Hello, Lindy!!!

It's good to be able to be back. What an odyssey!!! After 10 days or so dithering, got a new HD, finally, and my old Win95. Doesn't work well, the smallest HD I could purchase formatted into 10 or 11 virtual drives. Spent another week or so messing with it.

Win95 won't work anymore on the web, either, unless it has been continually upgraded. Can't install it in the original configuration and upgrade it.

Installed Win98SE, spent hours with my slow connection downloading various programs, decided to reformat my HD as 98 will accommodate it.

More hours downloading programs.

Decided to get a shell of a computer, for about $300 can get something with CD-RW, DVD, decent processor and use my current CD-ROM and HD. Will wait until 64-bit processing gets cheap before any major investment.

In the meantime I decided it would be a good idea to go through internet withdrawal, a good thing. Got used to no web, started remodelling the house. Built it with the potential to be a duplex, as I knew we'd never get rid of all three three daughters. Would like 'em close, not underfoot. Well, they listened to their mother, and have thrived, with absolutely no interest in coming to live with dear ol' Dad. However, one man, one dog and one cat don't need 4 bedrooms, especially since the dog and cat seem to like nothing better than hanging out with the man.

So, on each floor there will be a separate place to live, each with a living room with fireplace, bathroom and kitchen. One will have two bedrooms, and mine will have one.

Getting rid of the electric water heater, installing a natural gas device and stove. The flue was a problem, probably solved it without having to rip out anything.

Glad I started, takes time though.

Probably won't post a bio, given some of the characters around here. Actually my CV and pictures are around the 'net, if one knows where to look, and I think some of the more clever have almost enough information to find it. If not enough. God knows the michief one of these druggies (alcohol is a drug, too) could create if they had any address. Not worth it.

However, I'm glad you posted. If I were a girl I'd like to look just like you. Great job!! And it looks like a great life.

So, that's it. Glad you and Publius, and Splinx and Mary Anne, and alcaray held down the fort while I was gone. So much ignorance and cruelty, so little time!! In what looks to be long-standing HZ tradition I'm going to kick the cat, then walk the dog and wash down walls preparatory to painting. Oh happy day!!

Regards, and "Arf" (whatever that means!!??)