Computer is back

This is Monday. Since last Thursday my computer has really been giving me a rough time. I couldn’t get my amazingvanstones email or my Yahoo home page. I couldn’t save drafts in my blog and it took many attempts to actually publish it. Anything that did happen was extremely slow. I’d ran the Norton software a couple of times and could find nothing wrong. I was however down to my last gigabyte or two of memory. Yesterday, with Marilyn’s help, we attacked my beloved toy with an axe. We threw out programs I hadn’t used in a long time, moved a couple of gigs of pictures off, even cleaned up my email accounts. I had cleaned my inbox out a few times but in my sent folders I had emails going back to 2008. I’ve had a few computers since 2008. I must have moved the old emails over for at least a couple of computers.
Even after all that, still no email or home page. I did the only thing left to do. I shut it down, went out side and had a beer.We promised we would do battle with windows again today.
This morning I crawl out early, bringing my Kobo for back up (if I can’t blog I can pout and read). I make a cup of joe, fire up my Dell and voila! We seem to be back in business. Will it last or was it really crappy internet like I thought? Maybe it was the beer. Time will tell.

Old Friends

The first time someone comments on this blog they need to be approved by me, the administrator. These days you need to be careful, you can’t have all those weirdo’s and perverts leaving comments on the important subjects we cover on here, that’s for sure. Let’s face it. I’ve got both those titles reserved with my name on them and I don’t need no competition.

Anyway, today there is a comment from Don and Yvonne. How long has it been? 8 or 9 years? What a neat surprise! Just one more way this blog connects me with people in our extremely small world. Good to hear from you guys.

On the left is the camera that’s been providing most of our pictures for the last couple of years.
On the right is my brand new  Canon EOS Rebel T3.

I got it a couple of days ago and while I’ve been working really hard at learning all about it I’ve only made way way through the first 70 pages of the 274 page PDF file in the “Basic Instruction Manual”. I’m saying I’ve read 70 pages, I’m not saying I completely understand them all.

But I’m working on it. I study for an hour or two, then head out to practise. I take a bunch of pictures using different settings from the hundreds of possibilites and combinations, download them on the computer, compare, compare and more compare. I then follow with delete, delete and more delete.
Then repeat.

I’m loving it. I’m finding it a very relaxing hobby, and way for fun then Potty Golf would have ever been.

I just can’t let my new hobby interfere with Happy Hour.

Anyway, here was the first real test for the Mexican map program. We could either come right home or be lost for ever. I’m happy to report we are home. Safe and sound. Our new Garmin, with Mexico Maps has won a place in my heart.

Mar’s birthday isn’t until November 19 but she got her present a little early this year. We were in Staples before we left Ontario and they had a Wii bowling game set up. The campaign was on. When we got to Tracy & Mike’s we learned they have Wii, after playing with it for a few hours the  pressure was really on. We had some time when we were in Kelowna the other day, and Walmart had a bunch of the systems in stock and the rest, as they say, is history.

This afternoon, snuggled in to Pacific Border RV Park we hooked it all up. What a Hoot! You really need one of these things, they are a blast. You can learn about the game here

I’d tell you more but I gotta go,  it’s my turn.

A couple of years ago we bought ourselves a Garmin 330 GPS system. We knew it was a silly luxury, but what the hell, we deserved it. We called her Belinda after Belinda Stronach, a popular Canadian politician at the time. While our Belinda lasted longer than the politician Belinda, she’s been taking us to some strange places lately. We began to question her sanity. Then, on our way out of Cleveland the other day, she began one of the longest brain farts in the history of man or electronic devices,  she completely locked up. You know what I mean,she went in her room and wouldn’t come out. We had to kill her batteries to save her.  We freaked! Suddenly we had to rely on paper maps again. Oh sure we use them as back up all the time, but now  it was all up to us. The very next day, we went to Walmart and bought a new Garmin Nuvi 1350T. We Think we’ll call her Emily.

Wow, she’s fantastic! She keeps no secrets, she tells the whole story. Let me show you:

Starting in the top left corner; Our next turn is a right in 37 miles onto I-94 in Eau Claire. See the little cars just below that? She reads an FM signal that reports traffic, warns you of delays and if the delay is serious enough, detours you around the problem.

Bottom left now; That’s the mileage to our destination (in this case Edmonton) but it could be the number of hours til then, the correct time, or elevation, or a bunch of other choices. The little truck leading us down the highway will be a old Winnebago motorhome when I get around to changing it. My dream icon would be a beer truck. Can you imagine following a beer truck accross North America? How cool woud that be!

Continuing our our tour; See the red 67; It’s red because I’m speeding, again. The limit on this section of road is 65. I never have to look for Speed Limit signs again.  She does a bunch of other things including store pictures, play games and even will accept Mexico maps which we’ll buy when we get a strong WiFi signal some day.

Speaking of speed limits, did you know that on the major highways in North Dakota, the speed limit is 75. Suprisingly, I don’t think traffic moves any faster or slower than anywhere else. It’s just legal to drive how we all drive anyway.

Maybe we should name her after a North Dakota politician. They appear a little smarter than the ones back home.

 And Hey, it only gets better. We just bought a couple of Digital TV’s. Imagine, the weight of our motorhome will probably drop a couple hundred pounds. And as an added bonus, we’ll get loads of free HDTV. We may even start watching them.

Hey Mare, Pass the popcorn please. Gracias

So yesterday was “we gotta do something” day. Initially we couldn’t find anybody in the park that understood computers at all. I can understand that because computers are one thing I have no understanding about. If, when I turn it on it works, I’m happy. If it doesn’t work I’m not happy and don’t understand.

So no one knew anyone in the park who could help, it was Sunday so repair places were not open and even if they were there is that same old issue: Language. We even went downtown and priced out new laptops. We can’t speak Spanish, issues like this become very difficult. We put our problem to the email forum for folks here at Paamul. Two hours later, we checked our mail, and  there were 5 or 6 different offers of assistance. All in english. Mar has an appointment at 9am for her and our lap top. She is meeting a gentleman who is “MicroSoft Certified” and familiar with both hardware and software problems. Let’s hope it all works out

Relax, there is help, Here’s a couple of real friendly folk who’s main purpose in life is to make our lives easier. Really! You gotta meet them. Their names are Jim and Chris and their website is Geeks On Tour They’ve even got video tutorials done in plain old English..honest, I see no Geek talk... I can see they can certainly make my life a lot easier, that’s why I’ve added them to my Blogroll. so that way you and I can always find Geeks On Tour. You’re Welcome.