Issues!

So, where have I been?  I have had limited access to Google therefore limited access to blogger (a Google operated company/site).

Apparently I've been attacked by a nasty virus/spyware/adware/malware/rootkit/cookie/what-cha-ma-call-it/piss-me-off-like-crazy.  As far as I can tell it's something that had/has hijacked my access to google.

When I type in "google.ca" (same as regular google but because I'm in Canada it automatically uses .ca) it comes up with what looks like the "real" google search page.  It is NOT though. 

What comes up is very similar to a google search page, search box, logo and all.  When I would type in a search, say "hats" and click "search" it would bring me to a page that also looked like the google search results page except it was in a mix of English and a foreign language (backwards letters and foreign words).  Also the google logo in the side bar (see picture, it's in the upper left) was weird. 

See image below, you can click on it to enlarge - It had a blue defect in the "Google" image, right above the blue lowercase "g" as if the image had been clipped out.  Possibly somewhere where there had been two google images/words one above the other.  It looks as if the lowercase blue "g" of the word/image "google" above the other was still in the image.  Hard to explain but it was definitely NOT correct authentic Google.

After receiving the weird results (see example above, click image to enlarge) I re-typed in "google.ca" and up came the google search page including the normal search box and options.  I decided I would take a closer look at it.  Below the search box section there was a copyright date but it was not current.  The copyright year was 2009 and I highly doubted that google would have an old copyright date on their main page (turns out I am right).  That was clue #2 that I was hacked.

Clue #3 was that when I clicked on "advanced search" I automatically got redirected back to the same google search page.  I decided to try the other links on the page and sure enough they did the same. 

Clue #4 -  I decided I needed to find out what I was dealing with so I used an alternate search engine (ask.com) to search for info on the problem I was having.  I sifted through the results and every page that came from "google" automatically redirected me to the "fake" google search page.  I couldn't get access even to the google help forums because they are all similar to something like this - "http://www.google.com/help" and because it has the "www.google.com" part it automatically redirected me back to the "fake" google search page. 

Clue #5 - In the search box as I typed the automatic search suggestions feature was not on.  Regular google has a GREAT feature I use quite regularly that automatically gives you search suggestions and helps sometimes when I do not know the correct spelling of a word/place.

The situation was so VERY frustrating!  Round and round I went.

Solution - Who knows......

I have not completely found out the solution.  Apparently it is back to normal now.  I am able to view what I believe to be the correct google with out any problems.  I am also (well, as you can tell) able to access blogger (if you don't know, it is a google operated site).

I used AVG Free first (which I do like and have used for years).  If found nothing when I ran the virus scan and the "rootkit scan". 

I then decided that maybe it was a potential compatibility problem between Internet Explorer 8 and the newer version of IE 9 because I had been instructed to upgrade recently but had not yet done so.  I upgraded it and still....same problem. 

(**To note - I HATE the new version.  They made some silly changes to where the tabs are and it's actually quite difficult to use....boo IE9!  I may try and go back to the previous version**)

Next I thought it might be an issue with Internet Explorer (maybe a hack on IE rather than my computer).  I decided to download and see what would happen with Mozilla Fire Fox.  I really like Mozilla Fire Fox but had decided to stick it out and try using IE8 because it was what came on my computer when I got it.  After downloading it I tried "google.ca".....same problem!

After doing some research (without the help of any "google" related sites ie. google help forums) I ended up downloading 4 programs/scanners to try and "find" the "THING". 

I downloaded a free program from Kaspersky.  Ran it, and it found nothing. (seems like a decent "freebie" though but I do not know where I found the actual link to the download because I've deleted all my history etc). 

Next I downloaded and tried "spybot" a program my Dad had recommended a while ago.  I had it on my old computer and I have absolutely no idea if it worked.  It is considered "shareware" and is kind of hard to work/understand.  I ran it and tweaked the scan settings to be like a "fine toothed comb"......still nothing!

I downloaded a third scanner (can't remember the name, possibly HitMan Pro)...still found nothing. 

I then downloaded a free program from Microsoft.  Don't know how I came across it (I think it was in my computer setting).  It took quite a while for it to download, install and then update to the most recent databases.  I ran the program but by this time I was so tired I could barely see.  I went to bed letting the program run.....

....In the "morning" I checked to see what the result was.  12 hours later it was still running with ZERO problems found.  About 45 minutes later up came an error message that the program could not finish scanning and that I should update the database to the most recent one available.  PURE FRUSTRATION at this point.  I had thought this one would be a thorough scan and that it would work smoothly.  WRONG....well, to a point.  I updated the database and ran it again.  This time it went faster (possibly because my computer was on and not in sleep mode) BUT....NOTHING FOUND!

Finally I decided to call my Dad.  I had been pulling my hair out and had tossed and turned all night with this. 

My Dad recommended another program called "MalwareBytes".  I downloaded it, updated the database and ran it.  Can you guess what happened? 

NOTHING!  It found absolutely NOTHING!

By this point I was so stressed and pissed right off.  After MANY hours of downloads, scans, computer restarts, tweaks to my settings, clear-outs of cookies and cache....STILL NOTHING!  What on earth was on my computer!?  I finally said "F-it!" and got dressed (yes, it was way past noon by the time I got dressed for the day but I was totally consumed with fixing my computer).  We headed outside for some fresh air and a much needed break. 

After coming inside (it was after dark) I decided to check to see if google was still weird.  I opened an Internet Explorer browser window and typed in "google.ca".  Can you guess what happened now?

?

?

?

?

It worked!  

Can you believe it? 

For some reason it has worked now for quite a few searches.  I've typed it in at the very least 10 times now and it has come up correct every time and has given me the typical google style search and results with the correct logos etc.  The copyright date is 2011 (which one would expect from a big company like Google) and all the links work.  I also have complete access to Blogger again.  The only hiccup is that some of my sites I normally visit (like blogger) are having difficulties with the fact that my security settings are higher and are not allowing cookies etc to be "planted into my computer" without my knowledge or consent. 

I have NO idea what happened, if it is fixed, if it is hiding or what.

One of the most frustrating parts of this was that I had absolutely ZERO access to contact Google or access to their help pages/forums.  I could not contact them to ask for help and I could not get to the info provided by others and their google techs on their forums to figure this out.  In the past I have had problems with the Google ran "Picasa Web Albums" and found their forums to be extremely helpful/useful.  I was able to see that others had had the same problem I had and the issue was resolved fairly easily (I mean in comparison to this "THING"). 

Oh, by the way, do you know how many cookies your computer gets each day and how much of your info gets sent out?  It's kind of creepy how many cookies our everyday sites "plant" into our computers.  Sites like Facebook, Blogger, Google, Youtube....seemingly everyday sites we all use....kind of scary.

I'll definitely update this "Google Saga" as things progress (hopefully for the good).  I now have to run two more scans....it's late and I can only hope they will run thoroughly but quickly so I can go to beddy-by!  I'm also (while it's working) will be searching the google help forums and might contact a google tech to find out what I might have had or still have and what the solution should be etc.  Wish me luck!

Definitely more to come.....pictures too!  It's been a beautiful spring here and we really have been enjoying the weather!

Hope you are well!

~M~

Added - Now that I have access to "real" google, I've found this link on Redirect issues in their help forum - CLICK HERE.

Also from the help forum -

Malware Removal Forums

www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/index.php?

www.dslreports.com/forum/cleanup

www.geekstogo.com/forum/forums.html

http://gladiator-antivirus.com/forum/index.php?

www.lavasoftsupport.com/index.php?act=idx >>>> (Ad-aware)

http://www.malwarebytes.org/forums/ >>>>> Malwarebytes Anti-malware

http://forums.spybot.info/ >>>>> (Spybot Search & Destroy)

www.spywareinfoforum.com/index.php?

www.techsupportforum.com/

http://forums.majorgeeks.com/forumdisplay.php?s=9f2e01f8a21aed44ecdfaa42d7249203&f=35

And here is another site to regarding "Badware" - Stop Badware

Ugh, I could go on and on....there are so many products, links, sites, forums, instructions....ugh.  I am so confuse and frankly pissed off.  I hate this.  I sure hope that this problem does not come back but I am not at all convinced I have solved this issue. 

Fishing.....

Yes, another "lull" in my blogging.  Oie!  The hubby is home and I think that is playing a little roll in why I have not been posting so much.  We've been taking care of a TON of things around here lately. 

• I am currently typing this from my new computer desk which means my "new" computer (got it for Christmas) is now in it's proper place, no longer on the kitchen counter/bar.
• I now have a filing drawer (in the new desk) to help me get organized.  I will finally be able to clear off the corner style student desk I had before (it had ZERO practical storage spaces on it).  I can't wait to get the hanging file folders and get started!  When cleaned off, out goes the old desk to make room for possibly an additional dresser or other storage in the bedroom!
• The tree that fell on our porch is gone as well as a second tree that was beginning to pull out of the ground and the area behind our house is cleaned up a bit (we had lots of branches fall with the high winds so it was pretty messy back there). 
• I cleaned out my flower beds, moved stored "junk" around a bit to make more room in my garden area and bought four new brown "Adirondack" style plastic garden chairs.  The chairs are really cool, I'll have to take a picture and share them.  They were on sale for only $15.99 plus tax and I liked them so much I couldn't pass them up.  Originally we were only going to buy two but K figured it would be better to buy a set of four because who knows when we'll find these exact ones in the future if we decide we needed more than two.
• Went on three "mini roadtrips" as a family.  On the way back from one we stopped by "our" beach near our new house.  H loves the rocky beach!
• Bought our fishing licenses and brought H fishing at the kiddie pond (unfortunately it was totally fished out but will be stocked very soon). 
• Got a new hose and hose nozzel because my old one got crunched, cracked, and squished in the winter.  My Brother-In-Law pulled out my hose after I had drained and coiled it up for the winter and left it pulled out, it snowed over the hose and then subsiquently got "plowed" into the snow-bank.  Once the snow thawed I discovered the hose was in pieces.   I was not thrilled one bit. 
• Made a HUGE dump run to get rid of the 6 bags of recycling and 3 bags of garbage I'd been storing until K got home.  Now I've got quite a bit of space on the porch to do some more organizing.  I couldn't believe how much recycling I had but it isn't smelly so I don't mind storing it.  When K is gone H and I "make" about one grocery bag of garbage in a two week period because I recycle nearly everything I can.
• Celebrated Easter with family.
• Bought H a new big girl bike (well, with training wheels).  She loves it but has fallen off three times.
• Watched the hockey play-offs.  Unfortunately all the teams we like are out so it's pretty much over for us.
• Planted some peas in the garden with H.  She's excited to garden more (and plant her purple carrots) but I want to add some more ammendments to the soil (ie. composted horse poop). 
• Purchased four, yes you read right, FOUR new African Violets.  I'll introduce you to them in a later post.  I am in LOVE with African Violets.  Oh, oh, oh....and my leaf cuttings I "planted" from my other African Violets (5 total) have started to grow leaves!  I am thrilled!

Oh, this list could go on but I am short on time.  Sorry the list is not in any particular order but I am listing them as I think of them....lol!

Gotta run.  Many more pictures to come....:o)

~M~

It's been a while!

So sorry to have been slacking here.  Yikes!  It's been forever!  I honestly think this is the longest dry spell I've had on this blog!  Things have been pretty busy with colds, outdoorsie things, K coming home for a little over a week now and the Easter holiday.  Oh and can't forget it's hockey play-off time! 

Montreal Canadiens play against Boston Bruins tonight....it's a game #7 elimination game.  Which ever team loses tonight is out of the play-offs....oh it's going to be intense in our household tonight (well, 4 or 4:30 p.m).  Last night we watched the Vancouver Canucks (boooo) beat out the Chicago Blackhawks in a game #7 elimination game.  We were cheering so hard for Chicago and when they tied the game up with only a little over two minutes left in the game to force a sudden death overtime we were thrilled.  Chicago even got a power play (where the other team is penelized with one less player on the ice for some sort of infraction) and they couldn't get a goal.  Then Vancouver scored ending the game and the Blackhawks season.   Pretty bummed out because we really do not like the Canucks (even though they are the only NHL team in our province, we still don't like 'em).  If Montreal does not make it through this game later tonight I doubt we'll be watching much more of the play-offs as there are really no other teams we like left.  Frankly all of the hockey games I have watched so far have been AMAZINGLY good.  Back and forth, fast paced hockey with a lot of action both ways.  Excellent! 

I'm currently sick with a nasty cold that started out when I accidentally choked on a corn/nacho chip and launched it up my nasal passage (yes, you read correctly...launched it up my nasal passage).  Apparently I still have a problem with that......

.....Here's the story - When I was younger I had a really bad problem with runny noses so my Mom decided that I should get my Adenoids taken out (around age 5-6 I think, I honestly have no recollection of this event).  At around 12-13 I started having problems with getting rice stuck in my nasal passage from simply eating it and maybe coughing or doing any slight snorting action.  Later on I found out that I also had the problem with corn.  Oie!  I have since learned to be very careful with what I do when eating those two things because once the item is up there it can be quite painful.  It is sort of like when you get water in your nose and it stings but with pressure from whichever item decided to migrate upwards instead of down my throat.  To get the item out I either have to blow my nose really hard (if the item was really far up there) or snort it back down into my throat (if it was only slightly up there).  Yes...this is a very weird situation! 

Anyway.......

....after not realizing or feeling that I had launched the chunk of chip up my nose when I choked I went to bed that evening.  At around 5-6 a.m. I started feeling a lot of pain from the upper back part of my throat/nasal passage (where nasal drip tends to be).  I couldn't figure out why it was so extremely sore.  I pushed through it and slept until 10.  At that point I was in pretty bad pain and decided to sip on some tea and take a tylenol to help sooth my throat.  After being up for about half an hour things started to get really drippy/phlegmy and snotty in the upper back of my thoat.  I ended up having to snort/spit snot/phlegm and after about 5 minutes of struggling with a lot of snorting/sputtering/phlegming, out comes a triangular chunk of chip in my spit.  It was about the size of an eraser on a pencil (but triangular).  Wow.  I was shocked! After I got that out things started to calm down a bit.  I thought after things started to get better that how badly I had felt was all from that chip chunk but later in the evening I started to feel achy, snotty, stuffed up and tired.  From that point on I've been going through the regular symptoms of a cold...yay!  Not!

I will try to post some pictures soon from our Easter holiday, more spring fun and time with Daddy!  Hope you all are well!

~M~ 

Spring Fun!

We have had a GREAT start to our spring!  H and I have had so much fun with what spring has to offer!  Bugs, kites, fresh air and sun on our faces!  What more could we ask for?  Well, there is one thing....daddy to be home, but he will be home soon!

Tonight I worked on a dress for H to match a dress I made her doll Sara and at first it was turning out nicely but now that I'm trying to finish off the neck and arms it's giving me difficulties.  We'll have to see how it goes but tomorrow I'm going to be doing some seam-ripping to fix the problem areas.  I made her a skirt the other night too but it ended up too small and I had to totally re-do the skirt.  After a TON of seam-ripping (more than I have EVER done before) I was able to get it done.  I am so very happy with how the little skirt turned out.  I also made her a simple skirt out of the Tinkerbelle fabric I bought her after Christmas.  I don't normaly buy fabric "full price" but she just had to have it because it was Tinkerbelle and her other fairy friends on a purple background.  It was cute, just not high quality.  Licensed fabrics tend to be spendy for the actual quality you get so it's not something I will do in the future often.  Anyway....pictures soon, I just have to get around to uploading them to my computer.

More to come!

~M~

Clothes for Japanese Kids....

Today through one of the blogs I read (Sew Like My Mom) I found out about a fairly easy-to-do project that will help benefit the children of Japan.  It's called "Cranes For Kids" and it's through "OshKosh' B'gosh.  OshKosh will donate up to 50,000 pieces of clothing to children in Japan.  What a great way to help and to get kids involved in the cause.  If you can, try your hand at it.  There are instructions on how to fold cranes in two skill levels (Older Kids and Adults and Children 3-8 years) on the "Cranes For Kids" website to help.  I'm sure even a few will help make a difference to a child in need and help them heal after this horrible tragedy.

CLICK here to see the "Cranes For Kids" facebook page for more information and pictures of cranes added by others. 

They will be collecting cranes up until April 25th so the deadline is getting closer.  I hope to be able to do some with H soon and would LOVE to see/here if my readers make any!! 

Keep this cause in mind when thinking of ways to help Japan!

More to come!

~M~

New Music!

Oh!  New song from one of my favorite bands (if not my VERY favorite) Seether!!!!  I've been waiting for their new CD for a while now and apparently their new song ("Country Song") came out middle of last month on itunes and the CD will be out May 17th.  I can't wait!  H really likes this song (if you remember, Seether has been one of her very favorite bands since she was just over a year and a half old...lol!) and I think it's pretty good and the more I listen to it the more I like it!  :o)

So, I am going to share some other really awesome Seether songs....




Yes, they did cover the George Michael song "Careless Whisper" a.k.a. "I'm never gonna dance again", an AMAZING cover!

HERE is a link to a clip about the song "Rise Above This" where they talk about the song being a reminder that suicide effects more than just the one person.  It effects the family and loved ones.  The lead singer's brother commited suicide and he wrote this song about it.  Very sad story but so very important to spread the awareness.

My very favorite Seether songs are probably their accoustic versions of their songs.  I've added a few of them as well.....













HERE is the link to the Seether song "Fake It" that H has loved since she was ever so tiny.  She used to "head-bang" to it before she could walk!  LOL!  She loves this band as much as I do!

Well, that is all for now!  As you can tell, I really like this band especially their accoustic versions of their rock songs (but I do like them all). 

More to come!

~M~

Wind and Wasps....

or Hornets, or Yellow Jackets....not really sure.

Yesterday a friend of the family came over and helped me out.  He climbed up on the roof and took a look to double check that there were no branches that peirced through the roof of the house.  Lucky for us there were none, thank goodness!  He also took a chainsaw and cut down the majority of the tree that was above our roof.  The rest will have to wait until K get's home because this job requires more than one guy.  He also climbed a ladder to wrap a chain around another tree that is starting to come down but is currently resting on another tree and hasn't fallen yet.  That too will have to wait until K gets home because that one is in a VERY tricky spot and will be quite difficult to deal with.  Hopefully things will hold solid until K can get home and we can then do something about it.  Fingers crossed!

It was really nice to visit with our family friend because he's been out of town all winter and we hadn't visited with him much before he had left.  H kitten sat for him last fall and had so much fun with the kitty!

After he left, H and I headed out with our kites again.  H was able to get her kite to fly for quite a while but the wind was doing some super weird things and I was unable to get my kite up in the air.  I finally decided today was not the day I was going to get to fly my kite.  I was putting it away it took flight briefly, picture it...me carrying this 6' wide kite back to the spot we're storing it as it's trying to take flight with two spools of line getting all tangled!  Oie!

H got cold pretty quickly because the sun went behind a cloud and the wind can really chill her little hands.  We packed everything up and went for a visit to her Grandma's.  While we were there, I remembered how my Mother-In-Law and I had recently talked about a wasps nest in the rose bushes.  It needed to be taken care of before they become active again when the weather warmed up.  I did not know if the nests would be active, dormant or just slower than normal because of the cooler temperatures.  I really had no idea what I was facing.

I checked out the nest and ended up wiggling it quite a bit while trying to get through the bushes to get to it.  I figured there wasn't much danger considering I saw/heard zero movement/sounds. 

Our original plan was that the two of us would go into the bush, one person would hold a plastic bag to cover/hold the nest and the other person would cut the stems holding the nest up.  I told my Mother-In-Law that I could just take care of it myself because trying to get more than one person into those pokey bushes would be difficult.  She had some handheld pruning shears that I used to cut the stems that the nest was attached to.  I carried the nest out by the cut stem and still did not see/hear any activity.

My little "Brother-In-Law" showed me where there was a second smaller nest that was only 5-6 inches off the ground so I went and got that one too.  As with the first one, there was no sign of "life" from it. 
We were so curious to know if there were any living wasps, hornets, or yellow jackets in the nests we decided to take them apart.  It was really neat and I was able to show H what the inside of a nest looks like (she was inside her Grandma's house and I showed it all to her through the window) and of course I took pictures! 

Pretty interesting eh?

This whole thing worked out really neat because last night I had read a book to H that talked about how wasps make their "paper" nests.  They chew pieces of wood and it mix it with their saliva (spit) to create a paste and that is what they use to make the nests and the "comb" part. 

There were no "live" larvae but there was one single wasp (well, whatever it is).  It was fairly large, possibly a queen (?), and I am not sure if it was hibernating or just dead and crispy.  My little "Brother-In-Law" described it's consistancy when he squished it as being "like a chicken nugget" and I am truly unclear what that is.  LOL!

It was a really neat to see the inside of these nests considering they were "problem" nests and needed to be gotten rid of, they were WAY too close to the house.  We do not want to run the risk of H, the boys, or the animals running into one.  You can see in one of the pictures, the second smaller nest we found was only 5-6 inches off the ground and could easily be something that a pet or H could stumble upon.  The older boys are often running around the yard when they have friends over and that could be bad as well. 

This time of the year seems to be a good time to get rid of the "problem nests".  We'll should be good as long as they make their nests far enough away from the house that it's unlikely the kids and pets will accidentally run into them. 

Mission accomplished (well, until we find the next nest)!!

Well, more to come!

~M~