Archive for ‘June, 2015’

New stuff: it keeps getting easier

About 3 months ago when I was reworking my Windows 7 backup computer, it suddenly quit. I tried all I know and let it sit for days and tried again, but it was done. It was 5 years old which is ancient in my world, but still…as a backup, I thought it would work for some of the older software I was supporting.

My production machine, my Windows 8.1 Acer is two years old and I bought it to have a Windows 8 machine and as an interim machine as it was inexpensive and kind of light in the memory and processor speed. But it has been doing fine until several weeks ago when suddenly the “P” key and the left arrow key stopped working. And it was not because there was a crumb or something in the key. The touch keyboard’s P and left arrow didn’t work either.

In a panic, I considered another inexpensive computer.

But, I went online and found that other people had the same issue with the Acer and some of it was resolved by a reboot. Although, a reboot is typically the first thing I do, I started the whole trouble shooting issue thinking the problem was mechanical. It wasn’t until later in the day that I realized the touch keyboard was also having an issue. Bottomline, I rebooted and both keys came back on board.

Still.

I make my living on the computer and a non-working computer = no $$ and I was a bit nervous about an already not so robust machine that was 2 years old, possibly failing completely.

I had been looking off and on and putting off a purchase but the glitch got me looking seriously and today the new machine arrived.

I bought a customized Toshiba. Toshiba customizable laptaps ship direct from China.

The new machine has 16 gb RAM, 256 gb Solid State Hard Drive, an Intel i7 quad core 2.6 ghz processor with integrated graphics. This baby should fly like the wind!

The cool thing is that after starting up, the start screen had the usual extra stuff: games, various extra this and that. But after I signed in, the machine got itself ready and before I new it, my new start screen looked like my Acer start screen…just the way I like it.

Wow. So happy! I still have to set up my work environment, Quicken, Photoshop plus some utility programs that I use, but they are all subscription and/or downloadable and the only time consuming thing will be my work environment.

I’m guessing that instead of days to set up, I should be good to go in several hours.

New stuff: it keeps getting easier.

Elsewise, another beautiful day that topped off about 74F with a nice breeze.

Happy Friday.

Sunday Morning

Friday, a cold front whooshed through and temperatures returned to normal 70’s, dipping into the 40’s overnight – bliss!!

But mornings are still prime time and especially Sunday morning…

A gorgeous walk in the woods.

A cool, clear morning.

Buckwheat waffles with blueberry syrup, bacon and a cup of coffee.

Sunday Morning

Morning is prime time in my world

Monday we broke a record, heat-wise – the 1948 record of 89 fell to our high of 94. Tuesday we tied a 95F record from 1918.

But mornings are beautiful and cool.

This morning at 6:30 walking in the woods…

57F – wonderful!

Even though it was 95 yesterday (Tuesday), it cooled faster than Monday night and today we only hit 87F – still hot in my book but much more comfortable.

Still hot in Auggie’s book also and he was in and stretched out in the cool sunroom before noon.

Bear stuck even closer to the A/C and was in much earlier.

Mornings are definitely prime time in my world!