Glad you’re having a nice visit Java! It sounds neat and I would totally go to your event if I were around, I bet it’ll be interesting people!

I’ve had a very nice time here in SoCal but am not looking forward to the long drive home. And a bit worried I’ll get home and find things have busted in the ice freeze

I can only laugh that I splurged for a couple of nights at the Ritz upon arrival and got food poisoning or something on the plane? So uh not much luxurious slounging happened there. And whatever it was kept me nauseated and weak for a week, including time in Sonoma that was intended for wine-tasting and such. Well that didn’t happen! Ha!

Oh no, that sucks!

I am feeling somewhat accomplished today, with one software fix and one hardware fix. I found and installed the right Realtek patch to get my laptop to work with a wired ethernet connection and an ethernet-to-USB-C adapter without a BSOD every twenty minutes, and I got the windshield washer fluid lines on my car thawed out and unblocked and working again.

Health~ma to all that be ailing.

I'm having a good day. I gave my eldest and his girlfriend gift cards for Christmas, and my son used his to buy me a super snazzy keyboard like his own that I had admired. He said he wanted to get me one for a while but didn't have the funds so my gift card made it possible. Took him 30 years to get it right, but I think he has turned a corner.

Sheryl, I hope it’s not the flu.

Teppy, my cousin had throw pillows made out of Papa’s golf shirts for all the immediate family. I absolutely love mine.

Sorry about the health woes, javachik, but I’m glad you’re still getting to see people.

Go, son of Laura!

My phone is on its last legs, so I tried to order a new one this morning. Now I’m waiting for the bank to open so I can figure out why my card was declined. I checked my account, and the money is there. Didn’t a Buffista run into a thing where the bank declined their card when they tried to buy a computer, to “protect” them? I suspect it’s like that. As problems go, it’s likely solvable, which is my favorite kind of problem.

Javachik, I'm sad that the food poisoning kept you from having some of the experiences you wanted, but I'm glad that you're still getting those personal connections!

At least I have an appointment on the calendar now. I'm counting that as a win.

Totally counts as a win.

Didn’t a Buffista run into a thing where the bank declined their card when they tried to buy a computer, to “protect” them?

I'm not that Buffista, but my card recently was declined when I was buying PlayStation games to "protect" me. I had to call to tell them, no, I was the one stealing my money.

I'm heading back to the Bay Area on Friday, and I'm very much looking forward to being alone in my own home.

Yeah, it was a fraud concern. To be fair, I don’t buy iPhones every day. Or every year. More like every 6-7 years.

Didn’t a Buffista run into a thing where the bank declined their card when they tried to buy a computer, to “protect” them?

This has happened to me so many times. During the 3 months of housing chaos this year, I bought an excruciatingly expensive air cleaner, no prob. But, the next day, I could not complete the purchase of a $30 dress from Target! Somehow, that was a bridge too far. Though, to be fair, I don't do a lot of casual shopping in person, so I appreciate the company looking out for me.

Didn’t a Buffista run into a thing where the bank declined their card when they tried to buy a computer, to “protect” them?

That was me. It was fairly painless to solve, so I really can't complain.