We switched ISPs (Internet Service Providers) a few weeks ago. It is supposed to be both faster and cheaper but I have not been completely satisfied with its reliability.
So this morning when the Internet connection went down completely while I was using the computer, I restarted the router (turning off, waiting 10 secs, turning on). Then I restarted the network on the Linux server. Still no connection and I can see that the skype phone is also unable to make a connection.
So I decided to call technical support to find out what was going on. First I go through several levels of push this or that menus. Then I wait for 10 mins. In the mean time, I am stillw atching for my Internet to be back online.
I finally get a person. He tells me there is nothing wrong. I ask him for an IP address to ping. He tells me nothing is wrong. Then I realize the Skype phone still hasn't connected, so tell him it can't just be a name server problem because of that.
So the idiot decides I have to remove my hub and reconnect directly to the computer. I tell him I can't really do that because of my health. But he says unless I do that, he won't do anything. So I crawl down on the floor in total agony to swap the wires around (note here that I was up more than half the night because I hurt so much... read all of "All the Pretty Horses" [which was very good, thanks Edith!] then finally cried myself to sleep, waking up every time my leg kicked in my sleep because it hurt so much).
It works. AARGH!
So I ask him how I'm supposed to connect multiple devices when I'm not supposed to use a hub or switch (he was sure I was using a router, so I crawled down again to find where it is identified as a switch). He says I can use them but that I will always have to remove them for technical help.
He proceeds to tell me that we hadn't lost a connection at all. He can see it there. We've been connected for 92 hours without a break.
92 hours? I ask him. That's odd. I turned the equipment on at 9 this morning. We turned it off at 9 last night. So it was broken for 12 hours (he told me that equipment turned off registered as a break, as an explanation for why it would be broken 92 hours ago). So while I am trying to explain to him how there must be a problem in their registration system because my equipment was not just TURNED OFF but WITHOUT POWER (the router is connected to a strip that we turn off at night), HE HUNG UP ON ME!
I was MAD. So I called in, picked a different level in the menu, and got a nice guy to whom I explained that I wanted to lodge a complaint against the guy I talked to before if he could see in the system who it was. The guy was very nice and made sure that my equipment was now working. I told him yes, but I didn't want to get a treatment like that again. If my equipment was turned off for 12 hours, I can't have been connected for 92. He could have given me another explanation, but hanging up on me was not acceptable. I wasn't even YELLING!
So once I got off the phone, I crawled back down under the computer and swapped the wires through the switch.
Guess what? IT WORKS! There is nothing wrong with my equipment.
If I get much more of this, I am going back to TDC even if they do mess up the bills for a year and never send half of them and try to bill me for late payment.
14 May 2009
12 May 2009
I Touched Hopi!
We're having a cracked barley cooked in water porridge for dinner. We call it "water porridge" (literal translation). We usually either put apples in or eat apple sauce in it. Today we are doing the pieces of fresh apple.
So I took the peels and cores out to the ponies in the dishpan. I gave a little to the stallion, dropped a little pile for Tanja, and headed over to Queenie and Hopi. Hopi was shy and stayed pretty far away until Queenie was almost done eating. Then she came close enough to sniff my hand but didn't take the bit of peel (Queenie was quick to get it).
After the peels were gone, I stayed and scratched some of Queenie's good itchy spots. After a while, the foal came really close and let me touch her nose. Then Queenie walked away a little so I grabbed Tanja's halter and got her to help me to my feet. Then I walked over to Queenie again and Hopi stayed right next to her. I scratched Queenie on her back and sides and over on the other side of her where Hopi was.
Then I casually scratched Hopi's neck a little. It took her a moment to register it was me and then she was startled, but still, this is great progress.
Just had to share!
So I took the peels and cores out to the ponies in the dishpan. I gave a little to the stallion, dropped a little pile for Tanja, and headed over to Queenie and Hopi. Hopi was shy and stayed pretty far away until Queenie was almost done eating. Then she came close enough to sniff my hand but didn't take the bit of peel (Queenie was quick to get it).
After the peels were gone, I stayed and scratched some of Queenie's good itchy spots. After a while, the foal came really close and let me touch her nose. Then Queenie walked away a little so I grabbed Tanja's halter and got her to help me to my feet. Then I walked over to Queenie again and Hopi stayed right next to her. I scratched Queenie on her back and sides and over on the other side of her where Hopi was.
Then I casually scratched Hopi's neck a little. It took her a moment to register it was me and then she was startled, but still, this is great progress.
Just had to share!
11 May 2009
Frustration Turned to Relief
I'm sorry that I still have a manage to finish the entire story of the visit from the Germans. It is going to have to wait a little bit longer because I have a more important update from today.
I was supposed to have an appointment with my new caseworker this morning. At 9:30 this morning. Getting up for it was, of course, a struggle. DH told me his alarm clock would ring at 4:15 and he'd be getting up. I woke up at 7:20 and he was still in bed. I guess we were lucky that I woke up, because otherwise we would've run out of time. I woke him up and headed to the bathroom. I came back to do my stretches before taking a shower and of course fell asleep. He woke me up a little while later and I got moving.
He took care of the girls and made breakfast for both of us. I took a shower because usually showers help me wake up. I was still half asleep when I got out of the shower. But I managed eat breakfast and drink some of my tea.
Just about when it was time to start getting moving and hit the road, the phone rang. DH answered because we expected to be his friend who was supposed to come later and help him work on concrete. Instead it was my previous caseworker that we only ever talked to once. Apparently my new caseworker was sick and he was calling to cancel the meeting.
Before I managed to get too upset about that, he came up with some good news. He'd taken a look at my file before calling and was going to take responsibility for my case. Instead of rescheduling the meeting, he said that he would just take care of it with me on the phone. So I didn't have to drag myself in there with all my pain. Was such a relief that someone was acknowledging my pain. Then he said that he was going to just my function description to say that I had no possibility of returning to the workforce and send it in for pension evaluation. He says he's going to put a lot of weight on the fact that my doctor says my condition is stationary. I asked him about the problem with the one idiot that evaluated my problems to be psychological and that they could be repaired with a few years of therapy. He said that it shouldn't matter whether my problems were psychological or physical because in any case, I was unable to work. So instead of us continue to speculate what might need to be done he sent it in for evaluation and they can decide if the need be to see a rheumatologist again.
He also said I should be getting a copy of the paperwork tomorrow or the day after. So DH and I are so relieved. It is ridiculous, that is taken this long for someone to see it.
So after I got off the phone with him, DH calls his friend to tell him to come sooner. Then DH got ready to go pick up more cement in town. I took the girls and went to bed.
Shawnee stayed with me for about an hour, but she didn't settle down well. When she woke me up running off at the end of that hour, I put her in her crate. Then I went back to sleep with Molly. DH checked on me a few times, but I didn't get up until after noon.
Now he and his friend are hard at work on the concrete. I made them coffee and got some bread and stuff ready for them for lunch a little bit ago. I've also done most of the dishes.
However, I am still really really tired. It isn't that surprising, because with all the pain that I'm in my body gets really worn out. I also haven't been sleeping well for days because of hurting so much. The nerves about the meeting definitely weren't helping for the past few days. I am hoping things will settle down now, and especially that my case will soon be resolved.
Having me get onto the disability pension would be such a relief for both of us. I would have a lot more freedom than I have now, for example, I could go on vacation. It would also give us some idea of our financial situation and things could finally stabilize that way. It's a lot easier to make decisions when you know what you're going to be earning tomorrow.
I was supposed to have an appointment with my new caseworker this morning. At 9:30 this morning. Getting up for it was, of course, a struggle. DH told me his alarm clock would ring at 4:15 and he'd be getting up. I woke up at 7:20 and he was still in bed. I guess we were lucky that I woke up, because otherwise we would've run out of time. I woke him up and headed to the bathroom. I came back to do my stretches before taking a shower and of course fell asleep. He woke me up a little while later and I got moving.
He took care of the girls and made breakfast for both of us. I took a shower because usually showers help me wake up. I was still half asleep when I got out of the shower. But I managed eat breakfast and drink some of my tea.
Just about when it was time to start getting moving and hit the road, the phone rang. DH answered because we expected to be his friend who was supposed to come later and help him work on concrete. Instead it was my previous caseworker that we only ever talked to once. Apparently my new caseworker was sick and he was calling to cancel the meeting.
Before I managed to get too upset about that, he came up with some good news. He'd taken a look at my file before calling and was going to take responsibility for my case. Instead of rescheduling the meeting, he said that he would just take care of it with me on the phone. So I didn't have to drag myself in there with all my pain. Was such a relief that someone was acknowledging my pain. Then he said that he was going to just my function description to say that I had no possibility of returning to the workforce and send it in for pension evaluation. He says he's going to put a lot of weight on the fact that my doctor says my condition is stationary. I asked him about the problem with the one idiot that evaluated my problems to be psychological and that they could be repaired with a few years of therapy. He said that it shouldn't matter whether my problems were psychological or physical because in any case, I was unable to work. So instead of us continue to speculate what might need to be done he sent it in for evaluation and they can decide if the need be to see a rheumatologist again.
He also said I should be getting a copy of the paperwork tomorrow or the day after. So DH and I are so relieved. It is ridiculous, that is taken this long for someone to see it.
So after I got off the phone with him, DH calls his friend to tell him to come sooner. Then DH got ready to go pick up more cement in town. I took the girls and went to bed.
Shawnee stayed with me for about an hour, but she didn't settle down well. When she woke me up running off at the end of that hour, I put her in her crate. Then I went back to sleep with Molly. DH checked on me a few times, but I didn't get up until after noon.
Now he and his friend are hard at work on the concrete. I made them coffee and got some bread and stuff ready for them for lunch a little bit ago. I've also done most of the dishes.
However, I am still really really tired. It isn't that surprising, because with all the pain that I'm in my body gets really worn out. I also haven't been sleeping well for days because of hurting so much. The nerves about the meeting definitely weren't helping for the past few days. I am hoping things will settle down now, and especially that my case will soon be resolved.
Having me get onto the disability pension would be such a relief for both of us. I would have a lot more freedom than I have now, for example, I could go on vacation. It would also give us some idea of our financial situation and things could finally stabilize that way. It's a lot easier to make decisions when you know what you're going to be earning tomorrow.
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