It's Alive!

Hi y'all! Did you notice I was AWOL for a couple of days? I know at least a couple of you did because when I logged on just now I found a couple of emails asking where I was. (I'll email you back soon!) I'm fine, but my internet service was gone all weekend and half of today. It was not just merely dead, it was really most sincerely dead. (Name that pop culture reference!) We had mega-storms roll through here late Friday night and they caused all sorts of power outages and other problems. I have my 'puter equipment hooked into a pretty decent UPS with a voltage regulator AND I unplugged everything anyway before I went to bed, yet somehow a surge or something still managed to kill my wireless router and my ethernet card before I could cut the power. I replaced those on Saturday (once I - with the help of a techie guy - finally figured out the problem), but then, even though it said I was connected to the 'net, I still couldn't actually DO anything. Couldn't pull up any websites, couldn't access my email account, nothing. I just kept getting an error message that said "We are not programmed to respond in that area." (Name THAT pop culture reference!) Ok, really it said "Can't find server" but isn't the other more interesting? By the time I realized the new router and ethernet card weren't going to fix the problem, it was Sunday. Three guesses how much 'puter help is available in rural Kentucky on a Sunday. If you guessed "not much" you win a sparkly gold star and a spotted pony! (Both virtual, of course.) Anyway, finally an hour or so ago a couple of guys from my 'net server showed up and hooked my 'puter up to their laptop. They unplugged and replugged various wires and cords, and shook their heads and looked puzzled, and muttered arcane incantations and then rearranged some more wires, and monkeyed around with some of my programs - which nearly gave me fits because I am a total control freak when it comes to how my 'puter is set up - and finally pronounced the problem solved, although I am less than convinced that they ever truly figured out what the problem really WAS in the first place. I think they just got lucky. Not that I'm knocking luck. Heh. We shall see in the coming days exactly what they did and if I can live with it. But by that point I SO wanted my 'net service back that I was pretty much willing to let them sacrifice a live chicken and paint my keyboard with blood while singing Barry Manilow songs if that's what it took. So. Here I am! Hi! :-) I am, of course, hopelessly behind on my usual 'net activities. So other than telling you guys where I disappeared to for the better part of three days, I'm just going to post three days worth of Daily Art Thangs, all taken with the new camera. (Be kind, I'm still learning!) Saturday's DAT: "Goldenrod 2" Sunday's DAT: "Mr. Stripey" Today's DAT: "End of Summer" (All these are clickable if you want to see them larger in a new window)