Computer nightmare

I have just spent, wasted (?) three and a half hours trying to get my new usb turntable to record my vinyls to my computer. I bought the usb turntable about eight weeks ago but have only just now decided to set it all up. First off I needed to change the power plug as the one that was fitted wouldn’t even go in the adaptor that was made for the job. Ten minutes and it was done. Next I set up an amplifier for monitoring purposes only to find that I needed adaptors for the audio connections (my son can provide them, he has a stock somewhere that he used when he was a DJ). So no amplifier but ok I could monitor via the computer’s speakers. Next I loaded the software using the disk provided and almost immediately had to upgrade it online. Another hour wasted. There were problems even there! So much for ‘plug and play’! Eventually I tried the set-up. The software seemed to be working but I couldn’t hear anything. Then I noticed the audio monitor wasn’t monitoring. It didn’t have anything to monitor! OK, time to check the usb cable which I did and I changed it three times. Still no signal to the computer. Looks like the turntable hardware is at fault. I have contacted the supplier via email and wrote an amusing article about my experiences. Hopefully they will make useful suggestions but maybe I’ll need to return the equipment. Makes you want to go and have a stiff drink. Me? Never!……………LOL………That’s life

Shirley Anne x

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Very Naughty Girl

Went out to lunch again today and polished off a bottle of rose wine by myself. Naughty I have to say. Problem was I got dropped off at my local to have another glass. Fatal! Everybody wants to buy me a drink and I should know better than to accept, at least an alcoholic one. I really must endeavour to limit my alcohol intake, it is bad for my health and I ought to know better.

Shirley Anne x

Treadmill

My new treadmill arrived today and it took me a half hour to assemble and store the carton in the trash. Naturally I tried it out and ‘ran’ a swift quarter mile…LOL. By this time it was time for lunch and as I had no work scheduled my ex and I dined out. We drove to a place about eight miles away and had a really nice meal. Tomorrow I’ll have to exercise it all away! I am looking forward to getting back to at least the fitness level I was at eighteen months ago.

Shirley Anne x

Hot, Hot, Hot…….

This weekend is proving to be the best we’ve had thus far this year with local temperatures reaching 23-24C. and not a cloud in the sky. I went for my usual weekend walk this morning but I started out fairly early at 8.15. It was warm even then! I’d rather do the walking while it is cooler, same for running although I still see people out and about and running in the heat of the day. They must be nuts! It can be dangerous too, to run if it is too hot. Plenty of water must be taken if doing so. Apart from anything else it can put unecessary strain on your heart.
Today I walked along the seafront but half-way I decided to turn inland and walk part of the way along the promenade. (Southport has it’s promenade alongside a lake which is between the promenade and the seafront). There were a few people about enjoying the morning, walking, cycling, running or just strolling along. I passed a guy throwing some bread scraps to the ducks, geese and swans. He smiled. I smiled back and said,’ Do you like feeding birds’? ‘Yes’ came the reply so I said, ‘Well would you take me to lunch’? Tehe…Well you can’t blame a girl for trying can you? By the way I had lunch at home…..Oh well. I had to get back home before lunch so that I could get on with some house cleaning. We are having a house viewing at six. Not expecting an offer but who knows? I am sitting now after lunch drinking a ‘Highland’ coffee…..that is coffee with whisky in it. A change from the Jamaican rum I usually have.
Time to strum the guitar. In the garden? Maybe but it’s too hot, hot, hot….

Shirley Anne x

Not Ashamed

Many people believe in things they know nothing about. They have their ‘faiths’. They will put their trust in something they know little about or they will ‘romanticise’ their belief in the belief that something good will benefit them in some way. Usually it is a belief that will make them ‘feel’ better about themselves and be the reason they exsist.
How many of you have stood at a bus stop or on a railway platform expecting a bus or a train will come by for you? A timetable doesn’t necessarily mean that one is coming but
we place our faith in it happening. Usually it does. How many of you will place their faith in somebody they know little of? That would be foolish would it not? No, we chack them out first, then we place our faith in them with some confidence.
I receive a magazine, free of charge, every three months. This magazine is replete with things that most people would not believe. Why? Probably because they feel they would need to see for themselves before they believed. Fair enough but why will they still place their faith in other things they cannot see? That is probably due to experience in their lives, if they’ve stood waiting for a bus or train and have never been let down then that is good enough to have faith in the system. Systems break down though don’t they? What about placing your faith in something that will never let you down? Where? I hear you say.
The magazine I receive is an evangelical, prophetical publication of which most people have never heard or most probably don’t even want to. Nevertheless it exsists and inside it describes many incidents of people being instantly cured of ailments, disabilities and even terminal illnesses! Miracles. Miracles do happen even today but they are not front page news. Now why is that? Maybe because people won’t believe in them. No man can perform a miracle because by definition miracles are events that cannot be explained by the normal laws of physics. They happen because God performs them through Jesus Christ. Even Jesus said, ‘If you don’t believe in me then at least believe in the miracles’. He was showing the people that God exsists because miracles can’t happen any other way.
The miracles reported in this magazine called ‘Prophetic Vision’ are happening as a result of the preaching of the Gospel (good news) by a man called David Hathaway in diverse places such as many of the former USSR countries and eastern Europe. He is currently preaching in Armenia. Hundreds of people get healed at his meetings and thousands become Christians. Strange things happen when David is involved. Why? Because David is in tune with God, his faith is placed where it really matters. His prayers are answered and his faith results in things happening. Many examples have been reported in how authories naturally hostile to the Gospel have bent backwards to allow it to be preached. Only God can do that. In Armenia David wanted to hold a meeting in a town’s central square, totally against the law but it happened. It had been snowing prior to the meeting but for the day of the meeting there was no snow and thousands filled the square and gave their lives to Christ. The following day the snow returned. There have been instances where torrential rain was falling when David was preaching in a large stadium but nowhere inside the stadium did it rain even though outside it was raining everywhere. That’s a miracle. God performs miracles when you put your faith in Him.
No, I am not ashamed to be a Christian. I am not ashamed of Jesus. My faith is in something I know to be true. Where is yours?

1 Corinthians 1v18,19 (NIV)
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
For it is written: I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.

Shirley Anne x

For more information read ‘Looking for God’ in my ‘Religion’ links section on the right. It won’t harm you to have a peek now will it?

Set for holiday

Two weeks today I shall be setting off on a vacation. It will be the first holiday I have had since 2004. These days I am not one for taking vacations as a rule although I have been to many countries since 1974. The novelty has worn off somewhat as they say. I go this time specifically to meet friends and I know I will enjoy myself because of that. Going to different places just for the sake of it has no appeal to me unless I am seeing people. Having said that, there are some places I think I would like to go nevertheless. I will enjoy the break from work though. During my vacation I will be taking a break from blogging too. In the meantime it is work, work and more work…..LOL…..not quite.

Shirley Anne x

Life under pressure

I don’t know about you but I usually thrive on pressure or rather I should say, under pressure. Some days I can lounge about with seemingly nothing to do but knowing there are things to do and not doing them. Then there will be days when I do everything and thrive on it. It seems that the more I have to do the more gets done. I do jobs that I have been putting off and find even more to do. I suppose it’s all about motivation. It’s also about self discipline. I prefer to work under some pressure because it motivates me. Take today for instance, I had much to do but I wasted no time in getting started. I systematically nibbled away at the tasks, which took most of the day and before I knew it the job was finished. The main pressure was time but other obstacles presented themselves as the work progressed and threatened to extend the time I needed to complete. I actually finished the whole job with an hour to spare! A little pressure makes all the difference.

Shirley Anne x

So different

Something was brought home to me a few months ago and that is men and women smell differently. No, I don’t mean aftershave and perfume but natural smells. I had not given the subject much thought but one day a few months ago I was working in somebody’s house and they had a dog. I love dogs but this particular dog was being a little too friendly. You have to understand that I go to work in a skirt and only wear overalls or coveralls out of necessity when the need arises. Now this dog was one of the larger breeds and he took quite an interest in me. Whilst I was talking to the householder about the job I was to do I could feel the dog’s cool wet nose on my legs. The dog proceeded to investigate higher and higher up my leg until the owner took charge and placed him outside. He should have done that sooner. He apologised and said ‘I am so sorry but he only likes women and often gets aggressive when male visitors call’. ‘No problem’ I replied and forgot about the whole thing. I usually get dogs sniffing around my legs so I wasn’t bothered too much. Anyhow it got me thinking about what the guy had said about the dog only liking women. It has to be a hormonal thing. There is no other explanation other than maybe the dog had been badly treated by a man. I don’t think that was the case as the dog had been raised as a pup in the same house by it’s owners, an elderly couple.
So for those who go through transition as I have done, there are a lot more changes going on than you might first have imagined.

Summer’s here….

Well it seems like Summer today. It’s a brilliantly sunny day, not a cloud to be seen, the wind is low and it is very warm. Tomorrow is a national holiday here in the UK or should I say a Bank holiday. A day when all banks are closed. It is always the last Monday of May and there is another one on the last Monday in August. So we end up with a three day break from the usual work routine. Many people take advantage of the long weekend and take a vacation. This week also marks the beginning of half term for the schools and colleges where they take a week’s vacation from study. So we will have all the children at home. Many families will be taking a vacation too, some even flying to the Continent, Spain, France or somewhere similar for the week. Personally I have never bothered to do that except maybe take the children on day trips somewhere when they were young. These days I spend my free time at home, going for walks locally, down to the beach or somewhere else. My next vacation is in two weeks time when I will be visiting New York and Montreal, two places I have never visited before but then I have never been to the same place twice when on vacation, always preferring to see somewhere new.
I am looking forward to seeing friends there.

Shirley Anne x

Dinner Guests

Today is dinner guest day at our house. We have invited two friends for a chat, some drinks and dinner. We do this occasionally and it is nice to have company at home. I just hope they remember to come! Well I know one will come because he’s told me but my other guest seems unavailable on the phone at the moment. That is the phone is switched off.
Those of you who have cellphones, do you switch your’s off for long periods? I never switch mine off but I don’t get pestered whilst I’m sleeping. Mind you my sleep period is usually between midnight and six am. and then only for four to five hours. I suppose my other guest is still asleep….LOL and it’s midday already. My youngest son is like that, seems to sleep forever. I don’t know, the youth of today eh?
Have a nice weekend everyone! Love

Shirley Anne x