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Well, its been an uncharacteristically long time since I updated my journal but when you've read all this you'll see why :(
Thursday: After a rather hectic morning I left work at lunchtime to attempt my Network Infrastructure exam. This is generally agreed to be the trickiest of the MCSE exams because it's so very technical that there's a lot to remember. I was unlucky enough to end up with lots of routing and remote access questions which is my weakest area except NAT and managed to get 617 out of 1000. Unfortunately I needed 620 to pass. Bugger bugger bugger.
So, I got on the bus home to Oxford, moderately annoyed but not devastated. I was going out to a concert that evening with my Dad and so I still had stuff to look forward to. I got home in plenty of time and started to get the spare room ready - Dad was staying the night afterwards. I noticed a drawer on the floor and thought "That's odd - I don't remember doing that" then went downstairs. The penny dropped. I dashed back to the spare room to confirm that yes, my laptop has been stolen. Fuck, fuck, fuck. Theres no evidence of a break in but if I had forgotten to lock the mortise (which I sometimes do) they could have slipped the yale lock with no trouble. Bastards. Plus it's a rented house so who knows how many keys to that there are (the mortise was changed when I moved in but not the yale) floating around. I was pretty freaked and phoned Alex in tears for moral support. Darling that he is, he zoomed over and helped me sort out the police, my Dad arriving somewhere between the two. Not exactly the welcome I'd anticipated but he was really good and supportive too. Unfortunately, cos there's no evidence of forced entry it might have happened for a while before I noticed it - the last time I used the laptop was 2 weeks ago nearly and I never go into the spare room apart from that. The chances of them finding it are slim to none.
The one good thing was that the police let us go before the gig which was Humphrey Lyttleton and his band so we decided to lock up and go still. I'm glad we did - it was a really good gig. Slightly surreal to see that the band were much older than any of the audience - they were all around Humphs age :) - but that didn't seem to stop them. They really swang and we had a fantastic time.
Friday: Man round to change the Yale in case someone's got a key to it. Scene of crime man to look at the drawer that was out on the floor. Unfortunately the prints on it were too old to give any ridge details so no help really. Still, worth a try I guess. By the time both of these have been and gone it's 12:30 so it's not worth going into work. I had been going to catch the train over to my parents after work but now we decide I'll get a lift back with Dad (who's been waiting here with me). His agency works for the National Stud and the December Foal sales are on today so we decide to drop in on the way back, see if his brochures have arrived, check out the competition and so on plus of course, have a look at the foals :) Well, I have to say, it was a fantastic experience. The foals were all lovely looking and watching the sales themselves were breathtaking. I couldn't see the bidders so I spent the whole time in the ring trying not to move a muscle in case I inadvertently promised to pay 60 000 guineas for something :) We saw one go for 250 000 guineas - they're all nuts! Pretty fab. We went on home happy and of course Mum was pleased to see me so we had a lovely evening chatting and sitting around plus my brother turned up - hooray. Just what I needed after yesterday.
Saturday: SHOPPING!!! Went on a serious spree with Mum to buy Xmas pressies :) Managed to do pretty much all of my relatives in one fell swoop and made a good start on people like Alex and Suz and co as well. We've put all Dads pressies on my card so he won't know what they are (he and mum have joint ones) so my bill is looking pretty huge but it was great. Norwich is much better for shopping than Oxford - I think it's the John Lewis. We spent a fortune in there - they always have nice stuff. Then back home for Dads famous pizza and lying around. Mmmm
Sunday: Not very productive morning. Bought more Xmas tree decorations in Homebase but couldn't buy scotchguard for the carpet. Now I have a huge haul of sparkly things for the tree when I get it :) I love Xmas trees. Went home with only a slight hiccup with the train and had something to eat. Alex and I each too tired to make it over to see each other but had a nice chat on the phone. Did lazy tidying up, some Xmas cards, bath and early night. Good. Unfortunately, am ill again - tonsil is all swelled up and hurts to swallow but want to all the time cos of big tonsil in throat. Bad.
As you can see, most of this was actually pretty good. I was just so annoyed and upset about the laptop - this is the second one I've had stolen - that I really needed it all to cheer me up again.
Thursday: After a rather hectic morning I left work at lunchtime to attempt my Network Infrastructure exam. This is generally agreed to be the trickiest of the MCSE exams because it's so very technical that there's a lot to remember. I was unlucky enough to end up with lots of routing and remote access questions which is my weakest area except NAT and managed to get 617 out of 1000. Unfortunately I needed 620 to pass. Bugger bugger bugger.
So, I got on the bus home to Oxford, moderately annoyed but not devastated. I was going out to a concert that evening with my Dad and so I still had stuff to look forward to. I got home in plenty of time and started to get the spare room ready - Dad was staying the night afterwards. I noticed a drawer on the floor and thought "That's odd - I don't remember doing that" then went downstairs. The penny dropped. I dashed back to the spare room to confirm that yes, my laptop has been stolen. Fuck, fuck, fuck. Theres no evidence of a break in but if I had forgotten to lock the mortise (which I sometimes do) they could have slipped the yale lock with no trouble. Bastards. Plus it's a rented house so who knows how many keys to that there are (the mortise was changed when I moved in but not the yale) floating around. I was pretty freaked and phoned Alex in tears for moral support. Darling that he is, he zoomed over and helped me sort out the police, my Dad arriving somewhere between the two. Not exactly the welcome I'd anticipated but he was really good and supportive too. Unfortunately, cos there's no evidence of forced entry it might have happened for a while before I noticed it - the last time I used the laptop was 2 weeks ago nearly and I never go into the spare room apart from that. The chances of them finding it are slim to none.
The one good thing was that the police let us go before the gig which was Humphrey Lyttleton and his band so we decided to lock up and go still. I'm glad we did - it was a really good gig. Slightly surreal to see that the band were much older than any of the audience - they were all around Humphs age :) - but that didn't seem to stop them. They really swang and we had a fantastic time.
Friday: Man round to change the Yale in case someone's got a key to it. Scene of crime man to look at the drawer that was out on the floor. Unfortunately the prints on it were too old to give any ridge details so no help really. Still, worth a try I guess. By the time both of these have been and gone it's 12:30 so it's not worth going into work. I had been going to catch the train over to my parents after work but now we decide I'll get a lift back with Dad (who's been waiting here with me). His agency works for the National Stud and the December Foal sales are on today so we decide to drop in on the way back, see if his brochures have arrived, check out the competition and so on plus of course, have a look at the foals :) Well, I have to say, it was a fantastic experience. The foals were all lovely looking and watching the sales themselves were breathtaking. I couldn't see the bidders so I spent the whole time in the ring trying not to move a muscle in case I inadvertently promised to pay 60 000 guineas for something :) We saw one go for 250 000 guineas - they're all nuts! Pretty fab. We went on home happy and of course Mum was pleased to see me so we had a lovely evening chatting and sitting around plus my brother turned up - hooray. Just what I needed after yesterday.
Saturday: SHOPPING!!! Went on a serious spree with Mum to buy Xmas pressies :) Managed to do pretty much all of my relatives in one fell swoop and made a good start on people like Alex and Suz and co as well. We've put all Dads pressies on my card so he won't know what they are (he and mum have joint ones) so my bill is looking pretty huge but it was great. Norwich is much better for shopping than Oxford - I think it's the John Lewis. We spent a fortune in there - they always have nice stuff. Then back home for Dads famous pizza and lying around. Mmmm
Sunday: Not very productive morning. Bought more Xmas tree decorations in Homebase but couldn't buy scotchguard for the carpet. Now I have a huge haul of sparkly things for the tree when I get it :) I love Xmas trees. Went home with only a slight hiccup with the train and had something to eat. Alex and I each too tired to make it over to see each other but had a nice chat on the phone. Did lazy tidying up, some Xmas cards, bath and early night. Good. Unfortunately, am ill again - tonsil is all swelled up and hurts to swallow but want to all the time cos of big tonsil in throat. Bad.
As you can see, most of this was actually pretty good. I was just so annoyed and upset about the laptop - this is the second one I've had stolen - that I really needed it all to cheer me up again.
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Date: December 3rd, 2001 08:51 am (UTC)From:no subject
Date: December 3rd, 2001 08:55 am (UTC)From: