I woke up this morning and had plans to do several things today. I wanted to make a batch of potato salad to have with lunches...and I thought I might as well get the Christmas cards out of the way too. I like to buy them in October, address them, etc., in November and mail them on the weekend following Thanksgiving. But it was not to be!
We got a call from dear MIL this morning about 8AM. VERY unusual, as she usually sleeps in until at least noon or 1PM. Sadly, she was calling to complain that her TV picture stopped working yesterday about 11AM. For MIL, this is a near 9-1-1 situation. Her TV and her doggie are everything to her. She freely admits to being addicted to the TV. I was surprised she waited until today to call us. Usually, she's much quicker! This is a regular thing, as she tends to just start pushing buttons on the remote, on the TV, on the sound bar and anything else that might have buttons, leaving a real mess for us to try to reprogram. She claimed not to have done that and just listed to it like a radio. Anyway, DH tried talking her thru how to turn the TV on again, figuring it got out of sync on the remote...but it didn't go well. So, we did a few things and had a bit to eat and went to MIL's. We tried all the usual remedies, and nothing worked. The TV is one that she purchased long before she or even we moved up here, so probably circa 2010 or more. Eventually, we gave up and went to buy a new one. DH thought the 50" would fit the spot where the old 42" was sitting and only 100 bucks more. We took it to her place and measured and while we could make it work, it was going to be tight and tough to deal with when the next 9-1-1-my-TV-is-out comes around. We were assured that if it is too big, just bring it back for the smaller one. So, back to the store to exchange for the 43" model (42" is no longer).
Turns out returning/exchanging is much more involved than just buying. Sigh. So, maybe an hour later, we get back to MIL's. We remove the old one, set up the new one, easy, peasy...the new one is all HDMI no optical cords, etc. But, the Comcast remote doesn't want to talk to the new TV. Still works the cable box and still does volume UP on the sound bar, but no volume down. Sigh. And, DH's job ends with plugging everything in. Then I need to take over and do all of the programming. Over and over again...until finally I remembered, when all else fails, reboot! Alakazam! It works! Everything works again. MIL loves the new picture! I hand her the remote just to make sure she's all set and, nope, she says, "Don't I get a new remote with the new TV!?" Well, yes, but it doesn't work the cable box and the sound bar...and besides, you do not need to learn a new remote. Good, no? Not so much. I ask her to try the volume and try the channels, so we can leave, confident there will not be another 9-1-1 too soon! MIL starts pushing the mute button, on, off, on, off, on, off. I explain that she needs to use the volume button and she says, "I thought it was muted, so I try that first!" Anyway, I'm starting to think she's pulling my chain, but I go thru the remote with her, as if it is a brand new one. And it is almost 3PM before we can head for home.
It is almost time to start dinner. Potato salad and Christmas cards will wait...but, now you see why I start the Christmas card "project" in October!!!
In case I get busy, Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all!