Definitve Seasons

  Today has been a really beautiful day, not in the typical sense, as sun shining, birds singing, flowers blooming etc.  Today was overcast, and kinda gloomy looking, but the weather was perfect.  Not too hot, nor too chilly, there was a sweet fragrance blowing in the air today.  It was nearly magical.  And it got me thinking about the difference between here and South Louisiana.

  Yeah, if I hadn't mentioned it before I grew up in Baton Rouge.  There are no definitive seasons in Louisiana, there is warm (for winter), and standing at the gates of Hell (for summer).  But here, like today, you feel the change in the seasons.  It gradually cools down, you notice the birds starting to migrate further south towards Turkey and Greece as fall starts setting in.  The trees actually turn color and the leaves fall.  Winter here is totally depressing, everything is dead, the sun is never out, it's always gray and overcast.  But then in March, the sun peeps it's head out more and more, the green buds can be seen on the trees, the grass starts growing, the birds start flying back in to their homes in the Delta Danube.  The weather is nice and warm in the day, in the evening a light shawl does wonders.  Then summer hits, kids playing soccer, old men sitting in the park watching the young girls in short shorts and short skirts sashay by - which is really funny!

  Today felt nostalgic, you know one of those days that you know will always stick with you, like the day your children are born, the day you get married, graduate from college, get that first BIG, cool job.  It was like that, only without all the coolness, or excitement factor.  It was just something that I know will always stick with me, just for the sheer fact that it was a little thing that showed me the difference of where I come from, all the things I think I KNEW, and where I am now, and learning that I never really KNEW much at all!

Orange & Windows 7 - GAG!

  Okay, so I've mentioned *ahem* on occassion that my internet takes trips to the "coffee" houses in Amsterdam.  That connection comes to me through a 2 yr. contract courtesy of Orange Mobile; a company owned and operated by someone in France.  Okay, nothing against the French, cause they have wonderful food, and wonderful wine (at least I've heard), and of course Paris is the epicenter for fashion, isn't it?!?  But technology is Not their bag, baby, yeah.... Okay, I jumped the pond a bit there, sorry!

  I and my husband have both called the customer service center for the internet section of Orange Mobile on several occasions, especially when experience frustrating service, or rather lack there of.  Fortunately contract expires in April, not soon enough for me though!  I hate HAVING to pay for something that doesn't work properly!  I miss capitalism, and people who actually understand the concept of Customer Service! If your job, or circumstances necessitate a move to Europe in the near future, do yourself a favor:  Steer Clear of Orange!!!  I mean give them a WIDE Berth! 

  I have contacted my cable comctpany via email, cause I don't think anyone in my local office speaks English.  Anyway I've contacted them to see about getting DSL connected in my home; added to my TV contract.  That email went to Bucuresti, waiting for reply!  I desperately need better internet connection, as I'm starting to do the virtual telecommuting!!!  God Help Me!

  Now on to Windows 7.  WHY did Microsoft change??  XP was perfect, all they had to do was keep XP, just update the appearance.  I got my Dell notebook back from Dell Service Center in Bucuresti, where they put in a new Motherboard, and made my secondary HDD, my primary one. The old primary HDD (that contained all my pics, etc.) fried when the MB fried.  Anyway, I did have Vista Home Premium on old HDD, for some reason or other the idiots @ Dell decided I should have Windows 7 - they did this so they could charge me another couple hundred bucks for licensing, etc.  My BIL lives in Bucuresti - so he dealt with them.  He got the notebook and told them to jump off a bridge, he wasn't paying them for that!  I wouldn't wanna tangle with my BIL - he's like 6'5, and 220 lbs. easy.  His job is a bodyguard to the guy transporting money for companies and banks, etc.  He was an MP for the RO military as well!

  My point - Avoid Windows 7 & Orange Telecom at all costs, unless you have a wish to be bald!!!

Ka is wheel indeed, do ya ken it?

 Okay, so a few blogs back I posted about Stephen King's "The Dark Tower" series.  I just finally finished the last book (#7) last night.  Generally I fly through these books in a day, 2 at the most.  However, on this last book, my other laptop started giving me issues, then hubby came home, and getting online, much less on the computer at all was not really a good thing.  So I'm back catching up on my fav. blogs, reading and of course my writing!!!

  For those of you who haven't read SK's DT series, I'll not spoil the end for you.  I will say this it felt a bit like watching the last episode of LOST, sorta sad, and depressing, unfulfilled and leaves you with a bitter aftertaste.  However, as much as I didn't like the ending, it fit, it made sense, and at the same time it answered a question I had already been posing to myself about the characters.

  Ka is a WHEEL, that just keeps rolling, round and round, and round again, do ya ken it???

Family Time

 
 So my hubby just left for Italy to go back to work yesterday.  Having him here was both wonderful, and exasperating at the same time.  Wonderful, cause well my family unit was once again together and a UNIT, even if only for nearly 2 weeks!  Exasperating, cause my hubby is a perfectionist, and I'm, well... NOT!  I'm just not nearly as anal retentive as he is about things.

  I think the thing that drives me nuts the most, is that he dresses me.  My mom sent me some really cute shorts from Old Navy, I like them, they aren't short-shorts, they fall just about 1.5 inches above the knee, they fit me, like they aren't too baggy or too tight, they FIT!  But he don't like them!  He says they don't look good on me, that I need a tan!  No matter how many times I explain to him, that freckled red heads don't tan, that they just burn and freckle up even more - he don't get it!

  As for fashion, well I'm still in comfortable, S.Louisiana, Cajun-girl mode.  I've yet to delve too deeply into the world of Euro fashion, mainly cause it scares the living be-jeezus out of me! I mean, do you remember the Z.Cavarrichi's back in the day, you know those pants that had the crotch that hung down to the knees???  My grandmother FORBID me to wear them!  I now understand why!  Well they are alive and well and thriving over in Italy - GAG!!!  Haven't really seen them here in RO, but I'm sure they'll show up eventually!  Here the women like obnoxious colored hair, I know I've mentioned this on another post, but it really is amazing.  Reminds me of that opening scene in 'Notting Hill' where Hugh Grant's character is describing his neighborhood, which includes the hair dresser where everyone comes out looking like the Cookie Monster, whether they wanted to or not....it's something like that; only not quite as nostalgic!  Needless to say I haven't even attempted going to a hair salon here!  I'm generally not scared of anything, especially getting my hair cut, cause hey it's hair, it DOES grow back, but these gals over here, and their hair-do's and hair color, yeah, I'll admit it, I'm SCEERED of what, or rather who, lurks behind the doors of those Frizziere's!!!! (Hair Salon in RO)!


  So yeah, he kinda gets on my nerves with the clothing thing!!!  But also, I never seem to do certain things the right way - his way!!!  No wonder all my hair is rapidly turning white!  That sounds harsh and unloving.  I do LOVE Marius with everything in me, if I didn't, why on earth would I subject myself and my kids to living in THE poorest country in Europe?!?

  Speaking of the kids, they were the 3 most adorable, well behaved, and obedient children while he was home.  No lie, the morning he left - it was like he took all the goodness with him!  Now they are back to fighting with each other, and not listening to me.  Today, my oldest did however get up and CLEAN their room without being asked!  I obviously praised her for that, as I want that kind of behavior to continue.  There is just something about the father's in family - the kids listen to their dad's no matter what!  Mom's, eh, mom, schmom - they're push-over's and door mats, doncha know?!?  Heaven help me!

  Internet connection is acting like it's going to through with drawls, which it very well may be - I cut off it's crack supply!!!  : p  So as soon as it gets to acting normal, or I can get my DSL connected (this week hopefully, gonna need it for virtual telecommuting gig), I will upload some photos of Marius and the kids - and no, I'm not really in any of them - I'm the shutter bug in the family!  : D

Awards, Crisis, A/C & Washing Machines....

  So my wonderful, witty writer cousin, Leigh gave me a Blogger Commenter award.  Yes, I like to comment, especially if I really like a blog, and I usually have something to say on Leigh's blog, cause well she's family, and I love her to pieces.  You should really check out her blog 'That's Write' by clicking here.


  So Computers are revolting against me lately!  First the Motherboard on my Dell Studio 1735 laptop fried, along with one of my 320 GB Hard Drives, the one with ALL my photos on it - GRRRRR!!!  Got that fixed, and back from brother in law 2 days ago, and now the fan isn't kicking on!!  WTC????  Back up laptop, a Toshiba Satelite, had to be sent to Bucuresti yesterday!  The keyboard decided to start smoking crack evidentally - the warranty expires in like 3 days.  Only, we have to wait for them to call my BIL back to tell him WHEN he can bring it in - with my luck that will be after the warranty expires!  Heaven help me!


  So hubby came home last week, we went and bought me a washing machine - something I've done without for a year and a half!  I've been washing by hand, and when I had blankets, etc to wash, my mother in law would let me bring her clothes, etc. for her to wash in her machine!  I used to hate laundry with a passion, even with living in the states - now I LOVE IT!  My laundry stays done.  Dirty clothes don't stay in the hamper longer than a day now!  *GRIN*

  As I've posted earlier, it has been extremely hot here - usually isn't that hot here in Romania, then again, last year we got all kinds of snow where we live, and from what the locals told us, they haven't seen that much snow here in Tulcea in like 20 years!  So much for Global Warming, eh???  Anyway, back to the point.  We were fine, with just having oscillating fans, even if my little monsters nearly destroyed them, but my son got heat rash from the top of his head to his feet, and everywhere in between - we took him to the ER cause it was so bad.  So we decided to talk to the landlord and see if we could get an air conditioner, and deduct it from the rent, which we did.  We talked to him, the next day, two guys came over with an air conditioner, (it also heats in winter), and installed it!  Everywhere else that sells the AC units told us we would have to wait at least 5 days, maybe 10, before their guys could install it!  But our landlord knows a guy, hehehe, and well we got it the next day, it comes with 5 year warranty, and the head guy that installed, i.e. owns the company, speaks English, so if there are any problems - I'm okay!!!

Da-da-dum, da-da-jig, Ka is a wheel, can ya dig???

  Okay, so I love to read, I mean I have a voracious literary appetite, that doesn't get fed as often as I like.  3 kids have a way of detouring that! Anyway, a friend of mine sent me like 68 files that are books in .pdf format, only it's ALL of the books ever written by Steven King.   (There are no book stores with English books here, so I'm stuck with electronic format for now).
  Normally I am NOT an SK fan. I tried to read one of his books LONG time ago, and couldn't get the whole way through it, it just bored me to tears, that book was 'Needful Things'.  I later read the Green Mile, which I liked, even though the story moved too slow for my taste.  So I just never got into his stuff.  But this friend who sent me these files, and another friend of mine said you HAVE to read this book, or rather series of books, you will love them!  I didn't really believe that, but they said if you like LOST, you will like 'The Dark Tower' series.

  So I started reading the series, which consists of 7 books, last week and I haven't been able to put them down.  I was surprised at how much I actually like this series.  I'm kinda bummed I didn't find it earlier, however if I would have found it earlier in my life I would have been frustrated at waiting for the next book in the series to come out, like I was with the Left Behind Series.  I started reading that one, when it was 3/4 of the way done, then had to wait for the last 3 books to be published, which irritated me to know end!  I'm a fast reader.  I think I made it through the Left Behind series in like 2 weeks.  I  could get through one whole book in a day and half.  With no interruptions, within a day.  Yeah, I speed read, especially if the books holds my interest.  I think the only books that took me longer than a 2 days to read were Gone With The Wind, and it's sequel Scarlett, which each took me about 1 week  each to finish.  I was in High School.  I would read my book in Algebra - maybe that's why I had such a hard time with math??  Do ya think?

  Anyway, back to the point(s), one thing I've noticed in SK novels, especially this series, is how elements of the bible are woven into the stories.  I don't know what Mr. King's religious preferences are, or if he even holds any.  Maybe he is a believer in God, or maybe he isn't, and this is his way of poking fun of or at people who do, I don't know.  But it makes me wonder.  The way he weaves it into his stories are good, and don't come off feeling or sounding like he is poking fun, etc.

  My two friends have been asking me how I like it so far, etc., etc. One of the, the one who sent me the PDF files, was scared I would hate and he'd  loose his friend.  I've known this guy since High School, he was cool as beans back then and he still his (say Hi, Mark!)   Knowing I like the book is kind of a relief for him I think!!  :D

  So what is the book about - it's hard to explain,  but I'll break it down like this, it's like LOST, meets the Bible, meets the Wizard of Oz, meets Alice in Wonderland, meets The Outlaw Josey Wales!!!  Yeah, it's a sci-fi, thriller, western - strange I know, but wery, wery ka-kool!