Electric and Electronic Day

Last night our LR TV had “pixelation” on all of the upper channels. Spectrum, our service provider was called. Tech couldn’t help over the telephone but thought it was a signal problem after other things were tried. Service man was scheduled to come today. The DR smaller TV ran fine. 

This morning the internet service was super slow and then went out. It came back on. It went out again. The landline telephone went dead. The DR TV ran fine. The LR TV was still pixelating on upper channels. Spectrum was called to report more issues with the telephone and internet. 

At 10:30am the electric power went out - the standby generator kicked in. I called the power company Penelec to report complete outage. The generator ran our power for two hours until the power came back on at 12:30pm.

The service man arrived at 2pm. He climbed the pole out front and reported that the problem is not just affecting us, others on our side of the lake area are also having issues. He determined that the signal box is the problem and/or a transmitter up the road, and had to call a “bucket truck” to replace the box on the pole and check out the transmitter for a short. 

In the meantime he ran a new line for us from the cabin to the pole just in case it failed in the future. He said it would be easier to replace it now instead of during winter when the snow is deep. Makes sense, doesn’t it? It’s 40° with a strong wind blowing as he works out there!

The “bucket truck” with the new signal box arrived soon after. There wasn’t a service one available in our area so there was a wait.  3:35pm.....ALL OK now!

We had our first snow last night - just a little. We also caught a mouse by the back door.

TV Service Needed and We're OK NOW!

Lately we have been getting really annoyed with the warning banners and loud alert sounds coming from our TVs during storms. Some of them don't even pertain to our area. We know they are a good thing for those with impending severe weather conditions and we just muted the TV or turned the sound down or even changed channels for the period they are shown and heard. 

During the last few days the alert notifications have been freezing the dining area TV and I could not mute, lower volume or change channel and, unless I shut down the unit, I had to wait until the alert is over. 

The other evening the alert and banner came on and the sound went off by itself and the picture remained for the the time. Afterwards, the TV returned to normal. Again, the alert and banner came on and the sound on the TV remained but the picture went black. When it returned all was ok until the next alert. This time the TV automatically re-booted itself and only got halfway through it and all returned. On the NEXT alert the TV then went to "no signal."

After being on the phone with the cable technician for about 1/2 hour, nothing was fixed so today we are awaiting the arrival for a person to come directly to the cabin. 

We know this is a minor inconvenience compared to all of the storm damage in our area, but it needs to be fixed and we have been very fortunate to have good service in the past and hope it will continue.  Follow up post:

He came- he fixed- he's gone. All OK now! Sure hope it doesn't happen again!! Don't ask what he did. It took a few clicks and a couple of minutes. Good Guy!

Determination Pays Out

Chickery Chick Cha-la Cha-la

A number one song in 1945, Chickery Chick by Sammy Kaye was the song!

Once there lived a chicken who would say "chick-chick"

"Chick-chick" all day

Soon that chick got sick and tired of just "chick-chick"

So, one morning he started to say:

[Chorus]

"Chickery-chick, cha-la, cha-la

Check-a-la romey in a bananika

Bollika, wollika, can't you see

Chickery chick is me?"

Every time you're sick and tired of just the same old thing

Sayin' just the same old words all day

Be just like the chicken who found something new to sing

Open up your mouth and start to say

Oh!

[Chorus]

"Chickery-chick, cha-la, cha-la

Check-a-la romey in a bananika

Bollika, wollika, can't you see

Chickery chick is me?"

To this day (over 69 years later) I still find myself singing this song when I'm in a good mood. And I AM IN A GOOD MOOD!!

If you have a special monthly promotional rate for your bundle of telephone, internet, and cable TV services - listen in! We have been with the same company since 2009 when I bought my 27 inch iMac computer. Since then I have added WiFi service for my laptop. I have standard internet and no WiFi charges because of a very small internet modem lease.The Mister has added digital service to the TV he watches so he can better enjoy the wide screen to watch his car races and nature and law enforcement programs. He has also added a variety pass which enables him to receive a race program channel that was not included in the standard package. 

All in all, the monthly charge has been a total of $152.43 for the past two years. I changed our bundle last year because of the expected increase in the annual promotional rate. It remained the same and charges were knocked down to the current rate and not affected by the yearly increase after the 12 months promotion expired. 

We have constantly had excellent technical service when there were any problems with either the TV or internet throughout the years as their customer.  

Now to get to my point.

It took me a little over 40 minutes on the phone this morning to create such a good mood! I first called and spoke with the sales staff and asked to have my account reviewed. After persisting that I was not going to continue with the company if the monthly rate increase of $16.72 was not eliminated or dropped significantly, I was transferred to a customer service person, who in turn, after a question and answer period transferred me to a “Customer Solutions” manager. I persevered with “Chuck” that, being absolutely on a very tight fixed income budget along with our age and excellent payment record I must have resolution to this charge now.

I’ve always known that you get more bees by offering honey than vinegar, so my sweetest, calmest, firmest manner was put forth. YES! It “Paid off.”  

My EXACT same services including taxes will have a monthly charge of $144.27. FOLKS! That is a $24.88 monthly savings!! for the next 12 months! It is LESS now than it has been for the past two years!

If I have to go this route once a year it is worth it.

Chickery Chick Cha-la Cha-la!

By the way, I don’t like their choice of music flowing into my ear while I wait in-between departments, but what the heck….