December 8, 2009: Help! I'm Having Withdrawals!

Granny, reporting in from the library with an update on the WIFI situation. The RV park, where I was receiving a connection, has pulled the plug. They had planned on putting in a WIFI tower, but so far it only holds a big inflated Santa and no antenna. In the meantime, another company has come in offering broadband service, which was activated on Saturday. By the time I contacted them on Monday, they had already reached their limit and must purchase another (larger) plan. I get an excellent signal, but no connection. It was supposed to be remedied by today, but so far....let's just say I'm not holding my breath.

There really isn't much to tell you about the gardening situation. Our temperature plunged to 25F the other night, but it doesn't look as though I lost anything. But nothing is growing right now, just little sprouts, sitting there looking at me. The leaf miners are still rampant on the tomato plants, even though I've practically denuded them of leaves. Mr. H still watches the temperature and carries them in and out as needed, but I'm beginning to wonder if we'll ever get a ripe tomato. If not, it won't be for lack of trying!

We had a much needed rainstorm last night. The desert is terribly dry, it was short more than 4" of rain for the season, so the storm was welcome. The wind, not so much. Luckily we didn't suffer any wind damage, but it got awfully loud.

Thank you to my daughter, Amy, for keeping a link between us. Since this library is only open two days a week, she might have to continue to be my go-between for a while. She can publish comments for me, and she calls me each evening to read what you've written. I miss our interaction, but realize it's only a temporary setback. Now that I have a local libray card and wireless access, I will at least be able to blog weekly.

18 comments:

  1. Annie's Granny, good to know 'they're working on it'. ;) Hope you'll be back up and running soon.

    I wish you could see the ice we have had; unbelievable for us, but IF the forecast is correct we may see some rain also by Saturday.

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  2. I've been missing you. I hope you get your connection back soon.

    I pick the eggs off of my chard when the leaf miners attack. They lay rows of little white eggs on the backs of the leaves. If you can see them maybe you can control them.

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  3. Poor granny. I bet that inflatable santa would make for good target practice.

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  4. Glade you found a connection and good luck getting your home connection working again. I was hearing on the news parts of AZ received snow, sounds like you are still sandy so that's good news. I still remember those seeds you wanted, cherokee purple & sungold tomatoes I believe. I will have to get them to you before spring planting, let me know when is best.

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  5. Hi Grannie!

    Just stopped by to check in on you. Sorry about your internet connection... gosh... I'd be lost!

    I'm constantly doing research... looking up recipes... checking on email... facebook.. twitter...

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  6. Most things need warmth to really grow. When it warms up for a week or so, you will notice good growth. I have to be on my toes when that happens, as it is an invitation to loosing your plant when the next cold spell comes through. I will cut some of the damage in my garden, but only the top part; nothing close to good wood, so as to not encourage new growth.

    If you could leave a tomato plant inside and put it under fluorescent lights, you could get tomatoes. Do you have green tomatoes on the plants? If not, you may be baby sitting that plant until spring. And even if the leaves look ratty, the plant needs leaves to live. You might give it a low strength feeding. I wouldn't do full strength.

    You may have to resort to parking in the Mall parking lot to get internet service. LOL, but when you are having withdrawal symptoms.....

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  7. We miss you Granny. Come back to us soon!

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  8. Chin up Gran! With this wintery weather we've been experiencing, you haven't been missing much. Hopefully, you're getting a lot of reading done.

    Oh, by the way, Dakota bread has become my favorite bread to make! It's really delicious!

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  9. We miss you, but will still be here waiting whenever your connection gets fixed! Good luck with the WiFi...

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  10. We miss you too AG. Hopefully, you will get into the new system shortly and in the meantime, the library gives a good secondary option.

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  11. Well, guys, it seems the RV park plugged in the router again, so I have WIFI for at least today. The other company still hasn't come through with their "increased capacity".

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    Di, I just looked at your ice pictures. Unbelievable for the west side of the state! My daughter called from the Tri-Cities yesterday and it was 2 degrees at home!

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    Daphne, there is no sign of eggs on the undersides of any of the leaves, which is why I first thought they had just been bumped and injured. But it's definitely leaf miners. The plants have had to stay inside for the past two days, and I've killed 5-6 very small flies in here. Makes me wonder if they are the culprits.

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    Ribbit, how can I shoot the sucker when I'm busy inhaling and exhaling from this brown paper bag?

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    Dan, some parts of AZ are really cold and always get snow in the winter. We're at approximately 1000 feet, and normally get a few days of freezing weather. I think someone said it snowed here once ;-)

    Yes, yes! Tomato seed time! I have your Kellogg's Breakfast here with me, so I'll get those sent to you. You can wait on sending mine, as I'm not going to start them until mid to late March. I'll be back home at that time.

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  12. Hi Annie - so sorry to hear about those nasty leaf miners on your tomatoes..I get them in the spring on beets & swiss chard. I think the insect goes back into the soil after it's done with the leaves. Hope your maties recover. Gloria

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  13. Toni, it's unbelievable just how much one comes to depend on the computer for just about everything! I don't know how many time Mr. H would ask me about something, I'd jump up to go over to the computer to look it up, and ....uh-oh, no internet. I actually read a book this week ;-)

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    Janie, most days it's around 80F on the south side of the house and sheltered from the wind. The plants come inside as soon as the temp falls to 50F. They should survive just fine as long as I keep at least 40% of their leaves intact, and not near that many have been removed. Yes, they have tomatoes on them. One has at least 13, the other is just getting number 2, but has lots of blossoms. I began feeding them 1/2 strength fertilizer last week, and will repeat again in 3-4 weeks.

    Alas, the nearest "mall" is 75 miles away. There is one motel 25 miles from here where I can sit in the parking lot and download my email, but outgoing email is a no-go. It's difficult to write a blog while the laptop is perched on the steering wheel! Let's just hope the RV park keeps its router plugged in this time.

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    Liisa, I'm baaaack....I just don't know for how long.

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    Thomas, I'm glad you are enjoying that recipe. I have one I'll bet Jonathan would love, called Fries Suikerbrood. It came from a friend in Norway, and I've kept it just the way she wrote it for me. Go buy yourself a box of sugar cubes, and I'll post the recipe soon.

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    Erin, I'm sadly lacking on topics of discussion here....at least you have your lovely family to write about. I have Mr. H :-( LOL!

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    KitsapFG, The library was fine, if rather crowded. The have a table (with power strips) for people to use, but there were ten of us there, elbow to elbow! It seemed like most everyone left at once so maybe later in the afternoons would be better than right at lunch time. I really prefer the RV park connection right here in my kitchen, even if it is rather "iffy". I thought the plug had been pulled for good, so I was surprised when it popped back up this morning.

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  14. Lack of internet is a real bummer, we miss you too! Hope you have a home connections soon- and gee, those frigid temps must have your plants a shiverin'!

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  15. Gloria, I get leaf miners in my spring spinach and beets, but never in my fall crops. I've never seen them in tomato plants, but a Google search tells me they are common in the south and in greenhouse plants.

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    Kelly, I'm happy if I can keep this connection, even if it's really intermittent. A "sometimes" connection is better than no connection, but does get irritating when it pops off and on while I'm trying to blog and upload photos. Still nothing from the new provider, so I'm not holding my breath for that.

    I lost a couple of pansy plants during our freeze. Everything else is just at a standstill.

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  16. Gah! You've been unplugged! It makes me want to go fetal and rock. I hope you get back online soon!!!

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  17. Hang in there AG!! I know how it is to have internet withdrawal. That's why I got a blackberry. Have you considered getting one of the Sprint or Verizon wireless cards that plugs into your USB port? I have a laptop that goes everywhere with me and I'm considering getting one. That's how much of an internet junkie I am.

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  18. Kate, I've been in the fetal position for better than a week ;-)

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    Kalena Michele, I have ATT and their wireless card at $60 a month for non-unlimited is just more than I care to spend (they require a two year commitment). Seven months of the year I can get my high speed cable internet, and for the $10 a month it costs me here, I struggle through it. This year has been the worst, as the people are trying to upgrade the service and so far getting nowhere! It was unplugged for more than a week, now it's intermittent. At the rate it's going, I figure it shouldn't take more than a week to get the next blog uploaded and published ;-)

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