Need Photo Software Advice

[NightWing]

I know that many posters here are really into photography, as illustrated by the high quality pictures shared here. Therefore, I seek your input.

First of all, I am not a photo-bug, but I like to exchange email pics and download some from the web.

My new computer came with Corel Photo Album and Paint X. I hate them both. Once the free trial period was over, the software became even more difficult to use. I refuse to buy it.

All I want is something simple with the ability to re-size and maybe crop. I don't need to fool with color levels or retouching.

My old computer only had a folder titled My Pictures. Pics could be downloaded and retrieved with great simplicity and were stored with thumbnail views for easy selection. The only thing I couldn't do was re-size.

I also have HP software installed because it came with my new digital camera.
( I will use it as soon as I can figure out how to put the film in! LOL!!) You get the idea.

I learned of a free photo software named Picasa and I downloaded it. It is much simpler to use and I like it...as much as I have fooled with it. The only problem is every time I open an email photo attachment, the import photo tray still has 6 old pics that I have deleted many times. They were in the Corel software and I have emptied every folder and deleted every picture from Corel, and then I took Corel out of my start menu. Somehow, those 6 pics (of someone's half-starved kid at a birthday party) keep showing up.

OK, any advice would be great and well received.