It's one of those mornings where I'm feeling a long way from home. I'm sitting here with Boy #2 sprawled out on the bench beside me ('Play with me mama, play with me'!), watching the snow fall in those mesmerisingly pretty patterns and contemplating how exhausted I feel, whilst waiting for technical support in the UK to answer the phone. In front of me, my laptop is making increasingly desperate noises. I know, I should turn the dam' thing off and call them - but since Skype is the best way to contact them, I need to have it on.
I can't contemplate what I will do if they tell me to turn it off and not switch it back on until I can get it back to the UK where it's under guarantee. Not only will I go stark-staring mad without my internet life-line (more of which another time), but since we still don't have a tv or dvd player, my sons may go bonkers too.
On the plus side of course, their increasingly frantic complaints about the latter may finally force Husband and I into action and get us galvinised to go and buy a television.
So I suppose every cloud has a silver lining.
Update: I finally got through. Apparantly there is nothing the UK manufacturers of my computer can do because, guess what, it needs to be back in the country before they can help. Just off now to google 'what to do when your computer sounds like it has a host of angry bees trapped in the back left-hand corner of the keyboard' after which I will no doubt fruitlessly open the fridge searching for diet coke and the cupboards in search of Green & Blacks before I remember we've run out of the both and my next shopping trip isn't until tomorrow.
Who said the life of an expat wasn't filled with glamour and excitment?
Oh God I feel for you, maybe if you leave it for a few hrs, utter a prayer to St Jude,and cross fingers and toes it mght work. Did I read before you were going to to come back to the uk for half term, which here is next week. Invest in a couple of i pods and fill with Peppa Pig or Ben 10 and keep for emergencies!!
ReplyDeleteI feel for you, how awful to be high and dry abroad with kids without mod cons.
ReplyDeleteWhat a pain about the laptop - is it a new one? Surely they can at least give you advice over the phone even if they can't fix it- very unprofessional if not.
ReplyDelete(If it makes you feel any better, I've had an appalling day, stuck in the house pretty well all day with a fractious husband and misbehaving boys because it's blizzarding outside. Ended with both of them having a huge meltdown at supper, and us rowing.) Just peachy.
Oh crap! And this will be the new laptop I suppose? Shame there's no handy Russian workmen around to fix it - mind you there may not be room in the apartment for the presumed number required for high tech repairs :-)
ReplyDeleteI have my fingers crossed that it keeps going until you have an alternative means of contact and/or entertainment. Personally, I think I'd buy a TV anyway for emergency DVD use which must be essential given your current circumstances.
God, it's bad enough when you're in your own snowy country, stuck in the house with little ones, (in my case a sick boy). Chin up!
ReplyDeleteOh I do sympathise, I had no internet for 9mths when we 1st arrived, no shipment for 5 mths & no dvd player for 5 mths. It stretches yr patience, tolerance & creativity to breaking point. Everythign takes so much longer in an unfamiliar country too, where one doesn't know the ropes (or the language) & there's usualy an added tangle of bureaucracy too. Ihope u can getyr laptop sorte dsoon,it really is SUCH a lifeline isn't it?
ReplyDeleteOh yes, glamour and excitement. When's the cocktail hour?
ReplyDeleteThanks Chris; excellent advice!
ReplyDeleteHB, well, could be worse. Could be snowing and minus 20deg. What's that you say?
NVG, I hope you all recovered from your peachy day - it does rather top mine (a fractious husband trapped at home rather tops anything I've mentioned!)
Sharon, we are going to buy a tv, don't worry. It's just that we haven't got round to it yet. And yes, it IS the new laptop that's playing up. Dammit.
EPM, I hope he's feeling better?
Paradise, it is a lifeline, you're so right. It's not sorted yet - still buzzing like a host of angry bees - but I'm carrying on regardless until it - or I - explode...
Iota, I thought it was going to be at yours today? Make mine a seabreeze, please...