Its ok . I have . Got over myself I mean .
I was awake between 3 30 and at 8 30 after Nat was safely off to school I went back to sleep , musing on how pathetic it was that I was so wound up over a stupid laptop . Who cares if I dont have one for five weeks after all ? Its hardly the end of anything , its not even as if I dont have access to a pc , albeit one I cant use as the mouse is dodgy ( or rather using it is a bit of an Art ) and every time the Mass that is Kitty comes between the pc and the signal everything shuts down temporarily . And any attempt to hoick Kitty along even two cms meets with open hostility , hissing and spitting and foul looks . I dont know how D manages it . Day in and day out he toils at that desk , and she lies there , tongue slightly out , taking up the space and tapping the keys from time to time as the fancy takes her . Reformatting his documents into the bargain . I know we all love her but the man has the patience of a saint .
The most I hear is a mumbling and polite suggestion that she might move a bit . Never does he resort to ejecting her bodily onto the sofa as I did , twice , in a fit of pique . Picking her up was scary . She weighs a ton and as I lowered her down she wheezed and blew , clearly furious . I felt her jinx me the rest of the day and she rarely took her eyes off me . I probably won't do that again .
Friday, 19 October 2007
cant sleep ..
Its 4 am and I cant sleep . Ive tried all my usual tactics . Light on and read for ten minutes and that's usually enough .
Sometimes I need another burst of reading . Im reading two books at the minute one an Anne Tyler Morgan's Something or other ( I'm never good with titles ) and the other Rose Tremain short stories " The Darkness of Wallis Simpson " but that's too gloomy and indeed dark for the middle of the night . In fact it is quite gloomy here .
D is away for the night , staying at J's to help with babysitting as J and D are celebrating their 4th anniversary an d have left him in sole charge. I had some lovely texts about playing on the magic carpet and the kitten and cat fighting etc but its not the same as having him here . I woke and its very cold in the house , or maybe its me . I have a cold . And though the Vicks First Defence seemed to be working well its given me some alarming nosebleeds , including one streaming pouring fountain in the Tandoori Plaza earlier when Nat and I had our night out . There s nothing quite like blood to get catch folks on the hop . Me included . Nat was very calm , she always is . Good with these things having seen my migraines going overboard .
Anyway , my laptop . John Lewis . I'm weary of the tale so may just copy you my letter of complaint .
To whom it may concern
I am writing to complain about the inadequacies of the repair service offered in respect of my laptop which was left with you for repair under guarantee on 16th Sept. 07
I was advised that the item may be away for one or possibly two weeks and when I had heard nothing after some three weeks I began calling the service desk .
On several occasions I was told a member of the service desk staff would call me back and indeed on one or two occasions this did happen . However on several occasions I was only able to be updated thanks to my repeat calling .
On Monday 8th I was informed that the laptop had been repaired and was undergoing " final checks " at Hewlett Packard and was likely to be available to myself sometime later that week .
The following Monday when I had still heard nothing despite having contacted the store and been advised that the service desk was busy and would call me back (15th ) I contacted the service desk again . On this occasion I was told again I would receive a call back . I was not contacted so rang again on Wednesday 17th . Again no call back .
As almost five weeks had by now elapsed I decided to visit the store today , Thursday 18th October having lost faith that I would either receive an explanatory call or that HP would be contacted again unless I was there in person to request this .
I was attended by L who rang HP and discovered that the laptop had been repaired and delivered back to the store .
I had not been contacted as it had not been " booked in " . Therefore it appeared to be missing in the store .
It was subsequently located in a cupboard and was returned to me .
Upon arrival home I discovered that the battery was missing . It transpires that the battery is currently still in the store though a manager Mr H has undertaken to have it returned to me over this coming weekend .
I note also that the laptop , despite having been described as in good condition on the receipt with which I was provided , has incurred a number of scratches on the lid , the screen is covered in dust and flakes ( black specks ) and there are large white flakes of an unknown substance on the keyboard . In addition to the scratches the lid has three small gouge marks and to the right edge there is a scrape mark . The lid is also covered in fingerprints .
These latter details concern me less than the fact that the laptop was apparently in a cupboard at John Lewis for some ten days ( I understand it was delivered there on 10th October ) when I could have been using it ( I run a business from home ) , despite my frequent calls asking about it .
Latterly I have been tempted to purchase equipment such as laptops from out of town stores but so far have desisted and remained loyal to John Lewis believing your record to be exemplary .
This recent episode leaves me questioning my loyalty .
Yours etc
Of course missing from the letter is the thing Im really quite proud of . Having always been brought up to behave well around people , to be polite and courteous and in the main having found that though it usually works well, there are occasions when holding back one's true feelings in times of stress has not served one well .
On this particular occasion when the aforementioned Ms L found the laptop sitting in their cupbpard where it had been all along , or at least since Wednesday of last week , ten days ago , I did say to her " I am livid . In fact Im so livid I can hardly speak " ( and it was true ) .
So true in fact that as soon as I left the Service Desk ( which is situated in a little room off the main Audio and Tv Dept ) , I stopped in my tracks and let out a really loud scream . A really loud I am so frustrated that if I dont scream really loudly I am going to implode ( possibly ) scream . I then looked around at all the Men in Suits , who for some reason all looked very short and unimposing , and at the other shoppers , staring hard into space , and at all the TV s showing the afternoon tv for purposes of demonstration , smiled , gave myself a little shake , and walked on .
You can have no idea ( or maybe you can ) of just how wonderful that felt .
And maybe Mr H , the manager who rang me back twice this afternoon after I rang to let him know that when I arrived home the laptop was without battery and that I was less than amused , maybe he put two and two together and realised I was the Nutter in the store earlier and had best be taken care of lest I returned .
Who knows ?
He tells me my battery will either be delivered by Special Delivery Royal mail ( the normal is no good as they are on strike ) and failing that , he will personally deliver it himself , by metro , as a taxi is not permitted .
Oh here we go . Another nosebleed .
.
Sometimes I need another burst of reading . Im reading two books at the minute one an Anne Tyler Morgan's Something or other ( I'm never good with titles ) and the other Rose Tremain short stories " The Darkness of Wallis Simpson " but that's too gloomy and indeed dark for the middle of the night . In fact it is quite gloomy here .
D is away for the night , staying at J's to help with babysitting as J and D are celebrating their 4th anniversary an d have left him in sole charge. I had some lovely texts about playing on the magic carpet and the kitten and cat fighting etc but its not the same as having him here . I woke and its very cold in the house , or maybe its me . I have a cold . And though the Vicks First Defence seemed to be working well its given me some alarming nosebleeds , including one streaming pouring fountain in the Tandoori Plaza earlier when Nat and I had our night out . There s nothing quite like blood to get catch folks on the hop . Me included . Nat was very calm , she always is . Good with these things having seen my migraines going overboard .
Anyway , my laptop . John Lewis . I'm weary of the tale so may just copy you my letter of complaint .
To whom it may concern
I am writing to complain about the inadequacies of the repair service offered in respect of my laptop which was left with you for repair under guarantee on 16th Sept. 07
I was advised that the item may be away for one or possibly two weeks and when I had heard nothing after some three weeks I began calling the service desk .
On several occasions I was told a member of the service desk staff would call me back and indeed on one or two occasions this did happen . However on several occasions I was only able to be updated thanks to my repeat calling .
On Monday 8th I was informed that the laptop had been repaired and was undergoing " final checks " at Hewlett Packard and was likely to be available to myself sometime later that week .
The following Monday when I had still heard nothing despite having contacted the store and been advised that the service desk was busy and would call me back (15th ) I contacted the service desk again . On this occasion I was told again I would receive a call back . I was not contacted so rang again on Wednesday 17th . Again no call back .
As almost five weeks had by now elapsed I decided to visit the store today , Thursday 18th October having lost faith that I would either receive an explanatory call or that HP would be contacted again unless I was there in person to request this .
I was attended by L who rang HP and discovered that the laptop had been repaired and delivered back to the store .
I had not been contacted as it had not been " booked in " . Therefore it appeared to be missing in the store .
It was subsequently located in a cupboard and was returned to me .
Upon arrival home I discovered that the battery was missing . It transpires that the battery is currently still in the store though a manager Mr H has undertaken to have it returned to me over this coming weekend .
I note also that the laptop , despite having been described as in good condition on the receipt with which I was provided , has incurred a number of scratches on the lid , the screen is covered in dust and flakes ( black specks ) and there are large white flakes of an unknown substance on the keyboard . In addition to the scratches the lid has three small gouge marks and to the right edge there is a scrape mark . The lid is also covered in fingerprints .
These latter details concern me less than the fact that the laptop was apparently in a cupboard at John Lewis for some ten days ( I understand it was delivered there on 10th October ) when I could have been using it ( I run a business from home ) , despite my frequent calls asking about it .
Latterly I have been tempted to purchase equipment such as laptops from out of town stores but so far have desisted and remained loyal to John Lewis believing your record to be exemplary .
This recent episode leaves me questioning my loyalty .
Yours etc
Of course missing from the letter is the thing Im really quite proud of . Having always been brought up to behave well around people , to be polite and courteous and in the main having found that though it usually works well, there are occasions when holding back one's true feelings in times of stress has not served one well .
On this particular occasion when the aforementioned Ms L found the laptop sitting in their cupbpard where it had been all along , or at least since Wednesday of last week , ten days ago , I did say to her " I am livid . In fact Im so livid I can hardly speak " ( and it was true ) .
So true in fact that as soon as I left the Service Desk ( which is situated in a little room off the main Audio and Tv Dept ) , I stopped in my tracks and let out a really loud scream . A really loud I am so frustrated that if I dont scream really loudly I am going to implode ( possibly ) scream . I then looked around at all the Men in Suits , who for some reason all looked very short and unimposing , and at the other shoppers , staring hard into space , and at all the TV s showing the afternoon tv for purposes of demonstration , smiled , gave myself a little shake , and walked on .
You can have no idea ( or maybe you can ) of just how wonderful that felt .
And maybe Mr H , the manager who rang me back twice this afternoon after I rang to let him know that when I arrived home the laptop was without battery and that I was less than amused , maybe he put two and two together and realised I was the Nutter in the store earlier and had best be taken care of lest I returned .
Who knows ?
He tells me my battery will either be delivered by Special Delivery Royal mail ( the normal is no good as they are on strike ) and failing that , he will personally deliver it himself , by metro , as a taxi is not permitted .
Oh here we go . Another nosebleed .
.
Thursday, 18 October 2007
I screamed very loudly near John Lewis service desk ...
.. and now , strangely , I have my laptop back .....
Am overjoyed , though seething , and going out to celebrate . Though I will be back soon to tell you all about it .
Am overjoyed , though seething , and going out to celebrate . Though I will be back soon to tell you all about it .
Amazing friends ..and what life throws at them ...
Its been a week for friends . Starting with my sister on Sunday ( even though that was her day for going home ), moving on to Barbara on Monday and a night at Lui's ( tapas in the village ) . Lovely to come home after work and instead of the usual events , to have a bath and get ready to go out . We found a lovely quiet table in the back , with a shelf behind the table , where B carefully placed the jacket she had bought in Toronto earlier this year , commenting its perfect for this time of year as its slightly padded . As we became engrossed in a tale she was telling me about someone we both knew , I saw a curl of smke then a whoosh of flames from behind us and shouted Barbara youre on fire ! Somehow neither of us had noticed the row of tasteful candles and the jacket had fallen across them and was literally aflame . She grabbed it and started bashing at the flames . Fortunately at that point our drinks had not yet been served otherwise my Weston's organic cider might have been wasted . On recovering from the shock Barbara , ever cheery and practical , decided she could cut a stylish v out of the collar of the jacket and situated behind her hair no one would be any the wiser . Though knowing B she will probably tell everyone the tale with a loud cackle as she does so .
A great night !
Margaret Anne and I caught up on the phone on Tuesday evening . We ve always spoken regularly on the phone since she moved away a number of years ago and every so often she comes to stay here or I go to Wiltshire . Last Sept was the last visit when N and I stayed with her for a few nights after Oliver's book launch in London .
She would have been due her annual pilgrimage north in the Spring but for some reason it didnt happen this year although I wasnt sure why as our contact had become less.
I texted her last week saying I was wondering about her though I knew she would be all right .
She rang to tell me the devestating news that their business was in the process of folding and that they were losing everything , their home , livelihood etc . However what was amazing , but didnt surprise me was her upbeat attitude to it all . She was as ever looking at all the positives to come out of it , rock solid relationship with her husband , a new start looking at houses , a new business venture for Mike , and something of a test for her in her beliefs in the power of the mind , in doing the right thing , living with integrity and doing everything possible to live her life acccording to her beliefs and philosophy . It was brilliant to talk to her . I know how much she loves her house , as she loved her previous home here in the north east , and just how much of herself she has poured into it , yet as she said , its bricks and mortar and as long as we have all the important things thats what matters . And I knew exactly what she meant .
And not forgetting Debbie , who I havent seen this week but who keeps me sane on Fridays usually so I will see her later this week no doubt .
Amazing friends . There are others but Im out of time .
I plan to visit John lewis in person now to inquire again about my laptop .
Wish me luck ?
A great night !
Margaret Anne and I caught up on the phone on Tuesday evening . We ve always spoken regularly on the phone since she moved away a number of years ago and every so often she comes to stay here or I go to Wiltshire . Last Sept was the last visit when N and I stayed with her for a few nights after Oliver's book launch in London .
She would have been due her annual pilgrimage north in the Spring but for some reason it didnt happen this year although I wasnt sure why as our contact had become less.
I texted her last week saying I was wondering about her though I knew she would be all right .
She rang to tell me the devestating news that their business was in the process of folding and that they were losing everything , their home , livelihood etc . However what was amazing , but didnt surprise me was her upbeat attitude to it all . She was as ever looking at all the positives to come out of it , rock solid relationship with her husband , a new start looking at houses , a new business venture for Mike , and something of a test for her in her beliefs in the power of the mind , in doing the right thing , living with integrity and doing everything possible to live her life acccording to her beliefs and philosophy . It was brilliant to talk to her . I know how much she loves her house , as she loved her previous home here in the north east , and just how much of herself she has poured into it , yet as she said , its bricks and mortar and as long as we have all the important things thats what matters . And I knew exactly what she meant .
And not forgetting Debbie , who I havent seen this week but who keeps me sane on Fridays usually so I will see her later this week no doubt .
Amazing friends . There are others but Im out of time .
I plan to visit John lewis in person now to inquire again about my laptop .
Wish me luck ?
Tuesday, 16 October 2007
still no news
I can hardly bear to write this but I still dont have the laptop . And Im so bored hearing myself telling John lewis the same old story about how theyve now had it well over four weeks and I was told one or two weeks at the outside an dI would have it back , that I now cant even bear to ring them up an d harras them .
And some other minor irritations like a sore throat , feeling cold like Im getting something nasty , like realising I havent booked Nat any holiday insurance .
On a positive note though , only three more work days until we go to Menorca . And of course hopefully very soon after we get back , we pick up the dog !
Bear with me ?
Now sure I can even bear with myself at the minute !
And some other minor irritations like a sore throat , feeling cold like Im getting something nasty , like realising I havent booked Nat any holiday insurance .
On a positive note though , only three more work days until we go to Menorca . And of course hopefully very soon after we get back , we pick up the dog !
Bear with me ?
Now sure I can even bear with myself at the minute !
Saturday, 13 October 2007
migraine days
Ive been excited about my sister coming to stay all week . She's not been well so it seems like she might want to doss about and not do much apart from the odd walk to the sea then sitting around eating and chatting ... then I get over excited and wake up at six and having read my latest book Sally Vickers ( the one about the psychiatrist , its brilliant ) for ages , my mind turns to breakfast and I have this desire to cook bacon and eggs and mushrooms and tomatoes for everyone and I do but I accidentally fry an extra egg for me ( I dont eat eggs having discovered almost for sure that they contribute to causing my migraines ) and I look at it sitting in the pan an dit looks so wonderful and I love eggs so much and its only one after all and I say I'll juts take a chance and maybe I 'll be ok and Nat advises caution ( shes seen me too many times with migraine , hanging over the bidet losing everything ) telling me if it doesnt work out I '' really regret it , but too late my mind is made up and I enjoy the egg and the rest of the oil laden breakfast and almost before its digested I start to feel seedy and even though L and I go out for a long walk down by the mouth of the river an d then out along the pier where the waves are crashing and the men are fishing an dthe birds hopping on the wall and by the time we get back my neck is aching and my head throbbing and I feel sick and take off to bed with Immigran .
I wake at five and jessie , the smallest Birman is entwined between my legs fast asleep and I darent move in case she bites me .
So , no more eggs ......
I wake at five and jessie , the smallest Birman is entwined between my legs fast asleep and I darent move in case she bites me .
So , no more eggs ......
Friday, 12 October 2007
events ...
events are conspiring against me and blogging . Not a word about my laptop . My sister is staying .
But just in the hope that you will keep coming back when I do finally get back to normal , I enclose a picture of the greyhound who will be coming to live with us once the formalities are completed . She is cat friendly , seemed to settle immediately on her preliminary visit to us , and as you can see from the picture demonstated the posture that is greyhounds , ie known in the trade as " cockroaching " . It seems we have a lot to learn about these lovely dogs . I couldnt believe how trusting she was of us .
We cant wait to get her . At the m,inute I feel like somewhere Ive had a baby and someone else has to look after her . Wendy , her foster mother , is lovely and has told me to ring any time to find out how she is . But I still find myself wondering endlessly how she is and wishing she was here ......
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Migraine Days
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