FIXED IT!

Difference in Time

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/difference-in-time-by-m-donna/

Well, I feel like a total dummy! I have been trying to figure out why my blog wasn't showing any of the images. So I have spent hours on blogger help trying to fix it. So I checked my blog on my cell phone and the images were there, then I checked it using edge and the images showed...so I figured it was something on Firefox. I noticed there were 27 ads blocked on my adblocker extension so I updated it...and "WaLa" my images were there. Sometimes I can be so dumb! 

I also noticed this morning that the Newest Theme page on Firefox had an internal error also. Some of that is up now but not all. 

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas. We had a fun, easy family Christmas. We just had our kids here so it was an adult Christmas. No fancy food and just fun and laughter. Everyone brought snacks and we had let Papa Murphy prepare our dinner! We sat around the dining room table playing Uno for hours. 

Got to see some of the grand-kids and great grand-kids, too. I wish I was up to a huge Christmas like I used to have but now that the families have extended you have to share with other families. 

We were given an Alexa Echo for Chrsitmas! I had always said I didn't want one of those in the house to listen to everything you say...But as usual...I changed my mind after I got it set up. I may get one for the kitchen even! Our house is pretty big so it is hard to hear it in some rooms.

Well, my knee replacement surgery is scheduled for the middle of March. I really liked the Dr. that will be doing it. I am dreading it a lot but also looking forward to not limping and not having pain. I know it is going to be very painful for awhile but I am feeling very positive and know that will help. The part I am dreading (beside more pain) is not being able to do something when I want. That has already been impeded some but not all. It takes me longer to get from room to room and shopping is a "bitch". Sorry about that but I couldn't think of another word that worked as well! 

We went to a Nativity dance recital our great grand-daughter danced in and it was so special. I loved seeing the kids of all ages dancing to the story of the nativity.

 

First Mountain Snow

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/first-mountain-snow-by-m-donna/ 

Are you ready for spring? 

Abundance of Spring

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/abundance-of-spring-by-m-donna/

Images not showing up!

I apologize for the blog header not showing up. None of the images I have put on show up, either.....I am trying to figure out the problem!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT!

Christmas Carolers

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/christmas-carolers-by-m-donna/

Wow, the holiday is coming up fast, isn't it? I have still been making Christmas themes are realize it is time to STOP! So I am. 

If you remember me posting I was going to try to just use pain management on my osteoarthritic knee> Well, I changed my mind! I don't want to limp around the rest of my life, so I made an appt. with one of the best knee replacement surgeons in our area. He is booked till March so they are setting up an appt. for the surgery. They gave me a 3 ring notebook to read and I can't believe all the info and work I have to do before the surgery. I know it is going to be a long, painful recovery but if it is successful it will all be worth it!

Things on Firefox have been changing quickly it seems. As I mentioned in an earlier post, Personas Plus was supposed to be gone in November, but you can still use it. That is what I use to test my themes while I am making them. Sometimes I have to test a theme 7 or 8 times before I get it so it satisfies me in the placement on the header. Of course everyone has a different amount of toolbars so that makes it a little touchy. A lot of people are using Firefox Color so if you just want a plain theme with colors that works great but adding custom backgrounds is a problem...

We have been busy with the great grand-kids stuff. Went to the Church Christmas program on Sunday morning and enjoyed it. Monday night we went to a great grandsons's school program. It was cute but the school never has enough chairs set up for the size of the audience. Sunday night our only great granddaughter is in a dance recital for Christmas. Am anxious to see her dance but worry about walking to the theater and sitting for 3 hours! We are going with our son and his wife and they will let me off at the theater and then hunt for a parking spot! 

I got a notice on my laptop this morning saying my Firefox was running slow...panic time...as I knew it was. But I had done a refresh once before and had to completely reset everything, so I wasn't pleased. I have some settings on mine that I have to put in manually, like not closing FF if I close the last tab, etc. So I used my MozBack up. They say it isn't up to date and they are not going to be updating it, but it still works. I used it on my desktop and then put the USB into the laptop and it still works! So I didn't have to re-set anything, lose my extensions or themes! So if you download it now it should still work. 

The wind has been really bad this week. Even one tornado in our state and that is rare. I just got a text from my daughter and it blew her fence over. She lives in an area of town that is high up and has lots and lots of trees. She has had her neighbors trees fall on to her house once and her deck once. Then Friday night her power went out 3 times and blew her washing machine up! So she gets freaked out every time we have a wind warning.

I want to thank all of you that have been following me and using my themes and wallpapers. I appreciate all the wonderful reviews you leave and try to respond to each one. 

 

Snow Storm Winter Wolf

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/snow-storm-winter-wolf-bydonna/ 

Gonna sign off for now and wish you all a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR...or whatever you celebrate. 

Last month of 2018

Santa's Minions

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/santa-s-minions-by-m-donna/

Well, December is here and everyone is working on getting ready for Christmas. We don't buy gifts for anyone anymore. Everybody has more "stuff" than what they need already. I would have to purchase everything on line because my knee has gotten so much worse I can't do much shopping. I was so hoping my knee would hold out on me for another year or so but it has gotten so much worse so fast, I doubt if I can. The Dr. has put in a request for an orthopedic surgeon and I am hoping I can get the one I want but I have heard rumors he has retired so will find out soon, I guess.

A cold, clear sunshiny day in the Pacific Northwest today and should be this way most of the week. Just beautiful. 

I have been very busy working on themes and trying to get the hang of testing them with Firefox Color. You can only add so many custom backgrounds before it locks you out so I have had to figured out a work around but it isn't very convenient. 

Thanksgiving at our house was really nice. Our daughter doesn't join us anymore as she goes out of town to visit her son and daughter for Thanksgiving. We missed her but they will all be here for Christmas day. 

I hope everyone is happy and well and looking forward to the holidays.

 

 Warming Santa

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/warming-santa-by-m-donna/

November Already!

 

Fall Not  Finished

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/fall-not-finished-by-m-donna/

Are you ready to turn back your clocks this week end? I do it on Saturday and we end up saying to each other "Is that the right time?" I wish we would just stick to one time. I don't care which but just one so we don't have to do it twice a year.

Well, I had a very strange experience this past Saturday. I felt absolutely fine when we left to do our shopping. We were in Walmart and I said to my husband we should pick up some beer so we had just turned onto the liquor aisle and our oldest son and his wife came up behind us. They had been ready to check out and spotted us so came over to visit. We were standing there talking and I started to feel kind of dizzy/funny or whatever and I went to reach for the cart handle to steady myself and woke up on the floor! Passing out in the liquor aisle at Walmart is not something you want to brag about. My husband and son could tell I was going to pass out and actually grabbed me and slowly let me onto the floor so at least I didn't hit my head. My daughter in law was talking to 911 and no one would let me get up. I felt like I was going to get sick to my stomach but nothing happened. So I ended up at the ER again and spent the day there. All kinds of tests again and the same diagnosis as it was in May when I passed out in the kitchen. I didn't believe their diagnosis in May but now I do. I was dehydrated! I just was not drinking near enough water during the day. So I am drinking a lot! And eating better. I have always eaten healthy but not a lot. I have to get something to get more electrolytes also and I don't like Gatorade so will have to find something. And I have felt fine since then. 

Are you liking the new way for themes? I am getting used to it now and don't mind it. 

I will be so glad when the election is over. Our house phone rings constantly. We don't answer it unless we recognize the number but the ringing drives you nuts.

I wanted to update my blog for November so will be back soon.

Thanks to all of you that review my themes. I appreciate each and every star. 

Park Bench

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/park-bench-by-m-donna/

Happy Halloween 2018

Cat & Owl

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/cat-owlh-by-m-donna/

I can't believe it has been a month since I wrote on my blog. Just a busy old lady!

I will be so glad when the elections are over but am very concerned with what the results may be also. I am really tired of the phone ringing all the time and the mailers! If half of what the fliers say were true it would be great but it seems to me that one side does a lot of misrepresentation or in other words, lies! If a person didn't take close attention and actually believed what comes out of the mouths of some of these people it would be pretty easy to pick a candidate or initiative to vote on. But some of them take their instructions from our leader and think a lie is a lie and is OK. We taught our kids not to lie and not to make fun of people. I honestly think it must be hard for a parent to teach a child how to behave these days. I know there is more bullying going on in the schools and streets. Anyway I will be glad when the midterms are over. We just have to take time and sit down and fill out our ballots. WA has mail only so it is easy to vote at your own convenience. There is no excuse not to vote so make sure your registration is up to date!

How do you like the new theme pages? I think it looks more professional and up to date but the way for me to test a design is getting much harder. Personas Plus is going away in November sometime and I won't be able to test them as easily. Sometimes I have to make 10 to 12 attempts to get things placed where I want them. So it is going to be harder for designers but maybe easier for users. I just don't' know!

We got to visit and catch up with some some of our grand kids on Sunday. Was so nice to catch up with them. We are lucky because all of them live in western WA so get to see them all a lot more than we would if they lived all over the country like some families.

Our fall has been absolutely wonderful. We have had a lot of warm, sunshiny days and not too much rain. Although the rain will start tomorrow and I am sure that will be the end of the warmth. So far we haven't had to light a fire in the evening and that is good. We haven't been able to get out and cut wood this year. I am afraid to go up in the mountains and hurt my knee more. Uneven ground is a no no for me. I have decided to put the knee replacement off for now. If it gets worse...well, will decide at that time.

I am going to have my afternoon coffee and figure out what to fix for dinner. Hope you all have a wonderful Halloween. I have been trying what to to have for treats for the great grand kids! That isn't candy!

Fall Fox Run
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/fall-fox-run-by-m-donna/

Last Friday of September

Ravens at Stonehenge

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/ravens-at-stonehenge/

Can you believe how quickly September went by? We have been having a pretty nice week of weather. Supposed to be in the high 70's today.

I got the results of the tests on my knee and it isn't very good. Osteoarthritis Score 4 with bone spurs, etc. so the recommendation is a knee replacement. But I am not going that way yet. I am going to try to manage the pain, etc. If it gets much worse that may be the way I have to go, but I do not look forward to that. I got out my Grandmother's cane! I hate using it as I am not used to moving slowly and carefully. And I keep losing it. Which makes me walk more looking for it. 

I think I am getting the hang of the new Firefox Theme submission and editing of it after it is on line. It is hard to know which color codes to use, etc.
But I know they are working on it to make it easier for us.

I have been addicted to the TV for the last few days. Everyone has a different opinion of who is telling the truth. I certainly made up my mind. So many keep wondering why the woman didn't tell her parents or report the attack. Well, I certainly wouldn't have told my parents if something like that happened when I was 14 or 15. I might have said something to a girlfriend but not my folks. Of course back then there wasn't parties, etc. like that around for us farm girls. I never went anywhere that beer or any other alcohol was present. I guess I had a bunch of good friends!

Got to watch our oldest great grandson play football yesterday. The weather was beautiful and fun to watch him. 

I have been working on themes every day and having so much fun doing so. You would think I would get tired of it but I don't. 

Autumn Water Mill
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/autumn-watermill-by-m-donna/?src=search 

I hope you all have a good week end and enjoy the last few days of September.

 Sunrise on the Farm

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/sunrise-on-the-farm-by-m-donna/?src=search

Everything Changing

Flying South 

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/flysouth/?src=collection

Good morning....or is it? As you may have notice a lot of changes are happening in Firefox Themes. So far I am still able to submit themes I have made but I don't know how long this will be. I really haven't figured out exactly right. I did install this one for myself and love it but I may have to go back and change a few settings. It takes me a lot longer to submit because there are so many settings to figure out. I am going on 80 in a few months and change is not good for me!

So please have patience with my themes and as I get better aquatinted with the format I will be able to improve them 

Also I am aware that Personas Plus will no longer be available around the end of November! So I am going to have to figure out a new way to test my designing.

If you find a theme you like save it to your collections so you can find it again. You should be able to find it in Your Add-on Manager, too. 

Be back soon!

September Rememberance!

Autumnn's Blue Eyed Kitten

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/autumn-s-blue-eyed-kitten/

Do you remember what you were doing on 9/11?

I think that is something that everyone in the US will remember forever. My husband and I were talking about it at lunch today and it seems like yesterday.

We were at a cabin that we used to stay at in Winthrop, WA on our motorcycle trips. We got up with the plan of heading farther east. We had our quick breakfast and headed out to check our bikes. Some Canadian riders were gathered together talking and said to us something about what a horrible morning it was. We didn't understand because the weather was just beautiful. But we hadn't turned on the TV in our cabin! So we rushed back in and saw the towers falling. No one knew what was happening and what else would happen. All we wanted to do was go home. You always feel safe at home. The Canadians were heading back to Canada! They didn't want to be in our country at all! The whole way home we didn't know what was going on or what more had happened. We just wanted to get there. A sad day in our country and knowing what we know now, it probably could have been prevented. 

The weather here has changed and summer was here one day and fall the next! I am not kidding, that is how it happens in the Pacific Northwest. I thought I would freeze to death the first day. I kept piling on clothes but am slowly getting used to it. Sounds like the southeast is looking for some really bad weather. I hope all can keep safe.

I finally broke down and went to the Dr. about my knee. I got a cortisone shot and it helped for about 6 days! I did too much walking yesterday and had go put the knee brace back on. Guess I will have to break down and get the ex-ray. The last one showed arthritis in it, but at almost 80 that is to be expected. Insurance companies make you go through the hoops before you can get a thorough exam. I am very active and don't move slowly so it kills me to try to walk slowly.

Going to get back to work so hope you all have a super week and September if I don't get back soon. 

 Leaves on Ground

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/leaves-on-ground/

Big Changes

Autumn on the Farm

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/autumn-on-the-farm

Just thought I would take a little time to let you aware of some changes that may/are coming to Persona themes. Right now they are trying to get the themes switched over to the Add-Ons. I have submitted a couple and had a hard time doing so. They take much longer to get reviewed and are not as easy to preview as they are now. I am hoping that the old way will be continued but progress...you know progress is good! Right? Sometimes the old way is easier and better, but I don't know if we will be able to keep the old way. You can go to my profile and see the way the old themes show up and the way the new ones show up as Add-Ons.

We have had a very warm, dry summer. And now we have smoke from forest fires making the air a bit hard to breathe. It is supposed to get a bit better when the sea breeze starts this week end so we shall see.

I was so pleased that I got to see my sister and brother-in-law last weekend. They were up for a neice's wedding. We didn't go to the wedding because of my knee and I really hated not being able to be there. I still haven't gone to the Dr. about it but it seems to be a tad better as long as I don't step on rough ground. 

We are spending time with some grand kids this week end. Our daughter, grand daughter and myself are going to do our annual dill pickling. We have so much fun working together, laughing and spending the time together, plus we end up with lots of dill pickles using my Grandmother's recipe. The recipe make the best, crispiest, hottest pickles ever! Of course we add a bit more red peppers in some jars...so you get your choice. We are going to open the last jar we made last year where we added the left over peppers and even some ghost pepper. May have to have an extra beer or glass of wine after we open them!

I will sign off for now and get back soon. Hope you all have a great week end. Summer is leaving us quicker than I like but I am sure kids are getting excited about going back to school. 

Night Owls

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/night-owls-by-m-donna/

 

August already!

Happy Goldfish

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/happy-goldfish/

August...Wow, summer is almost over and we are headed for fall. We have had wonderful hot summer weather and I have loved it. Lots of fires, though. So I know we need rain. We are way behind on rain this year. Since May we have had very little rain. 

My brother and his wife just got sent to the Redding, CA fire. They are on a support team for forest fires and had tried to take this summer off because they had a grandson high school graduation, a grand daughter college graduation and a grand daughter's wedding and showers this summer. I am sure they will be able to get back for the wedding. They got to attend the graduations, anyway. My husband would love to be fighting fire...he really misses it. 

I doubt if the majority of you have heard about our poor Orca mother.  J35, or Tahlequah, gave birth to the calf which only lived for 30 minutes. She has refused to let go of it ever since, carrying the infant either by one fin, or pushing it through the water on her head.  They don't know if she is getting enough to eat or not. There are only 75 members of the endangered family of southern resident orca whales. J Pod, the mother's clan has been staying with her and has turned out in force, with more members of the pod staying with her every day. There is a crew of people monitoring her all the time, keeping boats away from the pod. How can you not feel sad for this grieving mother?

I also watched the poor great grandfather that lost his wife and 2 great grandchildren in the Carr Fire in CA. I tear up every time I see the interview with him. I can not imaging the guilt and grief he must be feeling.

I have been having a good summer and really hate to see it end. My knee is still bothering me a lot and I imagine I will end up and have to go to the Dr. but will wait as long as I can. I tried 3 different braces and ended up using my old one. I ordered one similar but it isn't as good as the old one. Looks a lot better though!

My husband went up in the mountains with our oldest son and our oldest great grandson today. He loves going out with "the boys" and it gets him away from home for awhile. He is going on 83 and I really don't like him going alone but he does once in awhile. 

Going to sign off for the week. Have a super August.

Running Foxes

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/running-foxes-by-madonna/

Drought? Really?

Delightful Orchid

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/delightful-orchid-by-m-donna/

You have all heard that the Pacific Northwest is always wet and rainy! Well, not this year! May and June had lower than average rain and July is going that way also. I can't say we have had a lot of hot weather BUT it hasn't rained much. Now we are getting the warm weather. which I love. But I know the forest and brush fires will probably be bad. I can remember one summer when our kids were around five or six when my husband was away fighting forest fires most of the summer and into early fall. I would hardly get his dirty, smelly, smoky clothes clean before he would get called out again. We weren't making tons of money with the USFS but when he fought fire he got hazard pay and overtime so it always helped us out financially! But it was hard on me and the kids. We didn't have a chance that summer to cut wood so we had to have a load delivered and they dumped it in the carport. I couldn't get my car out of the garage until the wood was gone so the kids and I had to get it stacked in the woodshed. That was during the same period of summer when I was doing most of the canning. But I was young and had tons of energy and the kids, even though they were small were a big help. They were good kids. After we moved up here the kids all picked berries when they were younger and then the boys hayed and ran peapicker machines. Our daughter babysat and took a bus to work at a restaurant when she was old enough. I guess we were not good parents because they worked but they sure turned out to be hard working, responsible adults that we are very proud of.

We didn't do anything special on the 4th of July this year. I didn't think my knee was up to having the kids over so we sat around outside and read. Then went to DQ for some ice cream and fries! Not very exciting but we are old so it was fine....

I am not enjoying this summer as much as usual because my right knee is so bad. I abused it for so many years running every day, etc. Then crashing during a motocross really did it in and I had to have surgery and wore a cast for a month or more. Then several years later they had to do another surgery but it has never been the same and has really gotten bad this summer for some reason. I am hoping that wearing my brace and trying to take care of it, it will get better by itself. It always has before...

Well, our "president" is overseas embarrassing us again. I hope the world doesn't judge us by him. Most of us don't believe or "think" like him. Enough said. 

It doesn't seem like as many themes are bring submitted this summer. I imagine all the younger people are having a life and not working on them. But this old lady is still working away. Have even learned a few new things on my Photoshop program. There is so much to do but at my age, it is not an easy program to learn. And it infuriates me when I do something and then can't remember exactly what brush I used or exactly how I did it. I try to write it down but sometimes I forget to do that!

Apparently there is going to be some big changes for Themes. I don't know how that is going to affect me and my themes. One thing I do know is they are apparently going to do away with the preview of how it will look on your screen. So stay tuned and watch out for changes. I hope it doesn't change the themes themselves but it may. I will just have to wait and see.

The orchid one of our neighbors gave me at Christmas is doing so well. I love flowers but do not have a green thumb so I am amazed my orchid is doing so well. I Googled how to water it and I watched 2 You Tube videos that an expert orchid grower had put on and have followed his instructions and apparently he knew what he was talking about because mine is doing well! So it is time for me to go take care of mine!

Have a wonderful week end and hopefully I will be back.

Summer Time and the Living is Easy!

Lone Wolf Theme

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/lone-wolf-theme/

Waiting for UPS to pick up a package so thought I would write some on the blog. My life is not that interesting anymore that I have a lot to write about...but...that is OK. 

Cool out today but we have actually had some lovely warm weather. Some considered it hot but to me it was lovely warm! Forest fires have already started in the west and I think we will probably have more every year. Our summers are much warmer and dryer than in the past. May was the driest May we have had in many, many years. 

I think I wrote in my last post that my laptop had problems but I got it up and running fine. Well, last week my desktop decided it wouldn't work. And I could not figure out how to get it to restart. So I had to call my IT expert, my grandson! He stopped and picked it up on his way home from work. He thought it may be time for a new one. He built it years ago, but has replaced different parts over the years. The last thing was the electronic hard drive, anyway I think that is what it was. It made my computer work so much faster. But he found nothing wrong with it except I had too many programs trying to sync. So, he did some work on what programs to start, etc. And replace a fan that was getting a bit worn. So I really lucked out. I was dreading having to totally get Windows 10 and everything set up on a new computer. I have everything so personalized like using Classic Shell to make Win 10 look and work like Windows 7, etc. 

I hope everyone had a nice Fathers Day and got to reach out to your Dad.. I certainly thought about mine. We spent the day before with all the kids and some of the grand kids and great grand kids. When your family gets extended like ours is into a 4th generation, it gets hard to fix it so everyone can get in touch or spend time with their Dad's. Luckily all of ours are close by so it isn't quite as difficult. Our oldest son barbecued and the weather was beautiful so we got to spend it all outside. 

It doesn't feel like I am going on 80! I honestly don't feel that old. And I normally have tons of energy and get everything done I need to. I am lucky that my husband loves to be outside so he does all of the outside work, mowing the lawns and even mows the field so I am very spoiled. Being old isn't bad if you don't feel old, I guess. So I try to stay as healthy as I can. I wanted to start walking again this summer but with my one knee I now realize that isn't going to work out. I hurt it racing in a motocross years ago and had to have surgery on it twice. The first  surgeon didn't  do a very good job, so a few years later they did the microscopic surgery and it got better but from years of misuse it is not the same. The microscopic was so  much easier on me than the "cut you open" type. But I have a lovely scar!

June only has one more week and then it will be July. The days start getting shorter today by 4 seconds! 

I hope you all are well and having an enjoyable summer. Till later!

Freedom Reigns

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/freedom-reigns-by-m-donna/

Addiction!

Poppies Rain Shower

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/poppies-rain-shower-by-madonna/

June is here and I finally decided I am addicted! To making themes. I honestly wish I could step back and go at least a week and not make one! It ain't gonna happen. I am also addicted to listening to politics! I wish I could step back and not turn anything on for a week. I am sure the United States would not fall apart but then again.....it might...and I would miss it!

God Bless the USA

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/god-bless-usa/

That is why I made the above theme. We need his blessings.

Have you ever had a computer not start? Was fine when you shut it off or restarted it? But just won't start up. A blue circle just kept going round and round and round.  Well, my laptop did just that last week and I thought I was gonna have to call my IT grandson, but thought I would try to figure it out myself so got on the desktop and got googling! I printed out several different pages with ideas and started working on it. It is a Dell so I started out with that info. The first five or six things didn't work but I finally got a screen up and tried all 3 different things and still nothing so had to do the last one and it was pretty drastic but it worked! I didn't know if I would end up with Windows 7 because that is what was in it when I purchased it, but Windows 10 came up and I installed all the programs I had in it, plus the Classic Shell and got everything working and looking like Windows 7. So far so good. It seems to be working just fine. So I was pretty pleased with myself.

My cell phone was running out of space so I decided it was time to update and get a new one. I really dislike setting up a new phone but got most of it done. I was able to find a case like the one for my old one. I liked it so well and got so many compliments on it I was happy with Amazon! Again! But I have ordered 2 different screen protectors and had to return both of them. The tempered glass one was super easy to install but it made it much harder to tap the screen. And the film one was impossible. I had used that brand before but it had really changed and was returned. I have 2 more coming and will see how that goes. These install with a wet application so should be easier to get on but we shall see. I really hate putting any screen protector on but...you pay so much for tablets and cells you have to protect them.

Our May was the driest warmest one in history but June has been chilly so far. I heard that the lower 48 states had all had the warmest May so global warming or weather change is a fact! But I am ready for some real summer weather. 

I hope everyone has a great June and will try to write some more later.

Sun Over Mountain Top

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/sun-over-mountain-top/

May Half Time!

Summer Sensation

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/summer-sensation-by-donna/

May is half over and we have had warmer weather than usual. Very nice!

Been working on lots of themes and having fun doing so. I love working with flowers and butterflies in Photoshop. BUT I wish I had an actual green thumb. I do not like working in flower beds or gardens. I never have. We used to always have a big garden when the kids were at home but I can't say I enjoyed it or was very good at it. We were at our son's house one Sunday a week or so ago and their flower beds are just beautiful. Our daughter-in-law loves working in her flower beds and you can definitely tell it. Ours...not so much. 

Last Thursday morning started out like a regular morning, I rode my exercise bike and did the cleaning. Sat down at the computer and worked, but when I went to get up to start coffee and call my husband in, I got real dizzy. Got to the kitchen and was even dizzier so sat in a chair and buzzed my hubby in. Well I ended up sliding to the floor and all of a sudden everything kind of blacked out and I was freezing cold, shaking, shivering, etc. I used to get low blood sugar so my husband checked that and couldn't get any blood out of my fingers! And my blood pressure was OK, but he couldn't get me to the car so he called 911. I was pretty much totally out of it by the time they got here and don't remember much after that for a bit. They put a warmed blanket over me and I remember saying that felt so good. They took all kinds of tests, etc. and guess they figured out I was dehydrated. Anyway that is what they said. I really don't think I was, but...

It took me a couple days to start feeling normal. but seem fine now. I am trying to drink more water even if I don't think that is what was wrong...

I had to order a new keyboard. I decided on one that has illuminated keys because usually before I go to bed I come in and submit the last theme for the day and this way I won't have to turn the light on. The keyboard I am using is solar powered but it doesn't get enough light where I have it. I hope I like the new one. Thanks for Amazon. I hate shopping in the stores so the UPS and mail are kept pretty busy.

I hope everyone either called or got to see your Mom's on Sunday. Or if she is no longer with you, at least thought of her. I had a very nice Mother's Day and since my Mom isn't with us anymore, I certainly thought of her. We were at our daughter's house for the afternoon. She had way too much food, but we got to bring some home! Shrimp cocktail, cold salmon, chips, two different trail mixes from Trader Joe's. She makes these really good little "sandwiches" that are slices of tiny sourdough bread, with a slice of mozzarella cheese, basil leaf and a vinaigrette glaze. Then we had taco pizza, which we didn't need after all the goodies. Our oldest son had to work but our youngest son and a grandson stopped in to help us eat some of the food.  It was a beautiful day so we got to be outside.

This coming Saturday we get to see our oldest great grandson play lacrosse. Most of his games are miles away and we just don't go but this one will be close so we will. Hopefully it won't be raining. I actually bought a pair of rubber boots last year to go to his games. The fields were so wet at one of his spring games last year that my shoes got wet and muddy. But I hope I don't have to wear them Saturday.

Our rhubarb has grown so much this year! It is just huge. Our daughter took a big box of it to her office and they want more, so we have to cut more for her to take next week. I have made 3 rhubarb pies this year already. I use my Grandma Joe's recipe. It is so good and so easy to make. It is a one crust pie so if you don't like to make the crust you can use a boughten one. 

***********************

Grandma Joe's Rhubarb Pie

Fill crust with chopped rhubarb

Mix;

2 EGGS

1  1/2 CUP SUGAR

3 T FLOUR

3 T MILK

PINCH OF SALT

Pour over the rhubarb

Bake 90 minutes at 350°

******************************************

I bought one of those silicone things to cover the outside of the crusts and it works really well.

You either like rhubarb or you don't and luckily we do. I used to make a really good rhubarb jam but I don't have the recipe anymore. We used to sell our rhubarb to a business that makes mead.  He was trying to get his own rhubarb patch that would supply him with enough. 

Well it is time to finish this up and I hope everyone is having a great spring and looking forward to summer. 

Ruby Throated Hummingbird

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/ruby-throated-hummngbird/

Time Changes!

Cherry Blossoms

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/cherry-blossoms-donna/

I know I say it every time I write on this blog but I can't believe it has been almost a month since I posted anything!

We are finally getting some warm sunshine. How I love it! But it is supposed to be cloudy and showers by Friday so back to Northwest Washington. I got to hang laundry out today for the first time this year. 

Speaking of laundry...it is funny but back in the "old days" 61 years ago when we were first married (and farther back than that) you did your laundry on Mondays! Then when you got it off the line, you had to sprinkle all the items that needed ironing! And back then almost everything was ironed, handkerchiefs, pillow cases, kitchen towels, etc. So you sprinkled them to get them slightly damp, rolled up tight and put into a bag until the next morning. Tuesday was ironing day! Wednesday you did the mending, fixing tears, rips, darning socks, etc. (Which reminds me, our oldest great grandson was here Sunday (size 14 shoes when he is 13!) and he had holes in the heels of his socks so I told him how I used to darn socks) If we didn't have a wooden darning egg (which the husband usually made from wood) or we could use a light bulb. Then we took matching thread and repaired the hole in the sock. We couldn't afford to buy new socks every month just because it had a hole in it like people do now. I can't remember what Thursday was for. I know I baked 4 loaves of sour dough bread every Thursday!  Friday was cleaning and baking day. Saturday was the day all the farmers would go into town, say hello to all your neighbors and do the weekly shopping. Sunday we always had a big family dinner and whoever popped in was always welcome at the table. How times have changed! Now if I want something I usually get on Amazon and order it! 

Sunday I was visiting with a granddaughter-in-law about work, etc. and I told her my dream when I was young was to fall in love, get married and have children. That was my goal in life! I thought about joining the Waves when I was 14  (I think because my favorite Uncle was in the Navy) and even sent off for information on it. Then I shot that down and thought about being a beautician. I had started cutting my own hair when I was 13 and still do. Some of my girlfriends would ask me to cut their hair and I enjoyed it, so thought about that. BUT met my Sweetheart when I was just 16 and that was pretty much it! 

The times we live in now is so changed and everything is so expensive that I don't think most couples could make it on one paycheck. Well, they probably could if they didn't do all they do, buy all the stuff they do and cut back some. But no one wants to live that way anymore. Women all want a career now and I guess that is good. But I am glad we got to raise our kids when we did. And I am glad I got to be a stay at home Mom. I wouldn't change one thing about my life and that is a good thing!

But now I can do what I want when I want...or mostly! I love that I can spend hours a day working on designs...and look forward to when my husband comes in from the shop or yards and we can sit down and have a glass of wine before dinner.

And now it is time to get that laundry off the line and submit a couple themes and shut down for the day.

Just a bunch of mind wondering!

Have a great week end. 

Spring at the Foot of the Mountains

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/spring-at-the-the-mountains/

April Fool!

Spring Melody

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/spring-medley-donna/

April will be here soon...too soon. Our 61st wedding anniversary is next week also. To many of you that will probably sound like a very long time and it is. But it has been a very good 61 years. 

It certainly doesn't feel like spring out here...very cold and windy and rainy. Not my favorite weather.

I re-did my blog for Easter as you can see. But Easter is on April Fools Day. That doesn't sound like 2 holidays that would go together, does it? Our weather forecast doesn't sound like a very good day for an Easter egg hunt.

I have been going through thousands of my theme and wallpaper files. I have so many made and I know they will not all get submitted because I doubt if I have that much time left to do so. Firefox doesn't have footers anymore. (The small space along the bottom of the FF page) so I went through and deleted all of the footers. I am a very organized person but I have lots of different files so had to go through spring, summer, fall, winter, holidays, etc. Plus I have some stored in the Cloud so had to go through those also. I know I shouldn't take any time making any new ones but I find things I want to work with every day so keep making them.

Dreams...do you dream? My husband never used to dream but he does now. I have always dreamed but I dream a lot more now. So we are beginning to think that you must start dreaming more when you are elderly. (Elderly sounds so much better than old!) We both dream about family members that are no longer with us. Which is sad but in other ways not. But strange.

I just read a wonderful book that I got through the library. I had to ask them to order it as an eBook, which they did. It is by Kristin Hannah. It is the 2nd book I have read by her. the first one I read was "Nightingale". One of my grand daughter's recommended it because she and her friends had read it and loved it. This last one is called "The Great Alone". It was a wonderful book. There were places in it I had a hard time reading and took me back to the time we took care of my Mother in her last months. But I would always go back and read some more. My husband actually read it and liked it, too. I would recommend it to anyone that is a reader. Super book. I am going to put some of her other books On Hold at the library so I can download them when they are available. They must be very popular because there is a number of people that have them on hold.

I get most of my books from Amazon free. I subscribed to two email letters that I get every day. One is Book Bub and one is Freebooksy. You put in the genre of books you would be interested in and they send you an email everyday with books that are free or the price has been reduced. If you are a reader I would suggest trying it out. You may not want to get an email every day, but...if you like to read it is a pretty good deal.

What do you think of Facebook and what they have let happen?  Personally I am not a Facebook fan and that is why "MaDonna" doesn't have a Facebook account. From what I have seen of it...most of the people only show beautiful family photos and how well they are doing or they are having wonderful vacations, etc. It can get a lot of kids in trouble, too. I admit it is a good way of finding out where and what your family is doing, but that is about all. I do Twitter once in awhile, but not a big fan of that either. It takes a lot of time to keep up with all that social media. My sister is on every social media site there is, I think. But she is an actress, acting coach, professional speaker, etc. so she uses it as an advertising extension.

Time to fix lunch so I will sign off for now. I hope you all have a wonderful Easter. We get to spend time with grand kids and great grand kids so that will be fun. I can't believe how fast they grow. Our oldest great grandson is taller than his great grandparents...scary. When he was born I didn't think I would probably be around when he was a teenager...and I am!

 Sunset on the Dunes
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/sunset-on-the-dunes/

March

Florals Purple Butterfly

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/florals-purple-butterflies/

I can't believe it has been a month since I wrote on my blog. It seems like last week. We are having a beautiful sunshiny day today and supposed to be that way tomorrow and then back to rain. We actually hit 70° over the week end. We got to spend the whole afternoon on the deck and just soaked up sunshine.

I just looked out the window and see my 82 year old husband on a big ladder getting ready to cut the top out of a tree. I wish I hadn't seen him! He is supposed to tell me when he is doing something like that BUT he never does!

I have had so much fun this past week working on some special designs. Making wallpapers to match. Desktop Nexus still doesn't have their website fixed yet so none of the older wallpapers show. I have sent a few wallpapers to people that have asked for them so they can match up a theme. I keep all of my wallpapers and themes in a file but since there is around 20,000 it takes me awhile to find them. Especially if I have changed the name of it when I submit it but not on the file.

Well, I had my 79the birthday last month but I can't say I feel any older. I am still doing push ups and riding my exercise bike 5 days a week. I admit I don't do as many pushups or ride the bike quite as fast or hard as I used to. But since my back is better I have started up doing the floor exercises I used to do but not as many of those either. 

I hope you have updated your Firefox to 59. That update just came out this past week. I try to keep my extensions and Firefox updated because of security, etc. So if you haven't checked lately it might be a good idea to check.

I would like to submit more themes than I am because I have so many but I don't want to hog up the site too much. 

I am finding it hard to keep up with the news, too. It seems like there is something new and astonishing every hour or so. So I keep very busy. But I am the kind of person that can't sit for very long without doing something. When we were taking care of my Mom at the last, she said to me, "You don't stay sitting very long, do you?" And if I am sitting, my feet are moving and sometimes my hands. My husband tells me I move my feet all night long. I need to make some phone calls and I end up with not enough time. We don't go to bed till after Steven Colbert so it is midnight by the time we get to bed.

Well, I am going to get back to work and I wish you all a Happy Saint Patrick's Day. 

Winter is back........

Mount Rainier Sunset

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/mount-ranier-sunset-by-m-donna/

Wow, but winter came back to Washington state with a blast from the Fraser River Canyon. We got a northeaster from Canada and it is soooo cold. We lost power yesterday for a while and TV/Internet was out longer. Luckily we had just gotten home from visiting our son and daughter in law or we wouldn't have been able to get in the house because the garage door wouldn't have opened. I didn't take my purse with house keys!

We didn't lose any trees but our neighbor lost several of his 50 yer old pine trees. 

Our daughter had us over Saturday to celebrate my birthday a bit early because her daughter's family was up for the week end. We had a baked potato bar with all kinds of toppings. I love baked potato's and don 't make them for myself because I never have sour cream. (Hubby doesn't like it) Birthday cake, ice cream and all the trimmings. 

I can't believe I will be 79 next week. I don't feel that old, most of the time anyway. But the calendar doesn't lie.

We had a nice Valentines Day. I made my hubby some of his favorite foods and a cherry pie that I put a heart cut out on the top. At our ages we don't give each other gifts anymore. Just happy to be together...and eat cherry pie.

Since we couldn't watch the tube last night we read for hours. My hubby finished his book and I couldn't download another one for him because internet was out. I had just cleaned out his Kindle because he had so many books in it. I think I will leave a few in the device from now on. We had the kerosene lamps lit and with my tablet and his Kindle we could read because we keep them powered up. But you do need a book in it! I am signed up at freebooksy.com and Book Bub and get emails each day that have free or lower priced ebooks so I actually get most of my books free. So I have tons of books in the cloud. And the books that are too expensive I can usually get them from the local library and download them so I have it for at least 21 days. 

Have been waiting for our property taxes to come. We always dread that. We have paid taxes on our place for almost 51 years so we have paid more in taxes than we paid for it originally. I don't know how they expect elderly people to be able to stay in their homes when the taxes keep going up but the income certainly doesn't. With the current administration I don't think it is going to get any better, either. They don't care about the children or old people. I think they care more for the fetus and rich people. Have to make sure they are all doing well...but if you are born and old....the hell with you. 

Oh Oh! More politics so I better sign off for today. I have to figure out something for my blog for March since Feb. is almost in the books for this year. I like to change the graphics to match the month.

Can't wait for Spring and Summer!!!

~Have a great week~

Spring Garden Serenity

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/spring-garden-serenity-madonna/

Ending January

Snow Flakes for Blue Eyes

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/snowflakes-for-blue-eyes/

We are looking at the end of January already. I have to admit I am tired of the cold and wet. More on its way. too.

My 79th birthday is next month. I find it hard to believe next year I will be saying, (hopefully) I will be 80 years old. That sounds like a really old lady, doesn't it? I have to admit sometimes I feel old, but not most of the time. My problem is my mind feels young but the body doesn't want to move as fast as my mind. My husband tells me to slow down all the time! And I mean all the time. 

Our oldest grandson gave us DNA kits from ancestry.com and we sent them in right away and I am so anxious to get the results. I have done years of work on the genealogy on both of our families so I know some of what I will find out, I think.

I have had some very bad dreams in the last week and I don't want to say anything to the kids because they would worry. One night I dreamed that my husband was lost and I couldn't find him. I woke up with my heart pounding so hard I think my husband could have heard it if he was awake. It took me a long time to start feeling normal and I can still remember how I felt in the dream. Then two nights ago I dreamed he had a heart attack and I was trying to get him to wake up and I felt so lost. So frightening! We have been together for almost 62 years. I doubt if I could be without him. I just hope the bad dreams are over. I don't like them.

Desktop Nexus has been having problems for this past week. I couldn't get to any of my wallpapers for several days and none of the older ones show up yet. Several people have written and asked me to send them the wallpaper they wanted to match the theme they were using. Luckily I save most of my "stuff" so I can do that "if" I can find it. Sometimes I change the title on line but not in my file so if I do that I will never find it.

Have been working on some Valentines themes. I got the valentines this morning for the great grandkids while we were shopping.  I get our greeting cards at the Dollar Tree all the time. You can get some pretty nice cards there for 2 for $1.00 and you can't beat that. I used to make them with Print Shop. But the program doesn't want to work with Windows 10 very well. It says it won't, but I can fiddle with it enough to get it to work long enough to make the family calender each year. I don't want to buy a new version of it so I hope it will keep working.

Now to the present day news! Wow...When I wake up in the mornings I can't wait to turn on the news. The local radio station that had all my favorite talk show people on recently changed to "old music" so I found i♥ Radio on line and found a station I can listen to on that. All of the sexual harassment that has been going on and no one either said anything or just kept quiet is amazing. I can't believe some of these guys have gotten away with it for so long. In another way I can see it. I have only worked at one outside job in my life so I don't have any experience but when I was interviewing for it,  the "man" did ask a totally unprofessional, totally embarrassing question. I was dumbfounded at the question BUT I STUPIDLY answered him. I should have said that it was inappropriate for him to ask that and if it happened now, I would. But back then I don't think I had ever heard the words, "sexual harassment". To think that we have a man at the head of our country that has gotten by with that for years and is STILL the head of our country is unbelievable. I can not understand the thinking on the right side of the aisle right now. I am glad women are speaking out and standing up for themselves. I think we need more women in the government and business. If I were younger I would definitely run for something. I was asked to run for County Council in the 1990's when we were fighting the Japanese corporation that was trying to build a huge housing development on the farm land that surrounds us. I imagine they will start that up again this year since everyone says there aren't enough houses available on the market.  I feel very strong about not developing all the farm lands. I believe that there will come a time when we can't depend on CA for growing so much of our food supply. WA and OR weather is changing and it may come a time when these two states may be where you purchase your vegetables from. If there are houses covering the landscape...they won't tear them down to grow food on. 

I better quit the preaching! Once I get going on this I don't shut up.

I hope you all have a good week end and stay warm. 

Sunrise Winter Cabin

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/sunrise-winter-cabin/