Surprises, Birthdays, Hats, and Rainbows...

Love this pic of a rainbow

It's been a couple of weeks since my last post. Lots has been going on here at the home front. Mostly it's everyday "fun" stuff like doctor appts., dental visits, grocery shopping, snow shoveling. (I really hope you can hear my voice dripping with sarcasm. None of this stuff is really viewed as fun.) We manage and it's not all bad. I really enjoy the "gas" at the dentist. (grin) 

The new laptop is great. It's been a little easier to get into using the windows 8 then I thought it would be. I just got brave and click on stuff till I figure out what it is and what it does.. and where it goes..  LOL  I can always back out of scary stuff.. or click No when it asks me if I really want to do that.  

Birthday dinner Celebration... 

We got a surprise visit from our youngest daughter yesterday. She had a coupon for a free Birthday dinner at BD's Mongolian Barbeque. She asked if we'd like to go with her. I've been wanting to try it out. For any of you who don't know, you get a bowl. You then choose a meat, a bunch of veggies, some kind of sauce, (this part was scary for me cause I only recognized terryaki) and spices if you want. Then a guy takes your bowl, dumps it on what looks to be a huge cast iron grinding wheel and cooks it. They use some cool chopping sword looking things. They sing, dance and pretty much show off their culinary talents. 

Hubby and our Sue in her attractive Birthday hat... 

Our waiter let the cooking crew know that it was our Sue's Birthday. One of the guys made her this attractive hat. It was all the rage. We all wanted one. I'm planning on getting one next year. I picked up the form to fill out and get a free birthday dinner. I'm doing that today. 

I have known my husband for 33 years now. I've been married to him for almost 30 of those years. I thought I knew everything about him. Really I've talked to him every day for 33 years. I can tell some of his stories better then he can. I am still reeling from the shock of something new he did yesterday at the celebration dinner. 

First you need to know that he wasn't going to eat anything. he was just going to watch us and see how it went. He changed his mind as soon as we grabbed our bowls. He got his food and headed back to the table. When I got back to the table (mine took longer as your food is cooked in order) he pulled out a set of chopsticks he had gotten while waiting and started eating. I sat there in stunned amazement as did Sue. I never knew he could eat with chopsticks. He was really eating with them. He wasn't doing my "stab it and try to get it to your mouth" eating with chopsticks.. Noooo  he was really eating with them. Just like he did it every day. I was in shock. I told him I never knew he could eat with chopsticks. He laughed. He said " you don't live in an Asian country for a year and not learn how to eat with chopsticks".   I asked if there were any other things I didn't know about him. He just grinned.  That was a little scary. 

We continued our meal. The two hooligans made me try to eat with chopsticks. I know they did it so they could laugh in my face. Sue picked hers up and ate with them too. I'm so jealous. I'm signing up for chopstick lessons as soon as I can find a place. I'm not confident I'll master the technique, but I'm hoping to at least be able to grab something with them. 

I love the colors. 

Lastly I wanted to add a bit about the rainbow pictures I took last week. The sky was still a bit dark from a rain storm that had hit North of us. Suddenly the sun appeared and so did the rainbow. I was so thrilled at how bright the colors were. It was beautiful. I love seeing rainbows. It reminds me of God's promise to us to Never destroy the earth with a flood again. 

The past couple of weeks has been challenging at some points and fun at others. About the time I think my life is terribly boring God reminds me of His Love, His watch care, His promises. He gives me a day full of Surprises, Birthdays, Hats, and Rainbows. 

New Laptop + Windows 8 = 1 Confused Me

I'm so excited !!!  I got a New Laptop for my birthday. A doubly sweet Joy since I have 1. never owned a Laptop, and 2. Never had a new computer. I am overjoyed and totally confused.

I had fully intended to buy a refurbished laptop to make sure I got a Windows 7 operating system and to get the little extras I have always wanted. I just happened to pop in to Staples with a friend and decided to mosey over and check out the laptops.

A hawk eyed employee saw that I was staring longingly at the pretty 17.3 Toshiba. He pounced. He quickly popped up behind me exclaiming in a loud voice " Hey if I took $75 dollars off the price today would you buy it"..   My first instinct was to scream back "YES" I really had to fight off the urge to say that. In a totally calm and cool voice, I very nonchalantly said " I'll have to go home and so some research on it first" . He looked a little disappointed, but then had me follow him to the front checkout where he handed me a coupon good "for a couple of days".

I got home and rushed to look up all the stats on the model I had been admiring. I sent the URL of the page to a few Tech friends who all said it looked great and was a great price. I finally got up the nerve to ask hubby if I could buy it. I've done this numerous times before and the answer has always been an emphatic NO. I prayed about it and asked again. He said " YES"  LOL  I had to ask him twice since I was sure I was just hallucinating. He really said yes. I got up the next morning and hurried down to the Store to get my Laptop. I glanced at the sample machine and realized it was Windows 8.. It looked kind of cool. The Salesman said "hey I think I need to show you one thing. There isn't an x to click to close out of stuff. You have to move your mouse pointer to the top of the screen. When it turns into a hand, you have to left click hold and drag it to the bottom of the screen then release."  I was very thankful he said that.
My friend Cindy showed me how to turn it on. I had to find a youTube video to figure out how to shut it down.

I have spent 2 days watching instructional video's on YouTube. I am totally confused. Some of the videos I've watched twice. LOL  I feel a little more familiar with it now. I've made pages of notes. I was thrilled to find a series of video's that also showed me how to use a program to return the traditional start button and programs to the old familiar way I've always known them.

I really like the start page, the rolling tiles, the apps.. They have made this Operating System one that will work the same on any device you own, laptop, desktop, tablet, and phone. I really do think I'll like it once I can figure it all out and I'm comfortable with it. Right now it feels really scary and confusing. Kind of the same way I felt when I got my first desktop. Thinking I would probably blow it up in the first 20 minutes.

I'm excited to get a router and the Wi-Fi. I'm looking forward to taking my computer around the house and on vacation. Even into the backyard and the lawn chair. I'll keep the old desktop till she finally goes. She is on her last leg. I can't get her to reboot if I turn her off. I'm hoping she will keep chugging along for a while till I get use to the new system and how it works.

So today I'm ready to learn some new things. I'm confused and my head is spinning a bit but it's still exciting.
I can't wait to venture out into "app world".. I think I'm going to like it.