Tag Archives: storage

Nextbook Flexx 8.9 – disappointment

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P1010382A couple weeks ago, I bought a Nextbook Flexx 8.9 2-in-1 Tablet. I didn’t really need it, but it had two prime selling points, one was the price of $89.00 and the other was that it has Windows 10. I’d been wanting a tablet with Windows on it because I didn’t have one.   Nextbook Flexx 8.9 has 32 GB of storage, but there’s only around 17.8 GB available after Windows does it’s thing right-off-the-bat. However, I thought that’d be enough since the storage can be expanded with a 64 GB SD card.

I absolutely loved the Nextbook Flexx 8.9, even after it kept updating and only left 12 GB of storage. I figured that was plenty. It was a sweet little device. Using it as a tablet or a mini laptop was fun. I was careful and didn’t put any files on it except for my homepage files which are only 1.2 mb. I used the sd card for photos and stuff.

Over the 13 days that I had it, it continued to update again and again until there was only a little over 8 GB free. I was so mad. I did a factory reset and put it in it’s box and returned it. I’m trying hard not to say something very unladylike about windows. ~stomps foot~

We have a couple Nextbook Ares 7 and we’ve put apps, games, photos, nook books, documents and some other things on them and their storage is holding up just fine; we still have 25 GB free of the original 32 GB after almost a year. That’s one of the biggest differences between the OS of an Android and Windows. Windows greedy os is really a bummer.

I’m sad that Windows started hogging my storage. I’m posting about my negative experience in case someone was in the market for a Nextbook Flexx 8.9, they might want to consider the storage situation.

I really would have loved to have kept the Nextbook Flexx 8.9, but the storage issue is an automatic game changer for me. I wish the 32 GB storage could’ve actually been the true amount and the Windows OS had it’s own storage amount separate from the 32 GB. (That’s the way it should be imo.)

Anyway, I’m glad I tried the Nextbook Flexx 8.9.  I had fun with it for a short while.

Have you had this experience with storage being hogged up by the OS and it’s updates on a new device?
Did you return the device or trade it for a bigger one?
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Flash Freezing Bell Peppers for the winter

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1-IMG_4364I’ve harvested quite a few peppers this year. My husband has feasted heavily on the baby bells. Fortunately, there was several left to put up along with the big bell peppers.
Flash freezing and vacuum packing is my favorite chosen method for storing peppers.

Flash freezing is quite simple.
2-IMG_4392I wash the peppers, hull and de-seed them and chop them in to small pieces.
3-IMG_4383I spread the pepper pieces on a tray and put them in the freezer.
*I use my refrigerator freezer. I don’t have a cookie sheet small enough to fit in it, so I cut cardboard the width of it and then cover the cardboard with wax paper (or freezer paper sometimes).
4-IMG_4403It usually takes about a half hour for the peppers to freeze.
I write a date on the vacuum bags. I take the frozen pepper pieces out of the freezer and put them  in the vacuum bags. Seal the bags and put them in freezer to use at a later date.

I look forward to using these peppers in the wintertime in stir fries, soups, meat-loafs and oodles of other recipes.

Here’s wishing you all a fabulous harvest of smiles to
keep stored in your memory like rays of sunshine
to warm you during cold days of winter.
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Flash-Frozen Unblanched Squash

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IMG_4161-2Several years ago I tried different methods of freezing squash. The truth is, squash has issues with freezing. I found the ‘blanching’ method makes it get real squishy real quick if you ain’t careful. I tried different lengths of time of blanching with different thicknesses of slices, but I wasn’t happy with any of the results. When I tried to use the frozen blanched squash, it was way too squishy regardless of how I cooked it.
So, I tried an ‘unblanched’ method. It took me few tries and adjustments and I finally came up with method that’s okay. I like it better than any other method and I thought I’d share it with you.

*I wash the squash and core it.
*I cut it up in chunks or thick slices.
(To me the thicker pieces seems to hold their form better when thawed/cooked. Frozen squash isn’t firm like fresh squash when it’s thawed or cooked. After it’s it’s thawed or cooked Unblanched frozen squash is flimsy or soft, but it’s better than squishy blanched squash.)
*I spread the pieces out in a single layer on a piece of card board covered with freezer paper.
*I put the board of pieces in the freezer for a couple hours until the chunks/slices are frozen solid. This is called flash-freezing.
*I write the date on a Ziploc vacuum bag and fill it with the frozen squash pieces. I seal the bag and put it in the freezer.
*I usually put the frozen squash pieces in a gallon size bag.
*When I want to use the squash, I take the amount of squash I need out of the bag, then seal the bag back up and put it back in the freezer.IMG_4170

🙂

The photo below is of a rather huge and curious squash plant that’s producing two colors of squash: a yellow/orange 1 ball and a sort of a orange & green 8 ball squash. I’m guessing this plant is a product of cross-pollination. That happens from time-to-time. As a matter-of-fact, it was a cross-pollinated squash that sparked my obsession  interest in squash. I’m planning on ‘trying’ to save some seed from this plant to see what it produces next year. It gives me something to look forward too and now you get to look forward to it too. 😉IMG_4136

This is all for me at the moment. I need to go and freeze some more squash. I just remembered another method that my Mom used when freeze squash. I may try it and if it works, I’ll make a post about it.

I hope you all have a relaxing weekend.

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