December 19, 2010 - Here Today, Gone Tomorrow, Back Again

I had an entire evening of internet service before it all went kaput again. By bedtime Thursday night, I had published and answered all my comments, caught up with my email, and had read all but ninty-some blogs in my reader. Friday morning was great, with cup of coffee and the laptop, actually reading my email in the kitchen again. Then it was gone, as quickly as it had appeared.

This had always been a problem with connecting through the RV park, as they have had a wonky router from day one. It normally had to be reset several times a day, so I just had to wait it out. This time I waited, and waited and waited. I finally composed my blog off line. But......it never came back on. I began blaming the monstrosity next door (the one I blog about below). Could it be deflecting my wireless signal? After all, I can't connect if my aluminum mini-blinds are shut, so what could a giant metal structure do to it? I decided to put the laptop in the pickup, and drive around the neighborhood to check out reception in other spots. As I was leaving the driveway, I saw Kolby, the keeper of the service, leaving his house, so I rolled down the window and waved at him. He hollered "HI! The internet is down!". Well, that means losing it just as the roof went on the monstrosity was just a fluke. Kolby said he bought a new router, with a signal booster, and would work on installing it that afternoon.

This morning I once again have wireless internet service. Better than normal, as I'm actually sitting in the living room at my desk, where I could never before get reception. So.....let's get Friday's blog published, shall we?



December 17, 2010 -

I was rudely awakened at 6:45 this morning, by two men in a big truck, unloading building supplies in the alley, right outside my bedroom window. The neighbors were having a carport, or maybe I should call it a motor home port, built. This is a huge structure, people! When we bought our place seven years ago, there was just a small park model trailer behind us, and we had a pretty good view of the Plomosa Mountains to the west. The new buyers, lovely people and good friends, soon replaced the park model with a brand spanking new mobile home. Our view of the mountains became slightly diminished at that time, but even more so when they had a large garage built between their house and our shared alley. Now they've added the ginormous carport and......well, let a picture say a thousand words about our former mountain view.





So goes the view from my rocking chair. I didn't even open the back blinds today :-(

I'm thinking of projecting movies onto the side of the carport, and charging admission to park in our driveway. Of course, I'll be selling popcorn.



"Gampa like candy. Gamma like ME!"
So said Alicyn Paige Davis on 12/17/10


If that doesn't melt an old Granny's heart, nothing will.

15 comments:

  1. Gran that's terrible! So now I gotta ask, what's got you coming back year after year? Internet issues and now they stole your mountain view! Alicyn is getting so big!

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  2. Erin, it was 70F here yesterday, at home they were having a blizzard. Until this year, we did a lot of running around in the desert, exploring old mines and ghost towns, and it was really a lot of fun. Mr. Granny's health, the Ranger beginning to sound like tired iron, and the fact that our desert guide is now in his mid-eighties and sometimes gets lost, have curtailed our desert wanderings. One doesn't want to venture out there alone! I also spent five years fixing this place up, now there's nothing left to paint or build. But....those were the things that kept us coming, now I'm ready to sell and stay home.

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  3. Oh, what a disappointment about your mountain view, good idea on the movies though!

    Great picture of the little one, and great sentiments from her! She's a cutie!

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  4. That is quite the structure and definitely impairs the view - but I guess they have a right to build on their property (so long as it meets building codes). Only solution is to own LOTS of land and put your home right in the middle of it!

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  5. Alison, that comment from my Alicyn just made me want to be home. NOW!

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    Kitsap, we do own almost the entire other half of the block (seven lots), but they are to the west of us, and block the view of the intersection, too. Now we can't see who is going to the post office each morning, and that is about all there is to do here in Bouse!

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  6. That sure is one ugly structure!! I think the movie idea is a good one! There aren't many drive-inn's left any more. It may turn out to be a good suplimental income!!

    Boy, your granddaughter is getting so big!!! She is staring to look like a young lady! Wait until you hear what my "Little Garden Helper" called me today!

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  7. How sad to have lost your view. I only have views of houses here. But I did grow up with a magnificent view. My parents live in the CO mountains and have a beautiful view down the valley to the plains below. There issue of course is the two massive fires that threatened their home this year. It isn't any fun being evacuated. They are rethinking how long they want to stay there. My mom thinks she is getting too old to get evacuated.

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  8. Robin, these little ones are so precious, I hate that I'm missing out on these six months when Ali's learning so much. She just called to tell me she's wearing underpants instead of a diaper today!

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    We had a beautiful view in our previous house, which was on a hill overlooking the river and two cities. I used to love to sit in the living room and look out the window, day or night. Now we have an empty pasture across from us (in WA), which is fine. Down here we have Bouse Mountain to the left and the town salvage yard to the right. Luckily our palm tree hides much of the junk yard.

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  9. Oh dear. Things are sure changing, and not for the better. What a view (not). Yes, I think it's time to move on. Blizzards or not, Washington is calling..........

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  10. Wow great, sponge bob one of my favorite.

    Just like to share with you a beautiful quote...

    "Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful." - Albert Schweitzer

    You can get more happiness quotes at http://www.quotelandia.com/category/Happiness

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  11. Hi Granny, sorry about the ugly sight out your window, that really stinks. On a happier note your internet is back, praises for that.

    Thanks for the garden link. I always do leave the veggies out there under the covers and we do get to enjoy them come very early spring, so yes, it is not a total loss.

    We are headed for some of the warm weather you are experiencing...sunny Florida for the holidays. Hope it stays in the expected 70's, as they have had some cold weather this month as well (well it's all relative...cold by FL standards)

    Have a very Merry Christmas.

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  12. What the heck is the point of that thing? I didn't even think it rained in the desert. Not to mention the fact that it's just plain ugly. It needs some bead-dazzling.

    Alicyn is getting so big it's crazy!

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  13. Sue, I think so to. Everyone send vibes for the house to sell soon!

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    Tanya, Spongebob is Alicyn's favorite. Her Spongebob pillow sleeps with her each night.

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    Lorie, enjoy the warm! I think this has been our warmest winter since we've been coming here. We're getting a lot of cloudy days, but that keeps the night temps warmer.

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    Thomas, it's too keep the hot sun off of their motor home, not the rain. We do get a bit of rain here, but not often. When it does rain, it rains really hard....like a cloudburst.

    Alicyn is a tall baby. People think she's much older than having just turned two, and wonder why she doesn't talk better....and still wears diapers! She's learning underpants are more comfy now, so soon the diapers will be a thing of the past. I hope ;-)

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  14. That RV cover is pretty ugly Grandma, I feel bad for you. Our neighbor just put up a big ugly shop with a generator that is always running. I have to view and listen to the monstrosity when I am in the gardens now so know how you feel.:(

    I hope that new router makes a big difference and you will be able to stay online without interruptions going forward...my fingers and toes are crossed for you.

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  15. Mr. H., so far so good with the new router. The reception strength isn't as great as I'd like, but at least it seems to be staying on. I'll be going to Blythe, CA tomorrow or Wednesday, so I'll see if I can find a reasonably priced antenna to boost the reception up a bit.

    That monstrosity is giving me high blood pressure. I know what you mean when you're upset about the generator noise. We've done enough camping to know what that's like, especially when they park right next to us and run generators all night to keep their heat pumps going in their big half million dollar rigs.

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