Day to Day

A Fresh Start

11 Comments / Daily Dose, Day to Day, NaBloPoMo /

How long has it been since I blogged here. I mean really blogged here. For awhile I could say that it was no big deal, I was still blogging on BlogHer but I can’t even say that any more, not really. The extreme coupon series was nice but it was written for a BlogHer-type audience, specifically. The Johnny Mac Pippin series was fabulous, and much closer to me really blogging but still, not completely “me”.

Is there a “me” as blogger anymore? It’s time to find out whether I have something to say or whether I’m just going to be the kind of blogger that I’ve been.

But first, I had to have a new blog template. I have needed one for a good two years, probably longer. I’m pretty sure folks had decided I was never going to get my act together and hire a designer and make it happen. I’m pretty sure BlogHer community member, Laine, had just about given up on me ever reaching out to her to make my blog pretty again. But I did it! And better yet, Laine did it. Laine made my blog pretty again and she made it so darn easy.

She wanted to know what I wanted and I didn’t know. I couldn’t even tell her what colors I wanted or what fonts I wanted, and lord knows fonts are important. What’s awesome is that not only did Laine give me a blog I love, she didn’t curse me for being so unhelpful about the design (even in the face of #Sandy barreling toward her!) That’s the kind of blog designer I need — someone who gives me a great blog and doesn’t get completely exasperated with me for not knowing what I want ’til I see it. That’s probably the kind of blog designer you want, too, so go visit Elaine Griffin Designs. She’s awesome and I will never be able to thank her enough.

What’s even more awesome than a new blog design, built by a BlogHer member, is a new header created by a BlogHer member using another BlogHer member’s gorgeous flamingo photos! Yep, my blog was built by BlogHer(s) — or to be more specific, by BlogHer Chatterers.

Those flamingo photos up there — not stock images. They were shot by Karen L. Sandoval who is one hell of a photographer and one hell of a woman, too. Karen graciously allowed me to BUY them from her (she wanted to just let me use them for free but I’m a big fan of paying women for their work so I twisted her arm. They’re worth paying for and she’s worth paying. Darn it.)

So here we are — new blog, another NaBloPomo — anything might happen.

A Fresh Start Read More »

Thank You AT&T, I’m Sorry I was Grouchy Last Night

2 Comments / Daily Dose, Day to Day /

Everything was fine last night when I turned off my computer, somewhere between 9:30 and 10. It was, I swear. I even heard Elly upstairs having a video chat with a friend, so I’m extra sure that all was right with the world. At least all was right with the world until Michelle came home from work at 11pm and wanted to play Bingo Blitz and do some homework. Then, everything was definitely not right with the world – the internet world, that is.

There was no connection.

Michelle came to my room and informed me that there was no internet. I did not believe her. But, I also felt fear – a lot of fear. I cannot handle no internet. I have to work. TW has to work. Michelle has school work to do. There’s Bingo Blitz to play. We cannot NOT have internet.

So I got out of bed and there were only two lights on instead of six. Panic set in.

I recycled the modem. Michelle smirked across the desk from me and said she tried that.

I fiddled with the cords. I turned on my computer and recycled the modem again. I reset the modem. Still only two lights instead of six.

I called AT&T at 11:45pm. I was not in a good mood.

I recycled the modem again after the technician tried something on her end.  I reset the modem again after the technician suggested that would resolve the problem.

And when she said, “I will have to send a technician to your house…” I really, really got grouchy. And then she said, “he’ll be there tomorrow between 8am-12pm”.  I was surprised. A technician is coming out on Sunday morning? A Sunday morning in the middle of a long holiday weekend. Huh.

I thanked her and went to bed not really believing a technician would appear. (I have, after all, had some problems with AT&T technicians not showing up when they are supposed to and that’s after waiting a week for an appointment…)

But no, Greg did indeed show up. In fact he called around 9am to tell me he was on the way. He did fix our internet and all was right with the world again.

Thank you AT&T, for sending someone out so quickly. We really, really appreciate it.

Posted via email from Life. Flow. Fluctuate.

Thank You AT&T, I’m Sorry I was Grouchy Last Night Read More »

Dishwasher Love

Daily Dose, Day to Day /

My tiny little smaller than apartment sized dishwasher died a couple of weeks ago. I knew it was coming. There were days when I had to run a load through twice and that’s saying something since I am a stickler for rinsing every bit of food off of every dish, plate, utensil, pot or cup before it goes in there.

I sighed. I washed the dishes by hand and sighed some more. And then I forgot to call the very nice landlord. Or I put it off, really. Because I’d just called him to tell him our air conditioner was out (well one of them… we have two central units…) I figured I’d just break the news to him when he came over to look at the AC. But then I forgot again.

The AC got fixed before the next round of heat arrived and still I had forgotten to mention to J. that the dishwasher was broken. I just kept handwashing the dishes. J showed up a couple of days later to start scraping paint on the back of the house so he could paint. And I still forgot to mention the dishwasher. (I know, right?) Luckily, TW mentioned it to him. So he stopped scraping paint – came in and looked at the dishwasher. Scratched his head and went back to scraping paint.

A couple of hours later, he came in and took the dishwasher apart – doing who knows what to it, and when he started it again it made a horrible, horrible noise. At that point, he gave up and decided we needed a new dishwasher, which was true. I’ve never seen a dishwasher as small as this one. And I’m guessing it’s pretty darn old.

We chatted about what the dishwasher possibilities might be. Could he find another one to fit the space where the existing dishwasher lives? Should he rip out the counter and the shelves next to the existing dishwasher and make room for a full sized dishwasher? Should he just get us a portable?

No decisions were made… I told him that I really did not care. It’s his house, he should make the decision since he’s the one paying for it.

He left. He came back. He decided he’d go for a full sized dishwasher. I said that was fine. He left. He came back. He looked at the floor by the dishwasher and realized if he put in a full sized machine, we’d find ourselves with a section of floor that really wasn’t floor at all – meaning the existing wood floor doesn’t extend under the cabinets he was going to have to strip out.

He couldn’t decide what to do. I told him that if it were me… I’d go with a portable for now. When we leave, because we will not live here forever regardless of how much he might like us to, he can figure out what to do about the problem and in the meantime, a portable would be fine.

He wasn’t sure. He left. He came back. He left. He came back – this time with a portable dishwasher. A huge portable dishwasher. This thing is so large that I have yet to fill it completely even though there are seven people in the house right now. HUGE dishwasher and I am in dishwasher love.

Except that I can’t figure out the best strategy for loading it. That’s a bit of a frustration since I pride myself on being a dishwashing machine loading expert. But don’t you worry – I’ll figure it out soon enough. I like a good challenge.

Dishwasher Love Read More »

Trials and Tribulations

3 Comments / Daily Dose, Day to Day /

In case you hadn’t noticed, it’s snowing here. And it’s grocery shopping day. So, TW wandered out about 45 minutes ago to shovel the sidewalk and throw snow from the driveway so we could go out.

First she cleaned off my car, which is a smart place to start.

Then she shoveled around my car, which is also a good place to start.

Then she did some other stuff which involves the snow shovel and the snow thrower. I don’t quite understand the science of it but I know she does it. While she was using the snow thrower – the handle came off. This is apparently bad? And now we have to go find parts for the snow thrower? Which seems problematic since I don’t know what kind we have (thanks for sending it, Deanna. It really has been the most awesome gift!) or where to get parts. Maybe we can order them online somehow? Whatever, we’ll figure it out.

While she was shoveling and throwing the snow, the nice neighborhood snow plow cleared our street – and left a big ball of snow at the end of our driveway, which TW has to shovel or we can’t get out of our driveway.

And while she was doing all of that, my car became covered with snow again and she had to clear it off again.

Yea. It’s like that. And will be like that for the next five months or so.

Posted via email from Life. Flow. Fluctuate.

Trials and Tribulations Read More »