| Brutal. Frustrating. Exasperating - Looking back on it, | | | | start it again. No luck. Or I should say, Bad Luck.CJ and |
| the last two months were actually quite comical. So | | | | I take the mower down to the shop to get it checked |
| here goes.In the middle of July, my son's Dell computer | | | | out. The owner/operator of the lawn mower repair |
| caught a cold, I mean a virus, a really bad one. I tried all | | | | place takes a look at the mower and says, "We can't |
| sorts of intermediate steps to keep the system from | | | | get to it for 3 weeks." I'm thinking, " I could probably fix |
| completely crashing. Updated, upgraded the anti-virus | | | | this thing in 2 minutes if I new what he knew." After |
| which couldn't quite get rid of the attackers. Added | | | | some haggling, he says he'll give us a call in 2-3 |
| spy ware software to diagnosis some other attackers | | | | weeks.So far it hadn't been a very good day but what |
| and then tried to remove certain files to keep the | | | | else could go wrong. CJ and I head home for a late |
| computer from crashing. After 5 hours of work, things | | | | afternoon snack. As we enter the kitchen, I notice |
| seemed to be getting better.But I was approaching | | | | water all over the floor and the puddle is getting bigger. |
| uncharted waters for me. You see, | | | | What the heck is going on?We pull the refrigerator out |
| I am pretty good at fixing things but somethings are | | | | from the wall and there is water everywhere. So we |
| beyond me and well. At this point, I called my | | | | turn the water off. |
| friend Neil who knows this computer stuff inside and | | | | It is late saturday afternoon, but at least this time I |
| out. He said, " Sounds like you are on the right track | | | | have the right man for the job. I call my friend Rich |
| but if you remove to many attacked files, you've got | | | | who sold me the refrigerator and tell him it's an |
| to be careful. Just try this one more thing and then | | | | emergency. Get over hear right away.Rich responds, |
| reboot." So I did as Neil instructed, and tried to reboot. | | | | "Well Carl, your refrigerator is working? Right. So |
| As the computer was rebooting, the screen said | | | | what's the emergency? It's late saturday afternoon |
| something like, shut down the system before your C | | | | and my repair men have been running late all day." I |
| drive is totally destroyed.Unfortunately, I was a little late | | | | responded cooly and calmly(not really), "Rich but the |
| at shutting down. The computer was fried. Oh well, I | | | | ice maker won't be working and it's the middle of the |
| thought. It's the middle of summer and I'm sick of my | | | | summer and you're coming to our party next week. |
| son staring at this screen. I'll fix it later. And I didn't | | | | Right? And if you knew the type of day I have had, |
| have the heart to call Neil and tell him the news.My | | | | you would definitely send someone over here right |
| son was really disappointed. I wasn't. Maybe just a little | | | | now.." Rich reluctantly says, he will squeeze us in at the |
| upset that I'd just spent 10 hours trying to salvage the | | | | end of the day.At eight o'clock that evening, the repair |
| system. A lot of work with disasterous results. So I | | | | man shows up at our door. He does hie |
| said, "Son, it's a nice day outside. Why don't you mow | | | | troubleshooting and announces that he needs to get a |
| the lawn? We are going to have a party this | | | | valve from the truck. He returns and 15 mintes later |
| weekend. Might as well get to it now."So CJ heads to | | | | figures out that |
| the garage, pulls out the lawnmower and starts it up. | | | | the universal valves do not work on the GE |
| No problems there I thought. | | | | refrigerator. He'll have to order the part. Probably will |
| About 20 minutes later, CJ comes in the house. "Dad, I | | | | take 2-3 weeks to get the part. I'm thinking, 3-2 weeks, |
| can't get the lawnmower restarted. Can you help me | | | | everything is taking 2-3 weeks today. This is absolutley |
| ?", CJ said. I think nothing of it, CJ often has a hard time | | | | ridiculous.Can't anybody make anything half decent |
| getting the lawnmower restarted. | | | | these days? It seems like everything is breaking. So I |
| His arms aren't quite long enough yet to start the | | | | head for the family room. Nestle in to my favorite |
| mower at times.Our Toro 21" mower has been very | | | | Lazy Boy recliner. Turn on the Sony TV(that I bought |
| reliable for 14 years. Only been in the shop one time. | | | | from Rich) and call it a day. To be continued-Carl |
| Giving it everything I've got, I pull the cord 10 times. | | | | Kruse is a speaker, writer and sales executive in the |
| Can't get it started. This time I'm thinking, something isn't | | | | manufacturing industry. |
| right here. We let the lawnmower cool off and tried to | | | | His blog is . |