Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Jack Russells and computers don't mix!

The other day, Perdy decided to chase away a visitor at the gate. She’s really good at that and it has served me well when it comes to unwanted attention from those who wish to ‘sell, either ‘ideas,’ religion (they all want to save me!) and God knows what else. She sets up a bark that leads the ‘visitors’ think she is a Pitt Bull or at least a manic wolf!  That’s all good as far as I am concerned.
Of course on that crazy run through the cat door she can create quite a swath of damage as she heads towards the cat door. Yes, she uses the cat door to exit and enter the house, having chased away the original ‘user’ of the said door. Unfortunately whilst doing her duty on this occasion, Perdy managed to run across/through the cable that was charging my lovely computer (Laptop) and this caused it to crash to the floor. When I picked it up and turned it back on, all I saw on the screen was a mish-mash of something looking like modern art. I thought that the computer had slipped into some sort of new ‘wallpaper’ offering. It looked really nice. Fool that I was: I left it and it was only when I actually tried to sign in that the big nothing happened. Oh, I thought, maybe I just need to reboot it. Yeah right--- the only boot was one that should have been targeted at me for leaving the computer in the way of a Jack Russell, intent on protecting its master from nasty visitors. Don’t get me wrong---I like visitors----of my choosing. Let’s just say that rebooting was an exercise in frustrating futility.
I figured that my computer needed some help. Surely it couldn’t be much, I thought. I rang my insurance people the next day and they gave me a number to ring re ‘checking out my computer. I was lucky in that the firm favoured by my insurance company was just down the road, meaning that I would not have to courier the boxed computer to them: I merely had to drop it in. That would save me quite a few days in transit time. I still expected to pay my excess and have it fixed in about a week or so.
Low and behold; today I received an unexpected call; that is re the solution. It seems that Miss Perdy had done a real good job re her demolition of my computer. I shall be up and running by the end of Friday, as long as everything works out---with a nice new Samsung computer. This was not what I was expecting at all. I thought they would ‘stich it’ together and things would return to normal. I don’t like making claims on my insurance, because the premiums inevitably go up and I haven’t done so for many years. Oh well, I shall adjust to using my new computer when it arrives and I shall be able to work on it at home again. You all know what that means---more blogs! It’s bloody hard doing them on a smart phone when you are not so smart! A word of warning, Perdy, or is it to me! I think I shall get another power point put in; one that does not mean that the chord acts as an obstacle course for her to run through, over, or both.

Scots in Auckland feel that they are being most hard done by!

What can I say? I am horrified that Auckland quite large Scottish community is feeling most aggrieved today because their request for a measly (remember they are Scottish!) $13.000 was turned down by whatever body on the City Council that funds such requests. Imagine their horror when they received this letter. How must they feel; after all, are they not founding members of the Queen city? Let’s face it, most towns and cities in New Zealand have some sort of representation from Scotland in their make-up. What town does not have a ‘pipe-band’ regularly reminding us at various functions of their presence?
A spokesperson for the ‘Scott’s’ reminded us on talkback radio (Don’t forget to find out about my latest book (TALK TO ME) that should be on Kindle very soon, or is available in hard copy from my website) of the many ‘other groups’ who receive quite large amounts of money to celebrate the diversity of our fair city, including the Chinese New Year, Diwali, Polyfest, just to mention a few. Is it that the Scottish have been here so long that they don’t need to celebrate their wonderful contribution and culture? Is it that Billy Connelly has offended us with his ribald nature and thereby caused the city fathers (but not the mothers) to turn away from our Scottish friends and neighbours?
Surely this magnificent portion of our community should be honoured and if you all think about your background, there is a bloody good chance that you too carry Scottish genes. I know for fact that I do, given the name (Rankin) on my Mum’s birth certificate. So now, I too take offence and demand that this miscarriage of financial justice be corrected immediately!  If not, then stick up a website or number so that those if us with Scottish heritage and those who love them  and even those who wish to bribe those bands ‘not to play their bagpipes’ can contribute. If this does not happen, I strongly urge all the fore said bands to parade every morning in all the main shopping centres, playing ‘Scotland the Brave’ until their demands are met. Long live Scotland!