July 17, 2003 - 8:15 a.m.

Woe Is Me

The computer woes continue... I finally took my ibook in to the Apple store last night, hoping I could tell them about the error that showed up during the hardware test, drop it off, and be done with it. No such luck. Apparently, they have to well document whatever problem the unit is having before sending it off for repairs. That's understandable, but my laptop was not cooperating.

The tech reran the hardware test, four times mind you, and everything passed! That would be great except that my computer still wouldn't get through the start up process. So, it might be a software problem. But to figure out whether it is I have to reformat my hard drive. For those not in the computer know, that means erasing all the data on my hard drive in the process. Including photos from my friend's wedding and the cruise that I don't have backed up! The people at the Apple store can transfer the data safely for me, but it would cost a hefty chunk of money. The only alternative is to find a friend with a Mac that we can hook up to mine and transfer the data to. I emailed a friend who I hope will be willing to do just that. We'll see.

Then even after the reformat, it is possible it is actually a hardware problem after all, but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. Since we had to run all the tests and such, I spent almost an hour and a half in the store last night. Ugh! I rewarded my own patience by getting dinner at California Pizza Kitchen afterwards. :)

In other news, I am tentatively planning a weekend in Baltimore in early August. Sam and I would meet there and probably go to a Red Sox, Orioles game and the aquarium. We are looking into other fun and interesting things to do in Baltimore, so feel free to leave a comment with suggestions if you are familiar with that area. Since Sam's on a tight budget, I am hoping to find a reasonably priced hotel to stay in as well.

Yesterday, it was cool and rainy so I took the kids rollerskating. The girls both have their own rollerblades and are pretty good at skating. B is pretty much hopeless, though! Even in skates, rather than blades, he could barely stand, much less move around the rink. I think I got a decent shoulder and bicep workout on the couple laps we did together from holding his hand and keeping him from falling pretty much the entire time. :) It was pretty disappointing, actually, since I enjoy rollerblading. B agreed to sit down without me for a little bit, while I skated a few laps with the girls, but that barely counts.

Today the girls have gymnastics, and B and I will probably do the grocery shopping during their class. That way I won't have all three to contend with in the aisles! It's quite a chore trying to make sure I get everything on the list while three children are competing for my attention. I end up concocting games of I Spy or challenging them to find items beginning with each letter of the alphabet. Still it ends up being exhausting. :)

After gymnastics and shopping, we will probably go to the pool. Tomorrow is supposed to be cool and rainy again, so we should take advantage of the sun while it is here, I suppose. B is really getting the hang of swimming. He doesn't use any sort of float anymore and does fine if he doesn't go too far from the side. He makes me a nervous wreck, though, because he is utterly fearless and not good at gauging how tired he is. So I have to be at least sitting on the side of the pool when he is in the water, and usually I stay with him in the water just in case. H and M are very good swimmers, so they need very little supervision. Of course, the fact that I have to be with B pretty much every second only feeds his little ego. :) He already thinks the world revolves around him! I have been trying to encourage him to play on his own from time to time lately. I feel he needs to learn to entertain himself at least occasionally, so when the girls are playing together or reading I have been trying to help him find something to do that he enjoys and then leaving him to it for a bit. Usually he invents some request or question to come to me with every few minutes or just tries to keep conversing with me if I am in the room. Such an attention hog! :)

Wow, this turned into a long entry. Sheesh. I hope you're not asleep after all my ramblings!

today's project: "I'm gonna soak up the sun..."

musing about: my poor little laptop and when it will be better

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