Flustery Friday

Not sure where this week has gone.

I have been busy but in a 'not-in-the-studio' sort of way and I keep looking at my work longingly. I have one more commitment to fulfill this morning then I will  shut myself in the studio with the radio, whichever cat deigns to tolerate me and Moss.

One companion that I will be glad to see leaving is Storm Gareth, he has been rather up close and personal the last few days which has made walking less enjoyable and in some cases impossible.  My next 'personal milestone' for the #walk1000miles challenge is a rather heady 200 and I am less than 2 miles from it. And have been for the last three days ....so close so close.

Himself purchased a moleskin pocket sketch album for me and it landed with yesterday's post. He had miss read the sizes, switching inches for centimetres and it was a lot smaller than he anticipated and was rather disappointed.

However - I am delighted!  I use moleskin art journals - I love them, my present one is a little bigger and therein lies a problem. I'd bought it to tout around when I am out to do quick sketches of faces or views etc however it is a little too large to whip out anonymously and start a surreptitious scribble in a cafe. So this new and happily unexpected pocket sketch book is very very welcome!

My laptop, who had been sounding a bit asthmatic for the last couple of years or so, started having hot flushes about twelve months ago and more recently taken to throwing tantrums and fainting at crucial times. Early Tuesday morning it finally folded it arms and said 'no more'.  I tried all the usual tricks of pleading, coaxing and the tried and trusted method of ... have you switched off and back on again?...

All to no avail. I had to call in the big guns. So I rang my mostly reliable computer-mend-it-man only to get a recorded message saying that 'this number is not recognised'. So I went on line with my tablet and found his web site and was slightly put off by the huge link saying 'this domain is now up for sale'..... In a moment not only had I lost my laptop but I 'lost' my fix-it man too!

Then I remembered, not far down the main road is a PC repair chap that a friend of mine once recommended. Quickly I searched his name and found his number and gave him a ring. The conversation went thus....

Him: Morning PC Repair

Me: Morning, sorry to ring you so early, a friend of mine recommended you, my laptop has just died and I wondered if I could pop it down to you?

Him: what's up with it?

Me:..... I gave him a quick resume of it's shameful antics

Him: Where are you? as I have to be out by 9.30am

Me: (triumphantly) oh only five minutes up the road, I can drop it off now

Him: ok - see you shortly.

I hung up, grabbed the lifeless laptop, shoved it and the cord and mouse into  a bag, unceremoniously yelled at the dog to go to bed and to stay and galloped out the house and down the road as quick as my legs would decently go.

A few minutes later, I breathlessly knocked on the door and fairly quickly a youngish man opened it ... ah.....

The face did not match the voice.... so I hesitantly said..

Me: Hi, I rang a moment ago?  

Bloke ... blank look on face

Me: About my sick laptop?.................you told me I could bring it down?

Bloke (sudden realisation on his face) Oh - he moved. About six months ago. He lives in Whalley now.

Me: (...... tumble weed rolling and wind blowing sounds in my head .... ) oh.

Bloke: bye (firmly shutting door in my face)

I look at my watch. Nearly 9.30.  There is absolutely no way I can get the car ready in five minutes let alone get to Whalley (about 30 minutes away)....

I gallop back up the road home, crash into the house, startle the dog who (bless her) has not moved and grab the phone, redial....

Him: Morning PC repair

Me: (Laboured breathing) ...you (gasp gasp) you (puff puff) are not five minutes away.... 

Him: What?

Me: (puff puff) You are not five minutes away - you don't live in the village you have moved!

Him: Yes.

Me: (feeling indignant and still trying to get my breath back) I will never make it in time to Whalley. 

Him: It is ok, I am coming down to the village...... I'll pick it up from you

Me: (Instant mood change from grrrr to 'OH?) Oh? could you? that would be great, thanks

So.... it turns out, he did move, about six months ago but comes to the village every day to collect and drop off work as so many of his customers are based here. He explained later, when he returned my laptop to me, that my accent had thrown him - his words were.... you speak so posh I thought you lived in Whalley........ 

hey ho.

Notes.    

1. Laptop is better - no longer asthmatic, no longer suffering fainting fits or hot flushes.

2. laptop no longer has any downloads so am having to find them all again.

3. Laptop now has microsoft office on it - woop woop.

4. Whalley is pronounced worley and not wally. Coz iz posh ya see.... like me accent..... sigh.