wednesday updates

We are just cracking along over here.

All parcels have been posted.
Oof that's some work. Boxing and wrapping and making pretty and securing addresses - people act like it's nothing, but it's a lot. I'm whining about it now.
Anyway, it's all out.

We got to the Apple store at 8:30. In the morning. Everything seems to be a-okay with my laptop. They even replaced some of the cosmetic components. I have a new computer.
I left a Christmas card for the four geniuses who helped us.
I would like to thank my husband who:
not only thought to back up my hard drive as soon as it appeared that my little white square was going to crash, but also transferred a copy that hard drive to his laptop and gave me my own screen or whatever it's called wherein you can sign into someone else's computer and see all your crap.
I hope that is enough with the thanking as I would like to point out that I don't think I am a MacBook Pro kind of girl.
For one thing, it's titanium, or some such, and it's cold under my wrists.
Secondly, I am confused about the lit keyboard. When does it light? Why? I have not been able to establish a pattern.
Finally, it's just too damn big. And shiny. And fast.
Yes, my little white number is probably akin to hamsters running on wheels compared to his glowing silver monolith, but I like it.
And he bought it for me -
so
I'll thank him for that too.

Tiffany is s pretty place to visit. I'm not crazy about all the charm bracelet crappe they are pushing right now though. We bought corporate gifts for some clients of K's.
It was pretty painless, although they have an awful lot of staff so it was hard walking around browsing at big giant diamonds without a ton of people asking if they could assist me or asking how I was. That seems to be the new upscale how-may-I-help-you approach, the asking how someone is. I'm fine.

Actually, I'm getting fine. Yesterday my left ear unclogged for a while. It was very strange to hear in stereo again.

Next we went to drive a Chevy. Sheesh am I spoiled. First of all, the dealership (the same one I leased my Suburban from 9 years ago) was FILTHY. Our salesman was wearing a ratty sweater with pills and holes in it, and his undershirt was awful looking. I'm sorry, but that doesn't make me want to buy a car from you - it doesn't make me think I should help you, put money in your pocket, by buying a car from you. There floors were filthy and the whole place smelled like tires.
If there's one thing I've learned from being at Volvo these past six years, from HAVING to be at Volvo so frequently these past three years, it's that it's been very comfortable to sit there while my car was dealt with. And the employees wear cute oxford shirts with little Volvo insignia. And, in the end, the very plastic-y Chevy we drove was not very much less than my Volvo, and it has slightly fewer amenities. The pricing of this vehicle seemed to be pulled directly from the ether, I mean - the base price was as I had researched it, but the monthly lease price was completely fabricated. And, when we did not quibble or haggle (we don't) the fellow said, I could reduce that by 20 to 30 dollars a month if you need me to.
We need to drive a Jeep and a Ford and then think some more.
We were rescued by Youngest who had forgotten his history homework. We had to dash home to find it and bring it to school. (We didn't HAVE TO, but it was the perfect exit.)

Today?
the procurement of fill-in Christmas gifts
the driving of the Jeep
the laundry
the ironing

It's beginning to look a lot like.............MIDDLE'S BIRTHDAY.
Two days to go.

As you were.

Comments

KPB said…
I am as excited for middle as I am for me. Chef has arranged to have the day off. So it will be lunch/brunch as a family.
Then 16 (! I didn't even know I knew 16 people) friends and us are going out to dinner at Chef's restaurant.
I've got half a dozen bottles of sparkling shiraz to get us started and have arranged for there to be some big antipasto platters to get us underway.
Birthdays are so much fun!
I'm glad you have the computer thing sorted out. Because I'm not at all technical, any computer issue stresses me out more than it should until my husband, AKA Mr. Technical, swoops in to rescue me.
Anonymous said…
Well, I am still here. I just read the past 3 or 4 posts...I've been away and currently submerged by laundry. Just like you I am washing, drying AND ironing.
Loved Youngest's letter to Santa. You should see what Brizio wrote, so funny.
Also interesting about all the cars you get to drive before buying one. NO SUCH THING HERE.
Anonymous said…
Uh oh. New thingie. It's ME, Paola above!
Unknown said…
Tiffany is my customer. I just went to visit them last week. A few years ago I toured their operations and after seeing that I went and bought as much stock as i could afford of their company. Personally though, I can't afford their products. I lose things way too much for that. Appreciate all you comments / comparisons on cars as I am shopping for a new "used" car although it will be years before I actually get it. I plan to bury the car I am currently driving before I consider driving anything else.
Anonymous said…
Gaa! This new comment window is really for the birds. It reduced Paola to anonymous, for heaven's sake. Google is getting too monomaniacal for its own good, I think.

Anyway -- I must have missed a few posts somewhere because why oh why are you not looking at Toyota, Subaru or Honda—all of which are great cars and in my experience have clean, well-organized and cordial dealerships?
RW said…
These are the posts I love. Daily life.

I am very much impressed that your packages are sent before your decorating begins.
TheOneTrueSue said…
I HATE shopping for cars. The haggling, the game, the "I have to go talk to my manager" - hate it.
Nora :) said…
No X5 for y'all? Or whatever SUVish thing that Lexus puts out? I have a (used) 325i and feel like I relax every time I walk into the BMW dealership. No pressure, lots of interest into what would suit my needs. And a girlfriend drives a Lexus SUV and I have to say it's the most comfortable car I've ever ridden in.
alice c said…
I feel as though I am a little turtle on the beach and I keep getting overwhelmed by another amazing post from Ms. Blackbird surging up the beach towards me. You can WRITE posts faster than I can THINK of comments. And that is without a computer. I have no idea what will happen when you get back up to full speed. The Internet may crash...
Go Middle - enjoy every moment of your special day.

p.s. who says that Anonymous is never supportive? She is now!
jenny said…
I want to throw a plug in for the Honda Pilot even though I know you're not a fan. Very comfy.

I hate the haggling. It's such a load of crap.

And our local Toyota dealership? Huge and new with dead plants and smarmy sales guys smoking on the front stairs. Plus, they wouldn't tell us the price of the vehicle. Seriously, we were supposed to say what we were willing to spend. Needless to say, we didn't and then we left.
Suse said…
Do you get that English tv programme called Top Gear? It's hilarious but also very informative. They test drove a chevrolet just out of interest (it's a car that no one outside of the US buys AT ALL, yet the figures showed that inside the US a chevy is sold something like every minute and a half, or some such). Anyway they absolutely trashed it - saying it was plastic, poorly made, atrocious to drive, hugely expensive, etc. They were literally laughing at how poor it was.

So. Don't buy a Chevrolet. Plenty fo other American/Japanese/European cars to choose from.
Anonymous said…
Have you considered an Audi? I am on my second Audi wagon and they are heaven. The best thing? The button that lifts the seat alllll the way up and then tips a little forward so a short person like myself sits up over the steering wheel. Very roomy back seats, too. Check out the used ones, too. Mine was less than 50,000 miles.

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