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Life has definitely taken me to places I never thought I would go to....but nothing more exciting than where I am right now! Welcome to my world...


Thursday, January 24, 2008

Woe is me....and more lights out in Africa!



I have included a photo of a very large elephant who walked AT our car in the Kruger park....thought you might find it interesting. They are big!!!! And trust me, where does an Elephant walk, ...... anywhere he darn well feels like!!!!!Firstly, have been out of touch as the computer nose dived on us last week...and we had to tread through some rough high water...to get it repaired. Nothing is ever straight forward. I reported the computer failure to the local ...(as in country...NOT in Queenstown) computer headquarters,and was told that they would be here the next day.Now having lived here for the time I had...I kind of doubted that. Sure enough the next day, was phoned to say it would be Wed. I decided to take that with a grain of salt as well....then on Wed. I was phoned to be told that it Would be Wed. afternoon.... OK. See him then, I will be at the house all day Wed. BUT already have plans for Thursday. WELL you probably know where this is going.... another phone call on Wed...in the afternoon... the "technician" is still 200 km away...(about 120 miles) and won't make it to Queenstown until after 5, "May he come then??" I reply that the last time the technician came it took several hours for him to replace the motherboard...and my husband has a phone interview at 6, so not a convenient time.(we also have been having daily power outages...so nothing reliable electrically) She then says so he can come after 6? Now what part of not convenient is she not getting.Another 15 min. on the phone to tell her that I don't really care if she has to get another authorization to have him come the next day....and no he can't come on Thursday morning...as I have a weekly meeting at that time!!!! TO which she replies...can I not leave it with someone at the house. "YOU MEAN THE NO OTHER PEOPLE WHO DON'T LIVE HERE?" I don't have a maid....all day...and I am certainly not going to have a stranger sitting in my home while I go run my errands/attend the meeting? And since I WAS here when I had the appt. scheduled I didn't really care if she had to seek reauthorization! It was not a good day...except that DH had his interview with another univ. and they have accepted him into a doctorate program...and another fellowship was confirmed in todays email. So we will be going to college..... and soon he will be Dr. Bob and I guess that will make me MRS Dr! :o) or *s* as the bloggers say! I am happy for him. He will now have at least a choice to see if it is Denton, TX...or Starkville, Mississippi! I don't really have a preference....as it will be fun no matter where we end up. Now, back to the computer saga...... on THursday....I am about to leave for my meeting...and I get a phone call asking if the technician had fixed the machine...so I go back through the STORY about him missing the appt. and they say oh...we have a man who can come at 10...I say NO, I am off to a meeting until 2:45. Can you not leave it with someone....and it starts all over again. I leave the house...run to the fabric store....NO NOT to buy fabric...but to pick up an African shirt I had made for hubby..... and while there I receive another phone call from another person....who wants to know if the tech had fixed the computer? No and I explain again..he was detained...well ....someone can be there at 10? NO!!!!! I will be in a meeting until 2:45!!!!!! AFter that is fine..or all day Friday! Thank you Madame!..... then its off to the meeting...where I am phone no fewer than 3 more times...... to ask the same question! I think if the company had more technicians and less phone people, maybe they would be get more done. The Tech did come at 2:45.... a very nice young man...not like the other crotchety guy who came last time....and had the new mother board fixed in no time...He was very efficient. I am kind of glad that the other guy was 200 K away...this guy was a definite improvement.
On to other things.... we have been sufffering many power outages.... every day..... it is called load sharing....as apparently, South Africa uses too much power...and hadn't planned on the usage...properly...so the problem is expanding...until the new power station will be built in 2016!!!! Yikes, I can't figure out how you could add 6,000,000 homes without anticipating a need for more power!??????? Someone misjudeged something and left it a bit too long! At any rate...every day for about 2 to 2 1/2 hrs we have no power....so it has cut into my sewing time! How dare they???? I feel like I have accomplished very little. I did make about a bazillion small square triangles.... and about a half a bazillion larger ones for another project...but have yet to have time to sew them into something. But I have a plan. The movers are coming in the morning to pack/repack my boxes...and as I sit in the living room and watch them pack.... I think I will sew....if there is power! Please let there be power! I have several things going....and am hoping to get them done. This quilt flimsy is safely in the US....awaiting the day when I get my longarm quilting machine. I am open to suggestions.Will have to try out some of them when I get back. I especially liked the APQS Millenium I tried way back in 2003 at the Houston quilt show. But know things may have changed in the several years I have been gone.If you have a longarm and would like to share...I'd love to hear from you. This was the quilt I was working on at the seaside..... when I took my machine! Have a great couple of days..... the packers here tomorrow....think I may need some time off! I did have a very successful South African garage sale..../ kinda sortof.....as inside the house....and only invited ladies...... who also were offerd a cool drink (it is summer!) and biscuits( cookies)!!!!! :0)Later! Colleen

10 comments:

Gina said...

Hi Coleen,
Thanks for looking in on my blog. Just a quick visit for me as I'm on my way to bed but will come back and read more from you later!
That elephant is HUGE!
Gina x

Anonymous said...

Hi Colleen, I was so happy to have you visit my blog and I hope you'll come by often. Reading about your adventures in Africa has been so interesting but it looks like you'll soon be back in the states. That elephant is so big. ~ Lynn

Elaine Adair said...

Thanks for your recent visit to my blog.

I enjoyed your long --everwaiting story of the delayed technie and glad you are finally up and running.

And I am thinking you are a South African lady and now you are moving to Texas of Mississippi? That's quite a culture jump!

LOVE that applique quilt- so fresh and clear and cheerful.

Locket Pocket said...

Hi Coleen - what a saga with the computer! Nightmare! And what do you do when an elephant as big as that starts walking towards your car????? Lucy x

Libby said...

Repairmen that are unable to keep an appointment schedule must be an international phenomenon *s* Glad to know that the problem was ultimately easily fixed. When you are back in the states - you may have to wait for the 'cable guy' but at least you should have power to your machine *s*

Lauren The Artist said...

Lovin' that quilt!!! I can't wait to see it in person. ~jen~

Ruth's Place said...

Aren't the power cuts dreadful! I was manually turning the machine wheel by hand this week to get something finished!

Love the elephant picture, doesn't it freak you out when they come your way.

mc said...

Glad you are back. Great picture of the elephant!Good luck with the packing and the move.Look forward to reading all about it.
c*

bj said...

Wow, it sounds as if you are leading a very interesting life. Just the picture of the elephant got me excited. I'd probably have a heart attack to see one in person, walking free. Amazing!
I was going to say that I would send you some cans of chili and bags of fritos so you could have a frito pie but then I noticed you are moving back to the states next month.
Good, good luck,
bj

Lynda said...

The quilt is so pretty. Is it a Piece'o'Cake pattern? How did you do the applique? I really like needle turn, but it's so slow!