Baby

This is the newest member of our family--her name is Jorie, and until a month ago, she was in a foster home in S. Korea. Two years ago, our niece and her hubbby began the arduous process of trying to adopt a baby from China. That's when I started making the little quilt in the picture. Just a few months ago, the Korean adoption people were looking for a home near to the one where they had placed a little boy, to place his baby sister. In the process, they found my niece & hubby on the Chinese list! And so, Jorie was offered to them! They are still on the Chinese list, so may yet get a litttle Chinese sister for Jorie! :)

So, like I said, I had started the hand-pieced & quilted baby quilt--but didn't want to jinx the adoption by finishing it before their baby was actually HERE. Silly, I know! But I finished quilting it last week. Jorie likes it! :)

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My big laptop is still non-functional, and I'm still struggling along with my tired little backup laptop. It refuses to recognize the floppy drive or the CD burner and tells me there isn't enough memory to add hardware, blah, blah, blah.... But, I'm getting by. Eventually, Keith will get back to work, and then I may just upgrade the big laptop--which I've had for 4 years--and it was a refurb when I got it! Right now, I'm able to get email and get on the Internet, at least! I've tried several times to get rid of the Earthlink software that seems to have it's tentacles woven deep into all kinds of stuff on the laptop and refuses to let go without taking chunks of other programs with it. *sigh* If it'd go away, I'd have more memory....

On the job front, Keith has been calling Union Locals around the Country and being told that they have too many people out of work already, so he can't sign up with THEM! So, resumes are going out to as many big gas and oil pipeline companies as we can find. I probably mentioned that getting into pipeline work is a 'who you know', rather than 'what you know' process...and Keith doesn't know anyone! But we're both working on it...we'll find a way in! My guess is that we'll end up in Wyoming, since that is where the oil and the pipeline projects are! Sooner, rather than later, would be nice!

We still get reports on Molly B. She sounds to us like she's fallen into doggie heaven! :) Here in our house, it's both strange and a blessing to have her in a new home. MUCH less dog hair to deal with, that's for sure! The remaining 2 dogs are still just tolerating each other, and I sure wish they weren't 'barkers'.... But having 2 dogs is quite a bit easier on us all.

Well, it's incredibly late and the weather dude is predicting weather that sounds vaguely like it could get really nasty--hence, there's an early morning grocery run in our future! Guess I'd best get myself off to bed!

Hang in there, ya'll. SPRING IS COMING!

The dreaded 'black screen'!

Finally happened. The laptop was sitting here, behaving well, and then it's world went black! :( The computer was still running--but there was nothing to see! The screen is dead. And I've only been using this laptop every day for 4 years, since I bought it refurbed on eBay! LOL! The timing stinks, of course. The money tree hasn't begun blooming yet...





When it does, I either buy another laptop on ebay, or struggle along with this ancient piece of technology that I dug out of the closet, or buy a stand-alone monitor, or buy a $75 used screen and put it in.... *sigh* What I need is for Jerry and Marie to live next door so he can scrounge me some parts and make me a computer.... :D





Meanwhile, it's a blustery, 53 degree day here in IL. Tonite's low is supposed to drop to the teens. It rained all nite and should snow some tonite.... It's the Midwestern Winter Rollercoaster!





I finished the baby quilt! Started it 2 years ago, when my niece and hubby started their adoption process, but didn't want to jinx things by actually finishing it (that's my story and I'm sticking to it!). The baby is here at last and there's a shower next week--and I'm ready! :)

Still doing the job-hunt thing. It'd be simpler if his resume and all the contacts weren't tucked away in the screenless laptop...but we'll manage! :)

Enjoy your Sunday!

And then there were 2

61 degrees and foggy.... Gotta love that Feb. thaw!

This morning a lady called, in tears, to ask about Molly B (our 'middle child'). She and her husband had just lost their 14 year old dog last week and had seen her picture on Petfinder.com. They drove for 3 hours to come and see her--and took her home with them. :(

Yes, it's for the best. We had too many 'kids' to haul around the Country. I have had to stay home with them while Keith went places like his appointments at the VA in Indy. Too many dogs to take along overnite, too many to board out, too crowded in our 'house'--and then there was the fact that Keith has had a lot of allergy trouble ever since we brought her home with us, 4 years ago. Lots of good reasons to adopt out one of our dogs--but it feels like cheating, somehow, to just give her away.

The couple who took her were really happy, and they will spoil her silly and fuss over her like we never have. And she won't have to compete for attention! Oh, my goodness no! Anyway, I still feel guilty, but I'll get over it one of these days.

Meanwhile, VA says Keith is healing nicely. 2 more weeks to go on that.... Tomorrow he gets to spend the day on the phone, calling Locals and getting on their out-of-work lists for pipeline work. You gotta KNOW he's looking forward to that! But he's gotta do what he's gotta do!

I've got more gourd bowls and more wax.... :) This time I'm experimenting with an owl motif--we'll see how it comes out....