More laptop woes

So, I took the new laptop back to the store. They offer to send it back to the manufacturer under the warranty. I argue that this is not a warranty issue, but a replacement issue. The discussion of whether I should get a new lt or whether the original one should be sent in for repair, lasted well over half an hour.
I told them that my Euros were good from the outset and do not have to be repaired... and for this good money I want a good product....  Something that is as faulty as this one was can, I have no doubt be repaired, and then what ??? When will the next problem rear its ugly head?
All my powers of argument and persuasion finally bore fruit. They, probably just to get rid of me, unpacked a new one which I told them I would take home over the week end and try it out. If I was satisfied with it, I would keep it, otherwise they would see me again on Monday.
Well so far, so good...
This one does everything it's supposed to do. It lets me open Google Chrome, and actually enter something in the search field... it lets me open e-mail, so that if you write to me I may actually read it...
So I've down loaded Google, Picasa, Open Office... If ultimately I decide to keep this monster, I will download ProShowGold and I will be off to the races.
Computers are lovely as long as they work... but talk about frustration when they stubbornly refuse to do as I tell'em....
Bertstravels...

The Old and the New

I have laptop, on which I am writing this. It is at least 5 years old and I wanted a new one... One with a bigger screen and more bells and whistles...
So after long deliberations, examinations, recommendations, I bought, what I was told, is one of the best...
It's called "ASUS"... it looks great... sleek... elegant...
I paid more than "small change" and thought that at this price I ought to have acquired the best...
Well, I thought so, anyway.
The reality is different. It's one frustration after the other.
I turn the bloomin' thing on and get nothing but a white screen....this is of course well after I set everything up.. I got "Google Chrome" I got "Picasa 3" I got "Open Office"
Nothing.. then, all of a sudden, Google appears, but it won't let me type anything in the "Search square"
I call for e-mail.. It appears, but it won't allow me to open anything....
It goes on and on like this ad nauseam and to frustration maximum...
So, my old laptop shows me what "Reliability" means and I am beginning to wonder why I spent all this money for a piece of junk....  Back to the store it goes, from whence it came...
Maybe I shall buy an Abacus... but I hear they are not very good for sending or receiving e-mail.
So in an hour I'll be driving to Klagenfurt, (50 minutes drive) since in the small town where I live, there is no computer store.
I'll let you know the outcome of my negotiations with the company called DiTech...
Maybe they'll give me a new one...
Stay tuned to the woes of
Bertstravels

The Tale of the Turtle and the Tree

Christin and I celebrated our collective 160th birthday
and I believe the question is legitimate: How many do you know who have reached the ripe old age of 160 ?
Maybe a Turtle, or a Tree.... But since Christin and I have reached this age, we invited 55 friends to a party at a wonderful restaurant on the shores of  Lake Klopein in Carinthia. About 20 minutes by car from our home.
Since I hate it when music is played and everybody sits with a drink in their fist, chatting with their table neighbour, calling the waiter for another bottle of bier or glass of wine... Dishes and cutlery clatter and the Band plays and nobody pays attention. When this happens, I could scream with anger.
So, I promised myself: This will not happen at my party.
The above mentioned Restaurant Seerose has a number of great things going for itself:
A fabulous Chef, great, well schooled staff, a knowledgeable Maitre d'...
Great location on the shores of a lovely lake
Two parallel running rooms, large enough for our purpose.
In the room to the right, we asked for a set up "Theatre Style"  with about 60 chairs.
In the room to the left, a U-shaped table, accommodating the same number of people for dinner.
From 5PM to 6PM there was a concert given by three musicians of my choosing.
You must hear Tonc Feinig play the piano....  he is simply "THE BEST"
To understand the playing of the String Bass, one must hear Stefan Gfrerer.
Now, in my youth I played the Bass in the "Melodies"... Believe me I did not even dream about being just one tenth the player Stefan is.He is fantastic ... he makes the Bass sing....
My old friend, Charly Reicheneder drove on my invitation 4 hours from Braunau to near Bleiburg.
When Charly caresses his Tenor Sax, I have cold shivers running down my spine.
The people LISTENED !!!!! The room was so quiet, you could hear the proverbial pin drop. Everybody was almost mesmerized listening to those three musicians.
When the concert was over, after an hour... much too short to satisfy me... we all moved over to the other part and there, as if by magic, there was a meal on the table about which Christin negotiated with the Chef and the Maitre d' ... Everything had to be "Just so".... and it was.... The best food, accompanied by the best wines.... The last of our friends left at 11.30PM.....
This was on Saturday, the 22nd September... on Sunday, starting about 10AM one friend handed the door handle to the next.... they came in numbers, saying "Thank You for this party... It was an unforgettable event"
Clearly, the Turtle and the Tree were very happy.

We'll do this again when we are 180....
Bertstravels.

What a Party... What a Trio

This is Tonc Feinig.

A better key board man you will not find

any place, any time.

Tonc is simply a Genius.

Here is the Trio at the Restaurant "Seerose"

Meet Stefan Gfrerer.

What Stefan can do with a Bass must be heard

to be believed.

He is simply fantastic.

And here's Charly Reicheneder.

When I was 16 and Charly was 17

for three years we played in a Jazz band called:

"The Melodies"

I played the Bass, Charley, yest you guessed it:

The Tenor Sax and the Clarinet.

FIRST SNOW.....

Last Friday (7th Sept) I swam in our pool. Outside temperatur: 28 C.
On Saturday it cooled off a bit.
On Monday morning it was g.d. cold
Tuesday morning there was "Snow on the Petzen"

I hope that this snow will not last...
Although "Swimming Season" may be over.

Snow right down to 800 meters.

A lazy, lazy afternoon, just this side of Paradise

I'm alone at home.
Yesterday Christin went to Klagenfurt to meet her daughter.
This morning they will drive to Triest. Shel'll come back sometime tomorrow.
So, I'm alone at home. No that's actually not quite true.
I and my dog, named Doggy-dog-dog.. we are alone at home.
As usual, I got up at about 7AM, made me a cup of tea and some toast and jam,
went down to my studio, just to check if I got some e-mail.
Yes, Carsten wrote about a long standing problem with his farm in Canada.
I thought about it for a little while and then wrote an answer, which I hope will be helpful.
Then, for a little while, I worked on a new show which I am producing for a very good artist here in  Carinthia.
At about 10 O'Clock I was outside in our garden and layed down in this deck chair.
Very comfortable
I'm reading Jonathan Franzen's "The Corrections"..
Got to page 75 out of 653. So, I've got quite a way to go. I'm enjoying it sofar.
The sun blazed (and is still blazing) from an absolutely cloudless sky.
It didn't take long before I jumped into our pool. A refreshing 21 degrees.
Just absolutely wonderful.
I was listening then ( and I am still listening ) to Stan Getz, accompanied by Oskar Peterson
and a number of other Jazz Greats.

The arched doorway leads into my studio.
That's where I have everything I need to keep me busy and happy.
There are my books, my CDs my TV and DVD player,
my laptop without which I truly would be lost.
Next week I'm getting a new one.
The one I'm using now every now and then gives me trouble.
Maybe I should get it purged and cleaned up.
Would probably cost a lot less than a new one. (994 Euros)
But I have decided to take the plunge.
That reminds me... I've been in and out of the pool at least 6 to 7 times.
What a life am able to lead. I am truly "one lucky soandso"

This little corner, next to the pool, seats 5 comforably.
We sometimes have an afternoon snack or dinner there.
Breakfast we usually have on the balcony,
from where we can see the Mountain.
The brown picture with the blue scribbling
is a photograph of a painting by one of Austria's best known
contemporary artists, by name of Giselbert Hocke.
(If this were the original it would run around the 250,000 Euro mark.
You can have my photograph for a lot less)

The roses grow in perfusion. You can't really see them too well in this image.
Stan Getz has just finished playing "East of the Sun and West of the Moon"
and launched into "My funny Valentine".
All of this would be simply beautiful, if I were not alone.
Oh well, I will get dressed now (I'm in my bathing suit while I write this)
and take Doggy-dog-dog for a little walk.
Maybe we'll drop into some country Restaurant where they make
simple but great tasting food.

talk to you later

Bertstravel.

Not Bad........even if I say so myself !

Just outside a window in a Restaurant.
Squirrels also find something to eat.

 

Froggy on a lilly pad.
Ready to pounce on the next fly

The "Kalypso Orchid"

ALL ABOVE IMAGES MUST BE VIEWED
IN THE LARGEST POSSIBLE FORMAT.

More of the Wiesenmarkt Parade

Members of the "Kaerntner Freiheitsbund"

...constantly having to be ready to repel

expansionary efforts by its Jugoslav neighbours. 

The "Wiesenmarkt" opening Parade

Our Mayor (Center) flanked by two dignitaries

leads the Parade to open the 2012 Wiesenmarkt.

Three Marching Bands

and many floats and marchers in regional costumes

take part in this annual exhibition and fun fare.