'Cause everything is new, and everything is you....

I've been hemming and hawing for a while about wanting a new blog layout/design. I don't have a lot of money right now, so I have been browsing for a good free one. Suffice to say, I don't like anything that's out there. So I thought, OK, I'll just...make my own. It can't be that hard, right?

My problem now is that I don't have a freakin' CLUE where to start....

So I am asking all of you, those of you who are so....graphically and technologically inclined to help me. Know of a good step by step site where I can learn to make my own template? Something a little more....original than this thing I have right here? Truly, this is just a bastardization of one of the generic templates, we all know that. With the exception of the flaming heart that I found years ago somewhere, I can't even remember, I have nothing to go with.

Even better, if you know how to manipulate Paint Shop Pro, if you could help me to make my own graphics, that would help too. Hell, if you are someone who is super talented and loves to help out, I'm also open to you donating elements of design like a logo or something! (hint, hint Dave... ;P )

Essentially, I need a "For Dummies" concept to teach myself. Because right now? I'm lost. I mean I know what I want. I've got the concept stored in my little noggin, just waiting to be made. I just don't know how to execute. I'm willing to do all the work on my own. I just need to know how.

And I keep repeating myself...LOL

So...feel free to email me at heartofire@tvcconnect.net or leave a comment with suggestions/website lists of where I can learn to do this on my own.

Thank you!

In other news, I had a great interview yesterday. The Project Manager, who would be my boss, was impressed with the knowledge of the 'net I have, and was really impressed that I had done so much research on the company. He was also impressed that I was familiar with blogging, Twitter, teaching myself HTML and whatnot. It lasted nearly an hour, and I think I did well. Really well. So well that I expect a call by tomorrow saying I am hired. Everything is perfect about this job, really. Well except the parking....but it's New London, so of course, I would have to fork over $50 a week to park. But since the company compensates for $30 a week of parking, it's really only $20. Pretty damn nice, eh?

ok, back to the grind of figuring out templates....

~Cissa

Getting On With Life

The Funeral was May 3rd. It was very nice. It was short, and more people than I had any idea Dad knew came. Even some of Mom's friends from The Casino came to pay their respects to Dad and comfort Mom. I was happy to see that people cared for Mom and Dad. The Pastor who spoke at Dad's Viewing was a family friend, and had grown up just down the street from Dad. He was very sincere in his words, and I think Dad would have appreciated his brevity.

Mom stayed with us til the following Monday. She felt she was ready to be alone in the apartment her and dad have shared for nearly 8 years....I half expected her to call me and tell me she couldn't do it yet. But she did. She is a trooper. We talk at least once a day just to check in....I think she is going to be OK.

Tomorrow Dad's ashes will be buried. We've had a small amount saved for a keepsake necklace we got Mom. She will always have a little bit of him with her always.

Well, life for me has kept going. The kids are out and playing almost every available moment of daylight. Hubby is still home, working on charts, but will most likely go back to work after his appointment with the Doc next week. He's been walking a little bit on his feet, both of them, and I think with the right supportive sneakers (I am pulling for him to ask the doc that he be able to wear sneakers at work for at least 30 days), he will be fully recovered by July 4th.

Funny thing happened this past week. My Mother's Day Gift this year was a new computer case. Hubby is going to be rebuilding me a computer (quieter, faster, and upgraded sound and video) but we thought that it would be nice to put my old stuff in the new case to make things a little more quiet around here (the other case had like 6 fans and was louder than anything!) Well it all went well until we went to boot up......after about 3 hours of working on it, Hubby decided that one of my hard drives had somehow corrupted, and I lost everything. I was calm, composed, and surprisingly, having an OK outlook on it. a couple hours later he decided that I would be able to retrieve all my pictures and files for work....things were looking up.....windows was re-installed, my files were saved, and this weekend was mostly spent trying to re-download and install all my programs. wow. talk about a long process.....but I am more or less back to it. I have a few more files I need to install (Microsoft office, for instance), and i will be all set.

I am looking forward to the summer. Emmy will be going to camp all day, Hubby will be home for mostof it, and next school year it looks like Kaity will be in Pre-K. I am almost shaking with the anticipation that my house will be child free for at least 3 hours a day! Combine that with Hubby going back to sea sometime, and holy cow, I may actually be able to achieve A CLEAN HOUSE on a regular basis!!

Not that I don't love Hubby and him being home for 2 months HASN'T been a nice time...but it has seriously screwed with my schedule. I am sure I have mentioned this before, but when he is home, I feel compelled to spend time with him and neglect my Housewife Duties. Then the house looks like crap....then Hubby complains....but then he gets the "do something with me" look in his eyes while I am cleaning and we are back to square 1! When Hubby is back to work or Sea, I have a set schedule of how my day goes....and by now, I am doing the chores I have tasked myself with for the day....or at least reminded myself that I want to finish them by lunch....it doesn't take a long time to clean 1 or 2 rooms in the house....but with Hubby around....I can't always do it...especially when he is still sleeping...like today.....

So that's a brief (or not so brief) update of how things around here are going.....I hope you all are doing well! Thank you for the emails and comments. I have appreciated them very much.