Thursday 1 May 2008

Wet socks and disappointment

NEWS AT LAST, but it's bad news I'm sorry to say. On the day when folk like this cheerful bunch on the right might be flinging themselves eagerly around a garlanded maypole, I have far less fancy-free tidings.
The hard drive people have sent me the final "diagnostic report" today following its £200 visit to a "sister company" to be fixed. Alas no data could be salvaged from it, and so that's apparently that. How very very disappointing this is. I am trying hard not to be suspicious about this company who may well have known that it was a dead end job at the beginning (they offer a no data, no fee service), so told me that it had to be sent to a "sister" company for a non returnable £200 to be fixed before they would know if the data was recoverable. I don't know. I would rather think the best of folk, so I am just going to have to swallow it and accept the loss. I am having it sent to my brother who has the right kind of brain and fiddly tools and who might just be able to do what the experts can't, but really I think that indeed is that.
I will be gathering any files lurking in the odd dusty corner of other people's machines, and unsold paintings can be rescanned. As for everything else... I will just begin again happily, and not dwell on what else might have been on that hard drive. Thank you again to everyone for their goodheartedness and words of hope. I've spent the rest of the kind donations on a new robust hard drive to replace the old one so that I can begin archiving my work again; it has a rugged orange off-road rubber protective jacket and an estimated maximum "drop height" of 35 inches!

Hey ho ... in other news... Telling the Bees now have a lovely new website, which I have been busy making this week, and the album is receiving jolly good words from folk all over the place.
We've had dreadful weather lately.. pelting hail storms and thunder and lightning. A visit to town the day before yesterday to get groceries and glass cut for our round window left me with squelching shoes and shivering soaking socks.
The mystery painting is to be completed this very evening and while the potatoes bake in the oven I invite you all to dry your wet socks by our lovely fire...

17 comments:

Crista Noel Smith said...

The telling the bees artwork is really lovely. I'm sorry about your bad news, but here's to new beginnings! Happy May Day to you. x

AC said...

To much bad news about at the moment. It must all must mean we are meant to make a fresh start.
Take care,
Alison x

littlerobot said...

Possum! So sorry to hear that, but I love that move-on attitude of yours, it's worth a million hard drives :)

Can't wait to see your new painting, and your fire looks cosy!

d. moll, l.ac. said...

So sorry about the hard drive, gleeful perseverance seems the the best choice, and sometimes brothers can do wonderful things (I have two myself). Stay warm, it is colder, even here, than usual...........

Ciara Brehony said...

So sorry to hear the news is not what you hoped. Maybe this new season is a good time to start anew. At times like this, you're right, you just have to pick up the bits and patchwork together what you can, and get going again. Hope it's not too disheartening. :-)

Shelley Noble said...

You know... I'm forming an unofficial opinion that some of us reincarnate whilst remaining in the same body for efficiency's sake!

Fresh Spring season, fresh new starts...

Really delighted to hear you have a rugged new harddrive. Are you planning to back up to something as well? I use cd's. Some use mini usb harddrives.

G said...

Good attitude Rima. Your fire looks cozy and you have some super-cool socks!

Ted Marshall said...

Sorry to hear re the hard drive, and applaud your constructive attitude. The website artwork is gorgeous and I've just (finally) sent off for my copy of the CD.

Morna Crites-Moore said...

Rima, I am impressed that you have a good attitude about all this. It is just very tough luck. Please make sure, in the future, that you have back-up in two different pieces of hardware. Which is what I think you are doing, but I just want to be sure. For a visit to a wonderful blog by a woman who can teach us all something about "letting go" I highly recommend http://spiritcloth.typepad.com/
I think her perspective might help you feel at least a little better about the loss. Best wishes to you - I'll still keep my fingers crossed that your brother might be able to recover the data! :)

mama p said...

My socks off to you, Rima! One door slams shut, another quietly opens-- and you've just the ears to hear it.

And MY ears have waited a long time to hear music like the Bees play. I'm glad to know where to get it :) Any others like them?

Stay warm-

Unknown said...

Don't let this make you too cynical! I'm so sorry the news came back bad.I wish i could think of something to say that didn't sound pedantic..

Anonymous said...

You've done a beautiful job of the web-site!
Your picture 'The Bells', a portrait of Noel? ;)x

Tess Kincaid said...

Well, at least your fire is so cozy and I can almost smell those potatoes baking. Hang in there. Sorry to hear about your patch of bad luck.

Anonymous said...

Very hard luck! I'm a bit of a techie myself, but not in the area of hard drive recovery. You should sign up with twitter.com and befriend a few dozen nerds like myself;-) You'll get loads of advice for issues like this.

Carolee said...

Hi Rima ~

As someone who's never backed up her own work, my heart skipped a beat reading about the loss of your data. I can't even imagine, and you've inspired me to take steps asap....

On a happier note, I've just stumbled on your blog via Joee (Cart Before the Horse) and have to tell you how much I LOVE your work - absolutely magical!!

Off to add your link to my blog now....

Blessings,
~ Carolee

Dixie Redmond said...

Rima, I'm sorry this happened. It happened to me, too. The only positive is that, in a sense, you get a blank sheet of paper. I'll see if I saved any images in my dusty computer, but aren't blogs great? I was so surprised to look back on mine and find many images I thought gone forever.

Jo James said...

Oh no!!
It's like having your house burn down.
You are a true Phoenix, my dear, and you shall indeed rise from the ashes!

The new website is wonderful. You are so very talented.

Hugs
-Joee