Itty Bitty Hooves

What a Week

Okay, this entire week was a lesson in technological frustration for me. First off, we have been having storms and wild ’spring’ weather all week that has caused havoc with everything from my computer to the electrical supply here. Last Tuesday, my modem went out… I thought. I didn’t understand it. In spite of electrical storms, I had been very cautious to always unplug the phone line from the computer after having that same thing happen years ago when I wasn’t even on, and the computer was turned off, it really did blow the modem then. I checked the phone line by going on the other computer here in another room, same phone line, and it connected with no problems, so it must be my modem, right?

Went to the store and bought a modem, came home, installed it… that adventure is for another post, lol… STILL won’t log on. Says no dial tone. Yes, this time I checked the phone line by actually getting a phone from the other area of the house and plugging it into the line… it was dead. I changed the modem (yeah, that other story) for nothing.

Learning about computer technology is something we all do to a point over time when dealing with these wonderful, marvelous, infuriating machines. Everything from HDMI to HTML but not being actual computer technicians, more like end product users, it’s hard to know everything needed. In times like these it can be a real headache.

Then Friday I started having power problems. HALF of the house was out of power, the other half was fine. That had to be a fuse or wiring in the house problem, right? I mean it couldn’t be the electric company lines, why would only half the house blow? So I looked for some fuses… only had one. So I got in the truck, and drove to town in the rotten rain and cold and bought fuses. They only had one type there, but it was the right wattage so that would work.. right? You’d think so. Got home, went to change a fuse… nope, wrong one. Had a skinny bottom, not a wide bottom. ARGH

Went to store the next morning, got my money back for the wrong fuses, went to hardware store, bought the right fuses, went home, change EVERY fuse… nothing.

Called the electric company. They sent someone out. I have to say, right away, that was a shock… it was a broken wire. He laughed when I told him I’d been changing all the fuses. He said ‘you could have changed fuses until doomsday, that wasn’t coming back on’. (No kidding)

So, in one week I bought a modem I didn’t need, and a bag full of fuses I didn’t need although I’m sure they’ll come in handy over time. What a week!

Hillbilly Patio Furniture

It’s funny, but you see comedies about ‘hillbilly’ type rural folks with furniture outside their house, and you think, boy, that’s real hick. But in reality, I know how it happens. I have furniture outside. I have a living room couch set out by the barn, and it’s not because I thought it would be ‘artful’ decoration, or a comfy place to sit, I got rid of those couches because they weren’t comfortable anymore. It’s because out here in the rural areas you have to pay extra (a LOT extra) to get old big stuff like that hauled away, so out in the back somewhere it goes. So I can see how that ‘habit’ developed. Yet at the same time, I happened to walk over to the far edge of our property the other day checking fences and looked over into our neighbor’s yard, there in the evergreens was a big old easy chair next to a picnic table, obviously being used as a chair… so I have to wonder, is it hillbilly, or lack of garbage pick up? Maybe both in that case… maybe not.

Kick Back, And a Place To Relax

My sister in law has some Branson real estate and I have to admit that it’s some of the most beautiful country I’ve seen. Going down there is such a pleasant drive, and her house is set amongst a beautiful mix of forest and mountain. The best part is going to town. It’s such a fun place to be, and yet without all the scarier elements of some tourist traps. It’s real ‘down home’ and the entertainment is second to none. It’s high on the list of places we’d like to move to. We have one move left in us, I think, and we’d like it to be the place we can retire to and just live our farm life raising our goats without doing the 9 to 5 thing too. There is always the option of working though, my SIL works at the WalMart home office, and its a pretty good living. Me, I just want to set back, watch the goats eat the grass that grows, and look out at the mountains.

All Natural Solutions

Orovo is a really cool on-line store to get all kinds of health aides whether it’s for acne, or weight loss. They even have a caffeine free weight loss pill built on the 10 super foods that will help control your appetite and boost your metabolism to burn calories more efficiently. What I like is they’re all natural so the fear of adding harmful chemicals into your system that kind of defeats the idea of getting healthier is eliminated. The same with their acne treatment products. Why use harmful chemicals to clear up your skin when you can use natural products to make it clearer and healthier.