Gremlins!

Yesterday I saw Robbie off to work and then settled down in front of my computer to writ that day's post for the blog. I wasn't sure what I was going to write about, because I had two subjects in mind, frustration with AOL and my increasing irritation with the interminable US election coverage. I am so angry with AOL, having tortured customers for months with a saga of poor service and connection problems, they have now decided to close their journals at very short notice, leaving customers scrambling to move their blogs. The US elections have gone on for far too long and when I heard the latest fatuous sound bite from McCain I had an overwhelming urge to beat the radio to a pulp. I resisted the urge this time, but if I have to endure much more of it I will be a jibbering wreck!

Anyway I didn't get as far as writing a post for the blog, I didn't even get as far as the internet – the computer said No! My first response was fury with AOL for yet another interruption in service, but then I noticed that there were only two lights instead of three on the wireless router. I tried every trick in the book to get the router to behave, but without success. I even rang Robbie for advice, but I had already tried all the things he suggested. I am not sure if it was the remains of my 'flu bug or blind fury that made me miss the obvious – the wireless router was not working because the phone was not working. I was ready to find the number to report the fault when I decided to check the the line by plugging the phone into the original socket and bypassing the internal wiring - and it worked! I then traced the cause of the trouble to two feline villains who had decided to play with the wire and must have bitten or clawed it! So today I will be replacing the internal connections and the cats will find that the new wires taste of very bad because I will paint them with stop and grow nail treatment!