~Motherboard and Owl~

Since I have the "first" post in a long time under my belt - thanks to the big fibery hug - I figured I better keep it going! I hope all of you "hug" knitters don't mind that I've wrapped my blog in the shawl/blanket as well as myself. I LOVE it and definately needed some comfort last night after talking to the people at the computer repair shop! My daughter that is in college has an HP laptop that is 17 months old. 1 year and 2 weeks after purchase the battery died - we coughed up 125.00 for a new battery..... ok, so things happen. At Christmas-time she came home and told me that the laptop doesn't always boot up, or it will boot up to a black screen, or shut down in the middle of a task, and one of the usb ports won't recognize her printer. Hmmmmmmmm... I spent a good week checking it out, updating her antivirus, running scans and updates etc. While she was in Italy (I'll save that for another post), I used it daily and it seemed to be fine. Well, to make a long story a little shorter, she called last Wednesday and said it wouldn't turn back on - after a bit of calming her down, talking and waiting it did boot up, but I went and retrieved it from her on Friday and dropped it off at the repair shop. As I put the laptop on the counter....... the owner grimaced at the sight of it - DEFINATELY NOT a good sign, and then proceeded to ask me... "is it about a year and a half old?, does the screen go black?, does it not boot up?, do you have problems with any of the usb ports?" After I retrieved my jaw from the floor, I replied yes to all. She tells me she had the same laptop that had the same problems two weeks out of the box and that she has had a parade of them coming through the shop. After running a "check" of the system it is determined that the Operating System (the original Vista) is corrupt, the Motherboard is on its way out and that it isn't worth repairing at $700.00. WHY HP didn't do a recall on this laptop is a mystery since the original Vista Operating System paired with the system board failures on this model laptop was a toxic mix! (Deep breath) so for now she is using a $299 ACER (which works fantastic, I might add) that I borrowed from work until I can get her another new laptop :( Do any of you have suggestions/experiences/warnings on laptops for me? I'd appreciate any input I can get before I go and purchase another one? On the knitting front, I've made a few small projects (have too many wip's to talk about though! ugh!), one of which was this little cutie, I did in Melyssa's college colors. Her college mascot is an owl ~ HOOT! The Pattern is Bramble Owl Softie by: Sonia Philip I used Caron Simply Soft from my stash in Blue, White and Gray The inside of the wings was done in undyed Mohair The only change I made to this pattern is, I knit talons for him as he looked odd to me without them The pattern, although it is done in a LOT of pieces, was surprisingly quick to knit and put together (even though I dislike sewing pieces, I didn't mind this and would make it again) This little guy was a HUGE hit, now to make a College Penant for him to hold and he's ready to spread some college spirit! HOOOOOOT! :)

~Wrapped in Love~

I have been agonizing over this blog since my last post in May. I cherish the friends I have made blogging - the emails and little notes I have received over the last, very difficult, year and a half have meant more to me than I can ever say. My lack of posting has been more a question of my ability to compose something that would be of interest to my blog friends than anything else and I have therefore had "blog freeze". Today that problem is completely gone. If you know me well, I am not often rendered speechless, I do, however, "tear up" pretty easily (TV shows, movies, hallmark cards, commercials, events in my children's lives.... I cry when I'm happy and when I'm sad). I will get to the point now.... I received a package in the mail late Thursday from Amanda Cathleen and couldn't even imagine what it could be. (Amanda has had the most incredible knack of contacting me or sending me a little gift when I have most needed a nudge to keep me in a positive frame of mind over the last year and a half.) In any event, I opened the package to find beautiful tissue paper edged with hearts (hearts and Panda's are two of my favorite things) and as I unwrapped the tissue I came upon a pile of cards and THE MOST GORGEOUS shawl I have ever seen (knit in my favorite color no less). I stood there like a fool staring at it, not immediately comprehending what had taken place to prompt this incredible gift and then.... the tears began in ernest! Standing there holding this shawl and reading the beautiful messages on the ribbons attached to it, I realized what my most dear knitting friends had done. As I read the card Amanda enclosed explaining this gift, looked at the list of people who had knit their love into it and where it had traveled, a warmth that I can't even BEGIN to describe enfolded me. My husband came home from work to find me sitting at the kitchen table with this beautiful gift wrapped around me, the cards spread out on the table and the tears streaming down my face. He isn't one to read cards, but he sat down (as did my girls) and read every one, including the ribbons and said ... "this is incredible!" I can't find words to adequately express just how MUCH this beautiful gift; the time, the effort, the talent, the prayers and healing thoughts that went into it means to me.... as I said before, I am speechless! ******************** This is Amanda's Card explaining this most precious gift ******************** The cards and list enclosed in the box ******************** The messages written on the ribbons ******************** When I am up to it, this is where I Knit ******************** I know that a lot of you have your own health and "life" issues ~ ~ thank you will never encompass what I want to say to you all, not only for this most "incredible" gift, but for the emails of encouragement and concern, Dr. referrals, healing thoughts and prayers and the love I feel knit into every stitch.... ******************** I love you all and I thank you from the bottom of my heart! ******************** Amanda Cathleen, Leslee, Cindy, Dorothy, Michelle & Lois, Kimberly, Jane, Karen, Kelly, Kimberly, Cheryl, Karen, Karen, Julie, Bethe, Lynne, Amy, Cindy, Christine, Carrie, June, Kristie, Janine ******************** Just LOOK at this..... Speechless!