Rant #3,170: Help!

The reports of my computer’s demise were premature—

I guess.

Sorry about what happened earlier this morning, but I was having technical issues with my computer—

And if you are a regular reader of this column, you know exactly what those issues were.

I could not get the computer started this morning.

I booted, rebooted, but it simply would not work.

Finally on the 11th try—count ‘em, 11—I finally got this thing going.

As you know, this computer has been up and down for about two years, and it is difficult to put your finger on what the problem is.

Yesterday, I had absolutely no problems at all; the computer started up on the first try, and I was able to go right into what I had to do for the day without any thought of the thing not working.

It does usually take from two to three times to start up correctly, but like I said, yesterday it booted up perfectly.

Today … not good, but it hasn’t been a very good day to begin with.

It started at night.

My mother was completely restless last night, and had a hard time staying asleep, so as her sole caretaker during the evening, I was running up and down the stairs several times to help her get back to sleep.

She woke up at abrupt 1:30 a.m., and as I ran down the stairs to get to her, I kind of figured out what the problem was when I got to the room.

It must have been at least 100 degrees in her room, so even though my mother had been trying to open the window to get in some fresh air—fresh air that had about 100-percent humidity in it—I insisted that the air conditioning be put on.

In her current situation, she has been kind of funny with the air conditioning, wanting it on, not wanting it on, and not fully understanding that being as she is, the use of the air conditioner is vital during these overly warm days we are having.

I basically told her that the air conditioning had to be on, I put it on, and she slept until about 7:30 a.m.—

The problem was that my wife and I were up from all of this, and I know that I probably didn’t get back to sleep myself until at least 3 a.m.

And then this morning, after all the hoo-hah with the computer, I needed to pay my respects to the porcelain god, so to speak, and wouldn’t you know it, right smack dab in the middle of my penance, my mother was yelling for help.

As I was right in the middle of what I was doing (literally), my wife went downstairs, and again, it had to do with the air conditioning, which my mother did not want on anymore.

The air conditioning is planted on a high point of the wall of her bedroom, and my wife had to stand on a chair to get to the button to shut it off—not good for someone trying to recover from a head injury, so she is a bit dizzy right now.

When she finally gets up, the air conditioning must be turned on again, period. Even with the rain finally coming down, it is really warm in the house.

I am not blaming my mother for her actions, but right now, I have to do her thinking for her, and the air conditioning must be turned on.

So it has not been a good morning by any stretch of the imagination at this juncture, but maybe things will even out now that my mother is happy and my computer is too.

Next week, I have a week of doctor’s visits, and that begins bright and early on Monday morning, so I will next speak to you on Tuesday.

Have a great weekend, and keep that air conditioning on during this severely hot weather.