Red coat, yellow coat

I felt much better yesterday. I was so delighted that I forgot to take a photo. I was also busy doing all the things that I'd wanted to do before I had to start back in the office, but I'm still a few tasks out. Hey ho.

Back to the grind and I had a busy day lined up. However, it took me two hours to log into my computer. Well, I'd forgotten my password, which I think I now remember, but it's too late for that. I rang the helpdesk (along with half of my company who also didn't write down their passwords) and obtained a new key. That was the easy bit. Once into my machine, I tried to use the same password to get into my email. Nope. I had to ring the email helpdesk to get that password, which didn't work. The ever-patient helpdesk guy, after I'd tried a gazillion times, took over and said it worked on the Cloud. I told him we'd migrated from the Cloud two months ago. He used the password on the email system we'd migrated to and it didn't work. We restarted the machine, but that didn't help. He said an actual IT person from the office (as opposed to the helpdesk at the other side of the world) would come and find me. Two hours later, I found two IT people in conversation and kidnapped enrolled them in my mission to work. After watching me type in the helpdesk password and seeing the failure in action, they took the highly technological method of writing my email address and extension number on a Post-it note and said they'd get back to me. True to their word, one gentleman returned with another Post-it note showing a password that worked. Eureka! I was back on email and reunited with all my notes, just in time for lunch. Marvellous.

Lunchtime in the post office saw me grapple with the self-service kiosk to send three new book contracts to my publisher (I''m going to be busy if all goes well) and 200 signed book labels to Panama City (this sounds quite glamorous). I had to call the help lady at the PO about five times to ask questions. Really, it would have been quicker if she'd done the task for me, but that's not self-service. The long queue of people tutting and rolling their eyes didn't give me good marks as I walked by them on my way out.

The afternoon was productive. The machines were back on my side.

Fred and I celebrated our first day back in the office with a curry at Lal Baag. Onwards and upwards.