::walks back and forth::
The good news is that I have followed up on all of the business emails. The bad news is that the computer still hasn’t been delivered. Come on, Amazon.
We have arranged an electric inspection. Thank you to everyone who commented on the previous post offering suggestions. We’ll screening the trench meanwhile.
Sorry you aren’t getting your new computer timely and good luck with the electrician!
May you have a stress-free weekend to compensate! ????
I hope this not affect you also, God Forbid. I have multiple items sitting in various warehouses in Los Angeles. The status says awaiting FEDEX Pickup. I suspect the real reason is Los Angeles has essentially been turned into a “prison”, so to speak. I suspect the reason all my stuff is still sitting in all those warehouses, is that the people who work in those warehouses have not been allowed out, so they can go to work. I have been waiting over three weeks, and counting. I don’t thinks the US at large knows there are thousands of items sitting in LA warehouses, that haven’t been opened up to allow pickup and delivery. This is not just a Los Angeles. Bad decisions by leaders there are actually affecting the entire country, and will continue to do so. John Dunne said ” No man is an island” and this really shows how reliant we have become on reliable connectivity. Hope you aren’t affected by this also. Just as a not “funny at all” is one of the things I am waiting for is a large order of toilet paper. Between actual shipping (container ship), no Custom Agents available, etc., it has been 7 weeks total, and I really need that toilet paper, if there is any still left there by now. Hopefully is hasn’t all walked out the door unnoticed. Gaa……
my local safeway had name brand toilet paper yesterday. no need to wait for a whole container to clear customs!
I am so sorry that our keeping ourselves safe by practicing safe distancing and following stay at home orders in California is inconveniencing you. Did you ever stop to think that our sacrifice is the reason the virus hasn’t spread to do devastation to less well traveled parts of the country? California has multiple international airports with scores of flights to China. Were also have several large ports, again full of people fresh from China working on the cargo containers that you complain aren’t being unloaded fast enough. I just lost a co-worker today, someone like me that is deemed an essential worker, to COVId-19. He was a kind, funny, supportive family man who didn’t deserve to die at such a young age. Count your blessings that your loved ones aren’t one of the 100,000 dead. (Sorry for the rant, but this was not the day for me to hear about someone being inconvenienced because he can’t find toilet paper and blaming my state for it. Our governor is being responsible and trying to keep everyone he can alive so that we don’t ever have to confront the specter of refrigerator trucks lined up outside our hospitals because the morgues don’t have enough room to house all the dead).
Yup. ^^^ This.^^^ Thank you. We need to stay under strict controls because this virus isn’t going to take a summer break.
I’m in the community with the first reported US Case in January, first reported death, first outbreak area, etc. We’re North of Seattle and everyone forgot about us and our outbreak.
As a result, the Sheriff is on public record as refusing to enforce Stay Home / Essential Work Only Emergency orders. And now, even though we don’t meet the criteria for lower transmission, the County Exec is trying to get a variance to open businesses prematurely.
Most people here still refuse to wear masks or keep distance in public. I worked retail until the start of this at the beginning of March. My kid still works retail at a big box home improvement. We’ve had family friends die of probable COVID without being tested so not in the count. We’re scared everyday because of multiple health conditions. This isn’t any kind of prison. It’s the reality of a pandemic virus that will become ubiquitous for years before the researchers are able to find another effective means of controlling it.
And since I’m in the land of Amazon, I know that shipments are being processed. It’s just backlogged because of increased volume.
I’m very sorry for your loss. Thank you for the reminder of the consequences of what has happened in the world.
Sending love, support, and appreciation your way virtually. I’m sorry for your loss and thank you for all you are doing.
I’m grateful for ‘essential’ workers.
Peace, love, and empathy go a long way. My you find it in your challenging day and life situation
Non-stop inbound from China is not the only way COVID arrived in many countries https://nextstrain.org/ncov which is why it is important to address the global issue.
China cargo flights are providing a lot of the necessary PPE. PPE that will not only help stock up for a future wave but also make people comfortable to visit the doctor and emergency room to get the same serious issues pre-COVID treated.
Roger, I understand the frustration because you’re not able to get something you ordered delivered in the same amount of time you used to. It can be annoying not to receive any updates and be left wondering. It will likely get to you in some time and probably has not been left in a corner or stolen. I see my postal worker and package delivery people from my window and they’re gotten more tired as time has gone on. I haven’t seen our usual lovely postal person but also don’t feel comfortable approaching the new person to ask if he is OK. People are trying their best to get you what you ordered in a safe manner. No man is an Island so we need to take care of each other.
Due to the explosive growth in orders, Amazon changed their rules on shipping. Nonessential items are often delayed to make room on delivery trucks for items considered more essential to folks stuck at home.
As large as Amazon, UPS and FedEx are, the number of warehouse workers, delivery trucks and drivers are still finite. They are working long hours and exposing themselves when the rest of us aren’t. My family is thankful for the work they’re doing.
I also appreciate the work the authors are doing to help keep us safe in this time. Unfortunately, a new computer probably isn’t considered to be an essential item and might be delayed for that reason.
As of this morning my state CA has 98,980 confirmed cases with 3,884 deaths. Big port counties
LA county 49,860 cases with 2,241 deaths
Alameda county 3097 cases, 94 deaths
San Diego county 7,100 cases 260 deaths.
Thank you for the much needed break from reality with Ryder stories … you all are awesome!!!
Wow! Thanks you for that beautiful picture!
😉
Good Luck!
May I scream, “AARRRRGGGGHHHH!!!!” on you behalf? So sorry you’re going through all of this.
Almost on the way to recovery. Amazon deliveries have been derailed for the past few weeks, and they are not the only one. I hope they all get back on the track soon.
Too bad about the computer 🙁 Hope the trench woes go well!
Out of curiosity, you mentioned that you would have to install a bunch of programs on it, is there a lot of writer-specific software out there? I assumed it was just opening a word document and typing
Word – writing
Excel – invoices
Dropbox – file storage and management
Quickbooks – invoices
Photoshop – image editing software
Illustrator – vector editing software
Heic – image format converter, because Windows doesn’t like iPhone and I need images for blog pictures
Filezilla – ftp access software for the website maintenance
Zoom – video conference software
Skype – video conference software
Printer software, antivirus, the right web browser… There is probably something I am forgetting.
Only one I haven’t heard of is Heic, but then, I don’t have an iPhone.
You forgot video games. 😛 Don’t those count as work-stress relievers?
Oh Tink, no, no games on the work computer!
You need a little separation between work and fun. Also, you don’t want anything that could potentially bog down your work computer
Right there with you. I just got a “new” computer (scratch and dent) and I’ve been avoiding setting it up because it’s a headache. But my old laptop’s motherboard is dying and has no battery life…
As we all move into video conferencing life, has anyone tried out Google Meet? If you do, turn on captions. They’re fairly useful on a work call if you zone out, and hilarious on a friendly call as you all play the weirdest game of “Whisper” with Google’s caption capture. 🙂
Oooh good to know!
Ah makes sense, thanks! I did do some googling after this apparently there are a lot of software around this now as well:
https://thewritepractice.com/best-book-writing-software/
Do you use an old illustrator or are you having to pay the monthly fee to the adobe overlords? I HATE monthly subscription computer programs. Just let me install it and and use it. I only want to pay once for my program! Yearly subscriptions are only slightly better than monthly.
Thanks for this list. I’m always trying to keep up with what works.
I hate that after PS Elements 7,you have no scanning capabilities. GRRR!
Wow :O all the best!
????????????????????????
I have a partly refurbished kitchen and who knows when it will be furbished. At least it is usable. We get so used to things being done in a timely manner it really jolts when they aren’t. Need to pull up my big girl paties
Waiting for deliveries is like waiting for a pot of water to boil – seems 10x longer. Hope it arrives soon. We’ll wait for Ryder.
Let us know how it goes with the repairs. ????
This reminds me of trying to set my husband up for working at home…needed-faster internet, then modem was to slow, then system crashed to many folks working from home….
New stuff coming from Amazon…then it didn’t ,lost order…
Big sigh….
Yesterday I learned so much. FRENCH DRAINS!! We live in ramshackle 50++year old property unable to sell and all qualified repair people ran off to earn bigger paychecks. Current list of needed work replace repairs is over 3 ppgs and that’s WITH ME!! Hahaha!! Doing all the tech upgrades. Carry on dearhearts.
If you give a mouse a cookie….
Well heck and definitely Argh! Perhaps it’s in same Amazon facility that is holding my vanilla frosting? I’ve been waiting for frosting for 1+ week. That’s a story of zero relevance, lol.
Glad you’re getting service tech to deal with oddity.
I wonder if there’s a speedy delivery dance? ????
I wonder if the lack of computers is because more people are working from home (and the companies make them supply their own) and kids homeschooling. I ordered a computer from Lenovo at the beginning of May. At the time they stated it would be shipped in 10 days. They have not even started building it yet. The expected ship date is sometime in June. I am also depressed about having to install all the new software. I am giving my old computer to a friend’s son. Which means I have to wipe it first. Between the two I imagine it will take a full day.
Lenovo is undergoing difficulties.
Here, Ilona. I think you need this:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1946189265517054&set=a.137821373020528&type=3
Hopefully it made you smile.
My husband and I have always been DIY. Found out
the hard way last night that at 60 & 64 we can no longer do certain things. Like install the new 185 lb washer. Problem was the laundry room is in the basement. This involves steep steps and a sharp turn. I was on the downside and ended up with one hand pinned at the bottom of the washer and a stone wall. Even with the hand truck it was a tense couple of minutes.
The best thing we ever did in this house was get rid of our basement washer and dryer, buy a stackable set, and sell an antique Hoosier cabinet to make room for a laundry area just off the kitchen. I haven’t cracked my head on the lintel going into the basement since, but I still grieve for the Hoosier cabinet.
Goodness. I hope you are OK Ellen!
We’ve also learned this and continue to re-learn this. Sometimes paying a bit to the more experienced and able is a good thing. Let a family/friend’s kid help out and teach them how to do things.
While you are waiting on your Amazon delivery, let me ask how your gardening is going. You had mentioned hibiscus plants earlier, which are one of my favorites. I have the hardy hibiscus in my garden beds and the tropical ones in lovely blue glazed ceramic pots. I hope your hibiscus do great.
By the way, while working in my garden I name the weeds before pulling them out. For example “Slow Delivery “, “Snail”, “Slug”, “Japanese Beetle”, “Slow Internet!
Enjoy you time outside, and stay happy and relaxed!
I’ve planted mint, parsley, and basil in raised beds and I also released one sacrificial mint plant into the garden. In normal climate, mint grows like a weed, but here, I’m betting on Texas killing it.
A consequence of trench cleaning: I found a bunch of earthworms and tossed them into my raised beds. Hehehehe.
If you like rosemary and sage, they did ok for me when I lived in Alabama (and the parsley would self sow).
At least peppers and tomato like heat. And kumquat and fig trees should grow in Texas (they do well in Louisiana) – the extras freeze well and go in the slow cooker with meat (and peppers and onion – I am originally from Louisiana, almost everything savory is better with peppers and onion). Kumquat chicken or fig pork roast sounds fancy at least.
Wish we had room for a garden here in DC area.
Looking forward to pictures of the garden (especially if the pets like to snack from it – chive breath on a dog is interesting…). Good luck with the household tribulations.
Ilona I know that here in the Permian Basin part of Texas is different than around SA but my mint does wonderful here our really hot days doesn’t seem to bother it at all so hopefully your will do wonderful. I didn’t know when I planted it in my flower bed last year that it spreads the way it does but I’m okay with it being mixed in with my roses and other flowers because it smells good ????
Oh well if you find more worms you can always start composting to help the plants.
Every time it rains, dumb earthworms end up stuck in my carport. If I can capture them before they dry out, I flip them into my flower pots that need their services. Works for me!
I live up the road in Georgetown. My basil is an annual and comes up from seeds from the year before. The mint never dies and spreads underground like Bermuda grass. The parsley I grow is biannual. It lives all winter and goes to seed the second year. I plant about 3 different types of each herb and see which ones live. Rosemary grows well with less water so plant it somewhere else. Good luck and mulch a lot.
If it makes you feel any better, our elderly dog accidentally ripped a 2 foot hole in my son’s fitted sheet, right down the middle where the edge of his pillow sits and he DIDNT tell me until I went to wash them. We live in a small town. Ok, order new sheet set from amazon. Got the delivery notification. Open door. Nothing. Track shipping. Says delivered. Call USPS, they say they’ll look into it. I said eff it and drove the 30+ miles to target and they only had flat sheets in stock. My husband and son don’t think this is a big deal of course. Order JUST a fitted sheet from amazon… a week later we get the original sheet set and 2 days later the extra fitted. Now my kid has sheets up the wazoo.
Silver lining: more time to knit!
Shipping right now is the worst, especially Amazon. I ordered bird food well in advance of running out, and still had to go out and find some locally. Then one of the lightbulbs in my bedroom went out and I discovered that I didn’t have any more of that size left. Ordered a huge package on Amazon figuring the other light was still good so it wouldn’t be a problem if shipping took a couple of weeks. When the other light died, I just stubbornly left the room dark for three weeks. Gave in and replaced them… and my package shipped the next day and arrived the day after that.
Sorry about waiting. Hope you get soon. We ordered new curtains for everyone’s room. The 13 yr old is coping by rearranging her room and the 6yr old is finally wanting to sleep in because the sun is bothering him. So I said everyone get new curtains. 2 weeks went by only one set showed up. They refunded me the money and I bought some from whatever our MCX on base had in stock. The daughter is holding hope for hers though.
Good luck!
Yeah, I ordered 2 things off of eBay and 2 things off of Amazon. The Ebay stuff arrived in less than a week. Th Amazon stuff was late and took 2.5 weeks to deliver. Actually, the Etsy order from Japan arrived before one of the Amazon items. That tells you something, lol!
Too bad I don’t live near you, Ilona. I have a laptop that I am not using. I bought a Microsoft Surface a month ago, so that’s why I don’t use my laptop. It has Windows 10 and a AMD graphics card. I had it built by HP. I realize you want a desktop for your stuff.
Good luck in getting your packages. 🙂
A forced mini vacation? I’m not sure what the lockdown restrictions are like in your area at the moment… but maybe the computer delays are a big neon sign saying get out for a day or three? Lord knows you both deserve a bit of self pampering. ❤️
As always hoping you are keeping safe and well.
Just curious, did you order the computer directly from Amazon or one of their “vendors?” I never order an item unless it’s actually sold by Amazon directly. Too many problems and returns are a hassle.
Coming here to read comments and escape social media. So many nice helpful people here. Plants, pets, problem solving… hope your computer stuff and everything work out soon!! We finally got my daughter her new loft bed w desk for her room after two months! Husband was going to make it fit up the stairs even if it meant destruction… what a horror show that was but it’s resolved and she is so happy! Staples had a fab gaming chair that we are all now jealous of. Lol she might find us sneaking into HER home “office “
Now husband had to fix the torn up wall … if it’s not one thing it’s another! Haha
I went back to re-read Magic Strikes… and have continued on to help me sleep. I think that one may be my favorite… I also noticed Jeanine Frost put a funny snippet re Ian’s piercing on her blog. You guys are just the best.
I recommend microcenter for computers they have stores in Huston and Dallas. I am clueless about Texas geography but microcenter has great deals.
1st of, glad your getting an electric inspection. Electricity and water are not a good combination for humans. That picture is so wrong on many levels. From watching “Holms on Homes” a water membrane should not be broken. Your electric wiring should be in PVC to protect it and you. Please don’t worry about Julies story, take a break you deserve it. We are all adults and can wait at least a few weeks. I live in Western Australia, if I order things on line it can take 2-3 weeks, unless I order locally. Most things comes from the eastern states. Can take little longer now because of the Co19. Our borders are shut to the other states. We are an island with in an island. Most WA love it, not so much NSW. I love reading your blog, to how you are all coping and are well. A lot of you make me smile and laugh. Love all the advice and support you give each other. Keep safe.
Thank you. Ilona Andrews for the post. Amazon will get there. Murphy’s Law, you know.
Glad you are getting electrician to repair electrical wiring. Hopefully it will not cost too much.
About French drains— I learned about after the knucklehead puppy dug up my sister’s (and her yard ) while I was in rehabilitation last year.. She is on a ten year flood plain because her husband is not intelligent about real estate and doing due diligence before buying property. Naturally the “holes” were filled in with top soil. I got called when water backed up and property flooded two weeks later during a storm. I called a local mechanical engineer that Dad knew. he and a civil engineer did an on site inspection. They found the filled in holes etc. so I got educated on French drains and flood plains and local codes.
Any good general contractor should be able to look at your problem and give you local options.
Good luck. This means you are alive.
I hope everything gets fixed up and delivered soon. We are all having to find new depths of patience and resourcefulness in the midst of this. If “delayed by pandemic” isn’t a good enough reason for some people to miss their Ryder installment, then screw ‘em (not that I think anyone ever has the right to complain that they’re not getting their free book fast enough).
I understand how this just adds to the already craptastic levels of stress you guys are under, and I can only wish you the best. And possibly some meditation (Autocorrect originally corrected that to medication, and given that it takes me months of practice each time to get meditative and to have it help, maybe autocorrect was right this time).
Stuff always seems to happen in clusters, so hopefully that was it for you. And you found someone or something to fix the cable issue so that you can truly enjoy your office. Once the Computer is there and running.
Lovely ????
Have a relaxing weekend after the busy week.
Sorry to hear your computer is delayed! and though I’m on the edge of my seat waiting for the next installment of Ryder I agree with a previous comment that this is the perfect excuse for you two to take a much needed break for yourselves. The garden is great for that. Remember to actually sit and look at your garden, not just work in it :-> Doing nothing but appreciating nature for a while is good for the soul. And your books are good for mine. I’ve read and reread all of them and they always do my heart and soul good. I’m a voracious reader, like all the members of the BDH and there are other authors I read and follow but when I need a lift I always come back to you. Be well!
I’m keeping a running list of my mail orders. Everything from Amazon has arrived, and I’m not buying from them again except for my Kindle for as far out into the future as I can stretch it.
A pair of boots that was theoretically shipped in mid-April still hasn’t arrived. Some masks I ordered in April are still in process and damned if anybody at the company can tell me when they will be ready to ship. Some I ordered a week later arrived two weeks back – from China. I have estimates on shipping for everything else, and am happy enough to wait.
Hang in there! Lots of packages are getting delayed due to the virus I’m sure it will be there soon. You are so greatly appreciated for putting this out for us to know what’s what. We simply appreciate all you’re doing to share this story with us whenever it fits into your life. Ignore anyone who implies otherwise. You guys are the best!
prednisone prescriptions buy tretinoin buy augmentin buy toradol online anafranil for anxiety acyclovir 400mg where to buy albuterol sulfate inhaler lisinopril buy where can i buy wellbutrin online colchicine 0.6mg