How many times does a recurring fault have to happen before an item (let's take as a not so random example - a lap top)is declared beyond repair and a replacement provided (as the salesman who is this rare case succeeded in selling me an extended guarantee promised would happen if it was not possible to repair a fault)?

I ask this because today this laptop goes off for repairs for the same problem as has now occured three times in the past six weeks. It is all of two and a half weeks since it came back from its last repair. When I mentioned the possibility of just giving me a replacement the man on the phone said "Well, it did get repaired last time." I asked him if he thought that could be termed a satisfactory repair in view of the fact that 15 days later it needed yet another repair for the same problem. He merely repeated the line about how they had fixed it. Then he put me on hold whilst he looked at our service history - he was gone about half an hour. Whilst I accept that may have been a tactic to make me give up and go away, it is also perfectly possible given the enormous number of problems I have had with this thing that he really was reading the service history all that time. ANYWAY, the point of all this is just to say I shall be borrowing other people's computers over the next week or so and may be slow replying to any comments, and I would just like to apologise in advance.


Coming up this week - tomorrow a sleep over at this very house featuring 13 13 year old girls.It is a good job I am not superstitious when looking at tomorrows date because I have more than enough bad feelings about that as it is. I have to miss the football for it! How is that for an example of devoted motherhood?

Next week Reidski and I are going to see Luke Haines at the same venue where we met John and Martin recently and saw the Mekons, and then I am spending a few days with him; he is having one of those horrible, depressing things known as A Birthday. We might take his lad to see a Led Zep tribute band - think that could be a great laugh but I will let you know....