Fresh from the wars

As if having computer problems here in Jersey Village wasn't enough, we have had them at the SSB.  To refresh your memory of that place, it is at the end of the earth.  There is one family that lives past us, but they get to their place a different way - they don't pass our road at all.

We have to have satellite internet there.  Now, satellite internet is a small  step above dial up.  But it is better than none.  It went out last month.  I still believe since the dish is in reaching distance from the deck, my grands who were there (you know the WILD ones) managed to pull it even though G said he really didn't believe so.  I didn't call them last month.  This month (last week) I did call them

This is Hughes Net.  Lousy company and here's why:

They could determine that the dish was out of alignment.  The cost to have someone out to repair the positioning - $30.  This is the first company I have come across that would charge that much to repair their equipment.  I was flabbergasted.  To say the least.  So, since I had been thinking of upgrading, I asked if a technician had to come out to do that.  Why yes.  Well hey, saved a bit there.  But, alas this isn't the end of this story.

Of course the call center is in India.  They try to make it seem like it isn't.  These women must work hours to get rid of most of the accent (didn't work really), and use "English" names like Susan Smith.

I was working with one who simply couldn't find the service zip code.  I gave her the county and then the mailing one.  (We are so far from Mason that our mail comes - if we had a box -  comes from a different town in a different county),  To cut to the chase, after about 30 minutes we got to the billing address.  She put our home zip code down, and sent the installer to our house in Jersey Village.

This happened on a Sunday.  I called the Customer Service number back.  I was told they couldn't help me with this.  I had to talk to the dealer.  I was frankly pissed at this point, but called the dealer.  He told me HE couldn't help me.  Now I was beyond words.  I had to call CS back.  Again, and very snottily I  might add, they couldn't help me, call the dealer.  I was ballistic.  I  wouldn't have taken my blood pressure at that point because it would have broken the machine!

To get to what I hope is the end, the dealer who is in Conroe managed to get to the dealer that services Mason County (based in Waco??).  He was going to try to fit me in on Wednesday of last week.  I knew that wasn't going to happen.  We are just too far apart.  When asked when we would be back in Mason I told him the 16th to the 22nd.  Those were the exact dates he was on vacation - flying in fact to and from California.

We set the 4th as the installation date.  So we get to be on the road for another 11 hours to go back.  But if these guys had not gotten together to work for me, I would still be out of luck.

It is time to bring our Customer Services back to the States.  I don't think the people I spoke with realize just how BIG the country is, and especially Texas.  I have to also say that Hughes Net has no Customer Service.  I have to remain with them for a year (contract), but I will spent this year searching for another supplier of satellite internet.  I know I will never get cable internet out there.  Everything has to be satellite.  But I am going to be looking.

Today I called ATT because I am sick of the lousy internet I have with them.  I do have to say, I got service - after I had to call twice because the computer wouldn't give me a real person the first time.

By the way - have a good rest of the weekend!

Trying something different

I am going to try something new here.  I am writing this in Word and will paste it into Blogger.  For some reason even when I try to avoid the built in mouse that is located in the center of  the laptop, all the text will disappear.

So much has been going on I doubt I can remember it all, but here are some highlights.

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The day before Father’s Day, we were sitting at the SSB.  The grass was high and we had no working lawnmowers.  This is a problem because of the snake issue.  G was going on and on about how it seems the kids don’t care about the place and he cannot keep it up by himself.

So I intervened,   I sent both a text.  To cut to the chase, Brian (son) felt he was pushed out by Steve .  He thought  Steve was the preferred.  Got that straightened out.  Brian and family spent the next time we were there with us.  Our relationship with them has blossomed again.  Misunderstandings were straightened out.  He doesn't feel shunned and we don't feel shunned

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Before Krissi’s people left for Junior Olympics and Disneyland, they were at a water polo tournament.  Three kittens were located – no mom found.  Both of my kids are rescue animals.  They waited until the next day  - went back and one had died.  So they picked up the two remaining living kittens.   Krissi and family were leaving for Junior Olympics and Disneyland in a little over a week.  She got a friend to care for the kittens.  They left on Friday, and Monday night she called in in tears.  Her friend had one of the kittens at the Emergency ER.  He was fine, and two hours later limp and almost dead.  Treatment would have run $1500 with no assurance he would survive. With calls to and from California and from me to the vet then to California - the decision was made to euthanize.

The next morning, I took the remaining one to our vet.  I wanted testing for feline leukemia.  While they said he was negative, it was not absolute because he could have still had some antibodies from mom.  There was concern about his clotting factor, and his distended stomach, but he was sent home with some glucose paste to use if he seemed to become too lethargic.  Keep him warm and remember he is so fragile was it.  He thrived for two weeks.  She called me this past Saturday once again in tears.  The second one crashed.  It was euthanized 

  Saturday.  His life ended like his brothers – in the same kind of time frame.  Sad times here.  They were really so cute.  But finding kittens that are two weeks old is a total uphill fight.  Since they were both males, with their deaths so the same, and the reading I have done – I really they had a congenital bleeding problem.  Probably it was hemophilia.  Kittens with hemophilia usually die at birth.

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Katie’s team lost most of their games, but they simply are not as good as the California teams.  Water Polo is serious business there!  It is beginning here.

She didn’t make the Junior Varsity in volleyball at her high school (yea!), but she will be a varsity swimmer and water polo player this school year as a freshman.  That’s going to be interesting at least.

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The 26^th I turned 70.  Difficult birthday for me.  I now realize that contrary to my opinion,  my days are numbered on this earth.  Even after breast cancer, I thought I was invincible.  But guess not!  This birthday was really depressing.

Yesterday was our 47^th anniversary.  Can’t say we are as we were 47 years ago.  But we have made it this far.

Using Word to do this has been different – but at least I haven’t had my text completely deleted (as many times).  Now the next thing will  to see if I can get it posted!!

Still kicking

But still have the lousy internet.  That makes it difficult to do things.  One computer doesn't but up with it at all, and that is the one that is best set up for typing.  So that's one reason I haven't been here.  This computer will delete everything if I am not careful.

Plus - I consider myself a middle of the roader.  I have been reading some blogs that infuriate me, so I  have just not been rthe blogosphere  much.  Hypocritical and narrow minded people have gotten to me, so I have just stayed away..

I will try to get back.  I need a new mind set and get away from some of the bloggers about.  There are several blogs I really like, but I am finding myself on Facebook much more of the time.