Success! Actually, it was really easy. When the mini was first set up Greg made me create a password to get past the start-up screen for security purposes (as if it isn’t just Marc and I here but OK) and when I would be through for the day I would just put the mini to sleep. Monday, the power flickered off and on and the mini shut down. Alright, no problem, I restarted and typed in the password. Nope, typed it in again and still nope. Tried my Apple ID password and still nope. Nope nope nope. Well, fuck. Got hold of Greg and he walked me through changing my password, restart, type in the new password…nope. So then we tried a number of things all of which were unsuccessful and then the cable went out and I lost internet access and the mini went to sleep until this morning when our schedules aligned again. So restart again, type in the original password again and no, typed it in again and no (the point being to get the response after three wrong tries to change the password) but the third time I decided to type in the new password from Monday expecting it to be rejected as it had been on Monday and, whoa! It worked. Apparently it had to sit on it for a while or who knows, maybe it was because the cable was out and we didn't realize it yet, but I’m back in.
It was actually kind of nice, I didn’t really think about it. Did my yoga routine in the mornings, finally packed up all those glass jewels and clear lenses I promised my friend in Colorado months ago, got some weeding done in the yard, cut back a lot of dead stuff, moved some of the plants out of the house and garage.
Tuesday was my annual check-up…blood sugar 3 points over the high; A1c .2 over the high so edging into pre diabetes which runs in my family but she said it would have to get significantly worse before she would recommend medication; cholesterol about 50 points over the high so not so bad and same as it always is so I’ve always refused medication in the past. Key word, in the past, but now things have changed. My father died of a massive stroke when he was the age I am now, my mother died in her mid 70s from cumulative damage from TIAs, and now my older by three years sister has died of a massive stroke. So what’s that mean for me, I asked. That you are at risk of having a stroke. Even though I take a blood thinner? Yes, even though. She recommended lowering my cholesterol, what did I want to do. I do not want to have a stroke. OK, she says and sent a new prescription in for the med.
Today was Groundhog Day and for the first time in what seems like decades the little critter did not see its shadow and so spring is just around the corner. I believe it. It got up to 73˚ today with a mostly blue sky and I saw my first crane fly today. Fitting I suppose since it's my personal harbinger of spring. Now the wind has picked up and it’s mostly overcast with storm clouds, supposed to rain tomorrow.
I’d been collecting these photos of the few butterflies I saw this fall just before and after my sister died but there were always other things to blog about so here they are finally, taken in November and December.
monarch
And the 10 petal anemone and redbud tree mentioned in my last post.
Wonderful photos! Glad the whole password thing worked out.
ReplyDeleteXoxo
Barbara
That was the problem I had in London with password BS. I never could get one to work- what good is tech if it can not be used. frustrating! Beautiful flowers you have.
ReplyDeleteNice butterflies, and redbud buds are always welcome. Spring. Thanks for going after things that might prevent a stroke. I had one, a massive stoke, but the one that the stroke magic bullet can fix it caught within a small time. You want to avoid it.
ReplyDeleteMy wife had a stroke a year ago. Changed our lives and not for the better. Avoid a stroke (such an inoffensive, quiet word, eh?) It's what you do to cats.
ReplyDeleteComputer issues are capable of rendering otherwise sane, competent individuals into quavering masses of fear and dread. Count me among them. Better I stick with butterflies. Those I know.
ReplyDeleteLoved the butterflies and redbud! Ah, buds of any kind are so inspiring. Computer woes here mainly were with the chords. Who knew unplugging the laptop would let it come on! Yes, the surge protector had damage, and when it was discarded, the laptop works on either its battery or chord again. A cheap fix. Now need more new chords for other disabled pieces of hardware.
ReplyDeleteYep. It's looking springy here too. Even getting a few azaleas which I thought would not happen at all this year. Let's see how they do. Of course, on the downside, my beloved arugula is starting to bolt. I mean- really?
ReplyDeleteYou did a good job getting photos of those butterflies. They are hard to capture with the camera.
I'm glad you're back! I miss redbud trees. I think we might have some around here, but not where I see them regularly.
ReplyDeleteWe are like the same person, Ellen. Same name, same age - I've been on the cholesterol med for awhile and I am on a blood thinner since August. I don't have any problems with either. (knock on wood)
ReplyDeleteYou have so many different beautiful butterflies there! Good job capturing them on camera!
Your butterfly 🦋 pictures are beautiful!
ReplyDeleteMarcia in Colorado
Well done! And what beautiful butterflies.
ReplyDeleteI fought statins for years, every excuse in the book and then some. Even after my mother died miserably after a triple bypass, she refused medication all her life apart from the valium family. My siblings both have very high cholesterol levels and shrugged it off, my sister is now struggling with serious atherosclerosis, my brother is on the way there. So I was persuaded to maybe take the stuff 3 - 4 times a week for bit and see what side effects and changes and so far, all is well, my levels are normal again after 20+ years. The doc who got me to try it said: people drink coffee, alcohol, many smoke, eat far too much sugar and junk food, meat from animals fed with antibiotics, sit the best part of their day, take expensive and mostly useless supplements with questionable effects and ingredients that do not pass proper testing, . . . but suggest one statin a day and it's no, no, I won't take that, far too risky and I am not giving my money to the pharmaceutical industry.
I'm surprised you have red admirals there. I thought they were a European thing. I don't remember ever seeing them in Florida or on the east coast (though granted, there aren't a lot of butterflies in Manhattan). That one looks like it may have flown over from Europe!
ReplyDeleteI'm probably going to be on statins at some point, because my cholesterol is ALWAYS high, but I'm still holding off the doctors on that one.
I have serious anemone envy now! And I nearly had a heart attack when I skimmed your post before reading. When I saw the butterfly pics, I thought they were current, and decided the Wharton area's the garden of Eden or something. Phew! I feel better about that, now.
ReplyDeleteI'm working on lowering my cholesterol, too. I'm doing the weight loss/diet change routine, since I'm only 30 points above the high. In six months, we'll see. I needed to lose some weight anyway -- maybe ten or fifteen pounds -- so it could be that I can kill two dietary birds with one stone, so to speak.