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One day last week, I got a message that my computer was overheating. I wasn't surprised. It is seven years old. So I called my son and he came and cleaned it out including the fan. It was working just fine. Then one morning it did not want to come on. It seems the night before when I shut it off, instead of shutting down, it went into suspension. Whatever that is. Now it seems to be doing it every day. I just know that one day it is not going to come out of suspension. So my oldest son went and bought me a brand new Compaq CPU with a new keyboard and mouse (I have a new 18" flat screen with high resolution) and loaded with Windows 7. It arrived yesterday and he will be by today to set it all up for me. Including transferring all my files from this one to the new one. I presently have Windows XP Pro and I love it. I just hope I like the Windows 7 as much. If not, he will take out the W7 and reinstall the XP Pro for me on the new CPU. I hate learning new systems. I am getting too old for all this new technology.
I used to be good about keeping up with it all. But now there is just too much new stuff every day and I doubt if I will ever need any of it. So I only get interested in what I know I will use or would like to have. I doubt I will ever want an iPod. Those tiny ear pieces do not stay in my ears.
Once known for a brief time as Adele... Remember, Oh My is not God's first name nor is Da*m It God's last name.
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Lucky you. I keep giving my husband hints that we need a new computer since the one I have is over 5 years old.
Frndly1 says Lets Get Creative.
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I'm happy for you Addie that your son is so loving towards you. You have a very great son. It is sad to know that there are alot of elders out there that have children and they don't go and see there partents in times of need or just visit them to see how there doing. I have seen alot of that and it breaks my heart to see them waiting and waiting for somebody to come by and see them. I just hope that my children will not forget about me when i'm there at that age. Thank your son for me for comimng and keeping you safeand seeing that you have everything you need.
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How exciting. I think you'll like Windows 7 they say its more like the XP. i really don't like Vista.
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congrats for your new computer i hope you enjoy it a lot!!!!!!!!
O S L Emy live space
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Congratulations on your new toy Addie! Have fun learning how to use all the new features!
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I am up and running and loving it! My son went through all the new features with me.
Blu, you are right about the elders and their children. My oldest shows up every other day even though The Pirate is here with me. One day the oldest heard as he was coming in, "What great children she has. Where are my kids?" There are two grandparents here that are taking care of their g'kids before and after school while the parents work. And these are really young kids. So what happens if the g'parents are sick and can't do it? Most of the residents here are in their eighties or higher. I am one of the youngest. One is 102 y.o. He has outlived his kids. Another is 92 and was a coach for the Boston Red Sox during his working days. He too has outlived his kids.
There are 40 apartments in this building. So many of the residents have kids that just don't care or they live too far away. My next door neighbor has two daughters that live just around the corner. I can hear her on her cell phone begging either one of them if they can find the time to take her shopping.
I have a scooter that I go everywhere on. So when any one of the residents here decide to take the bus shopping, I have told them to call me and I will meet them at the bus stop and take their bags for them and bring them right to their door. It is no big deal and certainly doesn't cost me anything except a few minutes of my time. So I miss a few stitches of knitting. I can make it up at night while I am watching TV.
Last year when the first Stimulus Checks were being sent out and you had to apply, so many of the residents knew nothing about it. When I asked if their kids had said anything to them about it, they all said "No." So I obtained all the forms helped them fill them out, supplied the stamps and envelopes and even held a meeting telling them what it was all about. At the end I ask them, "Do your kids want you to live in poverty?" Their kids knew about the program and made sure they filed and got their share. I really get angry and have said some unkind things to some of them when I see them. But I don't care. "Start caring about your parents. They spend more than 20 years plus caring about you. Now it is your turn to give some of that caring back."
Once known for a brief time as Adele... Remember, Oh My is not God's first name nor is Da*m It God's last name.
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wow
Frndly1 says Lets Get Creative.
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Sorry about my rant. I just get so upset about child abuse and neglecting the elderly.
Once known for a brief time as Adele... Remember, Oh My is not God's first name nor is Da*m It God's last name.
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shoot bluu, my son lives just over the back fence and i only see him if he wants something. He never comes by just to say hi.
Fiskateer#5524 Wife of scrapbooking hubby.  
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I guess I am one of the lucky ones. Every few months my daughter who only lives about one minute away, will stop by without notice for a cup of coffee and just to chat. I really enjoy those times.
Once known for a brief time as Adele... Remember, Oh My is not God's first name nor is Da*m It God's last name.
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Woohoo!!!  Glad to hear you're up and running on your new computer. Two thumbs up to your son for stepping in and making the purchase and getting you set up. I think we are about to get my mom going on the computer soon. Please let me know how you like the Windows 7 after using it for awhile.
Your above rant is right on the money. There are way to many of our older generation with no kids in their lives to depend on for way too many reasons. My mom lives with us. Very long story, but to try to short it... when she lost her husband about 9 years ago to cancer she was border line falling apart health wise. We combined households for the first year to be sure this would be the best for all involved. My husband and I sold our home being the smaller of the two and we were planning on moving closer to our area of business anyway within a year or two. We moved into her home, wouldn't let her pay another payment or any other of the household bills after that. She got her finances straight and we only asked that she put away the life insurance policy money in case she needed it later for things such as health insurance, or if she decided she wanted to be on her own again she'd have some money to work with.
We all worked through many concerns the first few months. Hubby and I changed up our future plans a bit and decided to stay in the area a little longer. We offered to purchase her home at that time, which thanks to her hubby not telling her he had taken out a $40,000 second mortage without her knowing it, left very little equity.
This was right in the middle of housing being sold at through the roof prices so staying here and buying her out made more sense than trying to purchase something else we'd all be happy in and paying a inflated price.
We've now been together for eight years and we are still working out fine. Right from the start we got my mom in with another set of doctors. Two knee replacements and a lower back lumbar surgery later and she's doing much better. We were calling her bionic woman there for a while. We've asked nothing of her money wise, but she pitches in by going to Sam's Club and purchasing household needs when she feels like a shopping trip. I've asked her to cut that a bit since she lost a great bit of her money when the economy flopped. She usually does most of the house cleaning, except our seperate little areas such as bedroom, bathrooms, and the room over the garage which is the hubby, son's and mine living room kind of. She has the den area to herself since we enjoy different tv programming. We kept her in the master bedroom and bathroom area because she needed the extra space more so than my husband and I. We all gave to make it work and it's still working.
What gets to me more than anything is the comments I hear from others about how can you stand your mom living with you? My husband loves to come back with explaining that he lives with two women. Once who does much of the housework (being my mom). The other, (me) doing all the lawn care, cooking, and some of the other housework that the first one has a harder time with. He says I'm in training at keeping up all the cars and truck maintance along with the jet skis and four wheelers. Yeah, whatever. LOL!!! Than of course some of the neighbors that don't know the ins and outs of how we worked things out to combine households and purchase her home from her because she couldn't afford to stay in it to begin with. It's not their business and I've not discussed it with many of them. So I'm sure we look like moochers to some. She has actually talked with a few neighbors and I guess the word has got around because some neighbors have gotten over their snootiness and have gone out of their way to be nicer lately. Some day they'll hope their kids do the same for them I'm sure. Or at least stay around for some sort of help if only visits to check on them or take them shopping once in a while.
So yes this changed all our lives up, but in the end it has enriched each of us also. We each have gained from it in different ways. It's all what you make it. We made my mom feel like a part of the family who can contribute and help out and have a stable and happy home to live in.
Sorry, tried  to make it a short  story.
N2Beadz
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So far I am loving W7. Easy to use. Not confusing. There are some new features that go beyond Windows XP. Such as having two windows open at the same time side by side. Love that feature. All you need to do is shake your mouse and they will line up.
I am glad to hear that you have stepped up to your Mom's need. In the end you will have made happy memories for all of you. You are more than her daughter. You are now her friend.
I lived in the basement studio apartment at my daughter's house for almost three years. I became very sick and it just became too much for her to be running up and down to take care of me. He home was on the second and third floor of the building. It all started with emergency open heart surgery. Then I developed a very large ulcer on my leg. Then a heart attack. In and out of the hospital. More surgeries. Then her husband developed Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Things just kept getting worse. We decided that I needed a new set of doctors. What a great decision for all of us. It allowed her to concentrate on her husband, and my sons took over my care. I am now much better and able to take care of myself. But I couldn't have done any of all of this without the help of my kids. My youngest is a P.A. and he keeps an eye on my medical care. Then there are my other two boys. The oldest one has had eight heart attacks, and he is my ride to go grocery shopping and all computer related problems. The next one is The Pirate. He is presently living with me and does all my housework. And he also does a lot of the cooking. His father was a chef and taught both his boys how to cook. My daughter is concentrating on her family and husband at this time. but she is less than a minute away if I need her.
I have great kids and am very proud of them. I had a fifth child, but she died about 13 years ago. She left five children. I raised her oldest and she also contributes to my care. I have no financial problems. If I did, all my kids would step up and help.
There are folks in this building, that if the aide didn't check on them every day, they could die and no one would even know for days.
It is unlawful to abuse the elderly in this state. I think neglecting your parents in their senior years is another form of abuse.
Once known for a brief time as Adele... Remember, Oh My is not God's first name nor is Da*m It God's last name.
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Good for you Addie. Have fun playing with your new toy. I'm trying to talk my parents into getting Ipods. I bought different ear buds because mine never stay in either. ;)
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Addie wrote:
I doubt I will ever want an iPod. Those tiny ear pieces do not stay in my ears.
Oh, but Addie you would want one if you knew you could load all your favorite music and they have desktop speakers for them!
Self proclaimed "Serial Crafter" I scrap, bake, decorate, make cards, crochet, cross stitch, love photography, quilt, embroider, needlepoint, and HOST: Card Making Challenge - Ongoing, Spring Potholder Swap, Think SPRING Scrap Swap, Spring Cleaning Scrap Round Robin COME JOIN THE FUN! Proud Navy Wife, Homeschool mom of 4, Wilton Method Instructor, Certified Red Heart Ambassador, DMC Mentor, and CERTIFIED Fiskateer #5624.
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i'm happy for you Addie that you are up and running know. People like you is what makes this world a better place you helping out all those folks HUGS for you. I just wish there where more out there. Everybody else is so caught up in there own life and forget about there parants and all they did for them and no matter what trouble they got into they could always count on them to help them out when they needed it, so i think that when we parents need just someone to talk to or for them just come by and say Hi or take us shopping is the high light of our happiness we don't ask much. I'm still young only 40 yrs but i do have 5 older kids that are grown and out of the house and when my BD & xmas & mother's day comes around they all ask what do i want and i always answer nothing what i want more then anything is for you all to have what you want in life and to be happy and money can't buy that. Now you got me here crying Addie
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Addie, Cr8ive is so right about the Ipod. I have the speakers in my kitchen and my craft room (aka my dining room)and I listen to music all the time. I bring the speakers out in my backyard all summer long.
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I will have to look into the speakers. The ear buds just don't fit into my ears. I am only 4'8" tall and everything except my weight is small on me. Even my mouth. (I CAN GET THAT IN WRITING FROM MY DENTIST! When I had my appendix removed, the doctor said that it was the size of a five year old's.
I am 71 y.o. and I don't have time to be old. I try to keep busy and still have the desire to accomplish things in my life. Even if it just giving to others. My children are grown and doing well on their own. They have given me 17 g'children and six great g'children. And yet they still find time for me. I can't complain.
Once known for a brief time as Adele... Remember, Oh My is not God's first name nor is Da*m It God's last name.
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What a family Addie. I hope to have a big family too. LOL at a note from the dentist.
   Fiskateer #5734
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Bluu, you are 40 with five grown children! Wow! I have really enjoyed reading all these posts.
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