Ahhhh……

I see the light at the end of the tunnel – and I'm pretty sure it's not a train.

My 'week from hell' went something like this:

Sunday night – unknown event.

Monday morning I took my computer to hospital.  

Monday afternoon I'm told it's totalled.  I ordered a new one.  It would be ready Wed.  In the meantime I use very old, very slow, almost-an-abacus, laptop with a teeny-tiny screen.

Wednesday, computer tech is having problems.

Thursday, computer tech is having problems.

Thursday evening, finally, I get the new computer (It's new hardware but all the software is the same.)

I unpack the new box and plug it in.  The puppies think that's great fun because I'm on the floor, under my worktable, at their play-level.  They take full advantage.

So… All plugged in! I turn it on and the monitor doesn't work.

I swap cables, still doesn't work.

I have no clue what I did but, miraculously, an hour or so later, after doing something, it started working.

My 'desktop' was a blank screen.

I foolishly thought the tech had installed everything from my back-up.  He only copied over the data, in one big file.

I started reinstalling all the software – most of it from downloads which, of course, take forever.

Friday morning, as usual, I'm trying to do too many things at once, ran into problems and had to uninstall and reinstall what I had already installed.

The weather was nasty, very windy, cold and rainy.  The puppies were bugging me for attention and the power was going off and on.  Finally, the power stayed off.

The phone rang, I answered it and nothing happened.  Great, now the phone isn't working either.  We have 2 handsets – one worked; the other didn't.

Three hours later, the power is back on, I fixed the phone (took it back to factory defaults, and went through set-up – a few times).  

Back to work, I got more software installed on the computer and was finally able to get my email… all 450 of them.

I spent this morning getting my websites back on so I can work, sorted through most of the emails, still have half the software left to install and then I have to put it all back together….

I have music; I have iTunes; but they don't recognise each other.

I have photos; I have PhotoShop; but they're not speaking.

You can see the problems….

I'm frankly sick of it all.

I'm going to go bake cookies and think about it… Or forget about it, one of the two.

Ginger Chocolate Chip Cookies

3/4 cup butter 
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
3 Tbsp. dark molasses
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. powdered ginger
1/4 tsp. cloves
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup dark chocolate chunks
extra granulated sugar

1. Cream butter & sugar
2. Add & mix well next 8 ingredients
3. Stir in chocolate chunks
4. Shape into I-inch balls, dip tops
in sugar and place on greased
baking sheet.
5. Bake at 375F (190C) 10 – 12 minutes or 
until cookies are browned & firm.

Peanut Butter Oatmeal

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup brown sugar – packed
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup chocolate chunks 

1. Cream 1st 4 ingredients
2. Blend in egg & vanilla
3. Combine oats, flour & soda,
blend into creamed mixture.
4. Stir in chocolate chunks 
5. Shape into 1-inch ball & place on
ungreased baking sheet
6. Bake at 350F (175)C for 10 – 11 minutes
or just until edges are golden.
Cool 1 minute on sheet.

You know how, over time, you get stuff set-up so it works how you like it to work?

All gone….

Folders don't open they way I want them too; dashboards are wonky; toolbars are missing….

Cookies!!!!!!