Monday, January 26, 2015

Clipper & Tech flashback


Yesterday it sleeted, then rained, then froze, then sleeted, then it started to snow as the temps dropped.  I retreated into the kitchen and made soup. (Check sidebar blog)

It snowed for over 12 hours.  Snow isn't too deep - maybe 5" in the flat spots, but almost 10" half way out from the drifted garage door..  Totally treacherous to walk on though because of all the ice underneath.  The deck is deep - didn't get cleaned off from the last blast.  Hmmm.  It's snowing now as I type.  Joy.... 

According to radar this was supposed to be gone this morning.  But now the build-up along the east coast (Juno will be horrible for them), has stalled the snow over this part of Ohio and, at the same time, the snow from the west is barreling into Wisconsin & Illinois with us in it's path.

Again, joy.... *sigh*
Still, we have been lucky this winter.  December was more rain than snow.  And several large storms have stayed south of us (sometimes only by a few miles).  

As for me, I've been entertaining myself.  For some odd reason I fired up one of my old ThinkPad laptops (circa 1998 "Y2K safe"), then dug out an even older artifact, a DOS game "Nova 9" (circa 1991).  I have a huge Mac, super software, retina display -- yet here I was, messing around with this stuff. 

The FLOPPY DISKs wouldn't install, I had to search my brain on how to access the DOS OS under the Windows XP.  In the end I manually copied all the game info to the C: drive and fired 'er up.

Yay.  I used to play this a lot.  I've since misplaced the instructions, so poking around for a couple hours with just the keyboard was interesting.

One thing that really frustrated me was - oh, not the game - they made great games back in the 90s, but it was just waiting for the PC laptop to boot up.  And then to shut down when I was done.

If nothing else the MACs have totally spoiled me for near-instant ON/OFF processing.  

Anyway, I realized that I have more great 80s, 90s games in the closet.  I want to play them.  I do NOT want to play them on the PC laptop.  Bottom line, this gal is going to look for a good emulator so I can play those babies on the Mac!

Gotta love technology in winter - helps keep away the crazies.  *Yeah, riiiiight*

==========
Went out with the snowblower and driveway was okay - only 5-6" deep, but the back was too deep for the blower.  *whine*  Fortunately, the boy across the road was out pushing snow off his driveway (snow day, no school).  He asked if I needed help.  Seems a simple question, no?  But lots of times pride and fierce self-dependence mostly has me saying no.  But I've learned from my Mom.  She never accepts help, and it doesn't work out for her a lot.  So after a pause, I said 'yes' and he came over and easily (so easily) pushed the deep stuff out of my way so I could finish blowing, and then he dug out the deck.  He didn't want anything, but I insisted on spotting him a tenner - for gas or pizza.  Y'know.  What a blessing.

7 comments:

  1. What a nice kid.
    I'm like you--I hate to have help.
    Why?
    Hubby is forever trying to help me with gardening stuff. I want to do it all myself.
    For what reason, I don't know. Hog all the glory?????? I'm an idiot at times.
    Thankfully, last year's hip and shoulder problems cured me of that. I thankfully and gratefully take all the help I can get now.

    I still think you're GENIUS with all that computer stuff. I'm such a MAROON (as Bugs Bunny would say!)
    We bought one of those Atari Flashback games this year---Ha, so much fun. Gosh, those games had bad graphics. But oh so fun!
    Have a good hibernation!
    And send me some snow, dammit!

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    Replies
    1. I've been piling up snow on the deck for you for weeks. Come GET it, dammit! LOL

      Yeah, I'm off to see an ortho this Friday. Right shoulder deteriorating for over a year. Excess work used to hurt it (hammering, sawing, laying bricks). But now simpler stuff (tucking in shirt, wiping counter, spreading peanut butter) hurts. Crap. I'm falling apart. I'm not the 40-year-old lumberjack I always think I am. *groan* Hopefully I can get it fixed and working again before the full gardening season.

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    2. LOL! OMG-you make me laugh! Not your misery, but your sense of humor about it.
      I can hardly pull a shirt on anymore. Cripes, this getting older stuff sucks.
      You think of yourself as a 40 year old lumberjack? Ha--I'm only 22!!!
      And an Olympian!!
      Hahahahhahahahahahahahaa
      Yea. I need medication!

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    3. Hey, don't bogie those meds! 8-P

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  2. I am thinking your garden will be happy with all the moisture you keep getting.

    You two sound almost as stove up as me.....I do have several years on you though.
    Leaving now to check on your soup.......

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    Replies
    1. Snow doesn't keep more than a day or two once it warms up. We can get 6" of rain one week, and have to water plants the next. Good drainage. Haha.

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  3. What fun, you'll be on Prince of Persia and Tetris next!!

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