A Super-Man

photo courtesy of Xurble

What can I say? The man is amazing. My brother in law, Eric, worked all weekend to recover as much as possible from my poor hard drive. It took over 24 hours of work, very specialized software, and several tries to get as much back as we did. DH and I still need to go through and reconstruct the directories, but we estimate we recovered about 90% of the pictures and documents. If this is true, I will be ecstatic -- I will be happy with anything I can get. Happy, and super-thankful. You rock, Eric! Thanks, times a million...

Words to Live By

If you break your neck, if you have nothing to eat, if your house is on fire, then you got a problem. Everything else is inconvenience.

~Robert Fulghum

... yeah, but Mr. Fulghum could've at least capitalized the "I" in inconvenience...

Back to Square One

Well, you might see the word "back" a few times in this post. We are back from Las Vegas (oh, we had a fabulous time -- but more on that another time) and found that all was not well when we returned. My poor old (and I mean o-l-d) computer must have been too lonely for me while I was gone, for it was dead. All it could muster for me was the blue screen of death. Had I backed up? Of course not. All my pictures, a journal, the family calendar....all my work over the last 5-7 years is in great danger of disappearing. My brother in law is trying to work some magic this weekend and save the files from my fried hard drive. Wish me luck.

So, DH bought me a new computer. I guess it was needed. I guess it's time. I know that this will sound crazy, but I loved my old programs and my old computer. I had things just like I liked them and felt no temptation to update. Now, not only do I have to get used to Vista :-P and hope to upgrade my old programs to later versions, but I have to re-create my old directory (that is IF we can retrieve it!) and it will be a long time until my new set up ever feels as comfortable as the old one.

Bleh.

Back to square one.

Think Cold

What the...? Yes, I know this is the middle of July. Why post this wintry picture today? Because dear daughter and I are leaving for Las Vegas tomorrow where it is hot, hot, HOT. Believe me, checking in with the blog and looking at this with 100* + temps outside will be a great comfort.

Hmmm...me want snow cone.
:-)

Words to Live By

Photo Credit: The Rutherford Family, Fredericktown, MO

Bed in Summer

In winter I get up at night.

And dress by yellow candle-light.

In summer quite the other way,

I have to go to bed by day.

I have to go to bed and see

The birds still hopping on the tree,

Or hear the grown-up people's feet

Still going past me in the street.

And does it not seem hard to you,

When all the sky is clear and blue,

And I should like so much to play,

To have to go to bed by day?

-by Robert Louis Stevenson

Do you remember feeling this way? :-)

A Golden Summer Evening

Summer is usually not my favorite time of year. Chalk it up to too many neverending Texas summers growing up as a girl. (I love my Texas, but the summertime there? Not so much.) Most of the time, especially on the hottest days, you'll find me hiding out in the air-conditioning and figuring how many days until Autumn gets here. But, I have to say, this summer has charmed me. I have really enjoyed the sights and sounds of summer. I have enjoyed the people and the parties. I've loved working outside as we try to put our little property in apple-pie order. But, most of all -- I love these *long* summer evenings -- on my front porch!

There is still much hustle and bustle of summer, with kids home from school. There are no "lazy days of summer" for a mom. My summer evening porch time is the time I slow down, take a deep breath, all the way down to my toes, and count blessings.

One evening, I was doing just this, and I looked at the pine tree in the front yard. The sun was setting through it, and the light began to reflect off of the needles, making the tree turn to gold. Just a little thing, and it didn't last long -- but I would have missed it, if I hadn't been out there. I thought about how this must happen every single summer evening...how had I missed it in the 8 years I've lived here?

It was a wonderful reminder to me to slow down, and see the blessings and the beauty all around me...

The Backyard -- Chapter 3

The trees are all gone now, nothing's left but sawdust. Oh wait -- there is one thing left behind! The roots! (Cue the horror movie music...) Now that the trees are gone, the aspen and cottonwood roots are shooting up little sprouts like CRAZY.

Poor hubby is out many evenings hacking, chopping and pulling. It's a job that doesn't seem to have an end! The more we take out, the more we find. Note the sympathetic kitty, Boots, keeping DH company.

So this is where we're at. Looks *way* different, doesn't it?!

The To-Do List
Decide if current fence stays or goes.
If goes, get bids on new vinyl fence.
Contact sprinker people for whole new sprinkler plan.
Contact concrete people for patio and front walk work.
Contact masonry peeps for front walk work.
And most importantly: find the funds for all of the above! :-)

When do I actually get to plant new plants? ;-)
We'll keep you updated. Anyone seen a HGTV Fairy Godmother flying around, looking lost?
*sigh* Just thought I'd ask....