Clara's Window

It began on Friday afternoon when I tried to access KR and got the following message:

No Web site configured at this address

Whaaa??? So I contacted my Web host to see what was going on. And I got the following message back:

We would have liked to give you prior warning to this sort of thing, but
we had to shut your site off, after restarting it several times to see
if the problem was a random occurrence. It was using so much CPU time
on the server, it was bringing all services to a standstill.

That's right, with the click of a finger KR was off. After quite a bit of pleading and cajoling with Trent, a calm-voiced fellow in Phoenix, the site was turned back on, but with one condition. The forums were causing too many problems. I had to upgrade them from Access to SQL Server or I'd never see them again alive.

This upgrade is comparable to trading in a Toyota for a BMW, so it's a good thing to do. Only there's one problem: I didn't know for sure how to do it.

Almost 21 hours of uploading and downloading later, pleas on two bulletin boards (and a follow-up post scolding an odious individual for complaining about me), and two laptops later, I've found the answer and am on my way. I've set up a tag board and will upload it to KR shortly so that people can get at least some sort of fix.

In the midst of it all, my letter carrier arrived at the door with a package from Wales. Marie, the kindest blogger friend on the planet, had heard of my layoff and sent me a bafflingly thoughtful care package. It contained two gorgeous skeins of Phildar yarn, an adorable Paris keychain (Marie knows I lived over there and long to return), a bar of delicious soap, and an entire bag of my very favorite tea on the planet, Marks & Spencer Extra Strong Tea.

What can I say... sometimes people do things that knock me off my feet. Marie, if you're reading this, I thank you for warming my heart. Your kindness leaves me speechless.

And on that note, I return to my email correspondence with Rui, my Portugese savior, who will migrate all our precious postings to their new and powerful home.