Groundhog Day Volvo Eclipses Canon

Friday

The headlamp adjuster motor was replaced by my friendly Volvo dealership. So was the headlamp unit.

"When we came to replace the motor Sir, we found that the adjuster mechanism in the headlamp unit was broken."

Quelle surprise!

They have yet to replace anything without having to replace something else that costs a fortune. I bought the car because I believed that Volvos were built like tanks and were reliable. So far I've had to have a new throttle body and a new fuel pump. At least the broken, remote headlamp adjuster didn't put me into a life threatening situation, unlike the other two faults.

I really don't want to drive the car any more - I have a strong suspicion that it is trying to kill me. At least the MG that I owned previously just rusted away quietly.

On the other hand it accelerated like smoke.Volvo has a first gear that objects to 7mph and wants to be in third gear at 12mph. Even bicycles with shopping baskets beat me off the lights.

Canon IP5000

Volvo was returned to me at lunchtime so I was able to drive to my local computer store to pick up a new printer. I ordered it on the web and had to print out the order form on my Lexmark.

The guy in the shop couldn't read the form even though I had gone over it in pencil. I pointed out to him that that was why I was getting a new printer. I couldn't read anything I printed either.

This print out an order form really is pretty stupid. If you haven't got a printer or your printer is dead - you are finished.

It's like these on-line help pages that tell you how to get into your computer when it won't boot. You don't need them until the system won't boot and when you need them you can't read them because your computer won't boot.

Never mind - mine's booting fine, the printer is working fine and Volvo's got a new headlamp and adjuster motor. The only remaining problem is poverty. Life could be worse - I could be Michael Jackson. I think he's going to need another face change soon.

XP Fails Up North

Groundhog Day it is. Not only does the Volvo repair cost an arm and a leg, but the news comes in from up North that my XP installation of one week ago is now groveling around moaning about memory dumps and blescreening right left and center.

Like it or not Volvo is going to have to get on the road again piled high with screwdrivers and Stuff.

Looks like another night in a foreign bar. Oh misery :) I told you life could be worse.