Works for Me ...

(Source)

Big doings down Maryland way and in these parts as well (Little Rhody for those who aren't regulars).

Seems that the newest member of the tribe, Finnegan, though that callsign isn't official yet, has had his daycare swept from underneath him. Presents a problem as both his parents work which is why The Missus Herself (or Grandma as the wee ones insist) has been forward deployed down below the Mason-Dixon line these past two weeks. I should mention that The Nuke was Down Under for those two weeks for work. Leaving Tuttle having to work AND watch the wee ones. Which is why Wonder Woman The Missus Herself was down there, helping the kids out, as is her wont.

Now I've been maintaining the Palace as well as I can (yes, that's not very well) what with work and dying laptops and a pending return of The Missus Herself so we could head north to celebrate Thanksgiving. Which leads me to "the big doings in these parts."

Seems half the tribe up there has been hit with "covid-like-symptoms" leaving the rest to panic and decide that Thanksgiving should be spent much like 2021 was, in our own little bunkers protected from politicians the world.

Now I ain't going to go into the politics of this, those who wish to in the comments may find their comments deleted, I have less and less patience with politics of any flavor. Can we just agree that ALL POLITICIANS SUCK, or will eventually? And leave it at that.

So the freaking Grinch cancelled Thanksgiving up north. I was resigned to spending the day with the love of my life (The Missus Herself) just chilling and eating pie. (Two of which I ordered for the get together which is now not going to happen.)

Now, back to the daycare situation. Seems the daycare which Roberto did attend (and enjoyed) and which Finnegan is (was?) attending somehow let things slide to the point where the state decided that they were no longer a licensed daycare facility. I don't know the full particulars, and don't much care, other than the youngest member of the tribe has no daycare and must stay home with both parents working, mostly NOT AT HOME.

Now the hunt for a new daycare has commenced but, one thing leading to another, "Hey Dad, can Mom stay until after Thanksgiving?"

Um, well, uh, I do have pies, two of 'em. But gee, does Mom (The Missus Herself) really have to stay another week?

Yes.

Uh, well, okay, I guess ...

"I want to fly you to BWI on Wednesday, return the Sunday after T-Day."

Oh boy, air travel over T-Day, ouch, Holy Crap, that's gonna be ...

"Sure, why not?"

So I must needs be suffer the slings and arrows of air travel over A Major Holiday, but on the upside get to spend T-Day with grandkids.

Sign me up.

Downside?

Well, for y'all, I have no laptop now. So guess what I won't be doing over the holiday?

Blogging.

Talk quietly among yourselves, maybe I'll toss up a re-run before I go, maybe I'll just say the heck with it and join the Muse, away from the keyboard.

We shall see.

Well, That Sucks ...

What my laptop looked like Thursday night.
(Source)

So, it's Friday morning, I have the day off, it's lovely outside, there is nothing on my plate except a call to the oil company for a "where my money at?" conversation, which we'll get to momentarily.

After breakfast, (two English muffins with butter, one cup of coffee - it's how I roll) I decide that spending an hour or so playing Sniper Elite 5 would be just the thing to start the long weekend.

Just a few minutes in, the screen freezes. Okay, it happens sometimes. Computer just came up, it's still doing stuff in the background, I get the occasional "wait a second, okay I'm good-to-go" pause, then things are fine.

Friday? Not so much. Screen stays frozen. My first thought "damned software wandered off someplace it doesn't know how to get back from, I'll just close the program."

What? Huh? Whaddaya mean I can't close the program?

Nope, so I had to do a "hard reset," as I like to call it. Power the beast down, wait a few seconds, then power it back up. That usually works.

Note the use of the word "usually."

Yup, press power, nothing happens. Go online via the phone, try a few suggested tricks at the manufacturer's website ...

Nada, nichts, niente, rien ...

Nothing. Zilch, cold metal and inanimate plastic.

On the company website: "rarely, the motherboard will need to be replaced ..."

Guess what?

What my laptop looked like Friday morning.
(Source)

Contacted my son, The Naviguesser, who bought me the beast, he also bought a four year warranty for it. He had to do the paperwork as everything was in his name. A few moments later I get a text from the company ...

"You should receive the shipping materials needed to return your laptop in five business days."

I feel really good about not getting rid of my old computer (which I am using as I write).

Really good.

Ah well, no Sniper Elite 5 for a few days (weeks? months?).

Yeah, 1st World Problem.

Almost forgot, the oil company thing. Got that straightened out. So I got to breathe a sigh of relief on that front.

Damn, I was so close to being in the 19th Century.

I shall endeavor to carry on with the tools I have to hand. (No, I didn't lose any data on the laptop, I am very much an eggs in multiple baskets kind of guy. At least I didn't lose much, yet.)