HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Wallaby!!!!!

Thanks Steve!

A better day even if it was cold than I'm having now, having lots of reload problems with my internet connection. But I'm getting there, after deciding to try AOL10 Desktop, then deciding to go back to AOL9VR, then while it's taking forever to load I'm thinking this one's not so bad, lol. Had sign on problems, found a spy eventually, I deleted my internet and reloaded more than once, got a relocated internet connection, had to do all sorts over the last 3 days!

Computers...

Sorry to hear about your computer problems once more,wallaby!
That must be so frustrating!
Hope it can be fixed soon!

Frustrating it is bonitin, arrggh, but I am well connected now. Everything has changed though, AOL's changed location, and I decided to keep the newer version I downloaded as it has many new features I like. It's just a matter of finding my way around, which I am doing, but I am always logged into the US AOL and even though I have made the AOL UK site my Home page it doesn't recognise me there as a user, so I can't access the extras like the Weather etc. The UK site comes up as a tab above the US site so I have to click it in, I can access the few news links (but not the main news link) there but I can't make it my own Home page as I should be able to.

There seems to be nothing I can do about that as they seem to have moved the location to the US, using an external dialler, this could have been the problem with my connection cutting out when the spyware was there, and AOL needed to move the location. I knew they were going to do it, but it hadn't happened until I fixed the spyware problem.

Perhaps you could consider to change from dial-up to ADSL, wallaby ...
I switched some years ago and have been very satisfied with the change. No more horrible rrrrggrrrriigrrrgriiiiiiirrrrrriiiigrrr-sounds from the modem each time you dial-up, I even figured out that at the end it was cheaper with adsl than with dial-up! I only pay 19€ month and have the right for 1GB per month, any extra GB only cost one € more and 50MB free web-space (I haven't used yet) I didn't take the super-fast one (which cost something like 29€), but I am very content with the one I have. I have my contract with Euphony also for my telephone.

I'm not sure I can even get ADSL from my location, I can get Broadband but I am on a low users rate with British Telecom, so my phone bills are very low and I would have to pay the full rental for that. Rental is GBP35.99 a quarter plus calls and value added tax @ 17.5%, as I rarely use the phone on Low Users rate my bill is mostly only GBP13 to 14, they give back a little more than the amount you DON'T use up to a certain limit.

Last night I went to look at my Email and everything had gone (and it had been there), even those saved on AOL which I didn't lose and I put there for keeping. I went to hte UK page, and it was recognising me and showed emails in a letter Box symbol, but not on the Mail link. It wasn't loading and gave a link to access a basic email service where I could view or write emails, but still not saved on AOL.

Today the UK page has reverted to not recognising me! But I can access another Email link at a different location at the top of the list of Services down the side, which again I can only go to the basic Email. It seems to me they are doing a change over and it's taking time, or there is a problem with the upgraded site. I think it is the former, as it was the same before I upgraded. There is a long list of problems they have in the help section for Email, the one which concerns me gave 3 options, the last one being to uninstall and reinstall the newer version, the first two didn't apply, another arrrgghhh! Patience grasshopper, lol, it might happen yet. If it gets sorted it is a good system.

I see what you mean about the different conditions in your place. Telephone companies in Belgium are very expensive, I've heard the most expensive in Europe. But what was the best solution in my case isn't probably for you...
But anyway, here is a link that might be interesting

http://www.uswitch.com/Broadband/Broadband-ADSL.html?ref=scp%7eBroadband%7eIndex&i=1

I think I would be looking green and purple by now if I was in your shoes with all these computer issues!
Hope it will all get settled soon!

My area is now ADSL enabled, but it still would mean a lot more to pay for the line rental and I don't want to pay that. I would be paying out an extra GBP180 a year for broadband, that buys a lot of plants! Besides, the rise in cost of living with fuel price rises is non-stop.

I am close to feeling like knocking my head on the wall...but I will get around it eventually.

:~))

"the rise in cost of living with fuel price rises is non-stop"
That's the same over here! It became that bad that I even don't switch on the central heating when the t° inside is bearable with some extra sweaters on. Mostly I only heat one room.
Today and yesterday were quite agreeable with quite a lot of sun..

Here Wallaby - some "Happy Birthday" hyacinths for you!!

They smell lovely Steve, sniff sniff! Humph, mine are not that big yet, grin, but it has been warm and some things have shot out from nowhere.

I do the same bonitin, but I have a coal fire and can heat the whole house with a central heating system from that. It's not so easy to switch on the heat so when it's warm enough I just put on extra clothes too.

My Email returned properly later today, and the UK Home page is back. They have been updating gradually, there is a section explaining the location move, it should be finalised by the end of February but some on older systems will be moved later. I found the email they sent in October, 4 months ago! There was no mention there of all this disruption but they would want to keep that quiet. There's a final stage yet to come with a final change over, fingers crossed, lol.

In a way it has been good for me as I got rid of a spy, have upgraded to their latest system too and it has lots of great gadgets. You can magnify the page with a zoom in and zoom out feature, use high contrast, highlight links, etc in the Power Browing setting. Too many features to mention, it's miles ahead of the last one and they are pushing that (AOL9VR) only on the UK home page.

My Narcissus Tete-a tete today, it was dull with a chill wind but not too bad at 9C. This little bunch always does well and is much taller than the rest, it's growing under a small Spirea in a dryish spot. Got any of these Steve?

Beautiful Narcissi, Wallaby!!! I have lots and lots of stems and buds, but just a few King Alfreds have opened at this point. I planted those this past fall....usually things bloom later after they've been in the ground more than a year....and I am expecting peak bloom in the first half of March. Same with hyacinths...most of last year's are still showing the flowerbuds down in the holes!!!!

Sounds like your temperatures are seasonal but warming up some. We've been in 60's max for highs until today. I had to go to the doctor today and my car thermometer said 92 degrees F!!! That was around 2:30 pm. The radio said it was 85 so maybe it was just the road heat as there was a lot of trafic. Was in the low 40's this AM and expected to go down to 40 F again tonight, which is about 4 or 5 C I think according to my online converter I just found. I think 90+ would have to be a record as normal highs are probably in high 50's, or around 12-14 C.

This message was edited Feb 25, 2008 8:58 PM

BTW my hyacinths are attracting lots of bees......

See the little bee hind end sticking out of the upper left part of this one? :-)

The secret is to get forced bulbs! Good for the bees, I haven't seen any yet but I'm sure I saw one at least this early last year. It could be a bee, or it could be a fly looking like a bee! I have had some Syrphid flies around on the crocus.

I think we're expecting 7C (44-45F) tonight (already 3.17am!), it was 9 earlier with wind chill feel of 4. Gee you get it hot, and here I am thinking today was mild.

The temperatures are measured under certain conditions, but what your thermometer says is what it is to feel! We might get over 90 in another 10 years...in summer.

These crocus look like they have attitude.

This message was edited Feb 26, 2008 3:18 AM

Wow, your Pickwicks are certainly beautiful!! heheheh

No, I regret to say I do not have any Tete a Tetes...though I have planted many other Narcissus varieties. I should try them though.

I would love to see a summer not over 90 - but that will never happen here!! You are so lucky to have cool summers.

I just went outside and a cold front is coming through and the wind is picking up...I think it is even cooler than this :-)