My poor old abused notebook computer is slowly falling apart. Its mouse and monitor no longer work so I've had to transplant some organs from other computers. That is, I have an old monitor and mouse hooked up. Awkward, but usable. Will have to get it sorted out in the next week or two. Sweetie is still here, the firm's lawyer has only just okayed the offer letter and it's now on its way.

-- Anonymous, May 30, 2002

Answers

I know how frustrating this came be! good luck! (look at it this way, you have more time to pack!!!)

-- Anonymous, May 30, 2002

As I said in the email, send me [or post here] the specs, brand, size, etc. of your notebook. I'll see what I can get thru my connections at the computer place I worked at before I lost my head and went postal.

-- Anonymous, May 31, 2002

Hey that's really nice, Barefoot! I fear it needs to go to the little Japanese guy on Roxboro Road, though. Besides the problem with the screen light, which I think is to do with the cables that go up throught the hinges, the left click on the mouse pad is kaput. Just don't have time or patience to fiddle with the thing and Sweetie is in lift-off mode. Word yesterday is offer letter is on way but don't know if it's coming FedEx or what.

Yes, I did get a bit of stuff sorted out, SAR! And now my knee is bitching about it! If it ain't one thing. . .

Sent photos to apoc last night. She'll be surprised to find I sent them one at a time cos I didn't know how to do them en masse from the CD, tee hee. But they've gone. I think I made a note that Pike's Peak is 15 miles from Colorado Springs. Because it's so high and the air is so clear, it's easily visible and dominates the landscape. I think I'm going to enjoy those mountains--I grew up in Sheffield, which is built on seven great hills and is the "gateway to the Peak Country." The Pennine chain of mountains is not as craggy as the Rockies (thanks to glaciers), but I still have a strong affinity (racial memory?) for high, scrubby places and cool weather. Maybe it goes as far back as the Vikings.

This might give you an idea how it looks from the city--Sweetie didn't take any photos from the city itself. His were taken from a suburb roughly to the right of these photos, or NW of the city. The mountains are to the west.

-- Anonymous, May 31, 2002

And here it is: Pikes Peak cam!

Also, Pikes Peak cam from the Devil's Playground And live (I think) shots of Colorado Springs from Pikes Peak

-- Anonymous, May 31, 2002

Beautiful, OG! I can smell the fresh air from here!

-- Anonymous, May 31, 2002

Actually OG, you might be surprised what I can do for the notebook. My contact is constantly dealing with stuff that customers send in, much of it unusable for resale in the local outlet store. you can figure out where it ends up, right?

So, if there is something that can help you, and they cannot do anything with it in the store, may as well send it to you. Then, if you want, you can take it to your repair person along with the part or parts.

Just last week they threw away some mac notebook case. Seems a customer removed the inards and returned the empty shell. They couldn't do anything with the case, and no credit was forthcoming from the vendor, so that made it trash, and out it went.

-- Anonymous, May 31, 2002

Wow, no kidding, BF! I don't know how to take off the monitor part, though. And I tried to fix the clicker once before and it was a bit too complicated for me. But if you can figure anything out, it's a Compaq Presario 1245. P.S. (If you come across a good battery for the damn thing, lemme know! New ones are in the $75 range.)

Now aren't those pics great? And we're looking at bloody hot and humid again, 90s, I believe. Ugh!

-- Anonymous, May 31, 2002

I'll bet you'll really enjoy CS! It's probably time for a change.

-- Anonymous, May 31, 2002

So the offer letter arrived today and Sweetie is looking at leaving next Wednesday. Unemployment here has more than doubled since this time last year and it continues. IBM is still quietly laying off about 150/week here and someone else, I forget who, is laying off a chunk of their workforce. Oh yeah--the State of NC is laying off too, Raleigh being the State Capitol, well, it's going to be hard hit.

-- Anonymous, May 31, 2002

Okay, I sent a message to the store. We'll see what comes of it by Monday.

-- Anonymous, June 01, 2002

For the chance to save major bucks on parts, I can wait longer than Monday! This set-up I have now, despite the awkward angle of the monitor, is workable and, as long as I don't have too many cats on the bed, I can function. There are only four here at the moment :)

-- Anonymous, June 02, 2002

So this morning I find I can't acess the Net on my computer--am borrowing Sweetie's until he gets up. It's either the little socket thingie for the cable ISP or it's the cable card. Now we HAVE to go to the repair shop! Animal is leaving Wed and this computer won't be available at all after tomorrow night. Have to pack anyway--the truck rental co. didn't have a 10-footer so is letting us have a 15- footer for the same price. Hence, I intend to stuff it with more stuff--saves moving it later and saves storing it here anyway.

-- Anonymous, June 03, 2002

NO tech in on Monday as the retail outlet is closed. Maybe Tuesday.

If your tech dude tells you what you need, let me know so I can see if I can get it shipped to you, or him if you prefer. if they have the parts, that is...

-- Anonymous, June 04, 2002

New scenario. I forgot we have a dial-up service too. Sweetie is supposed to figure out how we invoke it so we don't have to worry about the cable stuff till later. Gonna be a rush to get everything done, especially now Sweetie has come down with a gout attack--VERY inconsiderate! This is why gout sufferers are supposed to take meds every day and certainly not have a few beers when they quit without telling the House Nag.

-- Anonymous, June 04, 2002

OG, be easy on the poor guy. He's drinking 'cuz he knows how much he's going to miss you!

(Okay, you're right. I have been living alone for too long.)

-- Anonymous, June 04, 2002

Nah, he's feeling a lot better now he has a ton of boxes on the carport and the moving truck pulled right up to it. He's one of those people where the anticipation is worse than the actuality. He really is spoiled--I just can't do it all any more so he has to do most of it himself. I know he remembers it was the last bout of shifting stuff into storage that caused my feet to "break down"! He won't let me lift anything this time. When he's looking, that is, I shift stuff when he's asleep. Am being careful, though.

Btw, if anyone is thinking of hiring a u-do-it rental truck any time soon, try Penske--we found them absolutely delightful to deal with, including the 1-800 guy we first talked to. Rates are somewhat better also--and if you reserve online, you get 10% off. We saved about $200, around $700 rather than close to $900. Tip: ask for a 10-foot. They rarely have them so will offer you a 15-foot for the same price ;) Also, if you need storage, they have a deal with Public where you can get your first month's storage for one dollar. If you don't need it longer, fine, that's all you pay. (Plus a $10 admin fee, which you would pay on the regular rate--for what we want, $45/mo--anyway.)

Found wonderful moving boxes at the local recycle area--cardboard dumpster was full, bunch of book-sized boxes piled right next to it! About the right size for albums, too. I love scrounging.

-- Anonymous, June 05, 2002

make sure that you treat your boxes for storage to repel insects. We found quite a few freeloaders had come home with us when we brought our house out of storage after two months. It's gross having to deal with these bugs after six years of absolutely none in the house.

-- Anonymous, June 05, 2002