My Hewlett-Packard desktop is just managing to creak along. It's about fifteen  years old, and extremely fatigued. From time to time it goes into an existential fit leaving me certain that it's ready to be replaced. And I dread the prospect. It's a comfortable machine, and it's been a reliable friend over the years. The last week it's gone into a slow tizzy. Last night was the culmination of a breakdown. It more or less froze and I was unable to use it any further, in the middle of writing an article for one of my blogs. 

I shut it down 'illegally' since it wouldn't respond to being shut down properly. And then I closed off the current (flicking off the circuit breaker) to let it rest completely through the night hoping that might help. It did. Seems the computer has 'repaired' itself temporarily. This happens from time to time, though I guess it's still on borrowed time.But I do appreciate the fact that this machine, old as it is, has a built-in capacity to do repairs on the hard drive. And I wonder how long that will last...?

 

It seems contrite today and is doing its best to oblige, so really I have nothing at all to complain about. It has worked so hard over the years, beyond commendable. I wonder how long it is before people allow their old machines to give up the ghost and replace them. And I imagine it wouldn't take much. I do have another, back-up computer about seven years old, an all-in-one that I use occasionally as an alternative. And the last while it too has slowed down and become somewhat balky. It enabled me, however, to complete that blog posting. But I spent so much time waiting for the other to get over its fit, it was time wasted and we ended up going to bed far too late. Which means at the other end of the night, we woke up too late in the morning.

 

And when we did, a very nice surprise awaited us, snow gently falling. Before too long it had altered the landscape immeasurably, taking it from dark, drab grey to bright white. Much appreciated. And so, in the afternoon we dressed in outerwear meant to withstand wind, cold and snow. Since we woke late and were late leaving the breakfast table (melon, banana, French toast, sausages, coffee and tea) I was later doing the usual household chores, and so by the time we exited the house it was already four o'clock.

 

What a pleasure it was to view every surface covered with snow. Not much snow, but it's a start. With more to fall overnight, we'll come away with a bit of a snowfall, since it's also snowed all day, but not voluminously. The hillsides were a little slippery but manageable. And we felt comfortable with little wind to blow the snow around. I wore a heavier winter jacket that Irving had brought home for me and it was far more comfortable than the one I wore yesterday under which I had two sweaters and was still cold.

When we peeled the puppies' boots off after returning home, their legs were encased in snow and a bit of ice, over the boot tops. But their heavy winter coats keep them snug and dry and they were more than ready for their afternoon vegetable salad, their own special little tradition.