2020 Life Logs, Day 98: Happy 11th Birthday to Ziggy
Date: Tuesday, April 7, 2020
Weather: Sunny, Breezy Afternoon; High 56 degrees, Low 44 degrees F
Location: At Home in The Cottage, East Falmouth, MA
Happy, happy 11th birthday to Ziggy! For the first time ever, I sent a grandchild money for his birthday. It just seemed too difficult to order the things he wanted and get them to Puerto Rico in time with the adjusted Covid-19 delivery uncertainties. Thankfully the money gift worked out. I think he enjoyed getting money. But he also got lots of other presents. It seemed more like Christmas than a birthday. He got the coolest roller skates I’ve ever seen. The boots are red Converse sneakers. We had a Skype video call this afternoon and I got to see him skating around the living room as Coco zoomed about on her roller blades. Thankfully they have a really big living room that can accommodate such activity. I got to meet Opal and Pearl, the new baby goats. At birth they thought both were girls, but then they discovered that Pearl is a boy. Justin and Jo held them and then Justin brought them into the living room to run about. They are just too cute for words. But I think Justin’s favorite baby of the week is a little tan bunny. I didn’t get to see Hopi’s baby pony, Barnaby, as his pen is too far from house to have an internet connection. I hope to see photos of him as he grows. The Handley-Hunts in Puerto Rico seem to be doing just fine. And Ziggy really was a very happy birthday boy.
I spent the rest of my day writing, gardening, walking with Shadow, and fighting with Comcast, my internet and cable TV provider. I really enjoyed the writing, gardening, and walking, but the fight with Comcast has gone on too long. I have called many times since Monday and each time I get a cheery computer voice saying, “I see you are Judy. Am I correct?” Yes, yes, yes. I am Judy and my address is 2-3. And yes, your computer does show that I have a problem—major breakup or pixilation on my TV screen. And after six calls, I still have the problem. And yes, I have the break-up on all channels. And yes, I did try a different HDMI cord. And every time I have called I have gone through the same testing regime and have been told to watch the screen and report any changes to a person that will call me back in one hour. The problem is, no one has ever called back. When I finally got an agent this evening, I explained that I certainly understand that their service is overwhelmed due to the coronavirus. But I just wanted to find out what my next step should be. I tried to explain that as Albert Einstein is credited with saying, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results.” This worked. They are sending me, via UPS, a new cable box with a new HDMI cable. I’ll install it and if that doesn’t solve the problem, then Comcast will send someone to check the outside connections. They are doing almost no work, maybe none, inside homes unless service has been totally cut-off. Hopefully we can avoid that here. I could live without the television, but I would have difficulty without my internet connection.
Today I had my first ever home delivery of beer and wine. Essentials, right? Someone in my wine group mentioned that they were getting deliveries from a liquor store in Cotuit, a little town between here and Hyannis. I got online to check it out and it is so easy. The prices are higher than going into Kappy’s, the major liquor store in Falmouth, but they don’t deliver. You still have to wipe down the boxes and bottles of wine, but you order online, pay by phone, and then just tape a tip to your door. They leave everything on your doorstep and you take it from there. No contact with people. A great service. My friend Detta Porat also called today. She is a second grade teacher in New Hampshire and is working 15 to 18 hour days providing online instruction and email support for students and families. Sure wish the Goldpebbles were in a school system working this hard to provide educational support during these times. If they are, I don’t see it. But I’ll not give up hope just yet. And the greatest news of the day was that Nilson, the contractor who does work for my land lady, Shirley, and has done work for me, was able to help out in response to an SOS text I sent to him this morning. I know how much stress Heather and Jed are under right now. When I went over to deliver some packing boxes last evening, they were outside scraping paint off the trim around the garage door. Part of their contract of sale is that the garage door and trim will be painted and that has to be done by the end of next week. I know they could have gotten it done, but it is just one more thing on their overflowing plate. So, this morning I sent the text to Nilson and this afternoon he was on the job. Since it is an outside job, Heather and Jed just had to direct the kids not to play on that side of the house to keep proper physical distancing. Nilson’s team actually got the paint scraped and the first coat of paint on today. Thanks and praises.
