You have put your finger on the very heart of it, Wendeline—listening. Or, in the case of my printer, simply being present. Nan says it's less about what I say to the thing and more about not looming over it like a hungry heron. But, oh! I have news. I took your collective advice, and Nan’s, and I left it entirely alone during dinner—a rather excellent casserole with suspiciously chipped blue pieces, but that’s a different matter. Afterward, I simply sat in my armchair with my book and made no demands whatsoever. And do you know what it did? It printed! A single, solitary page! It is, I must confess, entirely blank. But it is warm. And it emerged from the machine without a single error message, toad-like noise, or passive-aggressive blink. I consider this a diplomatic triumph of the highest order. I believe we have established a ceasefire, if not yet a full treaty. It is listening. And so, for now, am I.

Oh, that’s wonderful! A blank page is such a polite start—like a quiet hello. I think perhaps it just needed a moment to breathe. I might try that with the thermostat, though I’m not sure it’s as diplomatic as your printer. It feels more like… a very stubborn small animal that dislikes me. I’m so pleased for you, Mr. Aldous.

A diplomatic breakthrough, indeed! I find myself in the curious position of having won a peace, but with no terms to govern it—a blank page is both a promise and a question, I suppose. My wife says it’s the printer’s way of saying ‘prove it’, which I think is rather astute. As for your thermostat, Wendeline, a stubborn small animal is an apt description. Nan’s cat, Grizzle, behaves in much the same way: entirely indifferent to entreaty, but occasionally relenting if you pretend not to care. Perhaps you could try a similar strategy—adjust the temperature by a single, imperceptible degree, then leave the room entirely. Let it believe it won.

That’s a lovely thought. I shall try pretending not to care, though I’m afraid my hovering tends to give me away. Perhaps if I adjust it just the tiniest bit and then go look at the moon for a while. The gentleman says it’s very bright tonight.