Pansies in the kitchen garden
Welcome Spring! You certainly were the driest one we've ever experienced here. Now in the second week of the school holidays, we weren't spared any drama there, either. As we lost the internet for three days. Gasp! Both the modem and cordless telephone died, at the same time. It must have been a surge down the line, for both of them to die. Who knows what caused it?
I received a new modem from my Internet Service Provider, and we're now back in business. It was a very long 3 days, waiting for the new modem to arrive. While we all coped decidedly well (I was impressed the kids only mentioned boredom, once) I nonetheless, realised how dependent I was on google and youtube, to join the dots in my life.
To figure out what was going wrong, contact a technician, problem solve my dead phone, I couldn't Google anything. I couldn't even text on my mobile phone, properly, because the wireless internet is what I use. As we have poor reception for mobile data. It was like living back in the nineties again! Before my life became overrun by technology.
Vintage items
Out came the yellow pages, to search for local technicians. Out came the corded phone too. Something I put aside for when we loose power. This was the only way I could contact the outside world, until my cordless phone was fixed, or replaced. Forget paying bills, through Internet banking either. Would I have to visit the post office to do that? And no smart phone. Definitely a flashback to life, before the digital age.
It was such a relief when our technical world, returned to normal though. As running the household, involves the internet. But honestly, I enjoyed the reprieve too. So much so, I've been avoiding going back online. And when I do, it's just for short bursts. Because life is simpler that way.
My son paid for his first tablet, with birthday money
Writing this post, has taken at least a week of short bursts at the computer. My kids on the other hand, had no problem assimilating back! I will gradually catch-up with all the blogs I like to read, but forgive me if I'm a little slow. I'm enjoying the planning and plodding along too much, with real-life tasks.
There have been a few projects I've been meaning to tackle, which I've finally finished. Nothing major. But it made use of things I've wanted to repurpose, which brings it's own sense of relief. This Spring, has been the hardest to live through - given the dry conditions and state of our land. So any wins I can manage, is deeply meaningful.
The rain returned briefly, to fill at least one tank. Sweet mercy. But we do need more, to properly hydrate the land again. In the meantime, it's back to living, with what I've been doing in the background. More to come...but I hope you're all well, and plodding along in your lives too! Regardless which century, you make the most use of.
Sounds bliss no Internet for a few days.
ReplyDeleteOh yes, it certainly was. However, I did panic for about half a day, over the prospect of paying bills in person, at the post office again. Once I realised none were due, I stopped panicing and just enjoyed the reprieve instead.
DeleteWelcome back to modern life as we know it.
ReplyDeleteI love when I cant use the internet, I get to remember what real life is like. I also get a lot more done! Now I try to limit my internet use to night time and only for a couple of hours. I found that IT was keeping control of me and not me in control of it, so this works better. I love you-tube and have learned so much from there.
No rain here, we are going to be 41C on Friday, so here comes the heat!
Have a fantastic week Chris xx
Yes, it's great to have the option to be back, even if I don't use it as much, lol. Your approach to using the internet is a sensible one. My experience just reminds me how real-life takes priority - and how easy it is sometimes, to forget that. ;)
DeleteThat's hot for Friday! I'm thinking of your garden, under all that shade cloth. It's going to feel the heat, but hopefully not as much! My dream growing area would be under shade-cloth, with misters going off through the day! Here's hoping, Friday's predicted temps are a one off. Cheers Tania.
Chris, we use a corded phone plus a cordless one but neither works if there is a problem with the NBN so I use a smartphone as well. I heard on the news that Toowoomba was drenched in the storms of the last few days but we only had light rain here on the northern side and thankfully no hail. Glad you got some rain down there.
ReplyDeleteI saw the clouds over Toowoomba way, Chel, and wondered if you received more than us. We got a little hail too, but it was small. The rain was hard and fast. Which is usual rainfall patterns, for our area. It was nice to hear it on the roof again.
DeleteWe don't have the NBN yet, Chel. They're talking about installing a wireless tower for one, at the end of our street though. So it will be wireless if we get it, at all. I don't know if that messes with the standard telephone line, we have in the house. I expect, they would still operate independently. I'm hoping so.
The times our internet is down, I'm amazed at how much I get done! Glad you're back online. I'd miss you!
ReplyDeleteI'm with you - the time it frees up, is amazing! But I also miss visiting my regular blogs, and seeing what they're up to. I'm glad I met you (virtually) and many others, through the internet. It's very enriching, and the part I look forward to reconnecting. Cheers Leigh.
DeleteGlad you've had some rain, Chris. I recently flew to the far north and the land outside the plane's window looked so parched and brown all the way up and back. We've had the briefest of showers here this morning ... just enough to wet the road really. Sometime this week, I will pull out what remains in my veg patch, add nourishment and mulch and then let it sit over the warm and dry months to come. I have planted up pots of veg (lettuce, warragal greens, chives etc) to grow a little kitchen garden, like yours, up on my verandah so I can move those pots when temps soar. I hope to save water this way. Hopefully, save a few plants too!
ReplyDeleteMeg
Having North Queensland so dry, is surprsing of itself, Meg. As they normally cop a lot of downpours, due to cyclone activity. My grandparents used to live in Bundy, and it was always so green there. But the dryness is so widespread now. I hope this storm season will be more forgiving, in giving us all rain.
DeleteI think you'll really love the kitchen garden. It's kept me supplied in fresh herbs. Mind the hungry wildlife though. They'll come raid you, as soon as things ripen, lol. I'm looking at some upgrades to compensate for that. I can't have the birds, eating all my hard work! ;)