Bloody TV Systems

It has not been the best of weeks.  It started with Charlie being rushed to the vets on Monday and has ended with Mum's internet and TV system not working.  I spent most of Thursday trying to help her out.  It was bizarre because my phone would work perfectly on wifi but nothing in her house would.  I shudder every time she texts to say she has no internet or the TV isn't working.  Her ISP is Primetel and they are awful and her house is apparently too far from any CYTA supply to increase the speed.  Also she will only watch in the 'sun room' which was originally outside space with no provision for electricity and internet so we have cobbled together what we can.  At 88 she does pretty well but doesn't understand enough and forgets what she did understand so she is constantly rebooting and pulling out cables.  Even her TV supplier has warned me that her current set up is unsustainable - I really don't know what to do for the best.

I had taken Mum's car to be washed on my way down on Thursday - using the local garage with the smiley man who I think may be Congolese.  It is possibly one of the nicest views you could have whilst waiting to have your car washed.  Smiley man has a junior who is possibly also Congolese and learning the ropes - he had clearly never washed a car before which was a bit scarey but his boss put him right.  I thought Mum would soon comment on the fact that 'her' car was looking dirty - I had batted comments off previously telling her I was waiting for the sand storms to pass!

I stopped at the newly refurbished Garden Centre near Mum to check out the terracotta mushrooms we had seen at the weekend.  There were only 4 left so I ascertained that the price on the dome was for the two pieces top and bottom and decided to invest in two of differing sizes.  I love them and John liked them too so I will be finding a place to put them in the garden.

Between trying to sort out Mum's internet and cooking us some lunch we did what I think is referred to as Swedish Death Cleaning.  Apparently this is when someone declutters their lives prior to passing away so that the people they leave behind will not have to do so.  Today we tackled pots and pans and Pyrex dishes.  I left behind enough to make sure if she or I were cooking we had what we needed the rest went - Belinda is having the pots and pans and Gail the Pyrex.

By the time I went home both her internet and TV system were working - as if by magic - I guess Primetel did something remotely but who knows as they tell you sod all.  I didn't really do anything but was happy that she would have something to watch that evening.

Unfortunately on Friday morning Mum's internet and TV system had failed again but this time Primetel were coming out so there wasn't really anything I could do.  John wanted to go and get his bike from Paphos and I had a parcel to collect in Polis plus the rear passenger side indicated had failed on Kenny so we took him into the place in Polis and they sorted it free of charge.  Water had got in but the bulb was still good.  My parcel was my Ikea order.  I had cancelled going there in person this week when Charlie was taken ill.

John got his bike - new brakes fitted so hopefully all will be good for him now and by going today it means we can have a lie in tomorrow.  Mum updated us to say that she had her internet working but sadly not the TV system as the VPN wouldn't work which means no live TV for her and it is the Coronation tomorrow.  I am guessing that they put in a new router and booster and there is some setting on them preventing the VPN doing its job.

Bad weather is forecast at the weekend.  It started to come in this evening as we were walking back from an early supper at Kaponas with Gail and Pete.  It was freezing walking home - John and I were regretting our choice of wearing shorts!!!!