It was horrible....lol....!!!
Well, not earthshaking, but still....Monday Mike and I headed to North Carolina, along with our son and his family. A few days in a cabin, a cabin with all one needs, including internet access, sounded great. When we got out of the car in South Carolina for lunch, it was about 40 degrees and windy.... and raining. We left beautiful weather. Arrived with our little electronic devices, laptops, nintendos, cell phones with internet access. The rain had stopped, it was still friggin' cold, but if we had to stay indoors for a while, we had our toys! Yes, we had our toys, but had no internet and since we were in some sort of valley, surrounded by mountains, phone service was also iffy. No Netflix, no e-mail, no phone calls in or out, well, if we were outdoors, maybe we'd get a signal. For the first time for me at least, AT&T provided better reception than Verizon. Calls to our cabin's owner were promptly made from the middle of the rather large yard....and she said she'd get things up and working in the morning. It was pathetic, lol.....6 people walking around mumbling about how they couldn't connect with their individual worlds. Daughter in law to the rescue...she started a fire in the fire ring on the property, marshmallows were promptly toasted and eagerly consumed. A trip to the grocery store was next...it isn't close, then dinner prepared and eaten, bedrooms assigned and finally, everyone off to bed with only the games on cells phones to be played. I actually got tired of Angry Birds...lol. Next morning, calls from property owner, connection to AT&T to get internet back up and working and then about an hour and a half with a lovely technician who had the patience of a saint. Daughter in law standing outside with phone relaying info to our son, he relaying it to hubby who was indoors at the router with our laptop trying to get all working. We were afraid to try the phone on the outdoor deck near where the computer and router were located so it was like a fire bucket line....info from tech on the phone to Leslie, Jim to Mike, Mike responding to Jim, Jim telling Leslie, Leslie talking to tech. It was frustrating, but really funny. In the meantime Aaron is playing with his new Nintends 3D DS, Lindsey is watching a movie on her portable DVD player and both kids are wondering when we finally can get to see waterfalls and the mountains. Finally, we're connected and can get on the road to nature. Ever drive on a twisty mountain road with 4 out of 6 people who get carsick? Oh joy! One is asking we drive s.. l..o.. w.. l.. y, another who is afraid of heights and realizes there are no guardrails, wants off that freaking mountain and my poor husband trying not to laugh, cry, drive quickly and yet slowly to get to lower ground and wondering why the heck we didn't take two cars for this particular adventure. Drove up in separate cars, but our treks to waterfalls, streams, trees were taken in our car that holds all of us. Finally, there it was, nature in all its glory....at least for my daughter in law who happens to love this kind of stuff. Beautiful waterfalls. Some easily seen from viewpoints just off the road, others seen only after an 80 mile hike up some stupid mountain, through mud, remember it rained, over rocks, logs, did I mention mud? I made it part of the way but turned back. I'd had enough of nature and when the kids got back, they said it was an unbelievable hike. They took pictures with the phone. Lovely, and I didn't have to get covered with mud. Kids had enough mud on their shoes to back up the Mississippi.
One nice thing, son cooked....he's the chef...and breakfast was hearty and delicious. Today it was a hike all over downtown Asheville...and again, it was COLD, but we ate our way through the city....lunch, dessert, snacks. Visited shops filled with handmade items from local artisans, art galleries, shops in beautiful old buildings, so many of them. Even though it was cold and windy, it was fun. Tonight we're watching Megamind, last night it was Tangled...I love watching animated movies with the kids. Son and daughter in law are off to dine out. Tomorrow Mike and I will pack and rest. Heading home Friday AM and it's a long drive home. The kids might be off to enjoy more nature on their final day here, but I've had enough. Apparently Mother Nature has had a field day at our house today.....tornado watches, severe thunderstorms and high winds, apparently very high winds. Hope my patio furniture and Mike's plumeria survived.
Figure when I download all my e-mail, apparently that doesn't seem to be coming through with this particular router here, my computer will go into overload. Did I mention someone around here has a rooster? Dam bird.... :D
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