MRB's Talking Fingers

I'm still finding boxes of 'stuff' that I've forgotten that I still have. I have to admit that I have been distracted quite often, when started to sift through a discovered box. When the family tells me that I never throw anything out, I think they are right at least part of the time. One box was very heavy... no wonder it hasn't been moved in years. It is filled with newspapers and magazines. The Star Weekly was known for the photos included in their stories, and I have the issue in honor of Winston Churchill, at the time of his death. I have a copy of a British magazine, with photos of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. There are newspapers with headlines of John Kennedy's assassination, the release of the Iranian hostages, the shooting of Ronald Reagan, and the crash of Apollo 13. Then there are early issues of PEOPLE magazine, about 10 year-end issues, a special edition on Michael Jackson, the wedding of Charles & Diana's Wedding... I could go on...

I thought I would have my computer back home by now, but not quite. The new battery that was installed lasted about 12 minutes!!!!! The company has to get their supplier to send another one... hopefully one that will work longer. I was in the city yesterday to enjoy a "Birthday Celebration" with three other ladies. It was a "had my birthday", "having my birthday", and "going to have my birthday"! It was a lot of fun to enjoy a LONG lunch in a great restaurant. By the time I got back home, I was ready for a nap. Today was occupied with things that didn't get done the day before. I have decided to share something that I created almost 8 years ago, containing some of my first Blogs that I posted on NOTH, and a lot of other things. If you find one posting entitled "How Can You Tell If It's Real", it is a personal talk that I shared at a number of Women's Club meetings. I have almost forgotten that I did some public speaking. The...

I don't know about you, but I'm getting so tired of political rancor in all of our countries, and the information, varified or speculated, about the virus, the economy, the society, the rights of everyone, and whatever else the media thinks is important. Thank goodness there are spots on the internet where we can read and celebrate with people who think "outside of the box" and show kindness and empathy in unexpected ways. The sacrifice and service from the medical profession, the police and firefighters, the teachers, and the farmers, is beyond my comprehension, even during the fault-finding and bitterness that has crept in when we haven't been watching. On a personal note, what can I do in a positive way, to express what is important to me, and still be an encourager, a helper, and a friend to those who 'cross my path'... in the neighborhood, in town, or on the Internet? I'm classed as 'old', even though I don't want to admit it, and some...

It has been quite a week… and it seems that my computer took control of much of my time. Not really, but knowing that I’m always anxious to learn (or ‘relearn’) something on my computer, this was a new experience. I’ve been hooked on computer technology since the early 1980s. To describe my present computer, which I purchased almost two years ago, it will help to understand the event. It is a 15" HP computer that is a tablet with a full keyboard that is attached with magnets; my preference now that my office has changed size from a full basement suite, to my favorite chair near the large window where I can enjoy the view of our 'green valley’. This week, when I checked my messages and emails first thing in the morning, I noticed that the computer screen had come out of the frame at the left lower area and it seemed somewhat warped. Why? I called the company who sold the computer to me and described the situation. I was told to turn off the computer and not use it until I could...

The experience that I had today confirmed that I’ve been having too much spare time with my computer, while sitting in my favorite chair near my favorite window. There are so many things that I enjoy with my computer, and I love to learn new things. I’ve renewed my interest in restoring vintage photographs, but the software that I used many years ago was not made for Windows 10, so I’ve been trying all sorts of software, especially the ones that are “affordable” for me. I’ve had time to do a lot of reading about computers and photographs, and trying to organize the hundreds of photographs and graphics that I have on my computer and tablet. All of this activity seemed to have made my computer run much slower. I also received several “error” messages that there were files missing or unavailable that were necessary for the smooth operation of a software. It was time for me to have my computer serviced by my favorite service company… Cloudeight Direct Computer Care. If that sounds familiar...

With all the reading that I’ve been doing this past few weeks, I have been tempted to revert back to ‘the way things were’ before the global endemic has tried to stop us in our tracks. There was always some place that I wanted to go, someone to visit, do some travelling, go shopping, etc.  The media tells us to ‘carry on’ and follow the rules, don’t worry, we’ll get through this, or they tell us that it’s going to get worse, no matter what we do. I don’t want to hear the news these days; who are we supposed to believe. One posting that sticks in my mind is this question… ‘Do you consider the present global situation to be a ‘Time Out’, intended to give us time to re-assess our life’s journey? I haven’t thought much about ‘time- outs’ since our family are all adults. In my generation, I don’t remember any time-outs, but I do remember the occasional trip to the shed, to receive a dose of corporal punishment. It was never a nice experience, but it left an indelible impression on my ...

You may not believe this, but you haven’t heard from me this past month because I couldn’t come up with a topic that would be even slightly interesting in a blog. We’ve been staying close to home these days, except for necessary trips to town for groceries and medical appointments. Our favorite dining spots have been closed, except for curbside service, and the food would be cold before we got back home. A treat in town would be a drive-thru for donuts or hamburgers, but eating a meal in our vehicle can get messy. Back home, my husband and I have different “comfort” zones, but both of us have decided that we have no time to be bored. There are too many things that still grab our attention. He spends hours every day in his shop… cleaning, repairing, organizing and building a variety of items in his shop. Living in a rural area gave him space to build a separate building, giving him space to accommodate his two hobbies… vintage telephones and tractors. We’ve been here so many years tha...