Archives: tech support

Weird – it’s 2 weeks since our 1st day of holiday in Somerset already. I say weird, but I’m always playing catchup – so I can’t really be surprised, now, can I?

Mum took us to Weston-Super-Mare that day & I bought a new modem for my parent’s computer. I was to regret this, but how was I to know? Jack was really, really wanting to go to the beach, but the weather was undecided; showery and also windy. I think we resisted Jack’s will that day & avoided the beach.
Later, I tried to install the modem & it wouldn’t have it. Didn’t want to sit on the comm port, basically. The computer did have a 28K modem, but that was doing the same – so that modem was probably OK. Still – that was a bit of a -um- nuisance. I spent a good long while at night when the kids were asleep fixing the darn thing – or rather failing to fix it. Fortunately my parents have 2 computers – both inherited from people upgrading, so that gave me more options. One was failing to boot up in the end, but I managed to get the name of the corrupted file off the faulty one & grab a replacement off the one that was working. I found the reason while the applications kept performing ‘illegal operations’ on that one as well – the date kept straying to 2097. Suspect battery problems. Old computers get cranky as part cease to work as they should.
Still – at least we got to the position where both computers were working properly, & my parents can get on the Internet; I’m quite pleased about that.

The Wednesday we succumbed to the pleas to go to the beach. It was a brief visit – Louise had to retreat with Jude as he does not like the wind, & it was very windy. Jack bought his scooter along & found that it did not work on the sand; too soft – the wheels sunk. Still he could go along the sea wall at a pace – the sea wall at Burnham has large steps up to the curved wall that deflects the waves – presumably to ‘disrupt’ a storm wave as it comes in. Perfect for scooting along – but Jack was not so keen as the sand was more fun. He wanted to run off & have a laff & gad about, but we had to cut short & retire home as Eve needed changing.
Friday was a better day in general. We spent a good long time on the beach then. The wind had abated, the sun was out – the tourists were out. Weird – Burnham gets a high Brum quota to its holidaymakers. It’s more prevalent than the south west accent during the ‘on season’.

When I sit down to write I usually start off with the 1st thing in my head. This morning – as it’s there & nagging, I have a stiff back. Or is it neck? But it’s the right shoulder blade that hurts. Petty, self-interested & personal, but there you go – indicative of this whole shebang.
Jack had some Edam cheese on Sunday & announced to Louise that he really liked it. He also said that although he really likes it he’d rather it wasn’t used in his lunchtime sandwiches (he takes a packed lunch as Louise, & thus he, is vegetarian). It seems even at this age he is prone to peer pressure. Not wanting to have something anomalous for others to note in his lunch. Perhaps one day he will have the confidence to revel in ‘difference’.
Louise was a bit laid up yesterday & I was more in charge of keeping things ticking over. Jack probably spent too much time on the Internet playing games (hell, I probably spend too much time on the internet). We played a couple of games on the Lego site including the new ‘Junkbot’ game. I had to turn that one off to get him to admit it might be bedtime. Eve was in a funny mood. She is usually quite good at playing on her own, but is getting more attention seeking at the moment. We worry that it’s because when Louise’s mum comes all she can do is ‘molly coddle’ her. All attention is focused Eve’s way. She does not get the opportunity to play on her own – she does not get the opportunity to get a nap sometimes either, as if she does drift off she’s been known to be woken up if she just stirs as an excuse for being woken…

Train home

Anyway anyway – she now wants attention; too much attention sometimes & she was forever round my feet. That was the impression, but probably a little exaggerated. She was also antagonising Jack – trying to get him to respond to slaps & so on. Oh, she would not do well if it wasn’t for the fact that Jack is actually patient with her & knows I really disapprove of him doing anything ‘mean’ – even if she is being annoying; “If she’s doing that please tell me Jack”.
I’m an hour late traveling home today. One of those calls at ‘just to the hour’, which lasted an hour. Problem remains unsolved as well – but the guy has steps to take to get on with which might remedy the situation.
I called Louise to report this as I’m not able to pick up Jack (looking at the time – now – as I type this… a bit difficult from a speeding train some distance away). She says that Eve has been getting to know the potty today – which is a 1st – being keen to use it. We wondered when that might start to happen.
Back at the weekend. On Saturday we went to a housewarming party for someone who Louise knows through playgroup. They’ve moved into a very nice terrace that overlooks the town. Nice location (views from the attic room are lovely) & nice sized house (tall ceilings & spacious rooms). It’s sort of a long-term ambition to move to another house on that terrace… but that’s probably a good while hence. Anyway – apart from coveting it was a lovely social day. I thought that getting there in the afternoon might mean that we would be setting off home to have tea & get the kids to bed, but realised that was probably not the plan when I looked at my watch & it was already 6:30! The kids were enjoying themselves playing with their kids toys & roaming about & so on. We were in fact the last to leave in the end – quite late – with a sleeping Jude & Eve. Jack, of course was still wide-eyed, if not fully awake. I think he has my capacity to keep going in the face of sensibility. He recovers better the next day than I do from lack of sleep though. I turn into a gibbering wreck without the requisite, he seems to get along fine – although having said that toward the end of the day he was getting more emotional in is responses. That might last a couple of days if we cannot convince him into a normal sleep pattern.