We all have a library of “one of those days”. Those days that seem to start off on a bad note and the momentum just kept going. By lunch you are really starting to wonder if there is a greater force at play in the universe and the planets are colliding.

Today seemed to be ‘one of those days’

Or a comedy of errors and mishaps.

I think it started yesterday evening. I turned on my laptop and the usual UPGRADE NOW TO WINDOWS 10 was flashing on my screen. I wasn’t ready, even though the free period was ending in days. I decided to procrastinate a little longer and delay one more day

This time it was different. I had no option to say ‘not now’, it was forcing me to take the plunge. Weary from the day at work I accepted my fate and pressed OK.

When I mentioned this to Dear Husband (DH) he said “You haven’t got any candles burning or anything have you?”

Struggling with the connection of candles and Windows 10 I hesitantly said “no”…and HAD to ask “why do you ask?”

“Last time this place upgraded to Windows 10 we burnt the shed down” he flatly replied

Ahh, how my memory had faded so quickly.

Last month we had our first visit by the local fire brigade. It was a Sunday and DH had been enjoying a very productive, relaxing day in his shed with his hobby. He was sharing the time with his nephew who also has a growing love of working with wood. As he went to his computer to show nephew some great ideas his computer started to upgrade to Windows 10, all by itself.

All of a sudden DH had two things happening at once, shaping wood into natural masterpieces on his lathe and Windows weaving its files and tentacles onto his computer. He was coping well.

Enter his mother in law with a freshly baked sponge cake for afternoon tea and the male coping mechanisms were being stretched to the limit – now there were three things going on.

The tenuous bands holding it all together snapped as a light shorted and melted in the shed, sparks taking hold on the wood shavings sprinkles across the concrete floor. Unbeknownst to the residents licking and devouring the sponge cake with cream and strawberries inside, flames were licking and devouring DHs beloved shed and tools in the backyard.

As popping explosions mixed with the black smoke streaming from openings emergency services were called and the neighborhood descended to watch the crisis unfold. Everyone was safe, the shed needing a rebuild.

Windows 10 was to blame. And now I was upgrading my computer to Windows 10.

last night, as the house turned down for the night and jack frost settled across the land outside the latest Windows 10 install seemed to have happened without incident.

Until this morning.

I was woken by DH foraging through his clothes on the bedroom floor. The clock told me he shouldn’t even be home but well into his working day.

”I’ve lost my wallet” was the comment as I struggled to open my eyes and connect with the morning.

“Where did you have it last”

“In Tamworth yesterday, its not in brothers truck, I have already been up to the farm to search”

I almost said did you have a man look or a mothers look but the wildness at which clothes were being tossed around indicated I needed to be a bit more sympathetic

“Do you think you lost it in Tamworth?”

“Could have fallen out at Somerton, we stopped to check the tyres on our way home”

Ahh, we had a clue to work with

“Should we ring Somerton Roadhouse and ask whether it has been handed in?”

This sounded such an easy task.

I went for my Ipad to pull up trusty Google, DH went to the kitchen to find the phone book.

Google was not working. Another clue that Windows 10 had begun to wreak havoc on our day. No internet.

I was then reduced to searching the phone book (before I had coffee!) to try to think what would Somerton Roadhouse be listed under?

Fuel station? No

Petrol station? No

Somerton…anything? No

Mechanics? No

Food? No

I tried to call the Somerton Pub and Post Office – yes they are the same business – No answer.

As I brewed a coffee I called Telstra Directory assistance.

The personable-computer-generated-male-voice cheerily asked me to say the name of the business

“Somerton Roadhouse”

Tick…tick on the phone and the personable-computer-generated-male-voice said

“Let me just confirm I heard you correctly…did you say Wagga Wagga Police Station?”

I will just pause right there for you to digest.

 

Within 30 minutes I was showered and ready for work. We were now travelling the 80 kilometres round trip to Somerton Roadhouse to search for the wallet before the working day began.

It was a glorious drive. The countryside is green and lush. The dew sparkled in the sunlight, droplets hanging on cobwebs woven into the fences as we skirted the tops of the Liverpool plains into Somerton.

The wallet was not located. We asked, almost pleaded to the staff behind the counter.

DH even rummaged through the bins in the hope he did not have to go through the painful process of cancelling credit cards and renewing his drivers licence. All to no avail. Our hunt had ended and we had to concede to Windows 10, again.

I headed to work and DH trudged to town to begin the task of replacing his valuables.

As he left the bank, having just cancelled his cards and ordering new replacements his phone rang. It was Somerton Roadhouse.

1. We now have the number for the Somerton Roadhouse if anyone needs it
2. DH now has his wallet back – it had been at the Roadhouse all this time.
3. Windows 10 still needs to be installed on one more computer in this house.

 

Image credits:

© Can Stock Photo Inc. / noonie

© Can Stock Photo Inc. / flashon

© Can Stock Photo Inc. / design56