A couple of months ago I was informed by Shaw that the PVR machine I had received for free when I originally signed up with them in 2011 was soon to become obsolete. I assumed a technician would contact me and come to do whatever had to be done. I heard nothing more until just after Covid quarantine came into effect, at which point I was told the new machine would arrive soon in the mail and I would be expected to install it myself and return the old one. It arrived a few days later with a note to the effect that it wasn't necessary to return the old one and that I should have no trouble following the installation instructions for the new one, but that if I did need help I could phone or do an on line chat with a Shaw technician. I took the Scarlet O'Hara tack and put it in a cupboard to think about tomorrow. I couldn't believe they would make this big switch during Covid quarantine. Wrong! About a week ago I received notice that the switch would happen today, May 12. So I finally had to take the thing out of the box. I carefully detached the old and attached much of the new but had to phone for tech. support for one connection. I got through quickly. The woman was really understanding but she finally determined one of the connections I'd been sent was wrong. She took a lot of time contacting a Shaw technician who was in Vernon and would deliver the right one before quitting work that night. Well, he didn't.  The next day I cancelled my bike ride and started trying to phone Shaw again. I waited an hour with the phone on speaker while I tried every connection I had in the electrical hold-all drawer I have. I found one that seemed to fit but I wasn't sure and still couldn't get an answer on the phone. Desperate, I decided to try an on line chat. In an instant I was messaging back and forth with a patient and professional person who worked with me for about two hours. When we finally got picture and sound and all systems go, I was so excited I sent an enthusiastic stream of emojis. I received congratulations back. I felt as if I'd made a friend. I am getting to love messaging. It has enabled my first technological breakthrough and messaging on Kakaotalk every night with Jay has been the highlight of my Covid quarantine days. 

The evening of my success, I was happily back to normal watching the tv news when Jay's first Kakao message of the night arrived. He got a laugh when he heard that after all that tech progress I was back in my usual chair watching my usual show, improved means to unimproved ends as Thoreau said. 

Jay hiking last weekend with high school friend Frank who also lives in S. Korea

The tulips and miniature iris in the front yard are especially lovely this spring.