Update on Computers

UPDATE 2:  The computer dr. told me that both the computers would be ready this afternoon at 4 PM..  I decided to phone him before leaving home to see if they were ready.  He informed me that they were both ready to go, so off downtown I went.  I walked past the taxi stand at the Mercado and asked a taxista to come to the computer store in 15 or 20 minutes and he said he would be there.  I continued on to the store where the fellow had both computers hooked up and showed me that they were both working and asked me to test them out.  I did and things seemed fine so proceeded to pay him.  As he was writing out the factura (bill), the door to the store opened and the taxi man stuck his head in the door looking for me.  He and the computer fellow loaded the computers into the taxi and we headed home.  I always enjoy the little conversations I have with the taxistas on our little trips from centro.  They are very helpful with loading and unloading the various parcels or whatever you have and the fellow today even opened the car door for me.  (The going rate for  a taxi from centro to our apartment is 35 pesos without the tip so if you have been getting charged more you are getting a little tourist tax added to the bill.  We did have one fellow overcharge us one evening after an event; so we didn't tip him as he had already taken his tip we figured.)


Bill for all the stuff done :
  Power supply for my computer -- 290 pesos
  1 Gb. Memory for my computer--900 pesos
   Windows 7 for Roys computer---300 pesos
             Total---             1490 pesos, (less than $130.00 CAD)

UPDATE 1:  I took both the computers to the computer doctor this morning and as I suspected the problem with mine was the power supply.  He put a new one in and it revved up right away.  I then asked him if he could add more memory to it and he told me the price for 1/2 a Gb and for 1 Gb..  I chose the 1 Gb..  I also told him that every time the power goes off I have to reset everything so he checked and the backup battery was dead so he replaced that also.  He is also going to put a new copy of Windows on Roys old PC.   They should both be ready this afternoon by around 4 PM and he is usually pretty close with his timing or has been other times.  The cost for all of this work will be around $130.00 CAD or about 1500 pesos.  Good deal!!!

KA BOOM!!!!!!

UPDATE:  I took both the computers to the computer doctor this morning and as I suspected the problem with mine was the power supply.  He put a new one in and it revved up right away.  I then asked him if he could add more memory to it and he told me the price for 1/2 a Gb and for 1 Gb..  I chose the 1 Gb..  I also told him that every time the power goes off I have to reset everything so he checked and the backup battery was dead so he replaced that also.  He is also going to put a new copy of Windows on Roys old PC.   They should both be ready this afternoon by around 4 PM and he is usually pretty close with his timing or has been other times.  The cost for all of this work will be around $130.00 CAD or about 1500 pesos.  Good deal!!!

Last night I was sitting in my recliner reading a book, when suddenly a loud bang almost made me jump out of my skin.  Roy and I both looked at each other wondering what on earth had happened.  I thought it had sounded as if something had slammed into our door, HARD.  We turned on the outside light and went out to have a look.  Nothing, all normal, quiet and still.  Hmmmm........ back inside we came and looked around.  Everything seemed normal.  Roy went back to his computer and I sat down to mine.  Turned the screen on and nothing, looked down and the power light was off.  Strange, as it had been on a while before.  Hit the power button and nothing, nada, zilch, no action.  Hit it again, still dead.
Then it hit us both, I guess my computer must have blown a gasket or something.  Very weird !!!
My computer is old for a computer, I purchased it at the beginning of 2004 I think and have spent next to nothing on it for repairs.  It has served me well.
I have been saving everything lately onto discs and other online storage sites so am not too upset about losing any data.
I am really hoping that it is just a power supply issue or something simple and he can just repair it for me as I really don't want to buy a new computer right now.  We are going to take Roys old one that I am using right now and get a new version of browser put on it.  It quit working for him quite a while ago for a simple reason; but he hasn't wanted me to reload my legal copy of XP onto it.  So today we dragged it out and I managed to download the Chrome browser onto it and it has been working fine for me; but it does need a reload.  Anyway, if mine can't be repaired cheaply I think we will just get his old one revamped and he will take it back and I will take over the laptop that he is using now.  We will have to see what happens when we check in with our favorite computer guy.  He did a good job for Roy several times so we have some confidence in his ability.
Wish me luck.  See you tomorrow, maybe.

The Saga Of Roys Computer

We have been working on just one computer here for the last while. Some weeks ago Roys computer died. A friend came over, did some work on it and it was alive and sort of well (thanks G.), for a couple of weeks. Then it died again. We took it in to the shop and they put in a new hard drive. We brought it home on Thursday and got our landlord to call Megacable to come and hook up the internet to it. The way our computers are hooked up to the internet, Roys needs to be connected from an installation disc. We have the disc; but after the first install use of it, the tech has to come in and do wondrous things with passwords, etc. on a black screen. The first time we had called them after our friend got the computer running they came over the same day we called so we weren't concerned this time. Well, the landlord called Thursday afternoon, they didn't show up and we excused them by thinking that maybe it was too late in the day. Landlord called again Friday, again a no show. Another call on Saturday, another no show. Sunday of course we assumed they wouldn't work. Another call on Monday and by 5 PM they still hadn't shown up. We were supposed to go over to Cynthia and Mikes apartment for Cynthias birthday party, Roy decided that he wasn't leaving. He just had a feeling that if he left they would show up. I went to Cynthias party on my own and left him waiting at home.
When I returned home from the party Roy was happily ensconced in front of his computer. Sure enough the fellow had shown up. We now have the techs name and phone number so if we need him again we can just call him directly and bypass the office. Good deal. We are now a spoiled two computer family again. Thank goodness.

Computer Problems?

Computer Problems?

I may or may not be having problems with receiving emails. I am not sure. I just found out that I have not been receiving emails from one person. We are not sure if the problems lies within my system or theirs. If you have sent me an email in the last few days and I have not responded please let me know by leaving a comment here, as I may not receive the email.

Fish and Computers

Fish And Computers

As I mentioned in the last post I was having problems with my computer, well actually not with my computer but with the internet connection to the computer. It keep saying that I had no IP address. Strange, as Roys was working fine and we are using the same modem. The fellow came on Thursday and right after he left it went off again. Ciro tried to get him to come back again and phoned several times, no one showed up. Well it came back on Friday around lunch time and (touch wood!!!!) has remained on ever since. So who knows what the problem was.

Ciro came up on Saturday morning and wanted to know if we wanted to go fishing, the wind had not gotten up yet, so we went. We didn't catch much other than little ones, I thought that they were called Cabrillo; but when I searched the net to find a photo of one, I couldn't find anything. It is possible that I got the name wrong or maybe the spelling. The next time we go I will take the camera and take a picture of them. Ciros grandson came along also and he caught a couple and then decided that it was more fun climbing up and down the huge hill of gravel that was right there. He was very well behaved and very patient for a young fellow of his age. He didn't seem to be bored at all and came and checked out the fish as we caught them. We threw most of them back in, if they were healthy enough, the others we kept for bait.

We ended up going back to San Carlos for dinner that evening as we got a craving for pizza. We went to our friends restaurant and got in a nice visit as well.

On Sunday we went for shrimp tacos at "our" taco place and laughed when she asked if we wanted what we usually order. So, now we just have to show up and she hands us our order after confirming that we want "the usual". I guess we are regulars now.

Today one of the ladies that was in the spanish class that I took in San Carlos came into town. A friend of hers is visiting from England so we went out for lunch and had lots of visiting time. A nice afternoon. We went to eat at a restaurant called "La Barca" and had a nice lunch.

Gee, it sounds like all I do is eat!!! Actually I have gone to the laundromat the last 2 days in a row, catching up on doing all the bed linens and towels. I can't do all the big things at once, as our clothesline won't hold it all. I am glad to be caught up with that.

I am keeping an eye on the hummingbirds nest and hope to be able to get a photo of the babies when they hatch. I did some reading online about them and found out the the males do nothing (after their initial contribution), to help with the hatching or raising of the babies. They are not monogamous and do not mate for life as some birds do. Interesting reading; but I have still not been able to identify which variety these birds are.

Other than that, there is not too much going on, just the regular daily routine.

Hummingbirds Nest

Hummingbirds Nest

We haven't been doing anything exciting the last couple of weeks. We stayed home during Semana Santa to avoid the crush of people. Neither one of us likes crowds.

We have been wanting to go fishing; but it has been windy everyday. We asked Ciro if this was normal spring weather and he says that it is. We missed April, May and June last year as we were in Canada and will miss part of May and June again this year as we will be in the Baja.

I have been having trouble with my computer the last week or so and have been spending lots of time waiting for a fellow from Mega Cable to show up. It just goes off and then hours later decides to come back on. Roys computer is working fine, which led me to believe that it had something to do with the ethernet cable. Naturally when the fellow showed up yesterday, it was on. He checked all the signal strengths and outside lines and found no problems. When I explained to him the differences in how the 2 computers are hooked up he went and got a new ethernet cable and put it on. He figured that was the probable cause of all the problems. 5 minutes after he left it went off again and stayed off until lunch time today. GRRRRR. Now I am wondering if either the port on the modem or my computer for the ethernet cable is not working. I wanted to switch the ethernet from my computer to Roys computer this morning when it was off and see if it worked on his or not. That way I would know if it is the modem or the computer. The man is a chicken and was worried that we might end up with both computers not working so we didn't try it. The guy is supposed to come back again today so we will see if he can test the ports or do something else to get rid of the problem.

A few days ago, Ciro showed us where the hummingbirds have built a nest in one of the low branches of the lime tree beside our stairway. We watched and when she left the nest, I looked and she has 2 tiny eggs. The eggs are smaller than the fingernail on my baby finger!! She is totally unconcerned with us being close (and of course we don't touch), as the birds are very used to us. The other day one hovered right in front of my face and just looked me over. Pretty funny. We are hoping that the cats do not find the nest as it is very low and close to the ground.

Momma sitting on her nest.

Tiny, tiny eggs. The size of the thorn from the lime tree (inside the nest) gives you an idea of how small the eggs are, as the thorns are not very big at all either.

This is blooming in Ciro/Irenes garden right now. It kind of looks like an Amarylis. He told me the name; but I forgot it.