We have lots of computers and we spend a lot of money on hardware, software and repairs.
Its just a cost of doing business or so we thought until Quintin Rice came into our offices.
It was rather serendipitous.
We had just broken our laptop.
The computer store we used to use Macdocs had been bought out by Simply Mac and they told us the best they could do was sell us a new computer.
We went on line and find a place which took our machine on spec and did fix most of it for $200. There was a little problem with the latch system which they wanted to charge around $400.
We said we could live with a bad latch.
When we told that story to Quintin he smiled and said he could fix the latch for under $100.
We didn’t believe him.
But we added we had another laptop with a bust screen that every computer store said was un-salvageable.
Again we didn’t believe him.
But he insisted he could so we took him up on it.
It is our son’s computer so not really a matter of life and death.
Took about a week to get the new screen and less than an hour for him to fix it.
Total cost less then $100.
Then he fixed our broken latch again total cost less than $100.
We must admit that one of the reasons why we did not believe Quintin was because we are Apple snobs.
And as Apple snobs we knew that this obviously PC guy could not possibly repair our fine sophisticated machines.
We were morons.
Quintin Rice is a true Maven of computers which is the highest accolade we can give.
He will have our business for as long as he wants it and we urge all of readers to call him first when your own machine breaks down.
You will not need to get to make another call.
We have many childless friends and they mark their time either by jobs or pets. And there is a very depressing poem out their where the protagonist marks his time by coffee spoons.
We mark our time by our children and grandchildren.
Starting with 1983 give us a year and we can tell you which of our four was doing what/when/where/why and how.
It is not because we were particularly good parents. It is just something all parents at least all the ones we have ever met do.
For us 2011 is the year our son Ari joined the army and the year our daughter Anna announced she was pregnant.
For Celia Costanzo 2011 is the year time stopped.
Her daughter Mickie was murdered that year.
And we can only imagine how each and everyday after has been for her.
Our mother-in-law who lost two sons kept time that way. There was the glorious past before Charles died and then there was the time after Charles died.
She like Celia did not retreat from the world in a veil of depression.
She learned to laugh and to take joy again.
Even after she lost her second son she again came to grips with the world and took a measure of comfort in her remaining children and grandchildren.
Still the wounds were there.
She grieved for her boys as Celia grieves for her daughter everyday that passes without her.
That Celia is doing something in Mickie’s memory we applaud and support.
She is a wonderful woman who deserves our respect and our attention.