I bought an Office Jet All-In-One 5610 Series.
I purchased it to lighten my load.

I brought it home, took out all the parts and found one lacking.
Dag Gone! They lightened my load alright, I didn't have the second half of the power cord, the part that goes from the adapter box to the electrical source/socket.
I called the place where I purchased the machine and was told I could bring the whole thing in, with the receipt, and exchange it or I could call HP and have them send one to me.


Since the store was 45 minutes away one way, I braced myself and called.

The prompts immediately came on and asked me a dozen suggestions on who to talk to but neither of the suggested options dealt with missing parts.
I tried pressing 0. That led to a female coming on and saying"I am sorry, you have made an invalid choice. Please Select from the list of prompts provided, if you need to have them repeated press star. I pressed a number and waited 10 more minutes until someone who cannot help me comes on the line.

Hello, My name is Ryan, How may I help you? I thought, "Oh good, I understand you."
I explained the missing part and he forwarded me to who he thought was the person I needed to talk to about my missing power plug.


That led to being passed through two more channels.

Finally the gentleman I needed to talk to came on the line. I knew I had the right person for he was foreign and had a speech impediment. (Nope, I am not exaggerating) He began with asking my general information and what I was lacking. I ended up spelling my name like police running a plate number and still had to correct it twice. (again, I am not exaggerating)
The gentleman then had enough information to continue.

Tech Guy: What seems to be the problem?

Me: I purchased the product and when I opened the box I found I was missing the second half of the power cord, the piece that runs from the adapter box to the wall socket.

Tech Guy: What is the name and express number of the Office jet you are calling about.

Me: Officejet 5610 All-in-One-Series. Exress number G- as in Goat 56 X as in X ray 9

Tech Guy: Did you say 5600?

Me: No, 5 6 1 0

Tech Guy: Okay, got it. What exactly is missing?

Me: The second half of the power cord, the piece that runs from the adapter box to the wall socket.

Tech Guy: Did you try returning it to the store.

Me: The store is 45 minutes away and they told me I could call you and get the piece.

Tech Guy: Yes, that is correct. I will be right back.

That means a half hour later. I thought perhaps we had lost connection and was ready to call back when he popped back on line.

Tech Guy: You said it was the All-In-One 5610 right?

Me: *a little bit excited that we may be done* Yes

Tech Guy: Okay, be right back.

He was gone 10 more minutes.

Tech Guy: You said the power cord is gone right?

Me: Well half of the power cord. The piece that runs from the adapter box to the wall socket.

Tech Guy: Yes, right. Be right back.

Me: *sighing*

I kept my cool, not raising my voice or acting exasperated, although really I was.

20 minutes Later.

Tech Guy: Miss?

Me: Yes?

Tech Guy: I need to connect you with a hardware specialist. Please hold on the line.

Me: But... *listening to music now* Grrr!

I was on hold for another 15 minutes when my 'hardware specialist' came on line.

Hardware Specialist: Hi, How can I help you. (His accent was almost uncomprensive for me.)

Me: Oh, you weren't told?

Hardware Tech: No ma'am.

We go through the whole drill and he surprises me by understanding everything I say. He also gets everything the first time, without me repeating it.
He collects the information needed to mail out the cord and informs me I will get it Tuesday.

I am excited and stupidly say, "Tomorrow? Really?
He brings me back to reality and says "No, next Tuesday."
I ask, knowing the answer already. "Is it really going to take a week?"
He replies. "Yes Ma'am, 7 to 8 business days.
Me: "Oh."

Hardware Specialist: Is there anything else I can help you with today Ma'am?

Me: No

Hardware Specialist: You have a great day Ma'am.

The phone goes dead and I look to my All-in-One sitting unoperable and to the wall clock at the lost two and a half hours.

Me: *outloud* Yeah, Sure will...What's left of it.

His voice cracked a bit and he stared at the floor for a moment as we waited for him to recover.
I know where his head is, I know how bad it hurts. Matthew did too, our eyes locked for a brief moment.
He shift his weight to the other foot and continued. "I don't know what went wrong. She says people just change. But when did she change and why, I would have liked to have known it was coming." His eyes shone from the pain and he cleared his throat. "15 months, damn.She had been seeing him for 15 months." His voice lowered, as did his eyes, "We had 13 years, she threw that away, like it was nothing."
He continued to explain the outrageous terms she was requiring for the divorce and my insides rolled and my heart constricted slightly. I remember, I can clearly remember that betrayal, that moment when everything good became clay and crumbles like sand and sifts through your fingers.



It is behind me, behind for Matthew too. We both have suffered at the heartless cheating of our spouses. We both have cried until there are no tears left and both have felt the empty covenant left unfulfilled and broken.
We both have gathered our broken pride, our bruised spirits and looked forward, not behind. We had to, for our daughters' sakes, not ours, it would have been easier to have died.

Then one day, God gave me Matthew. We could fill that empty feeling. We pet each other's ego and we made promises and became very intimate in our talk, our music and within our souls. We know, oh how we know, we will never hurt the other. We are so cautious as not to lay another bruise on the other's heart. And we are so protective in our covenant, in our vow, and we are grateful, ever so grateful to have each other.

But today we travel back a little and feel for our friend. His tall 6 foot frame looking defeated and war ridden, his eyes darting for a resting place, his hands passing his purchase back and forth, not having a firm hold on life right now.

We assure him that we are here, that we remember and that any time he needs us, any time he needs to talk.
He nods quickly, almost embarrassed, as if he had done wrong, though he has not. It will take time, a long time, but peace will come.

It was during this time that I re-evaluated my faith, learned that God doesn't prevent man's choice in life as we have free will, but he will be there to soothe me through the heartache, to calm my fears and cradle my rejected heart. It was during this time that I learned the graceful love He freely gives when others condemn, and they do, they sure do. Many assume that I must have done wrong too, he spoke the same, trying to protect himself of more pain of more rejection, but he came to the right place, we knew.
We understood, and tonight, I thank God to have complete that journey and to be there for another.

I will get a chance to do a proper post and be here on a regular basis and come visit and catch up on your blogs soon.
Today I am recuperating body and home and tomorrow I am spending the day with Matthew, just the two of us, so Thursday, God willing, I will be back and looking in on you all.

I drove 9 hours Sunday, spent the night with my oldest girl, then came home again (9 hours back) on Monday.
Mondays ride was completely boring compared to Sunday.
The weather was harsh, I drove in and out of heavy rainstorms, then a heavy batch of hail in Pennsylvania, to finally have three miles of snow in NY.



If my car had swirled up into a funnel and landed on a witch wearing red and white striped socks, I would not have been surprised.



I found a picture of the snow on the web, Oswego, NY Storm 08/10/2008
by Josh Shear.

Tomorrow my brother Eric, wife and two kids are coming back to Maryland and staying with us until Sunday.
They made the trek earlier, for Memorial weekend, but the ocean was freezing for the kids first time there and they requested to return and we were delighted to have them again.
Two of my girls are here and I will be running them back to NY the same time that Eric and gang will leave on Sunday. We will travel together 7 of my 9 hours, which is nice.
Kara, their 8 year old is a spitting image of my youngest in many ways and Cody is my ADHD but well behaved brother all over again.
Eric brings a load of energy in his 31 year old self and I am always ready to have a dose of Eric, yet am ready to rest when he leaves.
His precious wife Robyn deserves a big medal and a nice vacation for being able to handle him!
I am excited. I cleaned and baked all day preparing for their arrival.
I know we will be living at the beach!

Let the games begin!!

Hi all, Matthew here, and welcome to SMBC. I didn't make it last nite but had a post in my mind to do so here I am this morning. This week was the annual pony swim on Chincoteague Island Virginia. If your not familiar with this maybe your have heard of the book "Misty of Chincoteague".It was a 1947 childrens book of a true story of a Chincoteague pony named Misty. The book tells the story of the Beebe family and their efforts to raise a pony born to a wild horse.Each year ( I believe the last Weds of July), the island holds a pony swim, auction, and carnival hosted by the islands volunteer fire dept. Most of the proceeds going to them. Here is a short clip and then a song for y'all tonite. You can find a lot more clips on youtube. Sit back and enjoy the Chincoteague Pony Swim.

Now here is a song by a local singer songwriter Randy Lee Ashcraft called Pony Penning Time.



I hope everyone has enjoyed this little bit of Eastern Shore Hospitality. FYI Karen and I live about 45 mins from this island and event. Have a great week all...Matthew