Laptop Blues

Computer Update
It is such a long story I'm not going to write everything that happened this week in my quest to get my laptop repaired without sending it back to IBM. I'll just say that the quest failed.

Monday IBM is having DHL drop off a packing box. I will fill out the forms, pack the box, and send my laptop far away.

The estimate to fix it is right at the borderline of what I determined to be the cut off of what I was willing to pay for repairs - the value of the laptop on the used laptop market. At this point the experts are 85% certain it needs a new motherboard.

There is a little bit of good news. The local repair shop was able to backup all my documents and pictures on CDs before giving me back my nonfunctional laptop.

Whoops, There Goes Another One
Two days after my laptop died, DH's desktop died. It also appeared to be a motherboard. Is that strange, or what?

After considering and pricing out his options, DH decided to just buy a new machine. His was old and outdated.

Yesterday he came home with a big box, and now we have one nice, functional desktop. But it's his, set up for him. I don't have my Favorites, or my Outlook, or My Documents. But he is sharing and I'm able to get online and read my email, write a blog post, and check my flight status for Tuesday's trip to Idaho.

Hairy Mess
Richard, (the computer repair guy) -

Do you have a cat that sleeps on your keyboard? All your keys seem to be wrapped in cat hair.

Me -

No cat. I sit on a loveseat and one little dog snuggles up next to me and the other little dog sits up behind my shoulders. When the laptop is not in use, I shut the lid.

Richard (laughing)-

The fan is pulling the fine dog hair into the keyboard. You're probably not even seeing it fly through the air. I cleaned it out the best I could while I had it apart. The hair doesn't seem to be hurting anything.

I'm not sure what to do about the hair, assuming I ever get the laptop back. Being comfortable on the loveseat and snuggling with the pups while I'm online is one of the reasons I'm willing to pay extra to have a laptop.

Right now I'm sitting in a hard chair using DH's desktop. Pappy is on my lap wiggling around trying to get comfortable. I'm reaching around him trying to type and get comfortable.

The whole family, including dogs, want that laptop back ASAP, hairy keys and all.