Technology

Okay technology is great!  However, buyer beware, when you put all of your trust in technology and it fails to perform.  Well you're just up the creek. 

This past week or two or maybe it's been all summer long, my laptop just hasn't performed.  Takes three, no five times the duration to perform a simple task and some not so simple.  Okay, I finally gave up to it to the Geek Squad. First, we performed a quick diagnosis and then determined that some of my issue was I needed more RAM.  Install 8MB of RAM and learned that Windows 32 would not handle it so let's try the computer with only updating to 4MB.  Nope that didn't work.

Next was to reinstall the 8 MB and upgrade Windows to Windows 64.  Okay no problem other than this will totally delete your hard drive.  Okay do a backup and restore the data.  Do I have all of my program keys?  Who saves all of those strings of numbers and alpha digits when they purchase new programs.  Okay it wasn't so bad but it did take some time. 

Finally, got the laptop home and tried a few programs.  Hm...wait a minute none of the programs can find my data.  The data is all there but the programs can not locate.  Okay back to the squad room and spent two hours waiting for them to re-map all of my data.  At least I'm up and running to share some of my frustrations with computers with you.  Enjoy my sentiment below:

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=computer+frustrations&view=detail&mid=973B216AE50D50177A39973B216AE50D50177A39&first=0&FORM=LKVR8

What would we do without our computers???

Turkey Day 2011

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving Dinner this year.  Cheryl and I hosted my parents, my brother and sisters families and our children.  I'm most grateful this year for family and we had 40 of us this year to celebrate.  Here are a few pics of the fun we had together. 

John and Rachel and their two boys were sure missed by all.  We're thankful that they now have a clear journey to proceed forward with and pray for them as they quickly in the next two weeks move from Ohio to New York.  Up up and away into the wild blue yonder goes my little military family.  We will look forward to hearing all about your move and the area you have moved into.

Forty Family Members this Year. 

Ryder enjoyed the meal

Boston having Fun

Let's Just Dance...and work off those calories.

Lexi has got the moves!

Adyson is in the Groove!

How to entertain 40 family members.

Dessert

Monster Mash 2011

Here is a little movie for all to enjoy.  Happy Halloween !

Monterey California

A few weeks ago, Cheryl and I drove to California to attend a convention.  After the convention we took the remainder of the week off and enjoyed sunny California.  Here a little bit of what we saw:

A two hour cruise

 

Anchors Away





Da-dum, Da=dum, oh it's only a dolphin



Endangered



Flight Control requesting permission for take off.



Where's Cheryl?  I hope one of those vats is not empty now.

A grand place for breakfast



Which wave should I take a picture of?




The Lone Cypress Tree



Pebble Beach 18th Hole
We shot a 72
Not Really - Just liven the dream

Kayaking in the Bay



A town meeting



Peek-a-Boo

Sunset at Big Sur

Lake Tahoe - on the way home

Never know what you will find the bushes at Tahoe

That's All Folks!

Yellowstone Adventure

Last weekend for Labor Day, Cheryl and I ventured forth once again on an adventure of fun and beauty.  We traveled to Jackson Hole and stay in the Grand Teton Village for the holiday.  Took half a day on Friday and drove up to Jackson Hole.  Dinner at the Mangy Moose a favorite of ours.  Saturday morning bright and early, well mid morning, we drove up to Yellowstone.  Nearly a two hour drive by time you go back into Jackson and through Grand Teton Park. 

For the last several years as we have visited the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone, I have dreamt about fishing some of the appealing streams, creeks and rivers.  Well this trip I lived the dream.  Cheryl and I both purchased a park fishing license and Saturday afternoon I took Cheryl out into the Fire Hole River to doing some fishing. This was a great place for Cheryl to work on her casting and fishing skills without the worry of brush on the banks.  She did a great job - just no fish.  Did see one fish on the bank rise after our grasshopper but that was it.  Oh well it was just fun to be on the river with the hot pots spewing steam and warm water into the river above and below us. 

Didn't see a lot of wildlife this trip but did manage that evening on the way back to Grand Teton Village to have a cow elk block the road in front of us and then have a stare down with the vehicles trying to maneuver around her.  Saturday evening we eat a Bubbas Barbecue in Jackson another favorite dinning spot.

Sunday morning we toured the park to see some of the attractions.  However, we first venture across a short cut road from Grand Teton Village into the Grand Teton Park and shortened the travel time to and from Yellowstone.  Of course we had to stop at Jenny Lake and take a few photos for our daughter Jenny. Hm.. wonder why she thinks she owns a lake in the Grand Tetons. 

From the Grand Tetons we traveled along the West Thumb of Yellowstone Lake and visited the Fishing Bridge and the Upper and Lower Falls.  Still no wildlife to see but a few geese on the river.  Making the short loop across the park we stopped along the Virgina Cascade and stream and did a bit more fishing.  As soon as I started stringing my fly rod I could see the fish rising.  I was actually successful being able to say; "Fish On!" this time.  Ended up catching a couple of small brook trout and really living the dream.  It was a lot of fun. 

Finished the day driving along the Grand Tetons has the sunset and it was a wonderful view.  It was late when we got back but we managed to muster enough strength to eat at the Mangy Moose.  Monday we said goodbye to the beautiful

country and headed home.  Here a few pics of the weekend.

  

 

One Hot Mama

See You Later Guys

Celebrating our Town and Cheryl's Birthday

Saturday, Cheryl and I got up and went over to the city's celebration and watched the Scottish Games for several hours.  Interesting fact is that we have now attended the Scottish Games for the past three years and still enjoy all those men (and women) in those Tartan Skirts.  It takes a real man to wear a skirt and real men must come from Scotland.  Oh that's right I am Scottish.

This afternoon our family gathered, all except our Military Family in Ohio, and we ate a wonderful barbecue dinner and celebrated Cheryl's birthday and just spent the afternoon enjoying life together. 

We continued the celebration of life later in the evening by gathering with our neighbors on our driveway and watching the fireworks to conclude the city's celebration and ours for the weekend.  Here some of our pics of all the fun we had liven the dream.

Hm..reminds me of her mother as a little girl.

Charge!

Don't get your toes wet.

Swimming upstream

Now this is a new adventure

Strutting her stuff

Checking out wading river

Hm..I'm thirsty

Chinese Water Torture ?

Even the Big Kids enjoy the splash pad

Maybe a bit to much

How do we get so wet?

An intense conversation with Grammy

The Motley Crew

Sparkler Time

The Whole Gang is Here

Hm.. yup fireworks a happening



Never to old for Sparklers



Smile we're on Candid Camera