Friday and A Bad Thursday Evening

I didn't get a lot of sleep last night. I didn't get to bed until after 10:30. When I came in the den to get ready for bed, I discovered my computer screen was frozen and there was a message from Defender that I would need to call Microsoft at an 800 number. I took a chance and called the number and was informed that I would need to let the tech take over my computer to get the screen unfrozen. I took a deep breath and did that. I was informed that I had a serious worm..a Trojan and the entire network was infected. I had a feeling I had been had and was now hacked.

I then told the hack tech I was speaking to that my son worked as a tech for the Department of Defense and since I had no money I would have to have him take care of the problem. So by this time the screen was unfrozen but I was told the worm was still in there. But he logged off anyhow.

I couldn't reach Keith, my son, so I contacted my tech help from Cox. Luckily I got a knowledgeable tech and he went all through my drive and removed the hack. Then I went to bed after he said the computer was safe again. He also told me that Microsoft never posts a telephone number and that should have been a dead giveaway. Now I know. I always know not to open any link that I am not familiar with...but that looked like a genuine warning and my screen was frozen. What really gave him away was when he asked me what a "blog" was. But as a word to the wise, take my advice and never do what I did. You will get hacked if you do.The Cox tech said dozens of people in his experience had bitten on that hack.

I slept pretty well until 3:30 and then I got up to go to the bathroom and after that, I couldn't get back to sleep. Finally at 4:00, I just got up.

I left a message to Betty, my landlady, that I had a 10:00 appointment this morning and asked if Emmett could come in the afternoon to replace the sprayer on my sink. I never heard back. I will try again before I leave this morning.

More later...

The chili is finished and in the slow cooker on "warm". I will leave it this morning to just stay warm.  There is Coke in the frig and I have chips and crackers. Hopefully, Emmett will not come this morning since I will be gone until about 11:00. He has my number and can call me if he does come this morning sometime.

We had our chili at lunchtime and it was good. Bob brought a photo Joanne had brought to show him of her husband, Bill, and Bob and they were best friends for many years.  Bob wanted me to scan it into my computer and print it off on some photo paper I keep. I did that. It finally worked. It took a long time and fiddling with the scanner. It's an old flatbed scanner and I hadn't used it in several years. But I finally got it to work.

I was out of sorts at lunchtime. My son, Keith, had transferred some money to me yesterday for my car insurance and it did not come through anytime today.  He sent it last evening and that may be why. I called the bank and they had no record of it even coming through but it had left Keith's account last evening. It irritates me that the bank uses our money for 24 hours and doesn't even have to be charged for doing that.  I am hoping to get the transfer by tomorrow.

I went by Utopia and had a Utopiachino and a cinnamon roll. I waited for Bob but he had forgotten that he told me he was coming after he had his haircut.

The maintenance man came to fix the sprayer on my sink and he couldn't get it to leak at all so he will return the part to Ace Hardware. I don't know what happened. When I tried to use it after the plumber put my sink in last year, it leaked all over the floor and I had to get a lot of old towels from Bob and mop all that water up. Now it doesn't leak at all.  Strange!

I got a lovely Christmas gift from the Cordas family. Christina is my oldest granddaughter. Kyle and Christina sent it to me. It is a lovely Precious Moment figurine. I collected those for years.  I put it in a prominent place in my living room. That was so sweet of her! I sent her a thank you note.

As I was getting ready for my bath, Christina texted me to find out if my gift arrived. I told her how delighted  was with it.

I took my bath and got ready for bed. The special Dick Van Dyke Christmas Special is on TV next and I guess I will watch it. Then at 9:00 Missy and I will go to bed.

I had just finished my bath and had my PJs on, when my next door neighbor, Rick, rang the doorbell. I answered it and he and Carmen had brought me a box of special cookies. I will put them out tomorrow evening when the family comes for refreshments and the gift exchange.  Evelyn had brought me a nice cookie gift the day before. We have such nice neighbors here now.

I went to bed a little early. I was really tired.