Our Computer Guru Gets an Upgrade

Remember floppy disks?

Once upon a time, computer stuff used to come on floppy disks of various sizes and shapes. If my memory serves -- and it doesn't always these days -- the first computer we had didn't even have a hard drive, for cryin' out loud, and it worked off of one of these 5.25-inch floppies.



And then the floppies improved. They were a little sturdier and could hold more data. And then came CD-ROMS and thumb drives and.... who needs a floppy any more?

We don't. But, because of Richard's tendency to stock up and buy in quantity when the price is right, we have a nice supply of floppy disks on hand that we will never, ever use--although we still do have disk drives on our computer that will take a 3.5-inch disk.

Todd is the guy who set up our computer network and fixes the computers when something goes wrong. Todd has received many phone calls from us pleading for help to fix computer catastrophes. The other day, we got a plea for help from him, for a change. He needed some floppy disks for something. So Richard was happy to give him a few.

In the past, our Knight in Shining Armor would come bumping up the driveway in an old, beat-up Volvo.

This time, we were surprised to see him hop out of a smart-looking white van, complete with a nicely done business logo on the side. Todd likes frogs, too. I haven't been able to figure out a way to work "frog" or "toad" into my business name.

One doesn't normally think of computer repair requiring enough substantial equipment to make a van a necessary tool of the trade. Ah, but this van has another job in addition to ferrying Todd on his rescue missions.

Todd and Jackie, his partner, need the van for their other business. Jackie used to be a paramedic on the local ambulance. In fact, when our son was training to be an EMT, he went with her on the ambulance.

She retired and helps Todd at the shop answering the phones and what not. And she also breeds and shows dogs. Big dogs. Big dogs that they bring to work with them at the computer shop every day.

Big dogs that they take to dog shows.

Big dog shows.

How big are they? Big.


Jackie wanted a few pictures of Beren, also known as AKC Champion Beren's Hope of Thorn Hill.

Promise, his half sister--whoops, that should be Luthians Promise of Patorama--wanted to come too. She is also a champion, but she had gotten into the mud and was dirty. Jackie did not want pictures of a dirty dog.


"No!" Jackie said. "You have to stay here."


So off we went.

And Jackie tried to get him stacked on the bench, which was sort of narrow. And it took a while.



And he fell off.


And he got repositioned.


And repositioned some more... and he kept moving and she finally gave up and said...


Ok! We're as ready as we will ever be. Now, Beren. Look up here.... Snap... Snap... Here.... "You know," she says, "it is really hard taking pictures of animals. Call his name!"


Beren! BEREN!!! Over here.... Good dog... Good dog. Hold it.... Hold it....



And then we decided to quit while we were ahead and walked back to the shop. And there they were looking for us.



And how much are those doggies in the window?


A lot. I mentioned in the last post I probably wouldn't be getting a Lab. I won't be getting one of these either. I could probably by a good used car for the price of one of these puppies, and besides, our house isn't big enough!