Oh, Brother!

Have I kept all of you up-to-date on my computer woes?  Well, I kept getting hit by deathly viruses.  My computer died a couple weeks ago (again) so we sent it to our computer repair guy (again).  He had it for a week and a half, which meant I was confined to my husband's computer, which of course doesn't have my programs, files, etc. on it.  It was pretty frustrating.  Ok.  So we get it back, pay the guy $140 for his time and services, thank you very much.

Turned on my computer, and boy did it run great!  For two whole days.  Then...BAM!  Another deadly virus.  $140 out the window.  Needless to say we were pretty pissed.  What it came down to is that we could try to completely wipe clean the hard drive and set it all back up again for about $240 (and lose all my programs that I no longer have the discs for), and there was no guarantee that the viruses weren't so deeply imbedded that they could all for sure be removed.  Or we could get a new computer.  Neither one was a very good option.  I don't want to waste any more money on "ifs" and "maybes", and our budget right now just would not allow us to buy another computer.  I was again confined to hubby's 'puter.  He doesn't like me to put anything on his computer...how can I function without photos and things like that?  Not very well, that's for sure.

Back up to last year.  My brother and I have just recently reconciled from a much-too-long feud over some things that shouldn't have been.  We didn't speak for many years, which is a very sad thing.  Life is too short, my friends.  I often thought about him, wondered how he was doing, and heard bits and pieces here and there through my mother.  It wasn't too long ago that I reached out to him through his email and apologized for whatever it was that we were fighting over, and we had an emotional reunion over the internet.  I was happy to have Brion back in my life.

My brother, Brion, is a wise-ass, always picked on me when we were growing up and still does.  He's got a wicked sense of humor, drinks too much for my liking (sorry Bri), but is always there for anyone who needs a hand.  He would probably give you the shirt off his back if you asked.  He grew up rough and tough and now is a softy at heart.  He works long, hard hours at a physically demanding job and lives very modestly. 

So then there was yesterday.  I was chatting with him on Facebook and he asked for my address.  I was a little wary of why he wanted it, but I gave it to him anyways.  He told me he was sending me a Christmas present.  hmmmm.  Christmas in October?  I wondered what the heck he had up his sleeve.  He's a prankster so I was, to say the least, a little nervous about what this "gift" could possibly be.

He told me to stay around the house today because it was supposed to come.  Do you know what that gift was???  I about had heart failure.  He sent me a brand new in the box Compaq Presario laptop computer!!!  wth???  I had a few tears of happiness and gratitude as I set it up.  The very first thing I put on my new 'puter was a pic of him to show you all who my brother is and to dedicate a post to him.  Here is my brother, Brion...

And why did he do such a thing for me?  He said because I needed it.  I have things to do.  I need to keep up on my blog and do my jewelry and beading things.  Oh, Brother!  What a competely thoughtful and generous thing to give, especially when I know he is not a person of means to just hand out computers. I'm not sure how I will repay him for this.  Thank you, bubby.  I love you!