Computer printers are

fine when they work and when they don't work...

I really do try not to use paper unless it is necessary. I do try to keep a hard copy of bills I have paid. That seems sensible. There are things I need to back up...there are USBs for that or Dropbox or even emailed to myself (and thus available on another computer in an emergency). But the printer...yes, I need the printer!

This blog post is likely to be short. The person who sorts out computer problems for me has just called to say he will be over shortly to "reunite" me with my printer. It has not been working ever since we finally needed to transfer the files from the old computer to a newer version. (Why do Windows have to upgrade at all????)

It has all been a long, slow process - or slower than I would like. I could have called in a "professional" technician to do the job in a day - and been charged far more for it. "Computer S...." as we call him is not a professional but he is one of those people who knows more than most professional computer people. He charges me far less. He does it in his own time of course but I expect that. He's grossly overweight, morbidly obese in fact. It worries me because he is a nice person and I hate to think his life expectancy is far less than it should be because of his weight. He needs what little I pay him. He needs me to listen to his other issues at times. Nobody will employ him because of his size but he gets by on odd jobs here and there. People can call him. Yes, he can do that - not today perhaps but tomorrow. Really urgent? He will see what he can do...is tonight all right? He is an asset rather than a liability when it comes to the actual work that needs to be done.

He phoned me about 7:30 this morning....can he do it now? He knows I will be up and doing things. He probably has not been to bed. I let him know it's fine.

I want the printer because, next weekend, we are planning to raffle off the last two blankets for the Replanting project. We will be at something called the "Fibre Feast".  There may not be many small children around but I want them to have the pleasure of being gifted small paper finger puppets. (No, I do not have time to knit them!) I would like them to be able to wiggle their fingers with a dinosaur or a kangaroo or a dog or something on the other end. I want them to "pretend", to use their imagination.

It might also keep them occupied for a moment or two while their "responsible adults" look at something...or even buy a ticket for the raffle.

So having the printer is important. I need to print these things out. It's also important to let S.... know that he can do the job he has promised to do. He eats less when he is feeling good about something else.