I'm still here...

I know. I've been gone a bit.

Sorry. I'm still here and still alive. Don't worry.

This week has been crazy. Rich has been working like a mad dawg. He had an install on Wednesday night -- so of course he was up all night -- he got up on Wednesday at 6:00 am and didn't go to bed until Thursday night at 10:00 pm. We're not in college anymore... all nighters are harder on the body when you're 40-something!

And I've had a few other things going on -- mostly trying to keep Sam entertained while Josh is at school. Sam starts school on Wednesday. He will be in 4 days a week for 4 hours. It should be a nice break for me and let me get things done that I need to do!

We've also been having some problems with our laptop. Not major -- but the battery won't hold a charge. We had the same problem last year and Dell replaced it under warranty -- this new battery is 2 months out of warranty and crapped out.

So I've been trying to get a new battery for it. Dell wants $299 for a new battery! Honestly, that's highway robbery! I know this is a common problem too -- just look on line and you can find heaps of other issues with the same battery and same laptop. Even the Dell website has a "user reviews" when you go to order the battery. Not one is favorable. You'd think Dell would get with the program.

And $300 to replace a battery? We just bought the kids a brand new HP laptop for $700 -- and it's comparable to this Dell! Ludicrous.

I tried writing them an email but have been ping-ponged all over the place and given form letters as response.

We did find some cheaper batteries on line with other distributors. We found one with a great warranty for $75 from SimpleMicro.com. Same battery! So we ordered it, and it was DOA. Piece of junk. Of course then you start reading the fine print and you have to pay $20 "restocking fee," plus shipping back, plus they have to "review" it.... Cost us more than $75 to fix it! I did try to contact them, but the email address they give you to contact them doesn't work.

The whole thing has really cheesed me off. I used to work in customer service and it really ticks me off when I see how the industry has gone backwards.

But anyway, we've decided to cut our losses and just use the laptop plugged in. It's not like we need to use it where there is no power.

And then yesterday -- Rich had to work (and he is today too). And Sam was sick. The poor boy does nothing by half measures. He is prone to high temps when he's sick. The lowest I could get his temp was 102.8 -- at it's peak it was 104.8. It really stresses me out when he gets sick.

He was born with just one kidney so we are not supposed to give him Advil or Ibuprofen. And Tylenol is great, but doesn't work quite as well and not as long. Last night I was up every 4 hours to give him more Tylenol -- and freaking out because his temp wouldn't go down. He spent half the night in bed with me. When he woke up this morning (at 7:30 -- totally unheard of) he was covered in sweat. He was soaking wet, my sheets where he was sleeping were soaking wet and because he was next to me, I was soaking wet! The fever broke.

He seems to be on the mend today. Much more himself but still a bit clingy. I'm washing all the sheets in the house.

All day yesterday and all night last night I was just so thankful that this happened this weekend and not next weekend; Rich and I are going on a long awaited vacation for our 10th anniversary. I'm not sure how I would have been able to relax leaving a sick boy behind!

So, hopefully things will calm down a bit this week and get back to normal.