I hate molded plastic containers!

When I went to bed last night, I still didn’t have a clue what today’s weather would be; and even though we have today’s forecast, I’m still not sure the weather folk know. You see, there was a weather front that just passed off the coast. A couple of potential storms probably will fall on it, and whether that front continues far enough out to sea or not will determine today’s weather. It may snow; it may not snow.

The weather radar shortly after seven showed the storm passing us well off shore and a small potential mess heading for us from the south along the land side. I don’t think I’ll need to try snow blowing with the tractor.

I’ve had a gripe for quite awhile and have thought about passing it along to you. I bought an item yesterday at an office supply store. Actually I bought four items. But one of them was in one of those plastic protective cases that are more or less molded to the contents. (Naturally, I thought of taking a picture long after I had totally ruined the package.)

Too darn many things come in those terrible packages. I think the designers should be required to open at least a hundred of them before they loose them on the public. Someone has even invented a little tool to open them. I don’t have one of those tools. Sometimes they are even heat sealed around the edges.

I hate those packages. My serrated “cut anything” knife will usually get to the inside. But it leaves sharp edges which never fail to either slice through my skin or come very close to it. Even with one side cut, pulling the rest apart is almost impossible.

I’ve been told that all one has to do is find the spot designed to open the package. Sure. I have never found that spot. I don’t believe it exists. By the time I get into a package I’m frequently ready to throw the contents away. Have I mentioned I hate those packages?

That’s my gripe for today.

The reason I went to the store was my printer, my very inexpensive printer I bought several years ago, has been giving me fits. For one thing, it has started using ink at the rate of a cartridge or more a month. Do you know how much HP ink cartridges cost? I’ve bought that printer many, many times over. And its speed has dropped from about five pages a minute (Get a hint as to how old it was?) to one, sometimes two.

Over the weekend it began a vacation. I’m not going to detail the frustration through which I went to get it off its vacation. When I got it printing again, it ran out of ink. I didn’t have any. Yesterday it started a permanent vacation. I found a replacement and couldn’t believe the price. I thought it was very reasonable, especially considering it had Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Ethernet, and direct cable connect all built in.

The printer came home with me. Gator Wife waited in the car to keep Gator Golden company while I priced printers. I had seen one at the company’s web site that, with discounts and rebates, absolutely looked like it would fit my needs. I visited the company’s office store to see it up close and personal. I was caught by surprise as it did seem like something I’d want AND it was the same price as offered online. I think that’s unusual.

There still was a problem so I called an “associate” over. I explained I was on lifting restrictions and asked he would carry the printer to the check out for me. I’d pay for it and then go get my wife to carry it to the car. The salesman…er, associate…said he take to the car for me, so home it came. Along with some other merchandise, including an item in that plastic molded wrap.

Attaching the printer directly to a computer would be easy, but I wanted it on my Wi-Fi network. That is a minor challenge. I got the process started yesterday. By coincidence, my Fearless Friend had already suggested he would stop by today so I’m pressing him into service. Between us, we should have that printer spewing out paper in no time at all.

It’ll be good to see FF again as it’s been quite a while. A lot of water has gone over the dam since we were last together. He’s had cataract surgery on one eye (the second will be done Thursday) and I’ve had a mini-computer implanted in my chest. We’ve a lot to discuss while messing around with a printer. I’m not sure what WG, who used to be his secretary before we all retired, will be doing. But she’ll keep busy.

GiM