turkey out of the oven and Heather proclaimed that the skin looked delicious. ( My kids have eaten all the skin off the turkey when it first comes out of the oven, for years. It is now officially claimed as a "tradition".) Heather begins to take the foil off the turkey to start on "skinning it" when we hear Adam's steps on the stairs. "OH, shoot, states Heather, and I yell for Adam to hurry because Heather is starting on the skin. They then proceed to deskin the bird.They playfully fight over who is getting the best pieces.

The skinning done, Heather proceeds to make the gravy, while I am starting on the potatoes. I have finished the apple crisp and the filling for the pie. Don't know if I let it cook long enough but don't got no more time to spendon it. Into the frig and hope for the best.

oh, don't forget the rolls. Into the oven they go. Adam is now called to get drinks and help put food on table. Hurry up rolls, everything else is ready. Time to eat. Rolls could bake a little longer but they look fairly done so we'll take our chances.

Time to ask the blessing, Adam does a nice job for us. Dig in everyone. Really miss the two people who are missing this year. Guess we always will.Will be thankful when I get to see them again.

Dinner over, Need some rest time before we start on the Christmas tree. So much for keeping it simple this year. May try that stragedy next year. HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!!!!!

Been a long time since I have talked to you, Becky. Lots happened. Allison and tony assumed your loan and are now living in your house. Adam backed into your car before I could sell it and smashed up the front end. I finally sold it to Joseph Osborne for a small amount. He took it "as is" and he really needed one. I have all your possessions in my house. they are everywhere. I'm sorry, but I have to have a sale and get rid of most of it. I bought a hutch and put all your peanut collection in it. Gotta do something with all those pics.
I have finished with the lawyer. The last thing left to do is get your headstone set. We had lots and lots of rain this spring , so they have just gotten the hole dug to p0ur the footer for your stone, but we've had another good dose of rains , so I don't know if they've poured the concrete yet.
Adam went on a three day camping trip this weekend and Heather flew to Chicago "for Heather Boises' wedding' . I am all alone. Sure wish I could give you a call and talk for a while.I think I got broken when you died and I 'll never get put back together again,.I still feel your presence so strong at times my heart almost stops with the pain of wanting you again. I hope I told you enough times , how much I loved you. You were one unique little girl and I'm so proud that you were mine,. Miss you baby girl, all my love. moomaw.

Ice, Ice, Everywhere

Well it is a week and two days since the ice storm and I still have 2 or 3 inches of ice on my driveway. I used to be really scared to try and drive on ice.
It is Friday night (when Heather and I go to Mansfield, find a place to eat and go to the great wal-mart store to buy Heather's week of groceries) So, Heather calls from work, ( she doesn't get off till 5:30 and it takes her 30 minutes to get home) asks me if I'm on for the adventure. After being in the house for three days I am ready to get out. I say, "Call me when you get home." About 30 minutes later she rings me up and says she is home.
I have to find Daisy a treat, put her in the back room, pull her cage up into the doorway,( so she can't get onto any other rooms of the house, where we don't know what we will find when we get back home, if she has been free to wander the whole house) go get my boots and coat on, hunt for my purse for 5 minutes and find it on the kitchen table, (which is right in front of the door I have to go out) . I go to the window, where one of my garage door openers is, and try to open the garage door. I see the door shake but no movement upwards. I try 5 or 6 times with the same result until I realize the door had no chipping done on it on the day Adam and I chipped the driveway for 1 and a half hours to get Adam's truck out of the garage so thus the door on my side of the garage is frozen to the drive.
Fortunately for me I had cleaned most of the ice off the window of the Montana the day I chipped a path to the door to the house. But I hadn't gotten the ice off the wiper blades. My Becky always had a can of HEET with her in the winter and she convinced me to keep one in my car, too. So out comes the can of HEET and I spray those blades( which has about 1 inch of ice left on them) with about a half a can. Hit the wipers and ice flew off the blades with such force that they went into parts unknown.
By now I figure Heather has started wondering where I am, but I am doing my best to get there. IN the car, shift into drive and find out even though there was no ice under the van, it was surrounded by the three inch layer and I was going nowhere. NOw I am parked in the turn around and up against the hedge. By this time I am determined I am going somewhere. I think I can rock It just a little and maybe get it out, for I am NOT going to chip ice at this point. I can only go forward a very little because of the hedge, but it is going. So back and forth about 6 times and then watch out I am going for it and I mash the gas pedal to the floor.Tires burning and spinning and ice sprays all along the side of the van, and then glorious release. I am flying backwards toward the garage at a rapid rate of speed, but I have good brakes and just in time I am stopped. Put the car into drive and off to an evening of adventure with Heather
I have been driving on the three inch ice driveway ever since and I do a really great job even if I do say so myself. I did back too far into the snow bank on Sunday and got stuck up, the garage door on my side was still frozen to the concrete( on Monday I chipped it loose) and thought I would have to stay home from Church, but the memory of my success on Friday tugged at my mind and I prevailed. Once again the tires spun and burned but when you hold the gas pedal down and take your body and rock it back and forth ( this must really help because everyone does it) the vehicle has no choice but to move on down the road. I was not even late for church.
It is supposed to be int the high 40's on monday and the ice will probably melt a lot or maybe all the way. I don't know how long it takes three ichces of ice to melt. My only concern is, will I be able to drive on dry pavement again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A Full Mind

Today is another below freezing day.It is 29 degrees, but that is better than the teens it has been the last few days. Supposed to be 19 on Sunday, whoopeeeee! The cold bothers me more this year. Guess it comes with old age.
My house looks like one you might see on the HOARDERS show. I have brought so much of Becky's things here to go through. No place to put this stuff. Gotta clean it up because I'm doing my Mystery Dinner for some of the people at church. Only have 2 weeks to get this done. I gotta get started.
I have several items to be sewing on. I have a hard time getting in the groove of doing things. I need to make myself start doing these things and get my life back in the swing of things.
I was going to take a computer class this month, but they told me there wasn't enough adults signed up to have the class this quarter. They did have 2 nights of training on internet usage. It was free, so I am taking them. I went Monday night and enjoyed it. The other class is Wed. They have a basic computer class scheduled for the spring quarter. Starts in March. Gonna get edumacated on the puter. hahaha
Well, Shelley, I emptied a little of my mind, but there's still so much in there this could take a lot of writing so I'll just close for now. Keep writing.

Well Beck, tomorrow is the first day of winter. I really dread it as I know after Christmas the days will be very long and lonely without you. I am signing up for a computer class after the first of the year. I miss you so much when it comes to these computer things.
I got a E-mail from Lisa Keil today. It was very sweet. She called herself, Heidi and Mo, my adopted daughters. You would be glad to know your friends haven't forgotten you.
Sunday night was the play at church. Things will never be the same over there. Don't know if I can stay there much longer. The people will be missed but not the leadership of some of the new ones taking over. Everyone wants to be seen or have their children seen. It's not a good place to go to sometimes.
We are trying to get ready for Christmas without you, but It has it's moments. It will really sink home when it actually gets here. I hope you have a good day in heaven. Do you get to see your dad much? How about your grandparents? I will be there before long and I want to see you right away. I can't convey how much you are missed by me. You were an anchor for me after your dad died and now I don't even have that.
Heather and I went to see the Nutcracker on the 10th of December. I thought of you a lot while I was there. Your company sponsored it. A Lot of your company people were there. You and I would have had a lot of comments to share.Most of the time everyone thinks I shouldn't be giving my comments out loud, but you always understood the need to just say it. Sometimes I talk to you when I'm all alone. Hope you hear me, but if you can't I'll still talk to you.
Well kiddo, gotta go . Work on the house some. Trying to get ready for the big day.
Remember I love you with all my heart or what's left of it. Talk to ya later.
Love from "YOu aint right " mom.

aThanksgivig,

Well, Thanksgiving has come and gone for 2010. We had our traditional turkey dinner, with most all the trimmings we usually have. We did cut down a little this year. The only thing missing was Becky. How difficult it is to have a family gathering when one of the family is not there. We had almost gotten used to not having Tom with us, when Becky goes and dies on us.
We put the tree up, after dinner and it went pretty well. But then , Heather and I always put all the lights and the beads on before Becky and Adam helped hang the bulbs and other things. We didn't even put any music on while decorating the tree. Heather had it on at her house and I cried for about half an hour.All in all, I think we did pretty well, considering all the pain I was in.
After the tree was up, we watched the "Muppets Christmas Carol". Then we put one of the dvd's Becky had converted from our old tapes. It did not play in my tape player. My heart was broken for I knew Beck wasn't here to burn us a new one. It was in a 2 disc set, so we put the other disc in and it worked fine. We decided to ask Andi to help re-record the one that didn't work sometime.
Andi came over for a little while, and when she left, heather and I got the newspaper ads out and planned our stragey for Friday. Then Heather went home to bed for we are leaving at 4:30 in the morning. We went to bed also, Adam and Megan are leaving at 2:30 to go to Target. Heather and I said we wouldn't touch that one with a ten foot pole.
Thus the day ended. Not as bad as I anticipated. Still a huge hole in our lives is hanging there. Life can never be the same. I can still hear her voice, as if she were here telling us her thoughts about the things going on.
Don't know what Thanksgiving in heaven is like, but hope you had a very good day. I suppose you shared it with your dad and grandparents. There are more of you on that side of the fence now, than what's on this side.I love you, Becky Non and miss you still. I hope I let you know how special you were to me, while you were here on this earth. Sometimes the pain is so intense that I think my heart is really breaking into. Hope to be moving over there soon. Can't wait to see your face again and give you a great big hug.
I shall try to live each day as if It were my last for someday soon it will be.