NOT MY CIRCUS!

Being Pearl's best friend and her surrogate sister is not for the faint of heart.  It takes a very strong, patient person--I was, at one time, but I am wearing thin.

She wants Merle to quit working--it is too hard on him, which is true.  So she figured out their budget, and wanted me to come up and look at it, because she knows I have a "chart" as she calls it for my budget that I made in Excel.  So..I took a blank one with me.

"I have figured out all our bills and when we pay them, we will have two hundred dollars left over every month."

"WOW...that's great!"

We sat at the dining room table and worked on the chart.  She had all her bills there and I let her put in the amounts in each "box".

RENT
GAS
ELECTRICITY
STORAGE UNIT
HOUSE INSURANCE
CAR INSURANCE
HEALTH INSURANCE
LIFE INSURANCE
COMCAST
PRESCRIPTIONS
GAS FOR CARS
GROCERIES
HAIR CUTS
CLOTHES
DINING OUT
MOVIES
SAVINGS
MISC. (emergencies)

When she said she had ALL her bills figured out--she meant...just bills that come in the mail.  She had not figured in groceries, nor gas for the car, nor hair cuts/clothes/eating out/movies/cat food/.  There was nothing for MISC.  Nothing going into savings for emergencies.

She was shocked when we got to the total figure for expenses.  She thought they would have an extra of $200 a month, when in reality, they will be short.

"How can that be!"

"Well you can cut back.  You don't have to eat out every Friday night--do it once a month instead.  You don't have to go to a movie every week.  You don't have to have the Comcast best line-up.  I have the Digital Starter package and I have over 150 channels..you don't need HD--trust me--you can't tell the difference in the picture quality. 

You don't have to go to garage sales and the Salvation Army every Saturday.  If you empty out your storage unit, that will save you fifty-five dollars a month."

"But.......I've got a lot of stuff in there."

"Stuff that you use?"

"No...but....."

"Empty it out and have a garage sale...there's extra money there too."

She wadded up the chart and threw it into the wastebasket.  "I can't deal with this right now.  I don't understand it!"

They declared bankruptcy two years ago.  They have no credit cards (thank goodness), but the extra money that comes in from not having those debts...Pearl just keeps spending on junk!

"Okay.  Well...we tried.  I gotta go home now and get some lunch."

As I walked back home I thought of a phrase I had recently heard---"NOT MY CIRCUS.  NOT MY MONKEYS."

They are going to have to figure this out on their own!!

Something's Happening Here......

What it is, ain't exactly clear....
=========================

Something is wrong with Merle.  

It started in the early spring--a pain in the left side of his back/side.  Twice a week visits to the Chiropractor--he thought it helped.

Then he went back to work at the golf course, where he sits on a riding mower all day, or repairs the mowers, or lifts heavy things, or.....whatever they want him to do.

The pain became worse, so he went to his Primary Care guy.  

Kidney stones perhaps?  Some medicine.  Drink lots of water.  Drink Cranberry juice.  The pain lessened.

Came back, even worse.  X-rays showed a bit of stenosis in his spine.  Anti-inflammatory was prescribed.

Then, he started getting a tremor in his right hand.  He spilled soup one night while we were out to supper.  Pearl chastised him for being messy.

He had trouble breathing one night.  Off to my Cardiologist to have tests run.  Stress test.  EKG, Electrocardiogram.  Ultra sound of the aortic artery.  Every test came back perfect.

Back to the Primary Care guy for ultra sound on his abdomen and CAT scan on his brain.  Could be cancer the doc wondered?  Could be Parkinson's?

No problems.  No tumors anywhere in his kidneys, liver, gall bladder, spleen. pancreas--nothing.  He did not have cancer.  Merle cried from relief.

Still the pain, still the tremor.  Over the weekend, he went into a depression.  Quiet.  Didn't want to do anything.  Tired.  Weak voice.

Of course, he and I didn't discuss any of this.  Men don't talk to neighbor women about this sort of thing.

Saturday, I went down.  I purposefully took a magazine with me to give to him.  I knew, when I extended my right arm and right hand to give it to him, my ET would come on nice and strong.

"Why is your hand shaking?"

"Oh--I have ET.  Essential Tremor--comes with age to some people.  No big deal."

"Not Parkinson's?"

"Nope and won't ever develop into that either.  The only time it really bothers me is when I try and eat soup.  When I bring the spoon up to my mouth...my hand shakes and the soup goes flying!"

He laughed.

Pearl called yesterday morning.  "He just sits there in his chair and stares at the TV.  He says he can't do anything anymore--he gets too tired and his legs hurt. I told him he had to quit work.  He told me we couldn't afford it.  I don't know what to do with him.  He's grouchy.  Marge told him he acts like Grumpy Cat."

I went up yesterday afternoon.  Walked in and plopped down in the chair.

"What's wrong with you?"  Pearl said.

"Just mad!  Grouchy! Depressed!  Pissed off at the world!"  I could see Merle listening.

"I can't do a dang thing anymore," I said.  "I fell while putting up my new curtains.  My leg just sort of gave out!  I can only work in the garden about twenty minutes and then I have to stop and rest.  I don't feel like doing anything.  I hate this arthritis pain in my hands and back!  The only time I don't hurt is when I'm sitting in my chair and staring at the TV!"

"You sound like Merle.  Maybe you oughta go to the doctor and get checked out."

"I have.  I went to my Cardiologist--everything is fine.  To my Primary Care guy--everything is fine.  I guess it's just an age thing, but....it sure is hard to admit...I can't even do as much as I did five years ago!"

"You should have climbed up on your desk instead of trying to stand on that window ledge."

"How am I supposed to get up ON my desk?  I can't step up that high."

"Well...I can't do anything!  I'll be in a wheelchair by this time next year!"

<this is not about you, Pearl>

"This dang tremor thing makes it hard to do a lot of things....I have no strength in my right hand anymore and I can't count on it.  I might reach in the refrigerator to get a jug of Pepsi and drop the jug on the floor!  I can't even write my name legibly.  My legs feel pretty good, but I go out to walk and by the time I get down here, they are tired and weak (a tiny bit of exaggeration--trying to show Merle that all is not hopeless)."

"Yeah...and you're both deaf!" she mumbles.

So, the three of us chit chat about Tiger's baseball and other mundane things and I come home.

Pearl called this morning and said, "Merle felt real good this morning...kind of chipper.  Maybe he is coming out of his funk.  I don't understand why he gets like that."

<of course you don't because you don't understand depression>

"I keep thinking if I encourage him more (nag) he will just get up and do what needs to be done!"

"It doesn't work that way, Pearl.  You will only make him feel more deficient...more depressed."

===============

Merle has always been strong.  He has always been very active.  He has always done all the chores around the house, including making the bed, vacuuming and mopping the floors.  He has always worked.

The Psychologist in me thinks:  Merle is 78 years old.  He can't do like he used to and is just realizing that and it is taking away that whole "manhood/provider" thing.  

He wants to quit work because it causes him so much pain and agony, but he thinks he can't because...Pearl is a spending machine.

The medico's tell him there is nothing wrong with him, physically, put he has pain, so....there is some hidden disease that they just haven't found yet.

He may be realizing that death isn't all that far away and that is a scary thing to ponder on.

He is coming into the realization that he is old!

<haven't we women in our 70's had to deal with that realization too?>

but he's a man---so much more difficult for them.

He is going to a Neurologist this week for more tests,

to see if he MIGHT have stages of early Parkinson's...oh yes, he just admitted last night that he has been having double vision.  Brain tumor?

Yeah--growing old is not fun!!!!!
=================
5:00 p.m. this evening--I got a phone call from Pearl.  I won't explain--I will just type it as it occurred and you can make up your own mind.

"I went uptown this morning.  Took that serger back and...I didn't get another one."

"Why not?"

"I don't need it."

"You don't have a place to plug in your speakers so they will work.  Your surge protector only has five outlets and you need six...or seven if you also want to plug in your printer."

"No I don't.  There are that many places in the front of the computer."

"I don't understand."

"You better get a hearing aid!"

"No.  I heard you...I just don't understand what you mean."

"Ah-hh <hurumph sigh>  On my old computer, I had my speakers plugged in the port in the front of the computer.  You have all the components plugged into the back of this computer.  I am going to take the speaker plug out of the back and plug it into the front and then they will work."

"They still won't work."

"Why not?"

"Because they need to be plugged into a power source."

"Huh?  You don't know what I'm trying to tell you....."

"Listen.  Stop talking a minute and listen"

"But..."

"Listen.  Your new computer has a whole lot more places to plug in your.....components.  They are all plugged into the ports in the back.  They are all working.  You don't need to use the ports in the front."

"Yeah, they are all working except the speakers!"

"You have a modem, a monitor, a keyboard, a mouse, a computer and the speakers.  You have a surge protector that has five slots for plugs...you need six slots.  You do not have enough plug areas to plug in your speakers."

"That's why I want to plug them in the front."

"NO!  You can't!  There is no electrical plug in the front of your computer. You need an electrical plug outlet--like a wall outlet--like an extension cord--like a surge protector that has six or more outlets to plug into."

"You're wrong.  The speakers on my old computer were plugged in the front and they worked.  If I take them out of the back of this one and plug them in the little round port in the front, they will work."

"Pearl.  You have a lamp sitting on the table beside you.  If you unplug it from the wall...it won't work."

"Well--I know that!  I'm not that dumb!"

"Your speakers are the same way.  They need to be plugged into the electric power that comes into your house from the outside.  You can plug them into a wall outlet or a surge protector--which is like a big extension cord.  It has nothing to do with the computer.  Your speakers WIRES are plugged into the computer...they are just fine, but they won't work until you plug them in...........look at the other end of the cord--it has a plug which needs to go into an electrical outlet."

"I don't want to talk about it any more.  I know you are wrong.  I'm going back there right now and I am going to unplug that little roundie thing from the back and plug it into the front and it will work.  I will call you back just to show you."

"Okay...talk with you later."
======================
I hung up the phone and just screamed!!!

I have a headache and I have not received a call back and...I am staying away from this until she figures it out for herself.  It shouldn't take more than two or three days--right?
===============
Oh yes--Pearl wanted me to help her with her budget so that she can prove to Merle that he can quit working and they will have enough money.

That budget session is a whole 'nother story--for another day--after I get rid of this headache.

The Hands of Time

Balisha wrote a post about her hands.  It got me to thinking.

We usually don't take much notice of how our hands looks until one day--you just glance down and there are your Mother's hands!  How did that happen?  The wrinkles.  The loose skin.  

I remember sitting on my grandma's lap and pulling the skin up into a peak, just below her middle knuckle  That skin stayed that way for a long time, it seemed.  I asked her once why it was like that and she said, "Because I am old."

Over the years, I have tried that with my own left hand and was shocked one day when the skin stayed up into that peak for quite a while--until I clenched my hand.  I am old!

I wish I had been more aware of the hand phenomena--I would love to have a yearly picture of my left hand--from about 45 on.  To see the subtle changes, instead of waking up one morning and it seemed my hands had gotten old over night.

I have long fingers--I used to be able to span an octave on the piano, until arthritis set into my thumb and started to draw it into the palm of my hand.

For as "big" as I am, I wear a small ring size.  A size 6.  I have noticed that on my right hand, my rings are now size 7's--on my left ring finger, a size 6 is a bit loose.  Isn't that weird.  It's the arthritis in the joints--which is worse in my right hand.

Balisha wrote of all the things her hands have experienced over the years--I share many of those things.

I used to have a heart-shaped age spot on my hand, but now it has eased into a plain old circle.  When I first noticed it, one day at work, I outlined it with a pen, I thought it was so cool.  Now, I have so many brown age spots that I can't even count--that a gallon of Procelana wouldn't help--that are difficult to even see under all the wrinkles and cross hatch marks.

Look at  your hands and stop and think of all the things they have touched since you were born.  It is amazing.

I like my hands, even though they are no longer pretty.  They are still useful, to a certain degree.  I hope they keep working until the day, they are laid, one on top of the other as I lay in my casket.  I hope the mortician has a nice make-up to put on them so they don't look so old!!

When I view my left hand from a side position, that's when I really see the wrinkles, the cross hatched marks, the knot of arthritis that is growing on the first knuckle of my index finger.
Not a pretty sight.

Then, of course my poor beat up right hand.  The thumb being pulled in by arthritis, as the little finger seems to be pushing outward and then, the poor 3/4 index finger.  I can't grip a pencil or pen, I can't open up a jar, BUT--this right hand still has a strong grip when I shake someone's hand!  

It's Been Interesting

Friday morning, I had an appointment with an attorney.  It's  hard to seriously take advice from a guy that looks about 30, but he has good credentials.

It is not possible for me to get any part of my Dad's inheritance

It is not possible for my sister and I to get the rest of our Dad's estate from our step-mother.  Even though we were shown, by our Dad, the paperwork that showed our names and that we would split the one investment account ($250K each).  When the step-mother died, that investment account was gone--made into a trust fund, as she had told us, BUT with her two daughter's names on it, instead of ours.

There was not much consolation when the attorney told me he has seen this happen many, many times.  That does not help my problem of no way to pay my bills.

I am still paying the credit card for the money Fred had borrowed from me for his surgery and dental charges.  I am still paying the credit card for his funeral and grave marker.  I am still paying the credit card for the roof I had to put on two years ago.

I have played the "balance transfer" game and now all the credit cards are past the zero percent interest and the minimum payments have almost doubled.  

I have a FICO score of 798--the attorney was at least impressed with that, but as he said, "That's nice...but what good does that do you?  Are you going to buy another house?  A new car?  Do you need that at this stage of your life?"

"No."

We will meet again to discuss bankruptcy.

I find the whole idea abhorrent!  To me it is unethical and immoral.  

He said, "It's neither unethical nor immoral.  I'm an attorney and I can tell you of the many doctor's, teacher's, attorney's and rich people who I have represented.  It is legal."

My reply?  "Just because it's legal, doesn't mean it's moral."
================================
Friday evening, Merle, Pearl and their daughter, Marge took me out to supper.  Honest to Pete!  I have been out to supper with them six different times.  Six different restaurants and not once did we complete a meal without them complaining about the food--that they ate--to the waitress who took off part of their bill. 

When we went to Bob Evans, I ordered French Toast, Sausage and Biscuits with Honey.  They ordered meatloaf--which was pressed meat with some gravy over it.  I told them, "This is a place to get breakfast...you can't expect meatloaf to be tasty in a breakfast joint."

Friday night, we went to a Chinese restaurant.  Not a "real" Chinese restaurant, but a chain BUFFET restaurant that cooks for American's palate.  I had to agree with them this time.  It was awful!!!

It was tasteless!  Monogolian Beef is usually spicy--this was not--not even a teeny tiny bit.  That was the only beef dish they had.  I was looking forward to some Beef and Pea Pods--not even on the buffet  Egg rolls, which I love, were less than 2 inches long and no sauce to put on them.  The only good thing I had to eat, was the Oolong tea and the only thing remotely Chinese in the whole place, were the employees and the garish decorations!  EGAD

As usual Pearl and Marge complained and money was taken off the total bill.
=================
Today was going to be MY day.  I wanted no company.  I wanted to get things taken care of around here and not be disturbed.

I got my bird feeders filled up with the special Habenaro Chili Pepper liquid coated on the seeds.

I love how the flames are coming out of the squirrel's

ears and mouth.  We shall see.

I fertilized my container gardens and watered them.  I swept and washed off the porch.

I decided to hem some new tier curtains I got for this room.  My older ones (11 years) were looking kind of ragged , so I decided to take the best ones and put them in my bedroom, to take the place of the curtain I had in there, that I hated since Fred brought it into this house.

The curtains arrived last week.  Cheap, but good enough, but I noticed, the tiered one didn't have a ruffle above the rod opening--the valance had a ruffle, but not the curtain ..PLUS, they were too long, so to solve the problem, all I had to do was take out the top hem, turn it down about 3", sew it and then sew another pocket for the rod.

 You would think, after the hundreds of hours, over the years, that I have sat at a sewing machine, creating beautiful outfits for me and my kids, prom formals, on and on, that I would know how to do a simple, straight line.  I did a lot of that, for my Mother, when I was 10, and I knew I still could, but.....

#1: I have forgotten how to thread the machine!

#2:  Once that was figured out (my looking in the manual), I couldn't see to get the thread through the eye of the needle.  Which brought to mind a scripture about it "being easier for a camel to go through the eye of the needle"---than it is for Judy to thread it.

#3:  After sewing for exactly 2 inches, the bobbin thread ran out.

#4:  How to get the bobbin case open.

#5:  How to get the bobbin case back in--although I 
had no problem filling the bobbin.

#6:  Why am I sweating and shaking?

 What should have taken 30 minutes, took me over and hour, but...I got my ruffle on top of the tier!!


This photo from last winter shows how my desk is right in front of my front windows.

In order to get to that middle curtain area---well, let's just say it is scary.  I can't move the desk so...

 I have to use my little step stool and climb up and walk on the window ledge.

I suppose it was inevitable!

I got the valance and curtain up on the center window and as I was backing out-I could feel myself going down.

Not wanting to fall on my new monitor or scanner, I sort of leaned to the left and fell on the edge of my desk--taking out my plastic calendar holder, causing my phone to fly to the other side of the room and disconnecting several wires with my feet.

Blood was pouring off my left elbow.....but 

cuts and bruises will heal and.......

 The curtains are up!

I decided, as I had disconnected a few cords and wires and could not access the Internet, I'd just take all the wires off the back of the computer, plugs out of the surge protector and I would re-attach each one and try and make a semblance of order in the "cord rat's-nest" we all have behind our computers.

Just then, I heard someone knocking along the siding as they came up the porch.  It was Pearl, and Lord Bless Her Heart, she needed to talk.  I have never seen her quite so excitable and talking so fast.

That story will have to be for another day, but.....I had given her a picture of the kind of surge protector she needs.  I wrote on the photo--"be sure it has 8 outlets--plug in areas.  It will probably cost $20,00"

She showed me what she had purchased.  "The cord is too short to reach to the outlet on the wall."

"I see that," I said.  "Plus--it only has five plug in places."

"Yeah, but it only cost five dollars and you said it would cost twenty."

"Well that's wonderful, but.....if you want to plug in your printer, speakers AND modem, you need one with eight."

And I picked mine up and showed here.

"Oh--that's just like the one in the picture you showed me."

<Lord, just take me now--please!>

"Guess I will have to take it back," she said.

"Do you want me to pick one up for you?"

"No!  I'm not totally incompetent.  I'll get another one!"

==================

So she left and I came back in here and sat for a moment, trying to calm myself and try and remember what plug went to what component and which connector went into which USB port and--got it done and little rope around each bundle to keep it neat--at least for the next week.

Like I said earlier this week--it has been a hellacious six days.  I am so totally beat up and bruised, not just from my fall, but from bending, lifting, carrying and so tired---I will sleep well tonight and.....tomorrow, I can spend a bit more time on this computer to learn more how to work Windows 7 and Outlook 2010 and perhaps one day next week, the kid at the computer place can recover my 40 years of genealogy work and all my saved e-mails and import them to this hard drive.

AND everything will be fine!

ARGGH

ARGGH!!

Where Do I Begin?

I have had a hellacious week!!!

Today has been the worst!

I took Pearl with me when I took in my computer on Monday morning.  We both ended up getting new computers--mine to replace an old computer that had no more memory or room to install Windows 7 and hers, to get her back on-line with a SIMPLE computer she can enjoy(?).

Tuesday--we went back to pick up our new toys.  Then, we spent half the way running around buying her speakers, mouse, keyboard, and trying to find a monitor.

Wal-Mart= Monitors were 95$--apparently they only make 20" ones now?  As I was gathering up her necessary amendments for her computer, she was in the housewares department looking at sale items.

Meijer's = no monitors.  They sell everything you would need for a computer EXCEPT monitors AND computers.  As I was in the electronics department, she was in housewares again, looking for sale items.  She found a plastic pitcher, which she got because, "It's only a dollar!"  Which turned out to be $5.00 at check-out because she read the sign incorrectly, which turned into an argument with the cashier, which turned into Judy running back to housewares, finding the REAL price, which turned into Pearl leaving the plastic pitcher at the store.

Another Wal-Mart, 15 miles away from the first.  I made her sit in the car while I ran in and looked.  No smaller monitors.

Then a stop at the bank so Pearl could transfer funds over to her checking account so her check wouldn't bounce.  She was suppose to do that on Monday, but had forgotten.

"I'm thirsty.  You gotta stop and get me something to drink!"

"Okay.  Where do you want me to stop?"

"I don't care."

I pull into McDonald's

"Not here!  I hate McDonald's!"
<dear Lord in Heaven>

I pull back out into traffic, go half a block and turn into Taco Bell."

"I don't want any food...just a Coke."

"They sell Coke products at McDonald's"

"I told you!  I hate McDonald's and they aren't getting any of my money!"

"Not even for a drink?"

"No!"

Up to the speaker phone.  "Welcome to Taco Bell...may I take your order?"

"I'd like a medium Coke, please."

Pearl says, "Wait.  Maybe I want something different."

Me,"Ah--wait just a moment please."
<I watch as Pearl pours over the menu--cars stacking up behind us>

"I want a small Diet Coke."

"We'd like a small Diet Coke, please."

"Is that all?"

'Yes."

"Is the screen showing the correct item?"

"Yes, thank you."

"Please pull up to the second window."

"Thank you."
<I can feel the pounding in the top of my head which leads me to believe, I am about to have a stroke!>

Back home, which led to unloading all her toys and hooking up the computer, with amendments--except for the speakers as she has a $4.00 power strip with 4 outlet plugs!!  She had thrown out ALL her computer components when she threw (literally) out her old computer, so, she had no power cord for the computer, which led---back to Wal-Mart.

I finally got home and got my computer hooked up and played a bit with Windows 7, which came loaded with Outlook (e-mail) 2010, which would not configure with my ISP.

While I was on the computer, I went searching for monitors.  They all were $95 at the cheapest and then...I just happened to go on the Best Buy site, which I never use and there was a nice, HD, Back Lit, 20" widescreen monitor.  Regularly $149.00 on sale, with pick-up in the store for $87.00.  Bought it!!

Wednesday=up to Best Buy to pick up her monitor.  Then stopped at Pearls to load all her games off her discs so she could play UNTIL I can get her set up on-line, so she can access FACE BOOK, in which she had FOUR accounts and cannot remember her username or password!

I called Comcast to help get my new e-mail configured--talked to 3 people who assured me it would be fixed and to expect a return phone call in 1-2 hours.  Waited--nothing.

Then realized--my home phone was not working.

9:20 last night--Got on-line with Comcast in a live TYPED chat with a tech--I can understand them better with the written word better than I can verbally, if you get my drift!!!  CAN NO ONE SPEAK ENGLISH WITHOUT A HEAVY EAST INDIAN ACCENT?

Got it configured by 10:15.
================

Thursday 9:00 a.m.= a phone call from Pearl that she could not access her games because it says, "I have to go on-line and I'm not hooked up yet."
<what?  the games came off discs I loaded>

Take out garbage--up to Pearls.

As I am walking back to the computer, she is following along saying, "You know.  This is Pearl's house and Pearl's computer and you know, when I sit down in front of the computer, it sees me and won't work.  Remember before?"

I have her set up to one click any icon.
I have the resolution set up so the icons are larger.

I have all of five damn icons on her desk top!  4 for each of the games she likes and one for Face Book that will work WHEN I GET HER ON-LINE.

"Sit down and show me which game you want to play."

"What do you mean...which game?"
<sigh>

"Let's play Bejeweled.  Click on the icon to play that game."

She clicks on the damn Face Book icon!!!
<I can feel the heat rising in my throat--breathe>

"That's your Face Book icon.  You aren't set up for Face Book yet."

"Well, that's where the games are."

"No.  Look at the icons.  See those four?  Bejeweled, Temple Quest..those are the games we loaded yesterday.  Click on the Bejeweled one."

She does.  Up comes the FREAKING GAME!

"See!  You can do it, but it wouldn't let me!"
<GOOD GRIEF!>

"Whadda you mean?  You just clicked on it and it came up for you!"

"Yeah--because you're here!"

"Okay--I gotta get home and call Consumers Energy.  They still don't have my bill straightened out...since February."

Back home, I called Consumers Energy and was assured, ONCE AGAIN, that the charges would be looked into the Appliance Service Plan taken off and to just send in my budget payment--this after I had talked to 5 different people.  They are billing me each and every month for the ASP which was canceled February 20th.

"So--if the charges show up next month...again...I should just call back, right?"  I asked.

"Yes."

"Like I have for the last five months?"

"Yes...and thank you for being a Consumers Energy customer."
==================
Then, I looked around on the new 2010 Outlook--now called Microsoft Mail--which I HATE--and I have no contacts list, no saved e-mails--like the last e-mail I got from my BFF two days before she died--all my info for paying my bills on-line.  Gone.  PANIC.

Then I go looking for my 40 years of genealogy records on Family Tree Maker and can't find that.  PANIC!!

I called the computer shop and was assured (that damn word again), that it was not lost, they would get it and put it all on this computer.  I have a remote set up with them, so they can come into my computer and set things up.

He would call back at 11:00 and fix it.
=================
No call by 2:00, so up to Pearl's I go to get her hooked up to the Internet.

I called Comcast and almost fainted when I got an English speaking woman--she had a slight southern drawl, but SHE WAS AN AMERICAN!!!

The computer sits right by the modem and she told me to put the telephone jack looking thingie connect into the Ethernet slot on the Modem and hook the other end into the computer.  Unfortunately--Pearl said she didn't have one.

"You have a whole bag of different "cords"--where is it?"

and lo and behold in that bag, was a nice bright blue connection cord.

Badda Boom, Badda Bing--connected!!!!!!!

I could not believe how simple it was AND I should have figured it out yesterday on my own, but...sometimes, I am a lot like Pearl and afraid to mess up electronic things.

Then I got her hooked up to her bank with an icon on her desktop--thank goodness I remembered her user name and password from a year ago.

Then I got her on Face Book.  Remember, she had 4 different accounts, set up by her daughter and her daughter's boyfriend and NONE OF THEM could remember the user names or passwords?

Now--while I am doing this and trying to concentrate, she is trying to show me pictures she just found in an envelope--THAT I HAVE SEEN HALF A DOZEN TIMES BEFORE...and gets a bit angry because I won't look or talk to her.

"Well!  If you won't talk to me, I'm going out to the living room!"

"I'm sorry.  I can't talk.  I am trying to figure this out and I have to concentrate.  You got any Diet Pepsi--I'm thirsty."

She goes off to get my drink and I step out on the back porch and have half a REAL cigarette.

Back in the bedroom---

I had an idea and put in her old e-mail address, when she had ATT and  Badda Boom, Badda Bing--there was her account, all her friends--the whole schmeer!!!

"Wait until I tell Margie," she says. (Her daughter.)

"Tell Marge to go in there and delete those other accounts.  I'll change your e-mail to your new one later."

Then, she wanted a couple more games loaded and so....I made her sit in front of the computer/monitor and do it herself.  

"Where do I put this diskie in?"

"Oh--in the CD/DVD tray."

"Where's that?"

"On the front of the computer.  Look for it."

"I can't find it."

"You didn't even look."

She bent down a bit..."What happens if I push this button?"

"I don't know.  Try it."

"What if I break something?"

"You can't."

Lo and behold--

When I left at 5:00, she was happily playing Pearl's Peril on Face Book.

They are taking me out for supper tomorrow night.  I think I might just order Lobster AND steak!  <kidding>

My E.T. (essential tremor) has really been bad today--nerves I suppose.  Here I am, trying to move a mouse around a monitor screen and click on appropriate boxes with a shaking right hand that sends the cursor to the top of the page.  ARGGH!!

I had forgotten to mention that Dar came over every evening this week to...geez, I can't remember why right now.

I am going to take an Ativan and go to bed.

Meeting with an attorney in the morning.  I am sure there is going to be more stress with that!!

DAGNABBIT!!!

Computer problems here and next door.