My dad returned from work one day with a ZX Spectrum 16k for me, I was overjoyed. He worked with a guy who said computers were the future, and that he should splash out (what was a fair amount of money in those days) for one and encourage me to use it.
30 years later and my career is programming, thanks in part to this wonderful machine.
I remember plugging it in and being amazed at the things you could do with it. I avidly bought the various magazines of the day, and typed in the program listings they published, and was amazed when they worked. I do remember the frustration though of loading programs from casette tape, and the number of time they would fail loading after waiting for 15 or 20 minutes.
I still have it in the attic at my parents house, might get it out when I next visit and see if it still works...