Monday 9 September 2013

Anyone Still Out There?

I've got a working computer again! At least for the time being. It is probably on its last legs but himself waved his magic wand and got it talking to me again last night. Ridiculously it did what it was supposed to do without too much bother for him, and everything that it refused to do for me. Obviously it needed to be talked to nicer than I did when it wasn't playing nice!

Either way, for the moment me and my computer are friends again, and I have wisely backed up my files so I won't be such a head case if and when it throws a wobbly again.

So what did I do while I was absent from this bloggy world? Well, I took the girls to London again - with a friend - so Emily could have her requested birthday treat of afternoon tea at the Royal Horseguards Hotel again. They loved it as much the second time round as they did the first.

And then I became the mother of not one, but two, high school students. How did that happen so quickly?!


With a relived sigh I can tell you that Emily is settling in better than we hoped for and dealing with all the changes that life in a big school brings. Homework is rather freaking her out, and she is tired, but that is par for course. We can deal with stuff like that. And it looks like if we continue the way things are that we can avoid a year like we had last year. Woohoo!

And me? I'm settling back into routine too. Slowly starting to claw back a little sewing time. Seems strange after doing so little for so long. I decided that despite the need to catch up on bee blocks I would ease myself back in by picking up my favourite project. The HR Fan Club quilt.

I finished piecing the back. Went and bought some wadding on the weekend and got it basted. I even started quilting - miracle of miracles. The plan is to quilt in the ditch around each and every HR piece which involves a lot of quilt wrestling as I turn it again, and again, and again. But I think that it will be worth it in the long run. And then in the white I am doing close straight line quilting to frame each block. One block down and eight to go.


While I was dependent on my iPad for communication I came to some conclusions. Flickr sucks totally on the iPad. It will not open properly and just when you get a flicker (pun intended) of hope the thing instantly crashes again and again. Impossible. Bloglovin' is not filling me with love on the iPad either. You don't have the flexibility that you have with it on the computer, and again, it crashes so often that you I just get pissed off and give up eventually.Oh, and having to open each blog in 'original version' each time that you want to comment is an embuggerance too.

So, it's offical. I've told you about the girls. I've done some sewing. I've had a bitch about something. I am most definitely back. And glad to be here!

Susan

41 comments:

  1. have been reading your blog for a while, love the photos of the wip, it is intriguing. We are at the other end of the life changes, our three have just finished university and are heading off far away or coming home.

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  2. Helloooooo!! Even though I've seen you around it's always nice to have a blog post to nosey through. I'm so pleased Em is settling nicely. And Bloglovin hates my work desktop and doesn't open half the blog click-throughs! Most fecking annoying. Although, to be fair, I think it's the steam-powered computer's problem!

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  3. I am here just!
    It seems to be a running trend of broken computer and lost mojo in blogland...like they say its just like riding a bike...something you never forget xx

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  4. Woohoo for Emily's big new adventure going so well. Similar adventurer here is also shocked at amount of homework and is bone tired from his 07.25 catching of the bus! So, yes I think it's par for the course. Had a similar gripe this morning about not always bee=ing able to link to post comments through bloglovin (even on the laptop). It means I am mssing commentoing where I should because it takes so long to have to go to every blog individually. I want Google Reader back! Nice to have you back in comms.

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  5. V bad spelling above - sorry!!

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  6. Welcome back to the not-so-real-world! ;)

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  7. Welcome back! So glad Emily is settling into school ok. R xx

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  8. It hasn't been the same without you! Jxo

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  9. Glad to see you are up and running, hope you are able to stay that way too. So enjoyed your pictures in all your holiday posts. Wow, to be able to just go to London for a day!!! The girls are growing up, young ladies now, the time is flying by.

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  10. Oooo. I did tea for my birthday two years ago with my then fiance, now hubs. He knew I wanted to go, so it was my bday surprise.

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  11. Yup, blogging without an actual laptop is totally sucky. Welcome back, fingers crossed machine BEHAVES.

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  12. There are apps for both flickr and bloglovin that are either for the iPad or work on it. I have the flickr app on my phone and it is far better than trying to use the browser. Although signed up for bloglovin, I mostly use feedly to read my blogs, it has an app too which I have yet to try.

    In any event, a computer is better for many other reasons, I hope yours continues to work nicely. And you have reminded me to do a back up of everything, including my blog.

    Welcome back.

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  13. Glad that Emily is settling in well. From what I've gathered from friends those who were dreading 'big school' are finding it fine yet those who weren't dreading it so much are having a bit more trouble :-(

    I don't have my own laptop so end up either waiting for hubbie to finish with his before writing a post at silly o'clock or giving up and going to bed - hence average of one post a month!

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  14. Phew, glad week 1 went well! And hope the computer continues to respond to himself's tender ministrations, just don't kick it too often ;o)

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  15. and it is great to have you back! I always wondered how you comment on the blogs in bloglovi so now I have the answer :) Thanks

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  16. Lovely to have you back! I had to rely on my iPad recently and can completely sympathise - totally rubbish for most things I use every day.

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  17. So glad your husbeast is a clever fellow and can get things going for you - exciting times with the girls and probably expensive too, oh and sewing, love love love your little sneak peaks, can't wait to see the whole thing finished.

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  18. Whatcha!
    So glad Big big school is going well.
    Happy stitching xxx

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  19. Yay! I am with you on your assessment of Flickr and Bloglovin on the iPad... Flickr sucks totally (well, it sucks everywhere since they changed it) Glad you are back xx

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  20. Hello! Hope the girls are enjoying school and the sewing looks great!

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  21. Welcome back! I use feedly on my tablet and it works brilliantly. Glad that the girls are 'enjoying' school

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  22. Glad you are back! I hope your computer minds you now and doesn't totally kick the bucket. They are wonderful and terrible all the same.
    Your girls are so adorable, I love seeing pictures of them and hearing about their days. great blog! Oh ya, I so love your HR quilt, it is going to be awesome when you finish it.

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  23. Welcome back to the virtual world. Your absence feels like it went on forever!

    two high school girls...scary stuff !

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  24. Welcome back.
    Yay to Emily for settling in to high school. It's always hard getting back into a routine after the summer holidays.

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  25. Welcome back!! Can't say I even know how to use bloglovin so you are one step ahead of me there. I just use my blogger dashboard which means that I think I do miss out on the wordpress blogs I used to follow.
    Such great news about Em!!!

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  26. So glad you're back! Computers can be so frustrating sometimes. Looking forward to see your HR quilt quilted.

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  27. Welcome back! Sometimes technology can make you bonkers - so you have my full sympathies. Fingers crossed it will be smooth sailing for you here on out.

    Oh, my! How quickly your girls are growing up!

    Loving your HR quilt....

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  28. So nice to see you again! Hope your computer plays nicely this time!

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  29. Wonderful to see your post! Great back to school picture of the girls! I have a love/hate relationship with my ipad when it comes to my quilting addiction. Viewing most blogs is great on the ipad with the pixel quality. BUT blogger is impossible as well as flickr. I always assume it is just me, so it is good to hear that others have some of the same frustrations! Best of luck with the new school year!

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  30. I use an unofficial Google-like reader on my tablet called FeedMe, which I like but I still have to open the browser to comment. Happy Sewing!

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  31. Mann you had a lot to get off your chest! Glad the first week of school has gone well, we're still settling into a weird routine with college! Keep up the quilting and don't kick the computer too much. Personally a fling out the window works for me!

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  32. Man what twists and turns in your life. Your girls look so grown up all dressed for school. I hope they're loving it...being only a few days in and all it's too short to hate it, right? And your HR I am DYING to see. These little peeks make my heart flutter, so I may pass out seeing the full thing. Just warning you. xx

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  33. Welcome back. Chief doesn't like trying to use the ipad for flickr because of getting the pictures on the ipad and not organised before he even attempts to upload them or something. Glad the girls are getting on ok at school. Oh and I've just sent Chief the link to that hotel and asked if we can go next time we're in Whitehall. Well it's virtually work for him ;-)

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  34. Hi Susan, I have missed reading loads of blogs lately and it's since Bloglovin took over, think it's getting on my nerves. Might go back to my trusty blogroll.
    Glad Emily settled well, things can only get better eh.

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  35. It is nice to have you back!! I would suggest Feedly for blog reading on the iPad. This is why and how I found Feedly to begin with and I use it on my pc, phone (great phone app) and ipad.

    the girls looked beautiful, so glad things are settling quickly!!

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  36. I am so glad you are back. I love reading about the girls...especially their cooking talents, your sewing projects and listening to you bitch about annoying crap.Yep, you are back for sure!

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  37. Totally agree with you about bloglovin and Flickr in the iPad... So unruly and frustrating! Love, love, love all those teeny tiny fussy cut squares!

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  38. Hello, lovely to have you back! I am glad to hear the girls are settling in well and high tea in London...fancy! I hate the ipad too for doing most stuff apart from browsing, give me a laptop any day!

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  39. Hey nice to hear from you again! I'm from Australia so I'm not sure what High school is in UK. Emily looks about 11, so year 6 I'm guessing?

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