Changes ahoy, what?

AND FINALLY, our new Office 2013 program decides to upload on about the forty-first attempt.

See, our old PC has finally gone to cyberspace heaven – it was over ten years old, and for a computer, these days, that makes it of a decrepit oldness.

Unfortunately, it means much of our old software no longer works, either – or if it does work, not properly. And that includes our old (pirated) version of Office 2003.

I've had to bite the bullet and purchase the new suite – and that's where the fun and games have really begun.

If I was expecting a disk, I was disappointed. For the highway robbery sum of £94 I was sent an empty box!

Or at least, so it first appeared.

In fact they actually sent me a box containing download instructions and a product key number.

The idea is that you log into your Microsoft account, type in the product number and they will download your new program – or app, as they have started calling everything.

Oh dear, oh dear…

Over and over again the app began to download and then hit a problem. That's just what the message said, "We've hit a problem" – without indicting what the problem actually was.

So here am I, fuming with increasing levels of frustration, and for nearly two weeks I'm cursing Microsoft and all its works as the creations of the devil.

And I just decide to seek professional help when, early on Christmas morning, I try the download one last time and miracle of miracles, it starts to work! I'm greeted with a cheery message welcoming me to my new Office suite.

Maybe it's their idea of surprise Christmas present!

Anyway, here I am, typing out my first document on my new Word app, just in time to wish everybody a slightly belated Merry Christmas.

Better late than never, I guess…