Experiencing Technical Difficulties, The Beautiful Place I Live, and Ruining my Daughter's Life

Forgive my long absence, but as is so often the case in life, well ..... life gets in the way. Summer mode has officially hit and suddenly I find myself bombarded with hot weather, t-ball, playdates, a child that wants to be outside at all hours of the day whether or not it is 85 degrees and scorching and of course, all the typical mundane, everyday "stuff" that somehow still must get done even if all one really wants to do is hang at the beach.

My technical difficulties began last Saturday after my nephew, Matt, came and babysat for us. While here he perused the Internet (with permission after Miss Isabelle was in bed) and it would appear inadvertently picked up an unwanted guest/virus which took up residence on my computer masquerading itself as some kind of spyware. My current Norton did not detect it, and I have spent the last week logging many hours attempting to dislodge this ugly monster (first to determine if it is, in fact, legit and not just some scam to get me to buy something I do not need and second if legit, how to get rid of it.) Well, wonder of wonders, just when I was about to call it quits and call in the experts after failing miserably and also not being able to log into anything including my own blog thanks to this nasty bug, I figured it out. Yeah, me who literally fumbles my way through computers clicking on things. Turns out one of my own security measures on my computer was turned OFF (why?!) which is how this truly legitimate virus snuck into my computer, so I turned it back on and, when I did so, it promptly detected said bug and eradicated it. Knocking out the bug made the invasive spyware icon disappear as well. Poof! All gone. Hallelujah! And, now here I am once more with free access to my blog. (Well, at least after I figured out how to put "blogspot" onto a list of secure websites that I trust). Looks like I actually learned something new today.

On a totally unrelated note I spent all of last week being reminded of the incredibly gorgeous place I am blessed to live in. Last Wednesday I came up stairs to make Isabelle lunch and glanced out my kitchen window to see a doe and a fawn, who could not be more then two days old, standing in my back yard. I watched transfixed as the spotted little one on all four spindly-legs wobbled around my hanging basket on the edge of the woods and then slowly wandered off after her mother. Postcard perfect. This was followed later in the week by a peaceful evening spent with dear friends around a bonfire on Lake Michigan's shoreline, staring up at a star-filled sky and capped off with a brilliant blue sky Sunday, watching Isabelle and her cousin, Matt, splash in Ostrander lake while I sat on a deck chatting with Helen and my sister-in-law. Even this Wednesday as my friend, Kerri, and I sat on Gladstone beach looking at the sailboats on the bay while our kids played in the sand I could not help but feel so fortunate to live where we live. Yes, the winters are stark (although there is much beauty in the starkness too) but no where does any environment speak to me the way this place does. It is home.

Finally as my last piece of random information I will offer this: my daughter informed me today in total dramatic four year old fashion that I am "ruining her life." (Yeah, would love to know where she picked up that phrase.) I was loading the dryer with clothes and when I would not cease immediately to read her a book of her choice she threw it on the laundry room floor, stamped her foot, and as she was pounding up the stairs let loose with the above statement. Frankly, I found it hard not to laugh, but I think I responded with "I'm sorry to hear that." If this is what her fourth year holds in store for me ..... well, lets just say I think I better stock up on some more alcohol!