The problem, according to the ISP host, is “weird” – accompanied by an emoji to depict puzzlement. He gave me three different log-in combinations to try; none logged me in.
No Internet connection means, 1) no convenient online payment for airtime – and that means limited or no cell phone communication. (In South Africa, one pays separately for airtime - phone, etc., - and data - Internet access, etc. I find the overlap between the two mysterious.) I could drive to the grocery store to buy airtime, but … I’m supposed to be up and running “soon” 2) no reaching out to family in California frustrated with the slow pace of my current renter’s exit. (He had committed to moving out last Sunday, but delayed – and frustrated my daughter who’d taken three days off work ”for nothing”, 3) no easy email to/from the care center my mother was supposed to move into, 4) no easy online payment to the care center to secure her room, 5) one email from the care center matron explained that, because she hadn’t heard from me, she’d given the room to another incoming resident, 6) no blog posts for 5 days blows my commitment to myself to post each day during Lockdown. (Posting provides me focus and maintains my equilibrium during this stressful time.)
News blues…
No news is good news?I have no television and – without Internet – limited ability to follow local and international goings-on. This “enquiring mind” wants to know:
Is Donald Trump still occupying the White House?
If so, has Donald Trump blown up the US and/or the world yet?
How go his escalating efforts to maintain ego-integrity by diminishing other human beings?
How many confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the US? In South Africa? In the world? How many dead from Covid-19? How fares the race for an effective vaccine?
How fares the conspiracy-theorists’ world of whackjobbery?
How fare the fires and air quality in my adopted state, California?
Meanwhile, back at the ranch…
With my mother potentially losing her room at the care center due to my lack of Internet connection, today’s second item of business was to nail down that confirmation.
First item of business: getting online.
The ISP host arrived at 9:30am, checked my laptop, confirmed it was disconnected. Soon, he uncovered a problem with the router…and carried that off to his office to troubleshoot. He’d call me, he said, with the diagnosis, “soon.”
Next pressing item of business: visit matron and the care center. The tone of the email I’d received from the matron was such that I’d worried all available rooms had been taken. Not so.
The matron showed me still available rooms: one looked over the inner, enclosed courtyard garden and got morning sunshine. Two looked over the parking lot and, at first glance, were, I thought, less desirable. But… the big advantage? Zebra, warthog, impala, and other animals frequented the area.
The matron pointed through the window to discrete piles of animal dung outside and said, “You see evidence of the wild animals visiting. It’s removed each day. Next day, the animals are back, grazing and pooping ….” “
The ISP host arrived at 9:30am, checked my laptop, confirmed it was disconnected. Soon, he uncovered a problem with the router…and carried that off to his office to troubleshoot. He’d call me, he said, with the diagnosis, “soon.”
Next pressing item of business: visit matron and the care center. The tone of the email I’d received from the matron was such that I’d worried all available rooms had been taken. Not so.
The matron showed me still available rooms: one looked over the inner, enclosed courtyard garden and got morning sunshine. Two looked over the parking lot and, at first glance, were, I thought, less desirable. But… the big advantage? Zebra, warthog, impala, and other animals frequented the area.
The matron pointed through the window to discrete piles of animal dung outside and said, “You see evidence of the wild animals visiting. It’s removed each day. Next day, the animals are back, grazing and pooping ….” “
Perfect. My mom will appreciate that. She’ll take this room.”
It’s not as if the room abuts the parking lot. An indigenous shade tree and a strip of indigenous plants interspersed with garden ornaments offer visual interest. Plus, the room is close to a bathroom and the kitchenette with a ‘fridge where she can store Jessica’s delicious giblet meals.
Before I departed the retirement community, I asked for – and received - permission to walk the extensive grounds. Prior to Lockdown, I’d regularly walked the g
rounds and swum in the community pool.
It’s not as if the room abuts the parking lot. An indigenous shade tree and a strip of indigenous plants interspersed with garden ornaments offer visual interest. Plus, the room is close to a bathroom and the kitchenette with a ‘fridge where she can store Jessica’s delicious giblet meals.
Before I departed the retirement community, I asked for – and received - permission to walk the extensive grounds. Prior to Lockdown, I’d regularly walked the g
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| Winter view - click to enlarge. |
The grounds are both safe for a solitary woman to walk and the Game Walk route winds into a lovely valley.
Today, pressed for time, I did not take Game Walk but wandered up a hill upon which rested herd of Blesbok.
I also startled a pair of bushbuck, and enjoyed listening to and watching masked weaver birds as they built this year’s nests.
Spring is on the way.
Spring is on the way.
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| Blesbok - click to enlarge |
A parallel to Eskom’s load shedding?
“Cry the beloved country.”
