Well it’s been one of THOSE days. Plagued by last minute problems on the Brocade CD, Lesley and I had a batch of file crunching stuff to do at home today and what happened – severe thunderstorms knocked off the power this afternoon when we were only about an hour away from finishing. Grrr.
This came on top of an unfortunate mistake by BT which had already rendered us internetless yesterday. I called in a fault on the line on Monday after a weekend of zero or treacle like internet speeds and they said there was a massive fault on the line which they couldn’t clear on Monday, but hoped to get done on Tuesday.
So we got home Tuesday to find no phones or broadband at all, but a message on my mobile saying they’d cleared the fault and the line was fine. Huh? Adrian had a hunch and went and plugged a phone into an old line that’s been disconnected for over a year, and sure enough, they’d reconnected that one – ok for phones, but no good for internet. They’re now telling me it’s a two man, two day job.
So with no internet or power, I decided to go and relieve Lynn at the office (late night crop) so she could get home. Well the normal road to work was flooded, so Lesley and I turned back and went a different way. We met Adrian coming down the road and stopped to tell him about the flood, but being a typical man in a big butch 4 wheel drive, he just had to go and play in the flood, didn’t he. His number plate and some random piece of plastic from underneath his car are now floating gently around the Lynsack area of Teesdale. If you find the number plate, please drop it off at Graphicus! (Sorry Adrian, but honestly! Boys and their toys …)
We got to the office to find the power had gone off there too! The girls were cropping by daylight, though the thunder was still rumbling around and making it much darker than it should be. Lynn still stayed late and we all mucked in doing stuff to get the shop ready for the open day on Friday.
I’ve just started a strict diet and had taken some salad and part baked bread rolls to the office (so we wouldn’t be tempted by snacks and takeaways) – but of course, there was no power to cook my part baked rolls!
After a couple of hours the power came back on and the irritating beep of the alarm system finally stopped. Back home we still had no power, but at least we could bake the bread in the Aga. After dinner, I used the last of the daylight to do a little bit of crafting, but I was just about to give up when Adrian heard the extractor fan in the bathroom start up – hallelujah, power at last!!
He’s made up for his jaunt in the flood by jury rigging up an old broadband router to the working phone line, giving us internet access (of a kind) for the first time in two days. It’s amazing how much you miss it when you don’t have it!
So, if you’ve been wondering where I am and why I’ve been quiet on the blogs, it’s been a funny old week. I know we’ve just launched some new Elusive Images stamps and you probably don’t want to hear this yet, but we have even more new stamps coming out in about a week’s time. Really beautiful seashore inspired stamps plus a taster set from a brand new artist in a completely different style from our normal range.
Those of you who can make it to the Graphicus open day will get to see them (and buy them) this weekend, those of you in the Graphicus Guild will be getting them as your offer of the month, and those of you with a really good Elusive Images stockist in your area may even have them already.
More info on those next week – power and internet permitting!
Oh Boy, what a time of it you’ve had this week Glenda. It is funny how you feel as though you’ve lost your left arm maybe when you’re internetless.
I always said I didn’t need a mobile phone … till I had one, and now if I leave it at home I feel completely cut off from my family and quite insecure. I’m beginning to feel the same about the internet now.
Anyway, glad you have a husband who has more than a little know how in these matters, to get you up and running.
Hope you have a much better day tomorrow and look forward to seeing you all on Saturday.
Lesley Xx
My My Glenda, what a time? Glad you have some limited internet at least now ! See you on Friday !
Seashore stamps … oh wow! Sounds great. Glad you’ve got your internet access back, it drives me nuts when I’m offline
We’ve been lucky and not had the storms, but our power goes off all the time, so I really sympathise. Isn’t it amazing how reliant we are on the computer and internet, it’s like losing your right arm, you just feel competely lost.
What a busy few days ahead. I do wish I lived nearer but perhaps I will make it one day. I envy all those who can make it and wish everyone a lovely time
Chris K
there have been so many problems with interent connections over the last week or so, I think everyone I have spoke to has been without for at least two days over a period of about 2 weeks, then stories of people getting a trickle of emails, then suddenly getting a big batch spanning several days!
not good for those of us who rely on it so much.