Wednesday, January 31, 2007

Mixture of Snag and Tags

Most of these are from tube challenges from my PSP group so you may see some that others have used from my group.

Snow, snow and more snow is falling north of Pittsburgh where I live.  We are in the second zone of lake effect snow from Erie; less than Erie gets but more than Pittsburgh.  A pain in the butt each morning but the deep freeze is moving in and then more snow. 

It seems like Tues and Thursdays are my "tired" days.  I get home from work and fall asleep early so Wed is my day to try and catch up with journals.

Pretty boring around here, otherwise.  I see AOL had a software update for connectivity...hmmm...do I dare?  I'm always afraid to mess with updates.  Has anyone gotten this message and updated? 

Have a good night all.  One of these tags is rather "dark" but it was a tube I was supposed to use so I went for the black and white effect.

HUGS TO YOU...Chris

               

                 

 

                  

         

             

             

Saturday, January 27, 2007

Alive and Well and Snags or Tags

        

I can't believe it's been almost a week since I've left an entry.  Bless all of you who were concerned.  Love you all!  I'm fine just whooped and feeling the January blahs.  Plus I can't seem to break the temptation of nicotine while at the computer.  LOL...I believe a crazy lady lurks inside of me.

Megan had her cryosurgery on Wednesday.  Great news is that it's very mild dysplasia; milder than it appeared.  Now to the procedure....my life is Murphy's law totally.  It extends into the lives of my children.  The clinic is about three blocks from the main hospital.  The doctor had a tank and froze Megan's cervix for 3 min.  2 mins down time; then 3 more mins of freezing.  He said her cervix looked like a sno-cone.  They then let it sit for 2 more minutes to kill the cells and switch the machine to the "thaw" setting.  Well, guess what, the "thaw" setting crapped out totally and he couldn't "defrost" Megan; his words exactly.  She burst into tears, and I started laughing inappropriately but still couldn't stop.  It was an insane situation.  Megan then started laughing and crying at the same time.  They called in the senior nurse who is probably in her 50's like me.  She is the expert on the machine mechanics.  She thought the tube had ice crystals in it....nope...it just died, which caused Megan to get more hysterical.  Of course, I just saw it as an episode of the Keystone Cops; surreal to say the least.  They tried swabbing but it wasn't working; then pouring saline into her; didn't work.  The senior nurse dug out a thing that looked like a turkey baster.  It was plastic wrapped but ancient.  They filled it with saline and voila...my baby was "defrosted."  Basically, a 20 minute procedure took almost an hour.  Megan developed a migraine so they treated her for that.  Off she went to eat and take more meds.  I dropped her off at class.  She was recovered by then and laughing as hysterically as I was.  We just had to discuss the way things happen in our lives continuously against the grain.  Nothing is ever simple or basic.  I live always waiting for the other shoe to fall, which invariably will happen.

I've been totally whooped all week.  I've been working non-stop and making myself adjust to working five days a week.  Honestly, 10 hr days was so much easier but working every day does help with my non-smoking.  It's been cold and snowy here all week.  I can't wait for spring time, flowers, daylight, etc.  This winter season has been brutal on me this year.

Thought I'd make some light, springy tags in anticipation.

 

               

 

Sunday, January 21, 2007

A few More Valentine Snags

                 

                     

                         

                   

                         

Keeping my fingers crossed.....I did get a link to reinstall 9.0 and did somehow manage to find the old version on here.  I rebooted the pc last night.  No damaged files.  Whoo hoo...so for now the puter is up and running like normal.  No reinstall yet.....

So into the Paint Shop I went.  Think I'm valentined out so I threw in the little bear.

Today is grocery day...yuck..and snow is expected so I'm off to the store.  Have a wonderful Sunday, and stay warm.

HUGS  Chris

Saturday, January 20, 2007

SNAGS

   A few Valentine's Day snags and the little angel.  I'm still plodding along with my AOL problems.  I simply cannot find my cd for 9.0 anywhere.  As some of you already know, I have damaged files and need to remove and reinstall 9.0.  I did this about six months ago so I had the cd then...lol.  There is a mess of cd's all around the pc...Joey's stuff that he just piles up.    I've torn  the computer area apart looking for it.  Of course, the baggie I keep my AOL cd in is empty...grrrr.

Of course, when I restart the pc, which I need to do soon, I won't be able to get back online.  OCD is setting in quickly.

I'm hoping my problems with inserting pics in e-mail will clear up when I reinstall AOL.  Ok...done ranting once again.

                 

           

               

                              

Monday, January 15, 2007

A Few Snags/Tags

Just a couple of tags today.  My day off...back to bed I go as I'm always up at the same time.  I'm feeling raggedy...my throat is sore again.  Rain, rain, go away...lol...so they say.   It's going to get cold tonight and snow.  I think I prefer the rain.  Have a good day!

              

            

        

Saturday, January 13, 2007

Snags/tags/blah

I'm in a "blah" kind of mood.  I see where Donna said she was deleting things before she got them done...yep...me too.  Nothing is striking my fancy.  I did a couple of Valentine's Day things because I just didn't have anything else I felt like doing.  I actually did a non-animated tag because I liked it better than anything I did to it with animation...blah, blah, blah.

I'm supposed to be up in what was my bedroom which is now my clothes room but actually looks like Goodwill blew up in it.  Sheesh, I have 3 sizes of clothes now which is not thrilling me one bit.  I've parted with about as much as a certified packrat can part with.  Actually, I'm improving in that area.  This house just has absolutely no storage.  It's over 90 years old, and I'm supposing 90 years ago people just did not accumulate or "need" all the clothes and stuff we have around.

I was up there for an hour and have to get back or I'll never finish my goals for that room today. 

Have a great weekend...I've made it around to a few journals but have Monday off so I'm hoping to get an entry in my other journal and try to catch up on alerts.

                

               

            

            

Thursday, January 11, 2007

Some Snags or Tags

This has seemed like a super long week.  Actually, it has been because this is actually my first week back since the holidays.  I think it's been three weeks with at least one day off.  I have been so tired every night.  I've had no creative sparks hitting me.  Thank the Lord the weekend is coming because I am so far behind on alerts (when I get them) and journal reading.  That's one thing I love about a day off.  I feel like I'm missing so much when I don't get around to visit.

I'm still smoking but less than half a pack a day.  I'm hoping this weekend to conquer the cold turkey thing since it's a long weekend for me.  Either way, I'm slowly but surely lowering the amount I smoke.  I bought 3 packs in the past 8 days which is far less than what I would have smoked.

One more day...yay!

                

      

                    

 

Sunday, January 7, 2007

Bunch of Snags or Tags

I'm bouncing between my two journals today like a tennis ball.  I'm in this one almost more than my original journal.  I've been playing with the Paint Shop, surprise, surprise.  A couple I think I like; a couple...eh...I need to practice or add some new programs. 

Another week is starting; another week where I am building my resolve even stronger to kick the habit.

It's raining and warm in Pa.  Flowers are blooming and trees are budding....sort of freaky.  Happy Sunday!

            

   

 

           

          

 

           

           

Friday, January 5, 2007

Snags or tags

             

I'm on my way to work but wanted to update you on my "quit smoking" week or days.  No, I have not totally stopped.  I've hit so many sites and talked to so many people.  Every successful smoker who has quit has devised a plan that works for them.  Some stop cold turkey, and then there are so many ways others quit that worked for themselves but not for everyone. 

I smoked a pack a day, on a good day; more likely a pack and a half if I was being honest about it.  Cold turkey turned me into a withdrawal freak.  Honestly, I do swear I looked like I was needing my next fix of heroin on Tuesday.  My plan and what I'm doing:  I take a few puffs off of a cigarette.  It started with five or six; now it may be two or three, then I snuff it out and save it. It was every hour that the cravings came back.  Yesterday, I extended it to two hours.  I bought a pack of cigarettes Tuesday evening.  I still have six left which will take me well into tomorrow.  One pack of cigarettes has lasted four days.  For me, that is a monumental step.

I've had a cough since my ear infection is October.  Amazingly, it has cleared up in the past three days.

I know this is a bandaid approach.  Two girls I worked with at my old position told me this is how they quit.  Actually, they told me about this a couple of years ago, as did a friend of my son's father who is a pulmonary specialist.  He has been adamant frequently with Joey and me about the smoking.  This way of stopping was also his suggestion to us.  I'm ridding my body of the need for nicotine slowly.  Once I get down to three cigarettes a day, then I will stop completely.

Some things I've heard and read which blow my mind but I totally believe:  In the past 10 years, the American tobacco companies have added more components to cigarettes to make them even more addicting, and some health insurance companies have their fingers in the pot which totally floored me.  Another thing I read is that people in other countries prefer American made cigarettes.  Hmmm...wonder why?

I'm stepping off of the soap box for now.  I'm not on my computer as much because I always had a cigarette lit when I was on.  This is one area that I really have to work on.

Here are a few snags or tags that I've made; most were for my PSP groups little challenge things.

              

                  

LOL...the top one is downright strange.  Shelly, Missie, and I are in Angela's PSP group.  This tiger thingy was a tube we were supposed to use.  I have to get my butt in gear or I'll miss my bus.

Thanks for all your prayers and support!

HUGS  Chris

Tuesday, January 2, 2007

The rest of the Snags & Tags

I have to say the nicotine is so addicting that I'm surprised cigarettes are still permitted to be sold.  I had my last cigarette at 4 am this morning.  By 2 this afternoon, I was a raving lunatic with a pounding headache, runny nose and eyes..etc.  I looked more like I was having heroin withdrawals.  Then came the crying and depression.  I checked into the patch but it's really not going to be good for my blood pressure as I'm having some problems keeping it low on medication. 

I did quit smoking cold turkey in 1976 until 1991 when my son was in an auto accident and in the trauma unit for a week.  I started again and have regretted that for a long time.  This time, it is not nearly as easy.  I did cheat tonight and took three puffs off a my last remaining cigarette then put it out.  This is going to be a rough road for me but I hate smoking and hate the thought of what it's doing to my body.  Keep me in your prayers.  I will need it.

            

                   

 

           

 

          

This  last one was made for a member of my group so it is tag only....

 

        

Diva Snag or Tags

         

        

A couple of semi-sexy tags from a brain that is fried and craving nicotine...more on that as I have one more entry with the rest of the tags.