BarB’s BloG

I have labored over this for awhile, and finally decided to just do it yesterday. I traded in my trusty G5 17″ iMac for a shiny new 13″ white MacBook. Wow … what a move up! The MacBook is sooooooo much faster than my iMac. The Intel Core Duo flies. And I love the glossy screen. It’s absolutely beautiful. I’ve hooked up a 19″ monitor to the Macbook and have the option of either mirroring the Macbook, using an extended desktop, or closing the MacBook completely and just using the monitor. I can now “have my cake and eat it, too.” A terrific desktop set-up and, with a quick unplug of the monitor, a “pick-up-and-go” laptop. Took me some time to decide to let the iMac go, but I’m glad I did. I couldn’t be happier!

There’s a widget for Mac OSX that allows direct posting to your WordPress blog! How cool is that?! I know it’s been around for awhile, but I just found it. No more logging in, etc. Just pull up your dashboard and type away. Gotta love it …

Check it out for yourself here.

Interesting discussion going on at Dgrin regarding this:

http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=34259

My heart lies with SmugMug. I did open an account at Zenfolio to compare myself some of the differences, pro’s and con’s. I will leave the account open as I will be interested to see what kind of growth and improvements Zenfolio has in the next year.

Here are referrals codes that you are free to use to save $5 when you sign up:

Smugmug Referral Code: KqCWg5JS3QHGc

Zenfolio Referral Code: 3SB-J69-NTR

Occasionally I have to shout from the rooftops about the service Smugmug provides. As if it wasn’t a near perfect photo hosting company already, they just recently announced that their Pro accounts now get unlimited bandwidth! That’s right - you heard it correctly. Unlimited photos - unlimited bandwith. So click on over and sign up. To get five dollars off your sign-up fee (and save me a few dollars, too), use my referral code during the sign-up process: KqCWg5JS3QHGc.

For more information, visit Smugmug or the Digital Grin forums.

Had a wonderful time in Florida! LOTSO vacation pics up here.

I lost one of my favorite beings the other day - Chloe - a sweet Lhasa Apso who I adored. Although she was not my dog, I dogsat her often, and loved her as if she were mine. I will miss her.

The Rainbow Bridge - Author unknown

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge. When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor, those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing — they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind. They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent, his eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face, your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together …

So, my vacation is not too far off. I can hardly wait! This year, instead of a cruise, my friend and I are doing something different. Here’s the itinerary (subject to change of course depending upon our moods):

• Arrive Wednesday, April 5th - Miami - immediately, if not sooner, head to Bayside Marketplace in downtown Miami for a killer Pina Colada and dinner at Los Ranchos
• Thursday, April 6th - shopping at The Falls in Miami (gotta find time for that!)
• Friday, April 7th - drive to Sanibel Island (on the Gulf Coast of Florida) and spend part of the day at the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge (ooooh, can you say photo op??!!) - from there to Ft. Myers to the Edison & Ford Winter Estates - onto St. Petersburg and Tampa - arrive in Orlando
• Saturday, April 8th to Wednesday, April 12th - Orlando - Disney World baby!
• Wednesday, April 12th - Leave Orlando - onto Fort Christmas Historical Park - Cape Canaveral - Kennedy Space Center - back to Miami
• Thursday, April 13th - Chihuly at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden - Coral Gables, Florida
• Friday, April 14th - back to Bayside for that last Pina Colada (how sad)
• Saturday, April 15th - home

Lots of driving, lots of sightseeing, lots of pictures, and most of all, lots of fun!

Are you looking for a great timeshare to rent when you visit Florida? There are many timeshares in Florida available to rent or buy. Timeshares have gotten a bad name because of all of the high
pressure timeshare sales meetings but renting a timeshare doesn’t have to be stressful at all.