I'm online from my shiny new laptop. :D

It's lightweight, black and cool! Though in the end I went with Vista, so I have lots to learn now. And a lot of transferring to do. *g* Oh, and downloading. For example, I now have the latest MSN version... that's... different!

I may also wish to change my wireless system. But at least I have a decent computer again!

And now I'm off to get me some lunch, before doing some housework. :P

This time it's car trouble. I had my windows turned down while I drove home. Well, to the computer shop, really. When I nearly got there, I wanted to have them up again so I would not forget. Did the left one first, then the right... just as the right one was on top, the one on the left came crashing down!

Whoa! It just sank bank down. Luckily, a piece is still showing up, so it will be easy to pull up again. But I drove my car to the garage so they can fix the problem. As they were closing, it'll be tomorrow before I have my car back. Either fixed, or with the window taped up.

Lovely, more unexpected costs.

Two years ago, same thing happened to the left window. So I will be able to look up what the costs are about to be. :P

In other news, I've decided on a new computer: An Asus. Don't remember more, but it's a good deal. Unfortunately for me, I have to go with Vista. So help me hope it won't be as bad as I believe it is.

Oh, and for more bad news, I was suddenly without radio and TV this evening! *gasp* Just like that, the radio gave me static. TV only gave me snow. (Imagine that, snow, and it's nearly July *g*) Luckily, my internet held. So after a while, I went to check with the neighbours. They all had nothing as well. Finally, we called. Turned out the entire province was without. Took them two hours to fix. In the hour since, I tried to find my fav radio station again. It's back on now. :D But we were entirely planning on holding a neighbour party at my place if it took too long. I was the one with alcohol. *g*

I need a new laptop. :P

Why? Not because of some program failure or system error or such things... no, because the cover is breaking down on me! Seriously! The turning point of the screen to the keyboard broke down last week. A pin broke and can't be replaced. I already looked at it myself and took my dear laptop to a technician today.

While it is no problem whatsoever to leave the screen up while I'm at home, there is the problem of getting it shut and ready for travel. I cannot keep the screen from staying close! So travel is a pain in the ***.

I am glad the problem appeared last week, and not a few weeks earlier on my holidays... even though travel may or may not have added to the existence of the problem.

Anyway, it means I'm going to get a new laptop. But there are so many possibilities that I hardly know where to start.

My requirements:

*15.4 inch screen
*user friendly keyboard
*at least 200mb hard drive
*excellent video card
*excellent sound card
*with DVD player/burner
*wireless internet
*Windows XP Pro (maybe in English)
*good cooling system

I don't remember any more at the moment. Anyone got any recommendations? Please remember that they must be available in Europe.

Wheeeeeeeeeee! I hacked my DVD-player today. And it worked. :D I can now play all regions.

Now I just must refrain from buying DVDs online... I kinda maybe need a new laptop first. :P

is obviously not a good combination. I kid you not!

The good news is that all of the work has been done so my duties are not behind in anything what so ever. I should probably not ask about the quality of the thing that have been done and the way they have been done.

The bad news is that several coworkers have already told me specifically that they're glad I'm back. That with me, order will return. Apparently, one of my bosses flipped out when she got a whole load of my work in front of her and mentioned that she didn't understand how I didn't go crazy with my workload and the pressure and such. (Gee, thanks)

My other boss actually sat at my desk to do a large part of my job. He also used my email (which is the one where all the general emails come in). ARGH!!!!!!!!!! The mails he sent are so respectless and not professional. I don't care that's how you did it before I came along, we changed a lot in a year. For the better! We need a far more professional attitude, and now you're ruining my good work (and name, let's not forget that).

And I already learned that some stuff has only been half dealt with... How am I to know what people are talking about if it happened during my holidays? Then don't expect me to pick up your mess right now without informing me!

At least I was right in saying that they would drown in my work and that they'd finally figure out just what I do all week long. The result is that we're going to sit around the table on Friday to discuss this. What I hear, some of my tasks have to be done by someone else. Gooood! But probably they are the fun ones. But guess what? It will also mean that I have to pick up more tasks from someone else to offer relief there (he's seriously swamped. But somehow I fail to see how that is my problem).

So we'll see how that talk goes. I'm thinking this pretty much means I'll get the 'time less' contract after this year's ones ends. And a nice big raise is possibly also due.

The fact remains that obviously I was unmissable. Which is sad and bad, but also amusing since it was what I was expecting. But I'm certainly going to make it work in *my* advantage.

Why is it that people assume that since one was on vacation for three weeks one should therefor have picked up a very nice tan?

I went to see friends and places and stuff! I picked a time where the weather should be okay to good everywhere and a time that would work well for work and said friends!

So no, I didn't acquire much of a tan, but that was not the point!

I did, however, get a tan. As a matter of fact, I currently have a very nice tan, being who I am; tall, blond, white-skinned Northern European! If I take of my watch, I can show you how much of tan I have already.

So gee, thanks, fellow countrymen.

Well, I'm back home. Since yesterday. I had a very long flight, leaving from LAX at 17.40, arriving at Schiphol at 13.00... the next day! After four hours of layover, my other flight left, so I arrived at 18.20 in Dusseldorf. My brother picked me up, we had some McDonald's (which in three weeks I hadn't had at all!) for dinner and drove home. After a quick visit to my parents, I was home at 10pm. A quick shower later, and I was in bed.

But I didn't get much sleep, I think. It was a weird night. Though I hadn't really slept in the plane, I was exhausted by that point. Two days smashed into 30 hours without sleep. Yet by the time I went to bed, I couldn't sleep. Took me some two hours. :P And then I was bright awake again at 4am. Finally got up, grabbed my book and finished it an hour later. Tried to get some more sleep at 7am. And then it suddenly was 11.30h!

I am totally jetlagged. :P I'm trying to get into the right rhythm as soon as possible, but it may take me some time at this rate. Luckily, I don't have to be back at work until Tuesday.

Anyway, I had three of the most fantastic weeks, and I'm very glad I finally undertook this trip. I'll post my stories later, along with more pictures. Right now, I need to go grocery shopping before some of the stores close.

Sorry, I'm a bit behind. But the rest is still going to come! I might write it down in the plane tomorrow.

Anyway, I'm currently in Chicago. Which is a lovely city, with lots of high buildings and a lot of wind. Oh, and let's not forget all the noises, even at night. :P

We started this morning with a ride with the metro to the place where we had breakfast: Ann Sather. I had scrambled eggs with country ham, with side plates of toast and cinnamon rolls. Very yummy! Oh, and let's not forget the tea from Starbucks. *g* We couldn't finish the cinnamon rolls, so we took them with us for some time later.

After that, we just walked around, saw some bookstores (I already bought seven new books... and I'll be adding more later. ;)) and then we went to a Cubs game! That is such an American experience, that I just had to go to a game. And it was a lot of fun. The Cubs won with 11-3 from San Diego. And I think I understand baseball now, so that's a plus. I also had a hot dog at the game. I'm really getting the American experience. :D:D:D

So yeah, having fun. Now we're at home, and about to cook dinner. We're having meat balls with pine apple. And we're making chocolate chips cookies. :D

Then tonight we can either go to Navy Pier or the Sears Towers. Whatever we don't end up doing, can be done tomorrow morning, as I head for Seattle in the afternoon.

So I'm having fun! And seeing things in the world!

My stomach is actually behaving itself quite well. I might have lost a few pounds already, but not sure yet. At least I'm eating enough, and walking lots!

I do believe, though, that with all this walking, my shoes can be thrown away. Mind you, I've had them for many years, and they always served me well on holidays. But the inside is breaking/coming lose, and that hurts my poor feet. So I might have to say goodbye to my sneakers that have seen so much of the world with me. :P

I think that's all for now.

I visited my grandfather today. And he's not doing well. Not at all...

He's scared from the moment he took that fall. Scared to stand on his own feet, scared to walk, scared of pain... Scared since he took that fall.

The operation itself went fine. A few parts of his hip were replaced. They gave him a spinal anesthetic (I think it's called that), so he was aware during the op. Didn't feel a thing, just heard all the hammering, about which he talked afterwards.

He seemed to do fine at first. Just the standard problems that were to be expected. Tiredness and confusion after the op (also due to the narcosis). Some pain. And stuff like that.

They had him sitting up in a chair for a while the first day. On the second day, he had to walk a bit (you know how hard it is for a 87 year old man who had huge trouble walking before that fall to try and walk after such an op?) and they tried to make him use his new hip.

He was even moved to another room, with just one other occupant for his rest. Which seemed to work at first...

But today was a very bad day. He'd been put in his wheelchair. For some reason, he needed/wanted to get up and tried to so. To get up, he needs two nurses! So naturally, when he tried it on his own in his confused state of mind, he fell. Luckily, no damage.

But all day long, he was confused, unable to keep up with a conversation, saying weird things and being very restless. Geriatrics have been with him, and don't know what's wrong. Blood tests come back fine. Xrays of his lungs and stomach are fine. They don't know why he's so confused. Tomorrow, his doctor will be running some more tests. But this mental state is worrisome. Even in his sleep, he's restless and trashing about.

So we don't know what's wrong. Don't know what'll happen to him. What we're to do with him for now. Don't know how aware he is of his situation or how to get through to him. He's eating fine, so that's a plus point. Hip appears to be healing well, though the wound is still healing.

But everyone can see that despite being in the hospital for his hip, he's deteriorating on the mental health. Rapidly!

At least he was sleeping when I visited him, but even that isn't a pretty sight.

*sigh*

I do hope he'll continue to be strong and to fight. That he'll pull through and that the meds will help him. But right now, his situation is very unsure. At least he has to stay in the hospital until they know what's causing this. But if he keeps this up, he'll have to be chained to his bed/chair.

So he'll continue to be a worry to me. But I've seen him before I go on my holidays, and that's all I can do right now. Still won't stop me from worrying.