Technology is fun until it doesn’t work. Last week I was enjoying my day off (Happy Veteran’s Day to all our honored veterans!) when we had a power incident. When I say “incident” I mean the power was on, then it was off. Then on, then off. It stayed off for about three hours. This totally killed my morning plan of hanging around in my bathrobe playing Jewel Quest II. I was forced to sit and crochet while the house slowly cooled down (power=heat). Just when I was considering what to do for lunch, it came back on. Unfortunately, the power fluctuations seem to have destroyed the internet router. We live in a split level where the main router is on the lower level. There are eight stairs between the lower level and the upper level where my laptop sits. Apparently these eight stairs are too much for the internet signal to climb (traveling so…far….losing…bandwidth…) that we need a repeater in the living room. The repeater no longer lights up, so I assume it’s Dead, Jim. This is the second repeater that has bit the dust in a year. Yo, internet repeater router manufacturer dudes- build them a bit more sturdy, will ya?

I can juuuuust barely connect. This is 1) irritating, and 2) prevents me from uploading photos.

Oh, and the PTA fundraiser? Two hats were sold and I traded a scarf for a 30 minute massage (TBD). Lots of lookers. The kids thought the scarves were great, but at least one person said, “No, Grandma can make you one of those.” Listen, Grandma has better things to do. If Grandma wanted to make you one, she already would have.

Unreality Bites

It’s been a week of fun and games at Chez Casa de Brewgal.

In a fit of craziness, I agreed to participate in Craft Night at the Little Brewers’ elementary school. I’ll be crocheting scarves and bookmarks. Craft night is in one week. As of today, I’ve crocheted exactly three scarves and zero bookmarks. I am a crazy person.

Some bozo in Sacramento has been using my credit card number to buy gas and groceries. The credit card company has cancelled that card and will send me a new one. Now I’m paranoid someone is going to break into my bank account.

My work badge has decided, apparently on its own, to expire. Not only expire, but expire as of 2002, notwithstanding the fact that it clearly says “2010” in big, official writing on the badge itself. I called the badging office to check it out. Below is the transcript of what followed:

Me: Hi, I’m having problems with my badge. It won’t let me into the building.
Badger: Are you in REDACTED?
Me: Yes, I’m in building REDACTED.
Badger: Name?
Me: REDACTED
Badger: Ok, just a sec. [typing is heard in the background]
Badger:
Badger: What the hell? [more typing, muttering] I’ll need to call you back. Click.

This is never a good sign.

So in the space of one week, a time period that eerily coincides with my discovering I am not a “real American,” I've had my credit card cancelled and my agency has decided I no longer exist as an employee. Also, the washer broke. It was doing the washing part but not so much of the agitation/spinning part, so the clothes were coming out sopping wet. Fortunately Brewguy is a master of major appliance repair and was able to fix it with a $15 part. Note to Sears: when your website says your store opens at 8am, open at 8am. Going from daylight savings time to standard time does not mean 8am = 11am.