The Dark Ages

My day started off innocently enough! TV on to catch the weather forecast, chasing Oliver to eat his breakfast and clean his teeth before school, Jamie was staying home as his asthma was really bad.

 

All normal enough. Then at 10:20am, the hammer fell!! The TV went off, I couldn't email, my land line phone was dead, WiFi was out - we had no internet or cable service!

 

After 30 minutes I called Xfinity. It was a recorded message, part of which gleefully advised me that I could check the status of my connection and/or repairs using my handheld device, PC or laptop!! Really? I can do that............ when I have no service? Amazing! The recorded message proceeded to tell me that there was an outage in my area, that Xfinity would work around the clock to fix the problem and they expected service to be back later in the day!! WHAT??

 

I work from home, suddenly I was dead in the water! I hate having my plans changed like that. So I went grocery shopping instead. Jamie and I came home and ate lunch.

 

12:00 noon = no service

1:00pm = no service

 

I called Xfinity again, their recorded message still advises to use my computer to check on outages, but also adds that service should be restored by 2:00pm. OK, that's not so bad, we can deal with that. I can catch up with my work later. Jamie is a little bored but I persuade him that another hour isn't long to wait.

 

2:00pm = no service

 

Xfinity's recorded message now announces that "We are not accepting calls at this time." Wonder why?"

 

I resort to cleaning, how bad is my life? Jamie is a little fed up but is playing a computer game that does not require online connectivity. When he tires of that we sit and watch a DVD together 'The Last Mimsy.' I quite like that movie, mainly because the rabbit is so cute!

 

3:00pm = no service

4:00pm = no service

 

The Xfinity not so helpful helpline now advises that the outage will be fixed by three. In which time zone I wonder!

 

5:00pm and Jamie and I head over to the school to collect Oliver who has stayed late for a group. We eventually get back at 5:25pm, and lo and behold, all services are now back on!!

 

But no office work for me, now it's time to prepare dinner, help with homework and generally get on with household and parenting duties.

 

My day without my computer was long and frustrating. And perhaps I should call Xfinity and let them know that trying to use a computer to check an outage is really not feasible!

It's just as they say.............

............no-one is lying about it.

The adverts on TV are right.

SHINGLES DOES HURT! And yes, I am shouting.

I thought I had been bitten by a spider, two or three times, on my right breast. And then I started to worry that I had been bitten by a really bad spider. A dangerous, nasty one, that attacked in the night, because I had so much pain in my shoulder blade. So sore it hurt to lie on my back in bed, but my arm hurt too, and my boob, so lying on my side wasn't very comfortable at all!

One week ago, I was in so much pain I was prepared to go to the emergency room, but I really didn't want pay the $50 + charge for going there. And after all, it was just a spider bite wasn't it? But last Monday I decided enough was enough and called my doctor, I was too uncomfortable to go on. I almost canceled at the last minute because I thought perhaps I was being a little over dramatic.

My doctor took one look at the 'bite' marks and told me I had shingles. I was so pissed off! I had already asked him about getting the shingles vaccine, but he smirked and said it was too late now!!

And to add insult to injury, he told me I could expect to be in some pain for at least another month! Oh great!

And then he added, "You do know you are infectious don't you?" but before I could comment on that he said "But only if you rub your boob on anyone!" And started laughing. He was in a great mood!  I was still pissed off!!