Saturday, June 20, 2009

Oh Come, all ye Faithful.

Now where was I? Ah yes, about to follow instructions from the lovely Donna on how to put a slide show on my Blog. Huh. That was nearly two weeks ago. I just turned on my computer, and it just turned itself off! So I have been absent again, and it took a while to get back on-line. My lovely Computer Man, Dan, came and shook his head, examined the patient, and took the bloody thing away. However, it wasn't terminal :-) (thankfully, because I haven't got everything backed up - of course); he managed to replace the power unit (?), and he also stopped the groaning it used to do whenever I turned my computer on! What a little genius he is. So here I am with a practically silent computer that is working again - and I now have to get my head around doing those pictures again. That's next, after I have caught up a bit. And we have to back everything up now too. Dan and I have promised to do that sometime soon - let's hope my dear old computer doesn't decide to die on me between now and then.

Son has been both helpful and thoughtful. He thinks my old computer is a "piece of sh**e" but nevertheless he put a message out on Facebook, asking if anyone has a PC they don't want. He admitted it was "for me mam", and said he didn't want any Mac questions from his mates, because we have had that conversation already. All his friends (and probably most of mine too) have now got Macs rather than PCs, and I don't know why I'm still resisting it really. It's just that I'm used to my PC and not sure I want to learn a whole new set of computer "rules". Anyway, we'll see what turns up. I'm pretty sure I'll have to replace this one soon, whatever..

Grandson has been having a jolly time, and has been making us all laugh, as usual. His teacher told Daughter about his latest joke last week, at her Parents' Evening: apparently they were doing a little exercise in class about shortening names, and she asked the children if anyone could think of how their name might be shortened. Grandson's hand shot up, so she said "OK William (that's his name!) how do you think we could shorten your name?" His immediate response was "Mario" - which made her laugh so much she was practically crying. Of course, he loves Super Mario on his DS game, so that was probably where it came from. Priceless! So from now on, he'll probably be Mario for short! His lovely teacher is leaving the school at the end of this term to be a head teacher at another Primary School. She will be sorely missed, and she said that she will miss William because he makes her laugh every day! What a wonderful gift that is.

I have been up to London this week, to the Summer Exhibition at the Royal Academy, which was great. I hadn't been for a couple of years, and I only did it this year because I wanted to go and see Son, and he couldn't make a space in his busy day until later in the afternoon. It was a blessing in disguise, because I had a lovely lunch in the Royal Academy restaurant, and then had a couple of hours walking round the Exhibition. I particularly love the smaller pictures - these are often quite inexpensive (though not as cheap as they used to be - I can remember when you could buy a small print for £10 or £20), and so feel very accessible. They are hung in the Large Weston Room and the Small Weston Room and are mostly small pictures and prints, some of them available in quite large print runs. Though the minimum price is now around £100. I guess that's still not bad for a piece of original art, and it is wonderful to see how many people of all ages, from students to grandparents, come to look at the pictures and sculptures on display. I particularly loved some large collages which were to my mind the most original works in the whole exhibition; there were four examples of these enormous postcard collages by an artist called David Mach R.A. At £25,000 each, they're also among the more expensive items on show. But they are truly wonderful - if you have a chance, do go and see them, and if you're too far away try looking on the Royal Academy website www.royalacademy.org.uk

That's about it for now - thanks to all you Bloggers who have remained faithful and kept on wondering where I was - lost in computer never-land, that's what. I'll be back tomorrow and have another go at those blooming photos - not that I want to tempt providence...

9 comments:

auntiegwen said...

I should make more of an effort to go to London not just fot gigs.

Glad you're back and your PC's feeling better, mine is sadly getting more poorly by the day ! x

Maggie May said...

I can thoroughly recommend a MAC! I know that's not what you want to hear!

Had to chuckle at that William/Mario tale. My granddaughters are obsessed with Mario too! I thought it was something new, but son says it has been around for years!
Bet teachers have a good laugh about what the children say!
Good Luck with the slide show.
I cannot do that! Rely heavily on son for things like that!

menopausaloldbag (MOB) said...

We don't realise just how much we rely upon ou PC's until they fail. welcome back!

Anonymous said...

News, news, news!! You're always full of goss and that's why I love a visit to your blog.

I'm hoping I might take Amy to London soon, she keeps talking about seeing the sights but I'm not sure I'm that bothered. Perhaps a trip for Amy, we'll see.

Computers drive you insane if you're like me and a computer buff. I'm having problems with mine, nothing major (I hope) but just silly inconveniences, like Internet Explorer keep dropping when I'm on Broadband and no sound coming through. Sick of it now.

CJ xx

Donna said...

HAhaa...maybe you need to listen to Son!! If it's noisy like that it's either the fan motor OR the hard drive...Hope you have all your stuff backed up on an external hard drive!
Happy night sweetie!hughugs

Working Mum said...

Computers - love 'em and hate 'em. Ours wouldn't switch on - turned out to be a broken switch!

Love the sound of the Academy. We're planning to do more culture next time we take daughter to London. National Portrait Gallery will be on our list when she knows who the people are!

Reasons said...

I fancy a Mac too to be honest.
Think I'll check out the academy. I love hearing "me mam" it take me back to my days oop north.x

www.retiredandcrazy.com said...

Don't children say the most wonderful things?

I think a mac is good if you are into graphics, but for me the plain old PC is great.

A Mother's Place is in the Wrong said...

Hi Auntie Gwen, what a dilatory Blogger I am - thanks for your visit. Computer is still hanging in, thankfully, though I'm more absent than ever! M xx

Hi Maggie M, well I'm full of admiration if you can get on with a MAC - and as you can see, I haven't managed the slide show either! Hopeless is what I am. M xx

Hi MOB, well I'm still hopelessly absent - don't know what's wrong with me! M xx

Hi Crystal - lovely of you to visit and I'm sorry I'm leaving you short of news - I'll try to catch up a bit. I do hope you've sorted your computer now. M xx

Hi Donna, oh patient one! I'm apologizing to every one for being so dilatory. Yes, computer is still hanging on, but for how much longer?? I must do that backing up! M xx

Hi Working Mum - yes it was lovely going to London - and I love the National Portrait Gallery too. I'm planning to visit that next. M xx
PS. Seem to have hit a nerve with broken computers..

Hi Reasons TBC123, lovely to have a visit from you. The Summer Exbn was lovely, and wasn't it nice that Son put it like that? M xx

HI RAC, and thanks for visiting again - sorry I'm such a lousy Blogger at the mo! I think you're right about the MAC vs PC, and it's also about what you feel comfy with! M xx