ohhh...My POOR-BABY-*SHOVELS*!

THEY'RE JUST NOT USED TO SUCH HEAVY *WET* SNOW AT "THIS" TIME OF YEAR!

sooo....

The "BAD" NEWS

yeah. We got *DUMPED-ON* by that BIG STORM Overnight! At least a FOOT-DEEP over the Laneway... Almost Twice that at the Roadside, "courtesy" of EVIL-SNOWPLOW-GUY!

BTW, This SEASON's "PLOW-POOP-MOUNTAIN" is off to an INcreasing-Start! - About a METER-HIGH when I last left IT. And, "SEWER-CANYON" has been neatly Carved out....

The "GOOD" NEWS

After 3-HOURS of FLAKE-FLINGING, I'm actually Feeling BETTER than I thought I would! - [huh..] - And, We appear to have MISSED the NASTIER bits of THE STORM..? - NO RAIN! - "Freezing" or Otherwise! - [seriously. I'll take SNOW over FREEZING-RAIN *Any* Day!!]

The "EXCITING-GREAT" NEWS

Remember FAIRY-T's Daughter - The *SCIENCE*-GRAD turned *JOURNALIST* - "COPY"-KAT? - [SEE 20FEB2013 POST]

well... GUESS "WHO" **WON** a Couple of *AWARDS* at the BROADCAST JOURNALISM TRAINING COUNCIL Dinner-Thingy in COVENTRY, earlier Today..?!

So, if I've got all of This Correctly, She took SECOND-PLACE for Her DOCUMENTRY "WITHOUT A DIAGNOSIS"!!

And then, was Awarded "STUDENT JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR"!!

hmm... I think I might just have to Impose on Her "GENETIC"-SKILLS to "TEST" My *SNOW*..? - AS, I'm beginning to SUSPECT that IT's *actually* "FAIRY-DUST" from an *OVER*-ECSTATIC "FAIRY-MUM"!?! - [Those GLITTERY bits just get *EVERY* where!!]

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huh...I hadn't really noticed it before...

BUT, THIS HAT SEEMS TO HAVE THE *SAME* COLOURS AS "TINKERBELL"...

Wouldn't You say so, FAIRY-T?

ANYHOO... I haven't been able to Work on THIS since Late-JULY! - [SEE 26JUL2013 POST] - AS, I had RUN-OUT of that "GREEN" YARN!! - I finally FOUND the Needed "STASH" Last Week... However, I had to put IT aside, as I've been Side-Tracked with doing SISTER's BLANKET.

WHICH, BTW, was COMPLETED Tonight! -- I *think* I caught ALL of the "TAILENDS"..? - I'll "try" to get IT Photographed THIS Weekend...

MEANWHILE, I *hope* that EVERYONE did "Something" *MAGICAL*, as a *Way* of CELEBRATING FAIRY-T's "BIRTHDAY", TODAY..??!! -- She's liable to WAG Her *WAND* at You, IF You DIDN'T!

*TRUST ME*! It won't be "pretty", IF She DOES!

-- FIVE WORDS... "FAIRY-DUST GETS *EVERY* WHERE!!

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okay. *CHANGE* of "TEMP" Plans...

FORGET ABOUT "WHAT" I SAID YESTERDAY!

-- The HUMIDITY decided to Come BACK!!

Sooo... Needless to say, I STAYED *IN* My NICE **COOL** Basement!! -- Catching up on the "Latest" KNITTING Project... AND, on FAIRY-T's Recent "ADVENTURES"!!

oh. and *YES*, Several "ELFIN"-Like-FOLKS, MANY-*MAGICAL*-MOMENTS and a CUTE-*TALL*-STRAPPING-YOUNGER-LAD were INVOLVED!! -- And, *THAT* is ALL that I'm going to SAY!

...except for...

I-WISH-I-HAD-BEEN-**THERE**!!

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Domestic-Day-"Parole"...

FOR ONCE, *I* WAS THE ONE WITH A "SCHEDULED"-APPOINTMENT...

Although, "LEAVING-THE-HOUSE" is often the *BIGGEST* Problem. As, there's always SOMETHING to Slow Us down...

okay. So. My "DOMESTIC"-Duties have just Slackened-OFF to a "Workable" degree since Yesterday. Certain Tasks have been *totally* Removed from The LIST! Whilst OTHERS are slowly being "returned" to Their Previous "OWNER" on a *Trial*-Basis...

However, there are the ODD-*SET-BACK*-Moments...

That,of course. Pop-Up just *when* I really don't have the "Time"! -- And THEN, in the midst of "Fixing" the SITUATION, the Phone *RINGS*!! -- [a RELATIVE, Who We haven't spoken with in AGES!]

-- for real, UNIVERSE?! - I *have* BUSES to CATCH!!

LONG-ESCAPE-PLAN-SHORT... After WALKING down the Road and, Taking THREE-BUSES, I arrived ON-TIME! Do My "BUSINESS", then head Back to THE MALL to Pick-Up Items that were "missed" Yesterday...

*NOTE* -- Those *PAPERLESS* PRESTO-Transit-Cards are a tad awkward for CASUAL-USERS as One has to TRY to read the SMALL "TIME-DISPLAY" to see and REMEMBER *What* is REMAINING of One's TRANSFER *TIME*!

I got LUCKY! -- When I finally LEFT THE MALL, My LAST BUS promptly ARRIVED with "5-MINUTES" LEFT!! -- IF, I had had a PAPER-TRANSFER, I *wouldn't* have felt sooooo RUSHED!?

..just saying...

MEANWHILE...

**CONGRATS** to FAIRY-T's Daughter on Achieving Her DOCTORATE!!

WOOHOO!!

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BOOK-"LEARNING"!! -- IT'S **MAGIC**!!

ESPECIALLY, WHEN YOUR *MUM* IS NONE OTHER THAN...

"FAIRY-T"!!     

So. I'm not certain IF "COPY"-KAT already knew how to KNIT or not..?? - However, *Word* had it that She wanted to LEARN "HOW" to CROCHET!

AND, seeing as She's just as ACADEMIC as Her SISTER - [I've lost Count on how many *DEGREES* They have between Them!] - apparently The-"FAIRY"-MUM decided to put all of *that* EDUCATION to the Test with the CHRISTMAS GIFT of some "SUPPLIES" AND a CROCHET-"HOW-TO"-BOOK!!




Personally, I'm more than *quite* IMPRESSED with the RESULTS!!



*IF* ever, I have to take My *BUSINESS* "OFF-SHORE", I now *know* WHERE and WHO to take IT *TO*!!


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YAY!! IT's **FAIRY-T** DAY!!

**HAPPY BIRTHDAY**!!

You know, I really probably SHOULD HAVE been "DOING" **OTHER** Stuff, TODAY... -- BUT, I just HAD to get Back to THIS...

FAIRY-T would have wanted Me to! -- Right, T? ..ah, T..??

oh. great! - I *knew* I should have taken THE WAND away... THAT's gonna leave a *MARK*!


***********************************************************

There's a "FULL MOON" Out Tonight, *Isn't* There..?!

yeah. THOUGHT SO!! - Actually, IT was Yesterday... BUT, considering ALL of the STUPID-LITTLE-NIT-PICKY-I'M-NOT-EVEN-GOING-TO-BOTHER-MENTIONING-ANY-OF-THEM-THINGS going on in the "LAST 24" -- well, CLOSE ENOUGH!

Mind You, I *DID* WIN another $7. Tonight! - So, I suppose I shouldn't *really* "complain" too much!

Then again, I did MISS OUT on WINNING $25. on Ticket-Numbers that EXPIRED Yesterday Afternoon!! -- POOH!!

Meanwhile, despite the STOCK-MARKETS being "UP" - [YAY!] - PINTEREST countered by being PAIN-nicky ALL DAY LONG!! - IT *won't* let Me UPLOAD Anything!! STILL!!
-- aarrrggghhhhhh!!!!

BTW, NO Change in the WEATHER, either... Although, I did *smuck* another "SPIDER-SPY" This Evening - We'll see if THAT "Works"... "haha"...


OH!! -- I was just Checking My "STATS"...

At 03:14 GMT 04AUG, PAGE-VIEW "10,000" was MADE by "CAROLYN"!!
- [a.k.a. GATE-GIRL] -- I had a Feeling that SHE'd be THE ONE!


Hey, GG?! You do Realize that FAIRY-T will be Totally *MIFFED* when SHE Finds out, right?
AND, that SHE does Excel at "WAND-WHACKING"!?!

-- BEWARE of THE OLYMPIC-PIXIE-DUST!! --

just saying...

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"PURPLE-PERFECT"!!

WHATCHA THINK, TINK??

PATONS
"Classic Wool"
- 100% New WOOL
- [made in TURKEY]
- Colour: 00212-Royal Purple



AND

CASCADE YARNS
"220 SUPERWASH"
- 100% Superwash WOOL
- [made in PERU]
- Colour: 1947

**********************************************************

YO! -- FAIRY-T?!!

..AS PER OUR "CONVERSATION"... The "Shades" HERE are just a bit *off* -- Check My Previous YARN-Pics for more *accurate* Hues...

So... IT was an absolutely SUNNY, CLEAR Day! -- With, COLD Temps and HIGH-WINDS! -- I stayed IN...

Meanwhile, I Began the - ABOVE - for a "Creative-Change" from the Current "PROJECT"...

***********************************************************

OOOOOO!!!!! ***MAGIC*** MAIL!!!

IT'S HERE!! IT'S HERE!! IT'S HERE!! -- [INSERT AUNTIE Happy-Dancing!]

And, "WOW"! IT **only** took ONE Week Exactly to get Here! FAIRY-T has some serious MAGIC going with that Wicked-WAND-Whacking-Wipe of Hers!

-- BTW, do You think that "The LONDON OLYMPICS" have a Category for the "PARCEL-PUT"..? 'Cause, BFF achieved quite the Delivery-Speed *across* "THE POND" with Her TINKERness!!

SO. Let's just Check-out My BUNDLE of BOOTY!!

AHHH... My FAV "COLLECTIBLES"...

For ANYONE who has SEEN My "COLLECTION" of RHINOS, it's difficult to Believe that I didn't *already* HAVE *any* of THESE! - But, I DIDN'T!! Truly!

And, the LITTLE-ONE has Magnets in the Hands & Feet... I'm becoming quite Attached to IT...
-- The CARD "Artwork" is by ANDREW HUTCHINSON.


Two of My Other Acquisitional PASSIONS... FISHY-THINGS! And, GLASS!

FAIRY-T had THESE made by an Artisan in TOTNES... VERY COOL!!

But, then... SHE out did Herself with Throwing in some of HER Handiwork! - "TINK-WEAR" - is What I call IT! -- BED-SOCKS and Too-Nice-To-Ruin-With-SHOVELING-"GLOVES"!!

BTW, She Makes some rather Awesome *CELEBRITY*-Worn HEAD-WEAR, too!!

Anyhoo... There were a Few OTHER TRINKETS as well... ALL **GREAT STUFF**!!

***THANK YOU, "T"***!!! -- SQUISHY HUGS!!

**********************************************************

**HAPPY, HAPPY ANNI-DAY, FAIRY-T & MR.T**!!!

"GUYS"?- [Gender optional..]

MAKE *NOTE*... In the Event of an ANNIVERSARY, where Your "SIGNIFICANT-OTHER" is a YARN-Aholic, MAKE that *Obligatory*-BOUQUET a **FIBER**-One!!

"FLORA" is Fancy, but "FIBER", is *FOREVER*!!

DAMN! -- Don't I just sound like a Freaking-GREETING-CARD!?!

Anyhoo... *IF* IT works for You, THANK "MR.T"!! -- As IT certainly *worked* on "FAIRY-T"!
-- I see *many* Warm-Cozy-SOCKS in His Future!!

**********************************************************

CHOP & SHOP Till I DROP!

FOR ONCE, The WEATHER and I were ON "the Same Page"! ...for the "most" part...

Between the Higher Temps and last Night's Freezing Rain, most of the Thick-ICY-PATCHES softened up enough to be Chopped, and/or Melted! The SUN was also making an "Appearance" to HELP Things along...

However, a somewhat strong-Frigid WIND was literally Freeze-Drying ANY bits of Exposed Water!
-- My Ice CHOPPING "window" had a Time Restraint for optimum Success... And, I *really* wanted to GO Shopping, too!

ahh... The *Joys* of "Game" planning...

PATCHES were Triaged in order to be Done in the "Scheduled" 45-Minute Period I had allotted. Then, it was a quick Bite-to-Eat, Clean-Up, and OUT with MOTHER to *SHOP*!!

I had wanted to go to One Particular Place, but, it was Late in the Day with way too much Traffic over There. So, We headed toward Closer "Pickings" and THE MALL...

First Stop - BOWRING. That Swirling-Metal-Wire-Christmas-Tree - [sorry. couldn't find a pic] - They have was Seriously ON SALE! And, equally as *Tempting*! - BUT... IT *doesn't* "fold-up"! IT's rather awkward to store, let alone, get INTO The CAR... Otherwise, IT would've looked *Wicked* at My CRAFT SHOW Displays!

-- Speaking of which, there was also Another "TREE" that would have "Packed" well enough. However, even the Sale Price was a tad too "rich" for My "Budget"...

OLD NAVY was next... Not much left There... hmm...those Sweaters I bought the Other Week were Priced even Lower! - I'll have to see if I can get a "Price-Adjustment"..? -- Anyway, got THESE "PJ" PANTS for PRINCESS PRE-TEEN and *NEW*-AUNTIE-MOM. They like These Characters, and the Price was Right!

On, to THE MALL... "SENIORS' DAY" at ZELLER'S -- MOTHER spent way too much Time with the Christmas Stuff... WHILST, I found some KNITTING NEEDLES in a Size that I've been Looking for.

Oh! That Reminds Me... FAIRY-T?? I'm "good" with My Needle "Supply", THANKS! - MOTHER has "Stock"...

We - eventually - finished up at LOBLAWS to Scavenge Their much *better* 75% OFF Holiday Stuff! Got about a Dozen Rolls of WRAPPING PAPER. Some Cat and Dog Ones for The KIDS. Some Red and Green CELLOPHANE Paper that I can use. As well as Several Rolls of PLAIN-BROWN-Paper for Parcels!

Since the Hour was getting ON, We pulled Ourselves Away... Although, I'm *sure* that MOTHER will be Wanting *another* GO at IT, Tomorrow! -- Shoveling and CHOPPING "Pending"...

********************************************************

YAY!! I *Fixed* IT!

FOR WELL OVER A YEAR, I've been using this COOLING PAD for My LAPTOP. Got IT "On Sale", of course...

And, until Recently, IT has been Serving Me quite well!


However, for the last Month or so, the Adapter-Pin-Plug-Part has been HINKY. If the CABLE moved, the FANS stopped due to Power-Loss.

For "SOME" Reason, the Plug just wasn't making proper CONTACT. Much "dwiddling" was OFT needed to remedy the Situation! So much so, that for the last Week, I've had to use My BACKUP "Travel" COOLING RACK...







Anyhoo...

Today, whilst Downloading some Large Files, I decided to take a LOOK at My PAD-PROBLEM! -- I needed to get INTO IT. I knew the Area of Concern was the Plug-in Assembly... But, alas, HOW do I get TO IT without Destroying the Casing? -- hmmm...

There HAS to be SCREWS... Likely, *under* those little Round-Rubber-Pads..? -- I pried One off. BINGO!



I whipped out My Trusty "Swiss Army" Knife - using the Screwdriver Part - and commenced with undoing the 4 Corner Screws... ah. Some
"dusting" is needed... Huh. Not as "Complicated" Looking as I thought IT might be... Then again...

There's this 3 square-centimeter Circuit-Board... And the Plug-HOUSING is *really* SMALL! -- I fiddled with IT. Discovered that THE PROBLEM appears to be between the Housing and the Board... I need to take the Board off of the
"Machine". Only 2 tiny Screws... Could do with a small Driver...


Okay.. Board is off.. Sticking the Plug IN.. hmm... SOMETHING is just NOT making Contact... wait a sec... Really? COULD it be THAT Simple..? -- HUH! Alrighty...

So. As in most Boards, there're SOLDERING "Drops" that Connect and Hold-Down Stuff.. In THIS Case, the CONTACT "Pins" had - from the constant movement of UNplugging - FORMED a HOLE *within* the Solder... Hence, causing the PINS to NOT make SOLID Contact to the Rest of the Circuits!

ALL it took, SQUISHING the Soft Solder TO the Pins! -- WORKS PERFECTLY [FOR] NOW!!

MUST Remember to NOT *Jiggle* the PLUG *WHEN* Removing!!

...And THAT, is How FAIRY-T's Large-Birthday-Present-Pics HELPED Me Repair My Cooling Pad!
-- MAGIC!!

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