Saturday, January 7, 2012

IN WHICH BEAR WAKES UP IN MID WINTER . . .

. . . because it way too HOT. We've had temperatures around the freezing point — sometimes just above, sometimes just below. When you're living inside a heavy Bear coat, it's too hot to sleep comfortably. Sort of like having seven wool blankets on your bed on a hot mid-summer's night.

Also, after about six weeks in the computer hospital, my computer is working again. It's not working entirely right, but well enough that I can send this message to you. They didn't have the heart to charge me for all the work they had done, but I gave them money for their first hour's work. (Hey, this is a local business; one has to support local enterprise, or it disappears.)

Anyhow, I also have several thousand e-mail message in my box (and spilling out all over the floor in our apartment). It may take a while (I would expect no more than six months) for me to get back to you, so please be patient.

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, Delightful Kwanza, Happy Hanukkah, Joyous Yule, or whatever you may have been celebrating in the last few weeks.

Yup, that's about it. There are a lot of delightful smells around here; I must go and investigate.

Ciao for niao. Blessings and Bear hugs, too.

50 comments:

The Bipolar Diva said...

glad to hear from you. I did email you. I'll wait.

Rubye Jack said...

Welcome back stranger. I've been wondering where you are but figured things were hopping with the Occupy group.
Happy New Year's Bear!

J Cosmo Newbery said...

The best of luck to you!

J Cosmo Newbery said...

Hang about, Bear. Your comment box says "A one-sided conversation is no fun." and yet you have moderation on. Mmmm....?

THINGS YOU'D NEVER GUESS ABOUT ME said...

Oh, pass on the old emails. If you answered now, the person would just scratch their heads and wonder what you were talking about.

I don't know how you made it without a computer. They are MUCH too important to us and we've lost out on a lot of "scenery" in our heads due to it.

ReformingGeek said...

Yippee! A Bear spotting. I'll send fish.

Rob-bear said...

Good Grief! I Bearly stick my nose out, and I'm inundated by visitors! Whoa!

OK, not that I've recovered from the shock, I'll take a moment to reply.

® Bipolar Dive, er, ah, well, Diva: Hibernating turns my brain, and particularly mushy my spelling and garmmar.
Thanks. I noticed you're diamond of an e-mail — so suitable fer a divuh — and Ill be over shoerly.

® Rubye Jack: Great to hear from you. We'll have to catch up this weekend.

® J Cosmo: Thanks for the good wishes.
As to the conversation an and all, that's my way of saying that computer-generated messages about sex and drugs are not welcome. Rock 'n roll I can live with.

Rob-bear said...

® Beau's Mom: There he is, large as life. And I'm glad he's brought his Mom with him.
I'll soon be bye for a visut.

® Reforming Geek: Fish! YESS!
Thanks.

Lins' lleisio said...

So glad to hear you are back in the cyber world, even if the real world is a little too hot for you. Nadolig Llawen i chi hefyd.

Jean said...

The weather here is not right, either. We have March winds and temperatures at the moment. But anything is better than the snow that brings us to a standstill and was so difficult last year......I know that sounds pathetic as you get tons of the stuff and manage perfectly well......somehow we just don't know how to deal with snow properly in this part of the UK.

Happy New Year and I'm glad your computer is (almost) fixed.

Kristy said...

Glad your back! It has been a crazy winter with this weather here in Ontario also.

The Blog Fodder said...

About time you woke up. I was worried about you. Thought maybe your den had caved in, so to speak. Half your emails will be from people wondering where you have been. Trust only your computer was in hospital and that you had a Happy Christmas and all the good stuff that goes with it.

Amanda Summer said...

i missed you r-bear. so happy you've got your computer back. it is unseasonably hot - i'm actually missing snow and cold. how does a bear hibernate without it?

happy new year! sending blessings for everything good in 2012 and looking forward to having you back in blogworld♡

xo
amanda

Just Two Chicks said...

Welcome back, if only for a brief time! I'll be emailing you soon in response to your last comment on my post!

Enjoy the wonderful smells... I only say this, because I associate wonderful smells with food!!!

Rob-bear said...

® Blog Fodder: No, the den didn't cave in; it is just too hot for a Bear to hibernate properly. Especially an urban Bear. Or is it urbane Bear?

It was, indeed, only the computer that was hospitalized, though I've been a bit shifty. I get into the Health Region's Pain Centre Program next month. That should help things.

It would really help if they had a Brain Centre Program as well. Or so I'm told.

Rob-bear said...

® Lins' lleisio: Shw mae. Glad to be back in the virtual world. If only the world had more virtue, I'm sure we would all be happier.

I'm afraid I have not been very good at my Welsh lessons. Perhaps this year.

® Jean: I'm sorry you're stuck with March winds in January. The times are, indeed, out of joint.

I remember a movie in which December temperatures were over 100F (about 40C). I sometimes have fears of that coming true.

Blessings and Bear hugs to both of you wonderful souls!

Rob-bear said...

® Kristy: Great to her from you. (Sorry I got my replies a bit jumbled: that's the state of my brain in non-hibernation circumstances.) Also saw your note to the black-mooded lady. Very kind of you.

® amanda: so great to hear from you! i thought i would perhaps be joining persephone in her winter underground, but it certainly hasn't happened this year! (pant, pant — way too hot; perhaps i'll go for a swim in the river, that may help me cool down.)

Blessings and Bear hugs to both of you!

Rob-bear said...

® Just Two Chicks: Thanks for your note. Life still sounds a bit stressed on your end. I hope that, now the Holidays are over, things are getting on a more even keel. Do take care, please.

Looking forward to your note.

Blessings and Bear hugs to one and all.

cheshire wife said...

Pleased to hear from you again. Don't less us deprive you of your sleep. It is important that you have as much as you need.

A Happy New Year to you!

Rosaria Williams said...

If it's too hot, it must be time to wake up! Hope those smells, and tastes keep you up for a while.
Happy New Year.

About Last Weekend said...

Welcome back to the blogosphere! I guess the upside of no computer is you had a peaceful break and time to think about the new year without being bombarded with loads of stuff....I am waay too reliant on my in-box as I hate telephoning people.

Rob-bear said...

® Cheshire Wife: Good to be back, and hear from you.

You're not depriving me from my hibernation time. It's the hot weather! Grrrr!!

Sadly, I may end up depraved because I've been deprived of my H-time. (Or more depraved than usual.)

® Rosaria: NO. I haven't even got to sleep yet! Absolutely NOT time to wake up.

Helen said...

Bear has emerged ... AND he may be sending me a St. Bernard, my favorite puppy breed!

Rob-bear said...

® About Last Weekend: Thanks, Jody.
I did keep checking as much as I could, when I could access a computer. Very frustrating, not to be able to keep up with friends.

® Better is Possible: Thanks, too, Carol.
It is good to be back visiting with friends.
I'll try not to be too absent during 2012.

Which is to say my body may show up, but my brain?

Blessings and Bear hugs for 2012. (Especially the hugs.)

Rob-bear said...

® Helen: You only get to see the St. Bernards if you get lost.

Oops; I think I just set myself up on that one. Now you will deliberately get lost. I can see it all happening.

Always believed you were one smart lady. Oregano that smells like pot? Now, you've just proved your brilliance again.

Hope you have a grand holiday, and year. And don't get lost; the dogs might be out on another assignment!

Golden Eagle said...

Happy New Year! Glad to see you're back. :)

It's been like that temperature-wise around here, too. Usually there's lots of snow on the ground and everything's icy, but instead there's green grass outside . . .

Rob-bear said...

® The Golden Eagle: Thanks for the reply.

I'm not going to get bent out of shape and scream, "Global warming," but this is the second winter in a row when we've had strange weather. (Last year wasn't as bad as this.) When we start reaching or setting record high temps, on some kind of ongoing basis, it gets curiouser and curiouser.

But maybe I'm just an old Bear and getting cranky about not enough sleep.

Gutsy Living said...

All your friends are back to greet you. I hate it when I'm behind on e-mails. Wishing you a Happy new year. Come read all the wonderful "My Gutsy Story" contestants. You've missed some fabulous stories from people around the world.

Snowbrush said...

They kept you 'puter for six whole weeks, and it's still not right! Wow. It's stories like yours that inspire me to keep my old computer in the closet.

Rob-bear said...

® Gutsy Living: Thanks for the greeting, Sonia.
I have been catching up on my missed e-mail. Several thousand items, actually. (I've been reading the fun stuff first — like starting with the comics in the back of the newspaper, so you are in a suitable frame of mind to read the rest of the rag.) That includes the Gutsy stories your readers have written. And my, but are they good — every one of them.
Hope to see you often this year. Blessings and Bear hugs.

Rob-bear said...

® Snowbrush: Yup, six weeks, and not much better than before. It's one of those intermittent things — the worst nightmare of anyone working with electricity. (If it were always there, at least you could hunt it down much more easily.)
I have an old computer which works quite well, but is somewhat dated in is programs. Perhaps I'll spend a few dollars and get it updated. That makes sense, I think.
Hope you and Peggy have a great 2012.

potsoc said...

Welcome back, spring is right around the corner, anyway.

potsoc said...

Welcome back, spring is right around the corner, anyway.

Manzanita said...

I hope you had a good "wake-up-from-the-sleep" meal. Lots of fish and honey. Yeah, those bear-coats are the rat's-butt in warm weather.

I'm so happy you got some time out of the old puter. Always a delight to hear from you.
Hope your holidays were a smash and peace to you and the family.
Manzanita

Inger said...

Saw your comment on Manzanita's blog and wanted to come and visit. I live in the desert mountains of California and critters that should be asleep are waking up here too. Not good. You have so many blogs, I take it this is the main one to join? So I will.

Eat To Live said...

I ended up having to get a new computer. My old one was so antiquated that I am surprised it still ran.

We sure have had a mild winter... which I like, but I never thought about the bears having trouble.

Nezzy (Cow Patty Surprise) said...

Hope your havin' just an awesome New Year too.

I got a hoot outta your open range pic. I have to tell ya when drivin' back after a night out the other night we passed a vehicle pulled over right under a big billboard that read "The Ultimate High Speed", it was an interment ad but cracked me up!

God bless ya and have a fantastic week!!!

Jackie said...

So glad that your computer is out of the hospital...and that it wasn't something terminal.
I'm hoping your winter is as mild as ours is here (Southern USA)...
Continued blessings to you this year, my friend.

kj said...

well who knew had this blog too?!

do you mind if i say a quick prayer that a new laptop computer somehow comes your way? six weeks for still sputtering just seems so wrong!

nice to hear from you bear. i was wondering about your hibernation.

:^)
kj

Diana said...

I'm sure the Bear will be snoozing peacefully again soon enough! Sorry you had to wait so long for your computer but they sounded like good people. I've got to bring mine in too. My screen is a bit messed up. I'm just dreading the cost. Take good care Bear and don't work too long on that email you may miss your nap!
Love Di ♥

Hilary said...

Glad to know you're up and running again. Silly computers.. thinking they should hibernate. Happy New Year to you and yours. :)

That gentleman's lady said...

Ah this is where you are! I'd been wondering :)

Glad to see you woken up Mister Bear! Fancy a bit o porridge?

Lydia said...

I hope that Alaska snow makes its way to you, Bear, so you can hibernate the way you are supposed to! It sure was good to have a post from you though. Happy New Year, etc. :)

Frances said...

Good morning to you Bear. Glad that you and your computer are up and about again. After all, the daylight grows longer every ... day.

I am guessing that you are following the political developments here in the States and noticing the effects that various Occupy folks are having on those developments.

You might just have to skip the rest of this winter's hibernation!

xo

Rob-bear said...

® potsoc: You are being very optimistic, Paul.
Disgustingly optimistic.
Thanks for thinking of the ol' Bear.

® Manzanita: Thanks. The meal was good, but I'd rather be sleeping. Sigh.

® Inger: Thanks for coming to visit. Manzanita's a great soul.
For the time being, this is my main blog. (But who knows what will happen in the future?)

Rob-bear said...

® Nezzy: Thanks for the visit, the story, and the great wishes. So glad you came by. Hope you have a great week, too.

® Jackie: I think there is a problem with one of the computer's terminals, but we aren't sure which one. They ran some diagnostics, but noting seemed to compute.
Thanks for the blessings. I really do need all the help I can get!

® kj: Who knew? You do, now!
All prayers gratefully received. As I said to Jackie, I need all the help I can get. So does my computer (which, thankfully) is working well, considering the shape it is in.

® Hillary: Thanks for coming by. Computers should work; Bears should hibernate. A hibernating computer is about as useless as a Bear who doesn't work. As a matter of fact, I know a story about a Bear who didn't work. I should tell it some time.

That Janie Girl said...

Ciao for niao? That is AWESOME! Glad you got your computer back!

I'm back blogging again finally! Thanks for coming by!

Rob-bear said...

® Janie: Glad you like the play with words. Words are such fun to play with!
Pleased that you're back to blogging.
Hope you're well-heeled. Or is it well-healed? Whatever. Hope you have recovered from your misadventure, Miss Janie.

Rob-bear said...

When Bear does not get to hibernate, his brain starts to turn to mush. Sort of like porridge, but much mushier. Which means I'm not as careful with my correspondence. (I get a it dence.) Ooops; sorry (as the Bobo brothers would say).

® That gentleman's lady: Yes, I am here. Thank you so much for coming to visit.
Porridge? Oh, yes! I have it every morning. Do you have a different style, perhaps? That would be dandy!

® My Life with Candida: I understand your situation. My most healthy computer is so old that many things which connect (like printers) cannot function with it. How antique is that?

Rob-bear said...

® Lydia: Sorry to have missed your note. I try to mind my mail; sometimes I don't succceed.
The snow has arrived from somewhere, and the temperature feels like -27C (or -17F). Ideal hibernating weather.
Hope your weather is reasonable, and that you had fun on you "girls night out," with the marvellous musician.

® Frances: Yes, the days are getting longer, but there' still enough darkness for a Bear to get settled into hibernation.
The news for the United States is interesting. So much stuff Occupying peoples' minds these days, some of it quite unnerving to your northern neighbours.
Hope some sanity is able to prevail during your "election season."