Without my laptop...

So hard saying goodbye to my laptop yesterday . Has been my constant companion for well over a year , but yesterday it all got too much . the lid hinge was getting looser and looser and almost impossible to get the screen to focus . Typing was a one finger only business , with the left hand used to hold the lid tightly on , pressing at an angle to get a connection . Using the mouse whilst doing this was nigh on impossible . I never knew I knew so many swear words , juts as you were about to perform some delicate operation the image on the screen would start vagueing out and then woosh , disappear in a puff of smoke .

So back to the " service desk " at John Lewis , as instructed by Judith , on the phone on Saturday afternoon , in one of those its now or never moments . What Judith didnt tell me was that no one on ground floor would have heard of the "service desk " nor indeed that they would snigger somewhat nastily when I asked where it was , then set off to find another employee who would flounce back doing the " which lady wants the "service desk" " whilst loooking me up and down like some kind of idiot .
However Judith was right and there was indeed a service desk , lurking in the corner of audio whatsits , ( maybe everyone has to bring their laptop back ??? ) and , oh , the heart sinks , there is a whole queue of people waiting there with their broken thingies . Its not as if I can just throw my beloved laptop at her and run . No , I have to wait whilst a family divest themselves of their little ipod , all the while feeling more and more panicked at the thought of no laptop , no blogging .

I cant write about the deed , but afterwards I said to Nat " I felt like giving my laptop a goodbye kiss " and she just looked at me . Though to her credit she didnt ring the store psychiatric facility .

We had lunch in pret a manger to ease the day onwards then took off to Laura s ( see the house above ) , where we overate dangerously and played Scrabble . Some tense moments indeed when the Supreme Champion ( on the throne since the demise of Grandma Batey) looked like and then , horrors , was beaten by her thirteen year old neice ( my daughter ). Go for it Nat, not a battle I would have dared to win . Nor had the skills I hasten to add . I always come last .
To be fair Laura coped magnanimously , and after a few moments alone in the bathroom all was well .

And now Ive discovered that D is quite happy to let me Blog from his pc .
I'm off to Edinburgh tomorrow to a conference . Wish me luck for my presentation on Thursday afternoon , and I will be back on Friday . And who knows maybe the laptop will not be much longer away .