Ugh....

As I mentioned before my laptop has been acting up...well it's possessed.  Hard drive was replaced and it came with a mind of it's own!   I can't control the mouse/cursor at all.  Was on phone with Dell support for two hours, mostly on hold.  I think they just didn't want to deal with me and all my complaints.  Finally, when I was off hold I asked to speak with the supervisor, so Aaron, the supervisor, gets on the line and I'm talking over him and he so kindly asks me to listen.  I didn't and said I have heard it all and I'm done listening.  I want a new laptop, not a refurbished piece of crap.  He finally figured out there was nothing more he could offer and agreed.  Of course he has to submit, talk to, beg or whatever to get the next level of command to agree and send me a new laptop.  So far the motherboard, fan, video card, usb ports, keyboard, hard drive and software have been replaced...I'm asking him what more is left to replace?  Not to forget all the time I've wasted.  Now I gotta wait, again.  I told Aaron, the supervisor how disappointed I am in Dell and this may be the last product I ever buy from them and I will certainly discourage anyone else from ever buying a Dell product.  I don't think Aaron the supervisor could care less but you know the conversation is recorded so I could tell it was a challenge to give the appropriate responses.  The computer tech told me he hates working with Dell Support, I agree.
This morning Tom handed me his laptop, knowing I was gonna have laptop withdrawal issues.  haha
I think today is a good day to spend in the pool and craft studio.....

Dear Blog, I'm sorry I've been neglecting you,

You would think someone like me, retired and all, would have nothing but time on her hands to devote endless hours to her blog....but as it turns out I haven't of late.  You may remember back in March I was having problems with my laptop, anyways the problems continue.  It's like this laptop has a mind of it's own.  I've been spending time backing up all my photos, music and misc files.  What a big job.  I need to go buy another external storage drive.  I'm pretty organized but good organization takes concentration, too.  Computer people told me today we'll be replacing the hard drive, so that means I'm gonna be backing up a few more things!  I'll be starting over with a brand new system...ugh!  But I like my system the way it is.  That means, making lists of software and information,  reinstalling software, setting up my Favorites, on & on.  But on the positive side....no more laptop problems!!! (keep your fingers crossed).  Because of all this I haven't been downloading or playing with any photos of the things I've been doing.  Today for example is the first day of Sweet Salvage sale!  I'm heading over there to check out the goodies.  I'm going to a happy hour for another person who is retiring, yeah!  I have lots of goodies to photograph that I came home with, fun fun...  I've been to the movies and watching DVD's, some good, some not so good.  The Avengers, thumbs up.  The Vow, ummm,
So, Dear Blog, I hope to be back soon with really cool stuff to write about.  Promise.

Bowling pin update.....

Leaving Nebraska....

what an adventure it's been so far.....

Re-connecting

This is Diana.  We graduated high school in 1975 and haven't seen each other until that day.  It was so funny how neither of really remember too many classmates, but we remember each other.  We did some catching up in our brief visit, but there's more stories and laughs to be had.  She's making some big changes in her life and I wished her well.  We promise to stay in touch .... why not, I say...she's way cool.  I love it when good things happen.

Arizona

It's nice to be home, even it means unloading MINI Lula, unpacking suitcases and boxes.  It took me a couple of days to get back in the groove of things.  Laundry, cleaning and endless dusting.  Already met up with some friends and got caught up some on what's been going on.  It's warm out and the pool is inviting, once I cleaned it.  Love being home.

I've been dying to get into the craft studio.  I so many ideas and gifts to make.  I think I'll make it in there tonight.  I need to sort through photos and post them soon.

Enjoy your day....

Heading west, heading home,

I don't like goodbyes, but I do like heading home.  I'll be stopping in on a friend in Colorado that I haven't seen since high school.  On a whim I contacted her and asked if I could stop in and visit.  She gladly said yes.  I'm excited to see her.  I'm also meeting up with Tom in Denver, yeah!  We'll be meeting up with some college friends and I'm really excited to see them, it's been way too long. 
I did some really cool things on this trip.  I was able to find a good high school friend and her husband who live in the middle of nowhere.  I did get a treasure from them, too.  haha   Good thing I MINImized my luggage because MINI Lula is packed full with all kinds of goodies and treasures.  I decided to wait until I unpack in Arizona to share photos.  I have stories to share and photos to show you.  I plan to get busy in my craft studio as soon as get home...I have tons of ideas!!!

Happy May Day!

I remember making May Day baskets, fill them with candy and the funnest part was leaving them on a boy's door, knocking and running...just hoping they would run after me.What's so weird is most of my friends in Arizona have never heard of this fun tradition.  They haven't ever herad of May Day fun, period.  They have no idea what they missed out on.

Internet Photo - Will Merydith

Traveling along Highway 30....

Found what I was looking for.  We didn't find it in the large antique place in Overton, NE.  We found it in a small antique place in Cozad, NE.  Didn't find much else, some silver spoons way cheap, some glass cereal bowls, and an aluminum cake carrier.  Door knobs & architectural pieces were overpriced and nothing else caught my eye. 
I should post some photos, but it's complicated...no internet access at parent's home, which is where my stuff & camera are.  I'll figure it out and post them tomorrow.  I'm missing Tom, my dogs, craft studio and swimming pool!  I'll be heading home soon.  But in the mean time, there's more shops to check out.

Spent hours at an antique place.

Yesterday I stopped in a local antique shop.  It's a large building with individual booths.  I was looking for silver or silver plated spoons, vanity trays and a green glass pitcher.  The green glass pitcher is for my Tia Mary.  She has a set of glasses and broke the pitcher that goes with the set.  So I'm on the hunt for it.  I found 20 spoons and three vanity trays but no green glass pitcher!  Tomorrow I'm going to this very large antique place along old Highway 30 and he has tons of stuff.  My impression of this particular shop is the owner is actually a hoarder and hates getting rid of things.  His prices seem high and his shop is packed full and I notice people leaving empty handed.  Not a good thing.  So wish me luck on finding the green glass pitcher. 

Texas treasure hunt

I explained  to my Texas family how I recycle, repurpose and redesign things I find, take, or purchase.  I gave them examples of my work and explained how I keep my eyes open for any treasures that cross my path.  Then I go on to explaine how I may "take" something but I will not "steal" things.  I explained if I find something I'll bring it to their attention and explain my need to have it.  I also explain most times I'm given the item without a problem.  So the hunt began.   I stayed with my Tio Tony and Tia Mary....so they felt the most vulernable to my treasure hunts.  Each morning they asked me what if I found anything interesting.  Now let me tell you they had plenty of nice things but I prefer items that are no longer being used, so they won't miss it.  My Tio had a garage I never went there he had a storage shed and I did go there, but with close supervision...haha.  He was in total control & I was allowed in the doorway...well that's no fun.  He gave me a couple of treasures, but who knows what all he had in there!  Our final morning he ask me if I found any last minute items and I said no, that this trip turned out to be more about family that I didn't even take the time to snoop.  He comes back to the room with a bowling pin...a life-size bowling pin and asks me if I can do anything with it...I laugh and say well not a piece of jewelry or jounal...but maybe a paperweight.  My sister sees the bowling pin and makes a big deal about it and so we give it to her.  Next thing you know it he comes back with another bowling pin..haha.  He tells us the story of the bowling pins...He was stationed at Norton Air Force Base in California and the base bowling alley was going to be demolished and he got some of the bowling pins.  So these are no ordinary bowling pins....I have a plan for them.  Here's a hint.

Texas family fun

Last night we had a famly reunion, sharing photos and stories.  This photo is a treasure to us cousins.  This was taken in 1971.  I'm back row second in.  What I remember about this day..

It was my wella's (Juana) funeral. 

I had curly hair and my cousins had straight hair!  I curled my hair in big rollers to have straight hair like my cousins.  But once I walked out of the air conditioned house into the hot humid Texas heat, my hair poofed up! 

All of us in this photo were at get together tonight with exception of my sisters, Patsy & Rhonda and our cousin Sylvia.   Also, cousin Patricia & Jason weren't born, yet.  Also, our sources report my brother Danny (who's also not in the photo) took the photo.  But everyone who notices Danny's not in the photo always says the same thing..."he was probably with Eddie".

A few of us cousins took this photo last night.  Oh how we've grown up.

On the road again

I'm heading out on another road trip....

....stay tuned

Treasure hunting has begun....

Hit a few thrift stores already...

Found some ribbons and nice handkerchiefs.

I also hit my dad's garage....lots of goodies in there.

Found doorknobs, small cheese boxes, a wire basket, and a tonka dump truck. 

There's many more nook & crannies to explore!!

Idea for the tonka truck!

Trip to Nebraska was an adventure

My brother, Danny with me at Sunset Point, AZ.  Alittle cloudy but still a pretty nice day out.

This is further up I-17, yeah that's snow!

Flagstaff, AZ  snow and a snow shovel.  I don't know how much snow fell in Flagstaff??

We got rain off & on through New Mexico, but...more snow....
Trucker in Walsenburg, CO said tough road from there to Denver!!! Yikes We stayed overnight in Walsenburg....a very well used hole in the wall motel on the exit...Couldn't sleep, my brother snored something awful and the room had the scent of a used ashtray! 

Look what was waiting for us....

More snow!!!

More clouds in western Colorado, but the we kept going and so did the clouds, missing us.

Look what was waiting to greet me the next morning in my Mom's backyard!

Today, packing day...tomorrow....

Tomorrow is travel day, long day in the MINI day, eat on the road day, gas up with the most expensive gas ever day, listen to my other brother's stories all the way home day, playlist survival day, see the Rockies, (mountains) day, humm that might be the next day day, buy scratcher tickets along the way day, win some cash day,  might see snow in Flagstaff day,  will see rain day, my trip back to Nebraska day(s). 
I'm not even packing my traditional neat blue craft suitcase on this trip!  What's a crafty girl to do?   ...shop.  I'm MINImizing packing stuff so I'll have room for treasures to bring home with me.  My trip to Sweet Salvage motivated me to shop for the unusal & unique things to repurpose.  My friend bought the coolest bird bath and I have bird bath envy!  So I'm gonna keep my eye out for one and anything else I can fit in the MINI.  Stay tuned....