Busy, busy, busy?

Things to buy, files to convert etc. It all adds up to a rush in the end. Yesterday I went for my swine flu jab and when I mentioned that I had not had my ordinary flu jab yet I got that as well. I sit before you with two very sore arms and a mild case of the runs.

The fall cometh!

I said it was too good to be true, I got my come-upance yesterday in spades. Just befor we left the house, I warmed up the Merc engine and added 20 litres of chip oil. Then we drove off to collect Ian. We reached the end of the road and the engine died. I panicked for a while and then realised what had happened. The freezing weather had turned the oil to syrup and it was clogging the filter and/or pipes. So we came to Yate in the Galaxy.

Still rolling

I am quietly adding people to my Excel family tree and it's beginning to look a lot more like my original concept of several years ago. The whole point about it is that it is a research tool and not just a view of the tree. The view only version will be the master file converted to an XML web site.

I finally got the new digital speedo installed yesterday and most impressive it looks. The little reflective panel is very useful as, although the windscreen does reflect quite well, it has a tendency to produce a double image due to refraction. I will post more on this product on the janis blog.

Oh dear.............

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

On Friday, whilst trying to persuade my test PC to raid, I damaged the bootmgr file. As Saturday was a grandsons day, no repairs were attempted until Sunday. To my surprise, Windows 7 came up smelling of roses  yet again! I ran the boot disc to see what it could find, it found a missing or damaged bootmgr and offered to fix it. I said yes and it just did it. I continue to be impressed by this OS.

I have been continuing with my Excel family tree and it is now beginning to show how much better a tree can be when carefully designed. With Excel, I can cut and paste large blocks of data very simply and insert whole lines or columns at will. This is beginning to look very good indeed. The major problem is the lack of automation that a gedcom based genealogy system would give, but the major advantage is the three dimensional linking and beautiful graphics.

A macro electronic diet?

I have long been a user of Excel and have often pondered what I would use a macro for. Now I know! I have set up all my graphics as key strokes and it all works............... Something has to go wrong soon.
I knew it, the version of Excel I am using (2010 beta) has greater graphics possibilities than my old 2007 and the lovely new macros don't work in 2007. Oh well, I am not giving up the superior images so I will just have to only work at home for a while.

Three steps forward........

and none back, so far.

I persuaded the missing sata drive to find itself again, I have begun to organise the big USB drive, I am again using the 40Gb pocket drive, I am leaps and bounds ahead with my Excel system and I have managed to use HEAT to do two logs today. Sooner or later, something has to give!

Over the top

Is where I pushed myself yesterday. I moved all the wood from the old wardrobe downstairs and then decided to shift the bed back against the wall all on my own. Wrong! Our own bed, whilst heavier, is easier to move due to castors. The bed in the front bedroom is all wood and I totally drained myself shifting it. Not my greatest performance.

Later, I finally cracked the sync problems with .wtv files by purchasing a clever piece of software that converts them for me with perfect sync. I also bought the HD version for half price and I am now equipped to tackle the whole PVR area with gusto.

When I finally staggered to bed, I had to beg Hazel to massage my neck as it was in spasm due to my exertions.

It is now past the midday hour and my muscles are complaining around the lumbar region. This is lumbago and I don't like it.

Image via Wikipedia

What a weekend.......

Well, as usual, things change rapidly over weekends. Ian is a lot better and wants to get back to work asap. Rio now has the dreaded lurgy and Hazel feels a bit unwell. I, on the other hand, still feel pretty dam' good so there is something to be said for taking a cocktail of drugs after all! This morning, I decided to tidy my desk and throw out all the old paperwork............It took me over an hour and I can now see the carpet again. At least that's it all over for another three years! Russ had a friend in need on Saturday so, with time on my hands, I did some more work on the attic. The two shelving units are in but not yet attached to the walls and I have fixed the large dish in a more meaningful way in order to stop the wind from moving it out of alignment quite so often.
Hazel and I took Lulu out on Sunday and bought a new oven for the house. £180.00 quid and only runs on a thirteen amp socket............... That the new gov regs for you!
Whilst sorting out my desk, I found some addresses etc and have now put them all into my contacts at gmail, and not before time too.

It never rains but...........

Yesterday Ian felt unwell.............. NHS Direct say he has swine flu. Oh boy. Lulu had to take Rio to his grandmother (not Wendy) and then go and get Tamiflu for Ian. It would seem to be a very bad idea for either of his parents to visit him at present so she is stuck with it until further developments deem it otherwise. Fortunately tomorrow is Saturday and we can at least do some shopping for her.
Yesterday I also managed to obtain a beta of Windows Office 2010. Very nice, the Excel additions are everything I hoped they would be and seem quite easy to use. Today I had a bit of a brainwave and I investigated using a 3D games engine to run a family tree in cyberspace. It looks as though it might work so I have signed up as a developer for Multiverse.

Out with the old................

No sooner has Ian changed to working full time then Lulu is made redundant again. Not only that, but Keane and his dad have swine flue so Lulu now has Rio full time until Saturday. Ian is flogging himself very hard at present to earn as much as possible before the new year when all things retail slow down.

Titch is completely back to her usual self and leaping around all over the place so that worry is over. Hazel continues to be not very well but at least we are fairly certain it's just the medication in this case. I felt very 'umpty over Saturday and Sunday and I am assuming it owes a lot to the lack of fruit on Saturday. As soon as I began to eat fruit again, I began to feel well.
I did my last expert patient session today. I was able to give feedback to the rest of the attendees as well as the two leaders. I made the point that, for me, it would have been much more appropriate in my first year of living with the condition. Eleven years on and I am already following most of their ideas already. Some were very kind and pointed out that some of my insights were of help to them. I also pointed out that there may be a need for a similar course for people who are moving into retirement with the emphasis on keeping all the good work going.