Flying solo

*Robin*

Hello Diary and MSE Friends, :hello:

Thank you very much everyone for all such helpful comments, and welcome to the Nest, Triple Choc Chip (love your user-name!). :T

TCC, thanks for that link; it hadn't occurred to me to post on MSE's Techie board (barely knew it existed, lol).
Interesting that the wise Techie folk offer a similar solution to that suggested by Satchmo's DS - thank you so much for making the effort to ask him, Satchmo. :T

Hi Missrlr - why would an antivirus programme decide to de-activate itself half way through the subscription? Or did a virus get through the firewall and turn it off without that showing up on the settings (which look ok to my ignorant eyes)?

For those who do understand such stuff; am using Chr0me, and the anti-virus provider isn't being helpful because I can't find the original email with their access code (why don't they keep records of their paying clients' details?).

Divo Two is coming round at the weekend to have a look at both laptops. He installed L!nux on mine a good while ago - since when it's had no problems until the screen suddenly went so very dim (which I suspect may be caused by a component failing due to age).

But now am wondering why DS2's solution [L!nux] was not suggested for DH's laptop problem, either by Satchmo's knowledgeable son or MSE's Techie experts? What are the benefits of staying with a Micr0soft-compatible system?

It's all way beyond me. :cool:

Hopefully the eventual answer to this problem will also be of use to you too, DFw - must be much more frustrating having a new laptop which doesn't work properly!

debtfreewannabe321 wrote: »

As for approaching your landlord about the buying of their house, have they made any signal that they are happy to off load? If so I should think it will be very easy. If not then, ummmm, ask nicely? And say please (lol sorry i've no idea hope someone else has a better plan ) xx

:think: Further information: The house is not on the market, LL has never suggested they are interested in selling. It's in an area where property seems to be going for well over asking price, and very fast.
Tenant would be a cash buyer. Knowing that a private sale would avoid estate agent fees [and the possibility of gazumping], should Tenant approach Landlord with a high offer, so that LL is not tempted to put the property on the open market?

Satchmo, did the French option not happen, or are you still waiting to complete? :cool2:

Missrlr, CD thanks you very much for extra ear tickles, which extended to a full belly rub (and lots of shed fur on the carpet, :rotfl:).
This morning when I opened the shutters, there were lots of little birds hopping around on the lawn; hedge-sparrows and the gang who sheltered in the wood-shed during recent storms. They were collecting the fur I'd brushed out of CD yesterday; wonderful nest-building material!

TCC, thank you for being so very kind about Flying Solo - not sure any RL friends would describe me as wise [beyond normal half century of life-experience], and certainly not graceful! :rotfl: But thank you anyway - you've cheered me up! :T

Once again, must apologise; this time for any mistakes in spelling, grammar or composition - DH's laptop problems now extend to a refusal to copy, move or change text, so I dare not press "preview" because doing so will inevitably zilch this page in favour of some rubbish phishing invitation.. :mad:

Skint_but_Optimistic

Oh dear, computer issues are the worst. They drive you insane.

Im glad the wind has died down and that you are coming back up from the depths.

Well done on taking the hose back. It does seem very pricey indeed!

satchmo1

Hi Robin


The exchange hasn't yet happened on the house we're selling, so we won't know when we can move into the next place until maybe next Friday-ish. It's so frustrating, but I'm keeping calm(ish) and when I get worked up I just find something else to pack.


DS1 says you have to turn off/block adverts - but he didn't say how. I might get a chance to ask him later. He's very clever and has been creating Apps that other techie folk say aren't possible. That just acts to motivate him. When he dropped out of school due to a thuggish bully with a thuggish father, I was extremely upset that his brains were being wasted. Some years later, he asked me to fund a computer course and he'd repay in instalments when he found work (a placement was guaranteed). I made a deal with him: if he passed his exams I wouldn't ask for a penny of the fees. He passed with the highest marks ever (98%), and now plays for S&ny finding bugs in programs. He'll never "work", because it's pure fun for him.


Proud-mum-blog over, sorry folks.

please-let-me-be-lucky

And so you should be Satchmo! Very proud.

Hope you are ok apart from the tech problems Robin Xx

Sun_Addict

Hi Robin - I'm pretty certain there is a pop up blocker somewhere in computer settings. Could be Tools and Options? I know I've activated it on my laptop. Try looking in security settings if not tools and options.

HeadAboveWater

Glad you're doing well Robin Sorry for not being about much recently, and for my lack of responses. Silent reader mostly!

I'm another one to second the Malwarebytes software. That combined with Avast and CC Cleaner (all free ) and I've never had any problems

*Robin*

Dear Diary and MSE Friends, :hello:

Gosh lots of visitors while I've been absent from The Box - thank you everyone for calling by. :T

SbO, yes pc problems are rather frustrating - funny to think how recent a problem this is, though.
Without [much] TV or internet entertainment, have been grateful for better weather which makes spending time outside a real - and healing - pleasure.

Satchmo, am keeping fingers crossed that you get good news tomorrow re moving date.
Great to read how well your DS has done after struggling at school - enjoyable work is a wonderful thing to find!
Your pride in his achievement is certainly justified! :T

Thanks for popping in, Lucky; can now report that normal pc activity has now been resumed at the Nest, thanks to Divo Two. He sorted out my lappy in less than five minutes - an update had changed a hidden setting, there wasn't a problem with any of the components (hooray! ).

Hello Sun.A, thanks for your suggestions.
However, it turns out that DH's machine has caught something very sinister which breached the anti-virus programme - but shouldn't have done.
So, DH's laptop needs detailed examination by the experts. DS2 is confident he can return it to proper working order; he's promised he'll do it before moving (next week!).

Hi HAW, :wave: thanks for your recommendations, but Divo Two still thinks L!nux is better than installing more malware protection to cope with Micr0s0ft issues..

He's also going to install a remote diagnostic tool on all the family machines, which will allow him to carry on sorting out our computer problems once he's too far away to visit. :cool2:


The weather has changed here; Spring has sprung. Garden is covered in wild flowers, and the nectar scent of orange blossom drifts through the air - heavenly.
The bees are also having a wonderful time; their buzzing is a constant backdrop to the birdsong and more distant agricultural sounds.

Oh, and we have a visitor; a rather bolshy blue-roan Shetland stallion, who is supposed to be grazing on NastyN's abandoned field with his companion (a graceful grey Arab mare). She is hobbled, but he chewed through his tethering rope within hours of being put out, then he quickly discovered that my meadow contains a lot more grass than the pasture he was given (which is mostly - eye-height for him - prickly bushes).

He arrived at a canter, making a bee-line for a bucket I'd been using to put weeds in while clearing around the trees. Taking the hint, I gave him a drink of water, and he accepted a carrot before whipping round to try and kick me (maybe he thought I was about to grab his head-collar and tie him up again?).
Old knowledge surfaced, so he didn't get close - have had dealings with Shetland ponies before. :rotfl:

He's welcome to crop my grass, especially as he's staying well away from the vegetable terraces. His friend becomes frantic when she can't see him though, so every so often he charges round the garden and back to her.
Aww - they have a great friendship.

..........

It is a day of visitations - just spent the last quarter of an hour trying to help a bird find it's way back outside - poor thing was quite panicked; couldn't get the idea of flying low through doorways to reach the light outside.
Having rescued it, suppose I'd better go and clear up the effects of it's panic; random splatters scattered around kitchen, dining room and bathroom..

*Robin*

Hello World, :hello:

It's been a busy few days here at the Nest, one way and another.

Yesterday began with a chiming cacophony which sounded disturbingly close outside.. Much further away two men were yelling their heads off.
Goats. Sheep. Lambs and kids. About fifty of them. Three dogs. Two horses.
All wandering around the garden, while their owners were running full pelt down the mountain-side about a kilometre behind the mixed 'herd'.

This time my vegetables were suffering, which prompted immediate intervention despite being clad only in dressing gown and slippers. :cool2:
Kept CD on a lead by my side; her interested gaze was wonderfully effective at persuading the assorted ruminants to move onto NN's prickle-bush field toot suite!
Horses found Bolshy Shetland's bucket of water so left 'em to it, retreating inside as the men were closing in (dressing gown is just below bum-length and only boasts two buttons, so not an agreeable sight to inflict on unsuspecting, out-of-breath locals first thing in the morning! :rotfl:).

Of course it is an offence to permit one's livestock to wander on other people's land without permission, so the shepherds were almost embarrassingly apologetic. Am not one to disturb the constabulary over a few chewed and trompled broad bean plants though, so there was really no need to grovel; we not only parted friends, but they left the two horses to enjoy "guiri"* hospitality (putting off the need to buy a strimmer a little longer ).
Beautiful animals, both of them. Had to move one because he'd been tethered too close to my boundary - tangled his rope in NastyN's pile of abandoned scrap metal until the poor beast couldn't move his head at all.
The other two ponies are still meandering between my meadow and NN's land - hard to believe, but no-one has yet come to check on them or supply water (yes, of course am keeping the bucket I gave 'em topped up, but it's a bit cheeky of the owner to assume I'll look after them, rather than call the Police and denounce him - which would be a Spanish neighbour's likely response. :cool:).

One effect of hosting these organic lawnmowers has been to reverse a rising tide of herbage in the meadow, revealing several large cut olive trunks. Seemed a good moment to get them tidied up and reclassified - put into Firewood Futures department [aka the wood-shed], so Divo Two and Plumber came round (Plumber had been unwise enough to let slip that he owns a chainsaw ).
They sweated, I cooked 'em dinner. Not quite sure that was a fair division of labour, but both men announced themselves satisfied - neither claim any culinary skill, lol.

Spends: Went to town with a list; ticked off every item. Only two surprise purchases fell into the trolley; cranberry juice and a small packet of mint chocolates - the latter justified by the happy discovery that I've lost 4.1kgs in the last fortnight - must be due to so much walking up hills carrying prunings (and possibly, cheering up a bit ).
It's not such great news though - no congratulations please - because the scales recorded a gain of 4kgs while Black Dog was in charge.
Had to fill up the van and buy 'phone creds as well as groceries, including extras to cater for the next batch of visitors, plus ingredients for a large commissioned birthday cake; total bill came to an eye-watering £150. _pale_
Shock of that figure was slightly off-set by delivering a virtually unused kitchen 'robot' during the same trip, which sold for 35€ (glad to get rid of that bulky box; feel inspired to de-clutter further ).
..Just as well there are far more NSDs than spendy days in this household.

Still don't know why this year's ISA isn't showing on FD statement. Not much time left; should probably brave their 'phone system again and try to find out what they've done with it?

Ex has invited me out for dinner next week. He's a better friend than he was a partner; we both know his major motivation is needing a lift to the restaurant. :rotfl:


* "Guiri" - slang, a not-quite-polite term for a foreigner (between mates can be used affectionately, without offence ).

please-let-me-be-lucky

Beautifully descriptive writing as always Robin, you really should write that book!

Glad the black dog has taken it's leave for now and you are sounding much brighter Xx

debtfreewannabe321

please-let-me-be-lucky wrote: »

Beautifully descriptive writing as always Robin, you really should write that book!

Glad the black dog has taken it's leave for now and you are sounding much brighter Xx

I agree!

I love all the animal tales I couldn't imagine a horse would even fit in my garden :rotfl: we went to the beach yesterday and found some lovely horses in a field they were so friendly they came trotting over from the other end of the field to see us ds2 had great fun stroking them. On the way back to the car he asked if he could have one for his birthday and we told him we were saving to move to a bigger house and maybe not just yet. He told us he was happy to share his room with his sister forever if he could have a horse :rotfl: :rotfl: DD wasn't impressed by that she's desperate to paint everything pink