You HAVE to save all of your change starting right now. I mean it. You have to get one of these 24 inch flatscreen/widescreen monitors. WOW is it nice!

Getting this computer was a huge ordeal. Let me tell you. Seriously nothing happens the normal way for me – especially if it involves a courier company.

So I wanted to update my computer for a couple of years but I really wanted to earn the money first. I just started stockpiling everything my business brought in until I was able to do it.

I ordered it probably 6+ weeks ago, but it took a long time for Dell to fill the order – must have had some part of it backordered or something. I did watch Dell for months until they had a deal I couldn’t pass by.

So anyway, I traced it online through Purolator watching it advance towards me. Then the tracking switched to “Call Purolator for information on this shipment”. I called them up and they said it was transfered to a local courier deliver so I should expect them to deliver it. I called up the local courier the next day and asked them to hold it and I’ll pick it up after work (since we aren’t home during the day anyway).

I went by there after work and they had no sign of it. They didn’t see it in their warehouse so I was told to try again the next day and he would hold it if it showed up.

The next day I called Purolator to see if they knew anything. By the way, thumbs up to Purolator – they have really nice and helpful customer service reps. She told me that it had went back to Truro because there was an address mistake and they couldn’t find my place. (too bad they didn’t try calling first!)

Turns out that somehow I put all the address right, EXCEPT I put Highway 141 instead of Highway 7 (141 was our summer address). :crazy: So it was my fault.

It was Friday, and really windy and rainy, but she said Purolator was open until 6 in Truro so I could go get it after work. She started giving me directions, but then she said they didn’t sound right so she would get the guy in Truro to call me.

He called me a couple hours later and said he wasn’t allowed to be calling me.. but… he couldn’t give me my computer because Purolator has an agreement with Dell not to release it to a wrong address. I had to prove that I lived at that address. NO way! After all this time my computer was going to go back to Dell. NOOOOOOOOO

Then I remember that Dell had sent me the invoice by mail with all the details of the system I ordered. That was bound to have the wrong address on it too, but since it had the right postal code and RR5 on it, it arrived with no problem.

The Purolator man agreed that he could release it if I had that address on the Dell invoice and my driver’s license with my name on it.

But the weather was HORRIBLE. But, if I didn’t go get it, it would probably go back to Dell.

Jeff agreed to drive us, but he had to leave early from work, and then he had to drive an hour up Antigonish to meet me. Then we were off to Truro – which is practically all the way to the Halifax airport.

The depot was easily enough to find, even in the dark. The Purolator man had left my boxes there for the girl that was working the afternoon shift so she knew who I was before I even told her. There were no hitches – I should the invoice and my ID and we were off!

Last night I was up until 2:15am customizing my new computer and moving my files over from my old one. I still have a bit to go, but I’m getting there. Jeff installed a fantastic new shelf up above my desk so I could move my satellite modem and router up there with my stereo speakers. One of these days I’ll have this office finished – the office of my dreams! I’ll take photos, don’t you worry!

I’m just finishing downloading Open Office to try it out. I’m really enjoying this rye and coke I’m sipping as I sit here in the glow of my new monitor. Monty is lying behind me suckling on his big stuffed lion (he’s 2 now and still hasn’t outgrown the suckling of his toys. It’s weird). Jeff and Trooper are up in bed already reading the lastest Clive Cusser novel. Life is good.