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Along the Natchez Trace

Thursday, April 5, 2012

Trouble in Paradise

Hola!  I wrote briefly yesterday that my computer crashed.  I was sort of hoping that if I turned it on again this morning all would be well.  Nada.... Nil..... Nothing....  Zip.......

Of course all my pictures, programs etc are/were on it.  I think we'll wait until we get back to the States before taking it somewhere to be checked out.

Bill & I both use our own laptops.  And then we have the spare...  this little Toshiba ...  which we take on cruises or places we're not in our motorhome and don't want to carry the heavy weights...  This Toshiba doesn't have Picasa, (which I know I can download) or really much of anything I usually use.

We had backed up Quicken the day before we left Texas, so if things can't be recovered, at least I'll be able to recoup our financial stuff.  And of course I can pull up our credit card and bank statements on line any time I want.  (Bill left his own laptop in Texas)

So....  it's sort of suck it up and move on time...

I'll probably not post photos yet...  I don't know about other bloggers, but I usually try to crop the photos and I have always reduced them to 72 resolution so they don't take so long to load.  I have no idea if this is necessary, but that's a habit.

On to the good life here....

We were awakened around 5:30 ....  maybe earlier....  by the parrots and squirrels dropping nutshells on the roof of our little house.  They get an early start.  I try to get decent pictures of the parrots but it's just dawn and the lighting is real bad.

Saw a new hummingbird today...  haven't IDed it yet.....   We see lots of scarlet tanager and also saw an orange tanager yesterday.  The treetops are colorful!  Our neighbor had a toucan yesterday, but we didn't see it.

We did our daily walk to town...  knowing that most everything would be closed.  One reason we're staying close to home this week is because it's Semana Santa....  Holy Week...  and many stores and businesses are closed.  A lot of people head to the beaches to party.  It's a big family celebration all week long.  Most of the tiendas were closed, but the big supermarket was open.  Even that had the beer and liquor aisles closed and had big sheets of black plastic covering the alcoholic beverages.

Since we'll be here a month, and there is a huge variety of birds right here at hour house, which seems to be on the edge of the jungle, we don't lack for entertainment.  In fact, it's kind of nice just to hang out and do nothing for a while.  It's been over 11 years since I've "lived" in a real house....  have a kitchen that has a big counter space and it even has a day bed and a couch AND 2 chairs in the living area!  It does take a bit longer to sweep and tidy up....  but...  it's fun for a while.

I was working on a blog yesterday when the computer crashed.  I'd written that I have some followers...  and how neat that is!  I'd been a lurker for a couple of months before I got up enough nerve to write one of my own, and have come to think of my fellow bloggers as friends.  My family and friends kept telling me I should do this...  I have...  and it's a lot of fun.

And now I hear from those of you who have traveled here...  with suggestions for us ...   and from those of you who are interested in traveling here and want to know how it's working for us.

So if this post doesn't have any pictures, I'll try to make up for that by thanking all of you who have taken the time to travel along with us.  I've really appreciated all the help I've received in setting this thing up.  Believe me, I needed every bit of help I could get!


We'll be here until April 30th...  I have some time to figure out the photo thing...

That's All For Today.....



5 comments:

  1. Sorry to hear about your computer. I know it seems as though we need pictures in our blogs, but you do such a great job of describing things that pictures are vivid in our own minds. Thanks for continuing even through the challenges.

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  2. FastStone Photo Resizer is free software that lets you downsize your photos very easily. I use it all the time for photos that I upload to my blog. Do a google search for the program. If you can't find it, let me know and I will send you a copy. Here is where I got my copy.

    http://download.cnet.com/FastStone-Photo-Resizer/3000-2192_4-10319476.html

    We had friends visit us one Easter and while we had a good time, everything was closed. Luckily we knew about this and made some arrangements to entertain them. As you say, the place closes down and it is a family affair.

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  3. That's too bad about your computer. You're doing a great job on your blog and I always enjoy reading it. I can just imagine how nice it is to sit and hear the tropical birds and smell the wonderful flowers.

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  4. Hi, Mom,
    No worries about the photos... your blog is great either way! I'm thinking you were always a bit of a blogger... writing in your daily Sierra Club books for as long as I can remember... only it was only for your personal notes back then. And you were the high school newspaper editor, after all! Writing and reading is in your blood!
    Happy Easter to you and Bill! Megan is coming up on the train tomorrow...she's on a much-deserved spring break from teaching, and looking forward to a few days with us and a few days with her best friend in CT. We'll dye our Easter eggs tomorrow (tradition is awesome!) and of course I'll have the baskets out Sunday morning. :-) Hopefully the dogs don't scare the Easter Bunny away.
    Much love, Donna.

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  5. Even without the photos your blog is great! I really enjoy reading about your experiences there. Since we have been to Costa Rica twice, I can visualize the birds you are seeing.
    Blogs are a lot of work and time consuming - I really appreciate you sharing your experience.
    Teri
    Markteri.blogspot.com

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