On the bank stuff, for Years before computers and on line banking, I never balanced my check book. And the bank I was with for probably 30 yrs, did not make mistakes. My 2 direct deposits are always on time and often early, SS and Pension. And the current owner of my bank is helping me with a So Cal Gas mess...... As I feel, my life and our country and my state have been good until Covid 2020 and the Reset going on. I believe the govt and big businesses are doing all they can to break MOST of us down. The politicians with a D attached to their names are scum, and those with R attached to their names have issues and lies but I lean with them more now than ever in my life. I had a good food delivery today so I'm feeling better right now. Nice lady made the delivery and she was so helpful.
It seems a lot of the stuff out there are POS. Built in obsolescence time is getting shorter and shorter for parts or the whole. I have bought some stuff made in china for which the design was impressive. Can't think of any just now. Only remember thinking 'how clever'. But more and more things are disappointing.
That lady is worth more than she is paid and the companies (and government) don't see that. Merit based is the way to go in all aspects.
I've got a few things one order that are being delivered via the post office...supplements, coffees, and a script. My mail is usually delivered in the afternoon, but I got an email this morning that one of the coffees had been delivered at my mailbox (1/2 mile up my right-of-way.) I don't make special trips to get my mail, but had grocery shipping to do, so I timed it so that this afternoon's mail would have been delivered by the time I drove back home, and I'd gather it all at once. I made the trip into Charlottesville, did my shopping, ate lunch, and drove home. I passed the mailman, who still had a couple of houses to go before he got to my place. So I waited for him, and we talked about the weather and the lack of snow and my childhood in Indiana and his growing up in Rochester. Then he handed me my mail, which included a couple of deliveries. I thanked him, got in my car, and drove down the right-of-way to my house. It wasn't until I unpacked the groceries and opened the packages that I realized that the coffee was not with the stuff. I got online and looked it up, and realized that the coffee was still sitting in the mailbox from this morning's delivery. I forgot all about it because the guy handed me this afternoon's stuff directly. It's still sitting out there. If I need something from the store tomorrow, I'll snag it; otherwise, it can sit until the next time I leave the compound. Daggone my mouth, it always gets me distracted.
Ya know, with porch pirates on the rise I wonder when mailbox pirates will start in some areas. Yes, I know it is a Federal Law not to mess with the mail but stealing from people's property is against the law and people do it.
Get a cat ! they'll listen to you all day long until the dinner bell rings. I just finished the 4:30am feeding and they were all listening to my walking down the hallway knowing that is where the food originates.
I actually had to spell certain words around my little dog. If he heard "cheese" then the battle of wills was ON. (He always prevailed. )
We had mailboxes out by the road and they became targets years ago here. Even the so-called secure ones were robbed. Folks with cordless angle grinders just cut whatever locking mechanism on the off. We ended up getting a private mailbox at a business down the road in the nearest little village. It is expensive, but almost everything gets delivered there securely from USPS to DHL.
That's in Alaska? I wouldn't have thought Alaska would be so crime-ridden. I have a large traditional mailbox at my front door that anyone could open if they wanted to, and packages are placed on my unlocked porch, and I've never had a problem. Houses are burglarized once in a while and, from time to time, there will be someone rifling through unlocked cars, but these usually turn out to be teens, and sometimes even pre-teens. Other than a roof rake that someone swiped from my backyard, I haven't had a problem in the 23 years I've been here. A large part of our crime problem can be attributed to the same kid, who moved here with his mom and brother from New Jersey when he was twelve. This was the same time period in which it came out that the State of New Jersey had purchased a couple of houses here (where there is no work) for New Jersey families on the dole. I don't know if this was one of those families, but this kid has been stealing stuff since he got here, and he's sixteen now. He's been arrested a bunch of times, but he's always back. While they don't release the names of minors who are arrested, half the town usually knows about it even before they get around to the arrest.
Yeah, our old mailbox was near the highway about 1/2 mile from our house. We have a fair amount of property crime out here, but little personal injury because so many have guns and know how to use them.
Still trying to adjust to lack of technology in this tiny town. Banks here can't do wire transfers. We have too go to ATM and take out money to deposit at new bank. Once or checks for new bank next month hopefully I can close out old bank. Whew, and only deal with one. Then last Thursday my lap top was real odd. Could not recognize the hard drive? Anyway took it guy here that was recommend. However it is now Tuesday night and he still had not answered my voice messages as to any progress he has made. I can't do much with out the laptop. My phone stinks and is not as safe as laptop. I need to do taxes also. I am a prisoner to technology.
Was there any activity on the laptop like messages or having a screen light up. It might just be something simple such as a battery too low to run the drive.
If you do not get an estimate on the laptop, or it is expensive, you might want to look into a used/refurbished Chromebook. They are easy to use, and come with built-in antivirus that works very well. Amazon and eBay both have good selections at reasonable prices, and Best Buy has some on their clearance sales sometimes, too, so worth checking all three before you make a decision.
New Chromebooks can be had for less than $100 and, although Chromebooks didn't work for me, they might be a better choice than a price-comparable low-end PC.