Thanksgiving 2005

Two years ago, on Thanksgiving evening, we were given a wonderful gift — Laddie. As you may remember from posts back then, our beloved 4 month old puppy, Macalester, had died from surgical complications. One of Macalester’s brothers was never sold. The breeder gave the remaining puppy to us.

I am truly thankful for Laddie, and to M’liss and Chuck, his breeders. He’s been wonderful, challenging, and always very loving. Sydney still wishes Laddie was a girl, but she loves him in her weird way. She’ll even play tag with him, in that rough-and-tumble way Scotties play.

Last night, Laddie slept under the covers of the bed. Just like little Macalester use to do. Maybe he knew what today meant, too. Or he was just cold and finally figured out (after two years) that it’s warmer under the covers.

I sure do love that baby boy!

Today’s Update

I only received one birthday card today. Just one! I guess this is just an indication that eventually the birthday card blitz will end. To be replaced by the Christmas card blitz, unless everyone has taken us off their list. I never got around to sending out cards last year.

While doing grading last night, I had my computer multi-tasking. My photographs are backed up, and backed-up again. I deleted some files, but I still only have 2gb on my hard drive. I need to go through my documents and such, and weed things down, shift things over to my external hard drives. You’d think I’d have enough room, with a 60 and an 80 GB external HD.

Time for a little light blog reading, then it is the end of another day.

Today’s Post

Note: I have to find a new plug-in for slideshows. And LOL about using Flickr — I have my own back-ups now. When I do them. Carol Anne 8/11/2019

I added the new Slideshow function to the right. It’s supposed to show photos from a particular set of tags in Flickr, but I know darn well it’s not showing all the photos. Bugs, most likely.

Chimping

I was introduced to the term “chimping” during the photography workshop I took with Chris Marquardt. For the uninitiated, “chimping” happens when you take a photo digitally and look at it immediately afterward. As Chris so eloquently added, “and there’s ooh-ooh-ooh sounds”.

At our house, it’s not so much the “ooh-ooh-ooh” sounds, but the “Mamamamamama! Can I see? Can I see!” accompanied by much hopping up and down.

Google “chimping” in the images section, to get some visuals on chimping. Stick to the first page or two of the search results. After that, some of the pictures … well, I don’t see why chimping is a keyword.

A Hell of a Mess

Two weeks ago, I set out on an adventure to purge and rearrange my workspace. I haven’t done anything with my space after the initial purge, and boy does this space look terrible. Stuff is spread all over.

My only consolation is that I have a Saturday at Home this weekend, and I can probably get much of this cleared away in 1/2 hour. I just need to apply myself to the task.

I do really want to purge this space, but I also realize that I have run out of enthusiasm. I think it’s because I’m paralyzed by the thought that Thanksgiving is next week. Which means Christmas is about 5 weeks away, or so. There is a photograph to be taken and printed, cards pulled together, a Christmas letter to be written, decorating to be done. I do have cards, some stamps, address labels, return address labels, paper, and two kids that are very happy to do assembly line card stuffing.

I feel so behind, but that’s just because there’s too much clutter about right now for me to just sit down and see how much ahead I really am. I can get to that point this weekend. I really can.

Tired

My butt has been dragging since after supper tonight. A spaghetti dinner will do that to you, I suppose.

I finally took out all the stuff I bought at the CS Open House over the weekend. I may never get it put away. I’m just too tired.

In fact, I’m too tired to write much of an entry tonight. So, I think I’ll just call it. After all, tomorrow is another day!

Newspaper to “Guarantee Delivery”

I wonder if the Star-Tribune is willing to deliver a daily newspaper to my doorstep – for the price of the subscription to the paper. It seems the Pioneer Press is not.
I received a notice that for an additional monthly fee, the Pioneer Press will “guarantee” doorstep delivery. My paper has been delivered to my door for the past 25+ years. I do have the option to no longer expect my paper to be delivered at my door, just by calling the Pioneer Press’s Customer Service number. I called to ask where the paper would be delivered if I declined their “guarantee”. I was told my paper could wind up “on the grass, on the sidewalk, anywhere”.
If subscribers opt out of “guaranteed” delivery, will the carrier have a list of houses where the paper can be thrown willy-nilly? If my paper is not delivered at all (which happens about once every three months), will I not get a replacement paper even though I have a pre-paid subscription if I don’t have a “guarantee”? After all, they could claim the carrier threw it in a gutter, on my roof, or in the neighbor’s yard.
It’s poor customer service, plus trying to pass along a cost increase in the guise of “guaranteed” delivery. Be honest, just raise the subscription rate for home delivery. Don’t pretend you are going to give me extra service — service that I receive now. I’m looking forward to hearing the response to my complaint from the Attorney General’s office.
If the Star-Tribune is willing to deliver my paper to my door, be honest about their subscription rates and delivery plans, they may have a new customer.