Well, you know what??  We quit!!!!  According to Babylock, the only solution to my software/hardware conflict is a $499.99 upgrade to version 8.  UGH!  My "local" Babylock dealer was kind (and honest) enough to tell me that version 8 is WAY more than I need for my current machine, too.  Not to mention, WAY MORE than we want to pay!!  Well, we kept trying to work something out, and we have NOT been successful.  I did manage to download a "free" program from Brother that will allow me to write an already-created design to my existing card, then transfer it to my machine for sew-out, however, the trial version expires in 30 days or 100 uses, and does not allow all functionality, or the limited, free version is just that - limited.  Gone are all my previous editing functions and I cannot change a thing!!  And you know me - change is my middle name!!  Well, it's not so much that *I* am about change, but when you're doing custom work, funny thing, customers expect just that - CUSTOM, as in "whatever they want." 

So, we bit the bullet.  Bought the upgrade.  Used our original dealer, found out he couldn't ship machines (didn't really want a new one anyway), and he was kind enough to offer us a $50 discount.  Probably still made $100 profit, but, hey, that's enough to pay the TAX.  Go figure, why is there $30 TAX on a $2 cd???? ARGH.  No winning this one!  But, should resolve the issue, once and for all, without extra hardware and trouble.

So, today I put a purchased design, just as it came off the website, onto a card & stitched it out.  OK, so I changed the colors a little, I can do that without editing features.  Then, Jose hooked up our new wireless printer and made it work.  Very cool.  That, too, was a first for this new PC.  And everything's hunky dory.  We ate dinner & had a lovely swim, then I came back to check email & such.  Uhhhhhh, what's THAT message all aobut?  No boot!  TWICE!!  OK, here, Jose, please do something with this POS.  So, while he was working to uninstall whatever it was that crapped out the boot process (likely the new printer), he came across a couple of other boot options & guess what!  We tried 'em all, and none of 'em would boot into XP either.  ARRRRRRRRRRGH.  Thought we were gonna be able to cancel our order & save $500!!  HAHA!!  Old saying goes, if you want to hear God laugh, tell him your plans!  HAHAHA, I know He's rolling on the floor!  So, we have the new software on order, should ship inside a week or two, and who knows where I stand with the wireless printer.  It's off, and I don't feel like messing with it now, PLUS, my battery is about out.  So, gonna publish this before I lose it!!

Y'all take care, and for those of you still working at Ye Olde Workplace, hang in there kids, it always gets better.  Sometimes takes a while, but things always work out.  Not always the way you'd expect, either, but they WILL work out.  God Bless!