@Fred255....Thanks, but I think we know now that it's not the browser...and I'm still not interested in further bloating my OS.
BTW, I didn't think the words "Microsoft" and "free" were allowed to be used in the same sentence.....LOL

@Martin; Thanks for the summation and CONFIRMATION that it wasn't just a result of my having one too many glasses of wine.

In youth, we learn....with age, we understand.