Proud of Myself

Okay, I can't help patting myself on the back. I get such satisfaction out of figuring something out that I know little about, but through trial and error.

Specifically, take note of the poem on the sidebar at the right. As far as I know there is only one way to add things to the sidebar and that is through editing and playing with the html in the template. I know NOTHING about html except what I have figured out (and tried to remember). So I copy and paste and preview and then when it's not what I want, I do it again...and again...and again. All the while hoping I don't really mess something up that I can't "put back". (I almost did that once and it really freaked me out.)

So, I wanted to put the poem there and I did...but the first part of the first word of each line was in the margin, overlapping the white border and it looked really horrible. (I had already figured out how to change the font size, so I had it pretty small.) I just couldn't figure out why the text higher up had a neat little margin but the poem resisted. As you can see I figured it out. How? I'm not sure I can remember. BUT I am sure I can figure it out again if I ever need to.

So, how come I can sit here for hours messing around with something like that that really isn't all that important? I don't think it's the actual "finished product" as much as the sense of satisfaction I have from knowing I have done something that I didn't know how to do before.

I'll write more about that poem and the Red Hat Society another time. I DID want to share my thoughts on that, but for now I'm just going enjoy the good feeling of accomplishment.

PS - I am expecting my next big feeling of accomplishment to come soon....when I finally figure out what's going on with my (Canon) printers. I have learned how to tear apart print heads and clean their "innermost parts"... I have realized that an inferior black ink will effect the quality of RED. I have a CIS system that is being very stubborn and have reverted to refilling cartridges, but at least I have found some made for the purpose that are very simple to refill. Since I have tried everything I can think of to nurse the poor thing back to health, I will sometime soon do surgery on the CIS (continuous ink system which feeds ink from bulk bottles, not cartridges). If it dies, oh well. Sometimes there are fatalites on the way to accomplishment, right?

Gambling

Once a year, and only once…. I “gamble”. Some might not call it that. Some might call it “making a charitable donation. I call it like it is….gambling, but for a good cause.

Here is the deal. Our high school “senior parents association” has a fund raiser every year to raise money to throw an “all night senior party” for the kids after they graduate from high school. It’s sort of to keep them off the streets and give them a fun safe place to celebrate. It’s a very big deal with lots of great prizes and activities that kids that age would like. It’s expensive though.

So….one innovative idea that they’ve come up with the past few years is to have this dinner… They serve a really nice dinner (this year it’s prime rib) and sell tickets to it for $100.00 per couple. They limit the tickets to 300. That means they raise $30,000.00 through ticket sales. Part of that goes for the food and decorations. About half is used for the senior party, and the rest is given away as tickets are drawn at the dinner. The grand prize is $10,000. They also give smaller cash prizes…a couple $1,000 and several 500 and 250 dollar prizes. Local businesses also donate prizes that are given away.

With all the prizes they give, chances of winning something are something like 1/8. Chances of winning the grand prize of $10,000.00 are 1/300. Now what better odds are there? Certainly better than buying a lottery ticket. That’s why once a year, every year, I buy a ticket to the Fulton High School Senior Parents dinner.

No, I’ve never won anything at all…not even a stupid T-shirt or tickets to a movie. But, the money I’ve spent in an attempt to win has gone to a good cause. And besides…this might be my lucky year.

The dinner is tonight.

Later....

The results of my "investment":

Well, we didn't win the 10,000K BUT we DID win.... $250.00. And that's better than we've ever done before.

Prasana & Santhana's Fulton Visit - Photo Album

I just finished making a "photo album" with the photos that were taken when Prasanna and Santhana came to visit us here in Fulton. You can see it here:

http://deb6525.tripod.com/prasanna_santhana_visit_fulton

Back Row: Prasanna, Santhana, Jay, Me, Kyle, Dane, Garry, Dan.
Front Row: Praveen, Amon, Jared with Rebekah behind him, Ruth, with Patrick and Rachel behind her, Rinnah, with Naomi behind her.

Jared, Patrick, and Kyle are Rachel and Dan's sons. Dane is Naomi's boyfriend. Garry is Rebekah's husband.

Grandma Again...SOON

Rebekah's baby is due soon! The date her doctor gave her was March....umm 3rd, or 5th, or 7th. I really can't remember, all I know is that it's soon, and my bet is on it being sooner than the doctor thinks. I'm sort of thinking that Valentine's Day, Feb. 14th would be a nice birthdate.

We all had a little surprise a couple weeks ago when Rebekah had her last sonogram and the doctor proclaimed the baby 100% BOY. Until then, everyone, including the doctor thought it was almost certainly a girl. That was what the previous sonograms indicated. So we all made our rush to return pink stuff and look for cute "boy stuff".

The baby was going to be named Lydia, after two great-great grandmothers, one on my side of the family (a favorite relative of mine who died when I was pregnant with Rebekah) and one on Garry's side of the family. Oh well. You can always name the next baby that, right, Rebekah? Now, it looks like the baby will be named Neal, a family name from Garry's side of the family. I'm not sure of the middle name yet.




Rebekah is still going into Beks every morning to do the baking and to generally oversee the restaurant. She complains about being tired, but of course she is tired! It comes with the territory. Other than that it seems like she is doing well.

We expect to have a healthy baby grandson very soon.

Sons-In-Law

While sorting through my photo files I came across this picture of my three son-in-laws. It's much better than the one I previously posted because they are ALL looking at the camera!

They're a great bunch. (is three a "bunch"...or should I say "trio" or something?) Anyhow, they are simply great, all three of them. I love them all like sons and I'm so glad my daughters snagged them....er I mean brought them into the family.

New January Family Photos

These photos of Esther and Rinnah were taken on the weekend of Esther's birthday at our house.

This one of Rebekah (and my new grandbaby) were taken in the kitchen at Beks a couple weeks ago. I hope to get an updated photo of her because she is growing that baby very quickly now. The doctor says it weighs 6 lbs 4 oz and there is still another month until it's scheduled arrival.

The photo below was taken at a party that Jay and I went to last weekend. I wish he'd smile more! Usually I pinch him to get him to smile in pictures, but I must have forgotten.

Too bad the photo-taker cut the tops of our heads off!

I hate that gold crown that shows when I smile...