Computer Virus

I'm dealing with another wiped hard drive.  My passwords are gone,  my favorite web sites are missing.  It is especially difficult with bill paying and online banking.  I love computers, but I sometimes wonder if it's worth it. The last time this happened some of my bills were late because I couldn't get online to pay them. Discover card was nice and removed the fine, others not so much in the understanding dept. All of my problems were caused by a virus or worm, maybe a worm who had a virus.  I don't know for sure.  I do know that I hate these people who do this with their brilliant minds.   They are smart enough to make money with their expertise, but instead they use it to wreak havoc on people they don't even know.  I have never done anything evil with my computer.  I shop, read, pay bills, keep a calendar, and store books on my Kindle, and keep a medical history for myself and I kept one for my mother before she died.  So why am I running into these evil people who create these viruses? I don't know.  It could be just bad luck, but it still goes back to the evil person who devised the malware that ruined my computer.  Well I guess I just have to get over this, because I don't know what else I can do.  But it has cost me a good deal of money so far.  And I'm not wealthy.   I wish everyone a safe internet.

Addendum:  Since writing this nothing more has happened to my computer. I'm getting my bills paid, but some of my programs are working a little funny.  Maybe it's operator malfunction.  Who knows?

Demanding kitties

I have a cat, named Seamus who reminds me of a mildly demanding 2 year old. He is a reddish tabby cat, with bull's eyes on his sides and a white belly. He's about 10 years old.  I think he hates my computer, or he's jealous  years of it. Every time  I open my laptop and sit in a comfy chair with the computer on my lap (where else would I put a lap top?), he starts.  He rubs against my legs first, then he sits and stairs at me for a bit, then he stands on his hind legs and pokes me and peeks around the screen of the computer.  If I continue to ignore him because I'm deep in reading or shopping, he then stands on his hind legs and grabs the screen from the back, but I get crazy then,  afraid that he'll poke a hole in the soft screen.  So of course I close it or leave it open by put it down on a small table.  As soon as my hands are free what does he do?  He walks out of the room.  As soon as I go back to the computer he comes back, and it starts again. Sometimes he stays in the room and just stares at me.  "Please talk to me, take me outside, feed me something (his bowl of dry food is almost in front of him).  I'm lonely!!!!"  But again as soon as I put the computer down he walks away.  Sometimes I do take him out (he's not allowed out alone - none of my cats are), but he's never ready to come back inside when I am.  If he weren't the cutest, sweetest and most gentle cat I know (well my other 2 cats are right up there with him), I wouldn't let him get away with stuff, but he is, and he does.  He also likes to sit in my lap which is good for my blood pressure I think.  Unlike a baby, I can't seem to get him to go down for a nap when I'm on the computer.  But he is company and playful, and he rules me with a heavy paw.  I have more cats to write about and will get to that in the next few weeks - or not.  Enjoy the nice weather.

My Working Holiday

I haven't blogged in a long time.  I stayed with my daughter's family for almost 3 months ( in divided doses) while she finished her last semester toward her BS in Social Work.  I've missed writing here, but continued writing in my journal.  I was sort of a nanny, cook, chauffeur and at times a referee  (babysitting kids who are far from babies). It was a major change or advernture for me, and I did feel homesick at times.   I learned a lot: for example I know why I only had one child, don't argue with kids - just lay the law down, when all else fails call Mom (their mom) and request further instructions or at least back up and last - never, absolutely never, tell the kids what the plans are for some future activity.  They will drive you to insanity if you let them know stuff like that.  Other things were more simple such as don't let stray cats in the house,  and if you break this rule at least keep an eye on the intruder especially if she knows how to open doors.  That was one smart kitty.  And if the bunny, Penelope (I call her Bun Bun) runs up to you, it's not because you're her favorite---she's hungry because someone forgot to feed her  (probably me).

I learned a few new recipes, but I don't like certain spices and the kids didn't like the ones I liked so we had a few problems trying to please everyone.  I filled up on  a hidden stash of junk food when the meal wasn't exactly to my liking.  Eating out was a pretty good alternative as was occasional pizza.

Sleeping was a problem for me because a few days before I left for her house I hurt my right shoulder.  I didn't have time to see a doctor so I waited until I came back to CT.  I had to tough it out because my insurance wouldn't cover me out of state.  I'm getting ready to change this to another company as soon I'm all healed.  I think it's rotator  cuff injury of some sort and after 9 weeks it has only improved slightly.  Back to sleeping,  The bed I slept in was a water bed and very comfortable.  My neck and shoulder hurt most of the day, but at night it was twice as bad.
Sleeping pills or wine seemed to help a little.

My daughter has quite a group of animals at her home.  From geckos, to cats, bunnies, birds and a tarantula (not my favorite, but I fed her a bug or 2 while there).  Boredom was not a problem although tv was.  You need 3 hands to operate the 3 remotes that control the tv.  I did a lot of reading, which is good for me.

Now she is talking about going to school again to get her master's.  That will be quite a process and quite an achievement - for both of us.  If I win the lottery maybe I can pay someone else to handle all that stuff for me.  That's a big maybe.  I have to think about that.  Don't really see that happening.

Home now

Well I've been home for almost a week.  I miss my daughter and grandchildren, but it is good to be home. My kitties are glad to see me.  Giuseppe had terrible matted fur from not being brushed, but it wasn't Ian's fault.  Mr. G as I sometimes call him is timid and wary of strangers and wouldn't even let Ian pet him.  Maybe next time he'll remember him and be a little more friendly.  Gail says she'll stop in and give him a comb or 2, but I think I'll get him shaved on his belly and sides before I leave.  Prevention might be better than treatment.
I'm getting caught with some cleaning and fur removal.  Long-haired cats are high maintenance.  I only want short hair cats after this. 

The flight home was ok.  I did get a lot of reading done, and as always I love the take-off and landing.  I love flying, not so much waiting in airports and getting up at 4 am. 

Miss Chloe has been somewhat distant, but in the last 3 or 4 days she was more friendly, relaxed and purring.  I'm still having computer problems - freezing and lost passwords.  I do need to get a new computer, but I also need to wait until I have some income. 

I have just signed up for Medicare - which will start in April, my pension will start in June.  So things are looking up and actually going as planned. That last part doesn't happen very often.

We had a pinch of snow the other night which was pretty and then went away.  That's the only kind of snow I like.

I still have more unpacking and finding places for everything.  There doesn't  seem to be enough places.  Goodwill has become my partner in simplifying my life.    Next entry I'll try to be more interesting.

Visiting in FL.

I haven't been writing much because I've been visiting with my daughter and her family.  I'm with her to help her through her last semester of school for a degree in social work.  There is a genuine need for these services in FL and I think she'll be very good at this kind of work.  I'll be leaving on Feb 4th and returning sometime near the end of March.  I'm sort of a nanny for the kids.  I take them to the school bus stop, pick them up, start dinner, do laundry and light housekeeping, but still I'm exhausted.  I also feed and play with the animals: a cat, a bunny, a finch and 5 or 6 geckos.  The bunny and cat are my favorites. There is also a stray or abandoned cat that arrived at her home just a few weeks before I arrived.  She's a large black and white domestic short hair and very friendly and gentle and a little timid.  I like her very much and am considering bringing her home with me after my last visit.  I already have 3 cats so what's one more?  I must be a little crazy.  But it is obvious that she is a family cat and trusts and likes people.  How she was separated from her family will most likely remain a secret for her lifetime and mine. Unless someone claims her sometime.  She has no microchip or collar, but we did advertise on the message board in their development, but so far no takers.

Next time I'll tell you about my awful computer virus.  Stay tuned.

Forming ones values and ethics

I have a little more serious topic tonight.  Values and ethics.

I don't think I have consciously thought about my values  Due to attending Catholic schools for 12 years I had my values assigned to me and was warned about hell if I didn't follow the rules and values set for me by the teachers and priests.  But I think it is something I should think about and decide more independently.  One should have values, and understand why they are important and understand why we sometimes don't pay attention to  our own values and concerns, but to the pressure of others. It canbe a good thing if your values are flexible, but it can also make you wonder why you did or did not do something.  We can live our lives listening to the voice inside or we can live them listening to the voices of others.  It isn't necessarily bad to listen to others, but it is not as satisfying in the end.  And when things go wrong there is no comfort in saying you were coerced or coaxed into doing something which does not feel right. In the end you and only you pay the price. This is a concept that is important to teach to kids so that as they become teens they have a sort of foundation of values.  Yes teach the values, but teach how to arrive at them and sometimes let them see what happens when you don't follow your own code of ethics etc.

Traveling

I'm heading to FL on Jan 4th. to visit my daughter and family.  I'll be there for a month. I think I'll carry a note book with me at all times so I can take notes on the funny things that happen and then have some material for this blog. My grandchildren are 11, 12, 13 and they are interesting and will be keeping me busy.  So the least they can do is provide me with material for my journal and blog and they do.  I know a lot of people don't like flying or merely tolerate it.  I love it.  I don't care for unexpected delays or nearly missed flights and running through airports, but that doesn't happen often. I almost always fly Southwest and they're good, though they sometime have some issues.  But the experience is great.  I always treat myself to a book for the trip.  This year it will be Joan Didion's latest Blue Nights.  I read one of her books about a year ago and I loved it.  I like the way she writes.  You are almost inside her brain with her descriptions of her feelings and thoughts and yet it still sounds familiar ie the "I've been there too" feeling. The other one I read was The Year of Magical Thinking written after her husband died
suddenly on Christmas Eve.  It received a lot of wonderful reviews and some awards.  When I finish the other one I'll let you know what I think of it. As always I would welcome some comments, even negative ones would be good.  It does take me a long time to get through a medium length book because I frequently read other things between the chapters of the book. I don't why I do that, but I suspect some attention deficit problems.  I was never understood in school because I couldn't listen long enough, or concentrate or follow instructions.  Ah those were the days - the days I'm happy to forget.  If you know some good books leave me the names.  Thanks