Technical Difficulties

 I had to put my four-wheel drive to get to the bank this morning.  I realize this is Ohio, but I should not need to activate the four-wheel drive in the middle of April...or, as I like to say, behold the power of global warming!

So... in addition to the usual Easter weekend excitement, I have had...other first world problems as well.  First, Saturday, the check engine light came on in my truck.  I was able to drive it (though I didn't go far) and these things are usually a sensor.  Of course, it went out Monday, and my mechanic told me not to worry about it unless it comes again.  As I often travel in Hope and Changey neighborhoods...well, as I used to tell Mom, no one tries to carjack a broken-down vehicle.

More seriously...my phone died Sunday.  I mean, totally, Monty-Python-parrot dead.  I was reading (and finishing) the American Empire book, and didn't pay attention to it...but at 5, when I went to check the messages... dark as the (now empty) tomb.  I engaged the T-mobile online tech help, who assured me I could take it to my local Broadview Heights store... I suspected not, but (I had a check engine light on!) off I went, and.... my phone (mind you, five days from the expiration of my warranty) was under a Sprint contract, they didn't handle that... but if I went to Parmatown, they could help me.  Off I went there, where they found rust in the charging port but that didn't turn on the phone... so off I went to North Olmsted, where they have a tech center (the Parma people, though nice, suggested I call the store for an appointment...with my non-working phone.  Sigh.) and they looked at the phone.  They didn't find any rust (as I suspected), but nor could they fix the phone.  So....I will be getting a new one, once it arrives.  

It's...interesting.  I mean, as Mom used to say, how did people live without cell phones for hundreds of years, and it's not been too bad; I talked to my sister, and we emailed... but that's it.  Not that I have needed to talk or text to anyone, but I am sure some people are befuddled by my radio silence.  To be sure, it might be longer, especially if my contact list is lost (like the last time); I am thinking I may need to go and write everything down on paper...oi.