Packing a Computer for Shipping

I realized with a momentary panic this morning that I have not solved the mailing list muddle yet. But I have told some that I hope to have it resolved by this week Friday. That is BEFORE Feb. 3rd. So I've put it at the top of my agenda today, right after this RoseBouquet goes out.

Okay, I should admit that I've been rather overwhelmed with all that has crowded in in on me the last couple or three weeks. The biggest one was to get that old desktop computer refurbished for my sister in Ontario, whose laptop had been hacked into and filled with viruses and other bad stuff. At first I was just giving up parts of my business day, and my Saturdays to work that computer (and learning new things myself as I went!) But last week, I got really tired of all these delays and so gave up most of Thursday all of Friday day-time hours to work and press myself harder to finish.

On Saturday, I only got my plants watered and then spent the rest of the afternoon trying hard to get this new thing called Virtual Machines, which once installed, allows a person to try various other operating systems, to see if you would like them on a permanent basis. I had to start over several times, and finally about 4 pm decided that I'd had enough, and that I would send my sister the USB sticks on which I had loaded 5 different operating systems. The first one I had installed, LEAP 15.3 is almost exactly like my LEAP 15.4 on my computer and it was working fine, so I decided my sister would work with that and if she wanted to explore the other systems she should do that on her own time. (She doesn't have as tight a business schedule as I do; spending most of her time on the phone calling people).

I started packing up the computer, and since I had watched a YouTube video on how to pack a computer for shipping, I had a rough idea of how to do this.
1. Fill the inside of the computer box with packing materials so that if it is dropped, nothing should break inside.
2. Pack that computer in a box that is some what larger, so one can pack lots of cushioning material around it.
3. Now pack that whole box in yet another bigger box.
4. Tape it up from every direction, over every opening, top and bottom and over corners - with wide clear packing tape.

I was nearly done when I realized (gasp!) I'd forgotten to tuck in the smallest keyboard I had, and also a mouse, some cords, and the USB sticks. When I pulled out a green keyboard box from between two desks I discovered that the keyboard I had been looking for was right there, and there was room at the end to tuck in all the other items, except the big black cords. (But those should not be hard to find locally).

She had already promised to find a monitor locally, so I wouldn't have the risky job of packing that as the screen can shatter quite easily.

When I was all done with nice big labels on both boxes, I looked up at the clock and realized it was 5 pm and the post office I normally go to closes on Saturday and Sunday at 5pm. The big box weighed over 18 lbs on my bathroom scale, so I didn't want to have to carry it far. (Bad news for my back!)

I got out my brown two-wheel cart I use for bringing groceries in from the car, put the boxes in it and set it near the door.

Sunday morning I wheeled it to the car, loaded the boxes and the cart, and went off to church. Later in the afternoon I went to the post office and finally shipped it, paying extra for it arrive in 3 days instead of 7. At last that big job is out of my way. -- Until my sister starts calling for advice.

Now other projects and favours for others are crowding into my memory and I realize that I still have lots to do. Fortunately, I don't plan to spend two weeks on each of them!

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