My precious, new laptop is giving me fits.  I originally had trouble with the server, and I know that has absolutely nothing to do with the laptop so don’t go there.  But a couple of nights ago I was playing games on POGO, and when I was through I went to shut down my computer.  ERROR! Comes up with a warning that my computer can’t shut down and if I try to shut it down I will lose all my data.  Senselessly I turn to my hubby and show him the screen.  He tells me to run a couple of different operations (which don’t work) and then kind of shakes his head.  The next day I remind him of the problem and try to shut my computer down again.  Once again he shakes his head but this time he goes golfing.  Much later in the day, (because he stays on the golf course until he can’t see the golf ball) he looks at it again and tells me that he needs the original discs that came with it.  His sure he gave them to me (although I don’t remember it) and can’t do anything until they are located. Much to his regret I find them.  He finally fixes my computer…I thought.

The next night, I write my blog.  This is the blog that would have made me famous.  This blog is so insightful it could solve the world’s problems, help with the housework, and  cure cancer.  This blog is the stuff dreams are made of.  I am as proud of it as I can be.  I re-read it to make sure I am not just blowing smoke…No!  It is indeed wonderful.  I shall save it and publish it and the world will be a better place.  I hit save.  The screen goes blank and that stupid ERROR comes up again.  ERROR?  ERROR!  No…No errors!  Where is the perfection?  Where is the alliteration?  Where is the future fame and the fortune I have already spent?  I look at the screen.  I have without knowing verbalized my intense confusion and my children are convinced that I have found a website with certain proof of the apocalypse.  My husband has gone on a zombie killing mission (yes, you read that right) and I must wait for his return to complain.  The time does not pass quickly.  When he walks in I jump on him like a duck on a June bug.  I rattle off the depths of my despair and tell him how this particular essay would be impossible to reproduce and I have nothing…absolutely nothing, to prove it ever existed.  He looks at me and says “I’m sorry honey.  I’m going to go take a shower.”

WTF?  This is one of those times when you wonder if your voice really carries.  Perhaps what he heard was, “I was watching television and had to change the remote batteries.”  Then his response makes perfect sense.  I see him leaving the room, and I am certain that something must be said, so I shout to his back, “did you hear me?”  He didn’t even respond.  Later that night in bed as I lay curled on his chest I said, “Did I mention to you that my computer crashed when I tried to save my blog?” “Mmmhmm.”  “Would you look at it again?” “Mmhmm.”  So the next day he once again looks at my computer.  He can find nothing wrong.  Probably just a bug in the system.  Fine.  I begin to type on it.  When I hit the apostrophe key I get the quotation mark.  Wait…I didn’t shift.  WTF?  I do it again.   Same crap.  Third time, same result…I decide it’s just as easy to type without contractions.  I was wrong.  Just when I am about to complain once more it stops. 

It’s driving me nuts!  The thing is if it was anyone else’s computer he would jump in to take care of it.  My mom’s would have been dealt with ASAP.  He has driven 2 1/2 hours to fix his dad’s computer.  We have driven further than that to work on his Godmother’s computer.  The list goes on and on.  He doesn’t complain though when I ask for his help.  He is always very sweet about it .  “I’m sorry honey.  I’ll take a look at it.”  What isn’t said is…after golf, zombies, MSN, work, and everything else that means more to me.   That is understood.  He hates working on computers.  He does it because he loves us, but he hates trying to figure out where the bug is.  So for right now the laptop is semi-working.  I periodically find problems.  They are minor.  I don’t say a word.  It wouldn’t do much good right now anyway.  It is golf season.  I am a golf widow.  This marriage has been put on hold until further notice.  Which generally includes cold weather or electrical activity.   Then, and only then, any lingering problems will be dealt with.  So if the blogs aren’t turned out as regularly as you or I would like it’s because I have a bug.  I’ll be back.  If you want to speed things along, I would suggest praying for rain.