Did I ever say what happened to the laptop?
I don't think so.
A septic system vent pipe that runs through the unfinished attic had a little water in it (normal), which froze at a point right above my desk in my second story bedroom. Right over the laptop. I came in from snow clearing to find a drip of water entering the keyboard right next to the power button.
And why, you ask (I certainly asked it), after nearly 19 years, did this pipe suddenly freeze up? Because a squirrel or something had entered the attic at some point (not uncommon) and had pushed some insulation around in so doing, exposing that section of the pipe to a direct blast of cold air. The water froze and cracked the pipe, sending a steady trickle through the fittings around a forced-air heating duct over the desk.
I'm told there's still a chance that the last bit of water in the machine will eventually evaporate and it could start again. But it's been eight days now, and I suspect the water shorted something or caused some other damage. A friend assures me the data on the hard drive is safe and can be recovered. And he knows how to do it.
Anyway, that's my little overdue story for the day. Have to return this laptop now, so more later.
