On the spending of money

Okay, we are contemplating the purchase of a new computer here -- having to wake up my machine by poking it with a stick has a certain resonance and appeal, but I have to think that when simple plastic parts start to break with age and use, other and more important bits may have passed their MTBF ratings. We bought this machine in 1998...

So, looking at iMac computers (and if any Mac users have suggestions or warnings, I will welcome them) and totaling up the cost, including new software. And the office all-in-one printer is getting cranky, no longer accepting faxes, thank you. Well, it receives them but won't print them, which looks remarkably similar from my end of things. It appears to believe it has transparency media loaded, and declares that an unacceptable mismatch. Will print okay from the computers, and as a copier, but... And when I replaced the ink cartridge the other day, and went to print an alignment page, "alignment failed." So.

This starts to look expensive.

Meanwhile, the wind howls outside, with chill factors well below zero. No ski runs today, and maybe no walks.

Further on the weather

I believe the technical term for our current windchill condition is "Yikes!"

We have also reached the point where this 1850 hulk we call home has serious stratification. As in, downstairs cold, upstairs warm. Guess where we are?

It's quiet out there . . . too quiet . . .

I noticed that the wind hadn't shaken the house for at least 15 minutes, so Wife and I suited up for a little walk. The technical term for this is "Cabin Fever." About 0 F out there, but the wind stayed gone for the duration, and we report no frostbite. Also none of our usual cat friends sighted/scritched, which would be precisely the right number.