Superior Knowledge!

Robbie went to work in a strop this morning because we had managed to disagree about a sending a text message. I am not a gadget person in the way that Robbie is, as far as I am concerned a mobile phone is for making phone calls and sending the odd message. I don't use my phone as a mobile entertainment system in the way that most people seem to these days. It is a bit of a family joke that I don't understand text language, I use proper words and to everyone's amusement I use punctuation as well! It takes me ages to send a text and usually I ask Robbie to do it for me because he is lightening fast. Mad as it sounds I have a sentimental attachment to my phone, it is about 6 years old and to be brutally honest it has seen better days and it is a bit temperamental. This morning there was a text from my friend to say that her baby had arrived, I asked Robbie to text back for me but he complained that the space button wasn't working. I told him to get the space from the symbol menu instead, but he just had a strop and claimed that he couldn't do it. I showed him how, but he stomped off still muttering about me being unreasonable. I was a bit surprised by his reaction but I think he was just cross because for once I could do something with a gadget that Robbie didn't know how to do! He did apologise - eventually.

High Speed Chase

When Robbie got home yesterday he was very keen to tell me about a link that his cousin Wendy in USA had sent him. It enabled Robbie to guide the cursor and view the road where Wendy lives. It isn't like google earth where you are looking down on the houses from above, it is as if you are driving along the street and you can look at all the houses. Robbie doesn't drive, and he wasn't very good at virtual 'driving' with the cursor either, one minute we were looking at Wendy's house then suddenly we went speeding off down the road into the next road, and the next - we were practically in the next state before he released the cursor! It is an amazing link and it was really interesting to experience, it was like being able to walk down a road in a country that you have never visited. Well, actually with Robbie in the driving seat it was more like playing The Simpsons Road Rage game, but you know what I mean. Robbie said he would look again later when he had more time, I think he wanted to practice his 'driving' skills in private.

I am rather glad there is not a similar site that allows people to have quite such a close look at our house, the front hedge needs cutting and the hedge cutter is still out of action after Robbie last escapade - he cut through the electric cable! We have a gardening weekend planned, Robbie plans to restore order to the back garden and I need to tidy up at the front. I think we will avoid the electrical gadgets for the garden as far as possible!

Baffled by Technology 28.03.07

Robbie seems to be in shock after tidying his desk on Monday. Apparently he has even admitted to being baffled by technology, usually it is the other way around - technology is baffled by him! He loves his gadgets and geeky stuff and I suppose I do too, but sometimes I have to beg him to shut up! I like to know how things work, but the intricate detail that Robbie treats me to leaves me begging for mercy. My mum brought me up to believe that a woman could do anything better than a man for two reasons, we think about it first and we read the instructions!! She was absolutely right of course, she was almost always right (that’s where I get it from!). Robbie knows a huge amount about computers etc, but he doesn’t always find the simplest way to achieve things. Being a train person his attitude seems to be ‘why go from A to B when you could go the scenic route via C,D,E and F’ Fair enough for train spotting and certain other activities, but when applied to computers, cooking or most other daily activities it can be infuriating!

Robbie has a dreadful sense of direction and his map reading in the car always causes a heated argument. He has the attention span of a goldfish and rather than following the map he tells me the route the train would take, or he gives detailed train time or he manages to remember when the line closed to passenger traffic and how long freight continued after that! All very interesting I suppose, but not when it causes me to miss my turn and travel miles out of my way. He has even caused me to make an emergency stop (not recommended on the motorway) when he yelled LOOK at the top of his voice. I thought he was warning me of a hazard, but he had only spotted a train in the distance!
I shouldn’t moan, listening to his stories about his work mates it is clear that some of their wives have far worse to put up with!

Car Wash

Being a train person, cars are not of much significance to Robbie – but he becomes a bit of an anorak about buses and trams! He has no interest whatsoever in learning to drive a car and I must admit that in my weaker moments I feel that this is a benefit to the community!
I have a Galaxy and it seems to require new tyres almost as often as Robbie desires new shoes. Checking the tyre pressure has become one of those routine jobs that we do more or less every week. At first Robbie was unsure of the process, but his confidence grew and in true Robbie style he has made the task his own. He has turned it into an art form and he now times himself to the second!

Robbie had his own clear ideas about washing the car. As far as he was concerned it had to be done by hand with a traditional chamois. The process involved me moving the car several times so that he could complete the task to his satisfaction. I found the arrangement irritating and Robbie trooping in and out of the kitchen to update me on his progress and refill his bucket could have proved dangerous – to his health! Matters came to a head and when he still resisted the option of the jet wash, I pointed out that it would be quicker, easier, more effective and safer (for him!). None of this swayed him, but then I suggested that the present contortions were an elaborate ruse to engage our very attractive neighbour in conversation! Deeply indignant and protesting just a little too much he meekly agreed to the jet wash.

Once at the garage he was like a child with a new toy. After giving the car the full treatment he jumped back into the passenger seat soaking wet, with a huge grin on his face. Believe it or not he asked if we could drive round and do it again! I didn’t oblige, but I promised he could come out to play again the next weekend. He then told me in great detail about the Tonka Trucks that he had when he was a little boy! Our trips to the jet wash are now almost a weekly event.

Having discovered the jet wash, his enthusiasm for car related gadgets has greatly increased. He has mastered the new vacuum machine and he particularly enjoys the bit at the end when he can douse the car interior with ‘new car’ fragrance. I have to drive with the windows open for a while after that!

Robbie’s latest discovery is how to fill the car with diesel. I have never seen anyone get so much pleasure from such a mundane task! Perhaps all this enthusiasm for cars will improve his map reading, but somehow I doubt it!