Getting the "Fast Busy"

I know... That sounds really risque, doesn't it?

Unfortunately, it's what happened when--after trying to get online for about 45 minutes yesterday afternoon--I finally phoned our Internet provider. I tried the regular contact number, figuring that I could at least get an automated message telling me their was an outage. Then I tried the service number, where without even getting through to the automated system, I knew there was a problem. How? Well... You know it's bad when you don't get the regular busy signal (you know... the one that goes bhuuuuumm...bhuuuuumm...bhuuuuumm), and instead get the fast busy (bzzz.bzzz.bzzz). 

I had a moment of panic while hearing bzzz.bzzz.bzzz, since typically that would mean that a phone number had been disconnected. But then the reality of internet service kicked in and I figured they were just swamped with calls. So I went out to run errands--I guess that's a 21st century version of the "fight or flight" instinct.

Unfortunately, when I got home I still couldn't get online. I gave it a little while ("fleeing" to prepare for dinner), then finally decided to try the service number one more time. This time I got the ever-popular multi-layered automated system, which eventually led me to a voice explaining that "Due to the recent outages, subscribers may need to powercycle their routers and any other connection devices." 

Okay. I had no clue what that meant, although I was happy to know that there had been an outage and that I hadn't been going crazy. (Nor had they gone out of business and shut down their phonelines.) Not sure what "powercycling" meant, I went into the office and unplugged each of the connectors, then plugged them back in and held my breath (which was easier than doing the procedure with my fingers crossed).

Long story short (oh. sorry... too late for that?), as of late yesterday afternoon our internet service was back online. Unfortunately, with people coming for dinner, I didn't have time to post anything. So, with that in mind, here's a real quickie to thank you for reading all this way:

Our house is filled with flowers. We have two orchids in bloom at the moment. One is a white phalaenopsis which has 6 blooms, the other is a smaller orchid which is in midst of producing a profusion of purple flowers. On top of that, I had gone out and picked up yellow spray roses and mum daisies in a deep orangey-rust color to have on the table at dinner. And I had some left over, so I did another vase for one of the living room side tables. Then, when Christopher came home, he had a dozen yellow roses in hand (so I'd have something to make me happy while he's gone next week! Everyone go "Awwww..." I'll wait.), which are currently in a tall vase in the bedroom. Even though he doesn't leave until Monday morning, the roses did, in fact, make me very happy this morning when I woke up and saw the bright yellow in the room. 

Happy Saturday.