Ah, that's better...
Steve the very efficient and
very pleasant TeleWest technician arrived at 9.15 (ish, I was in the middle of an IAVMT update and didn't look at the clock except to note when I stopped, which was a few minutes after Ken answered the door), listened to the details of what had been happening, had a look at the netstats - then gave me a URL to check. This took me to a page I didn't know about, which gives details of the upstream and downstream bandwith usage. "Ah," he said, "there's the problem. The downstream power level is far too high. It should be as close to zero as possible." Ours was stuck at 38 dBmV!!
Now, the engineers have been busy upgrading the servers/adding faster broadband capacity all over the Briz area over the last... I was going to say few months, but it's an ongoing thing, although there has been more than usual happening just recently, and apparently it's simply overpowered our surfboard. (Someone across the road had a similar problem a wee while back, it seems.)
So what do we do about it? The technicians are very familiar with the problem: Steve screwed a little dooberry between the jack and the socket at the back of the surfboard, I refreshed the page, and there we were back to 2 dBmV, a much happier power level.
I've bookmarked the page for future reference: Steve also explained that the upstream power level shouldn't get above 58 dBmV (it's 41 dBmV at present, which is fine), if it does that can cause problems too - and gave me his mobile phone number in case I have any further problems. Now
that's service!
I have something new to add to my repertoire of knowledge, always a satisfying thing, and the system is purring along as it should. This makes me happy. Though I'm still pissed off at Useless who refused to accept it wasn't spyware on my computer and insisted I had to ring the PC support premium rate number...
In other news...
Took Quyn for his bi-monthly vet appointment. Since I last went his legs are worse: he has trouble settling at night or after any exercise, wandering from here to there and unable to get comfortable - and last night his back legs suddenly went completely and he fell over, which shocked him (and me). I explained all this as she was checking him: the arthritis doesn't seem to be any worse than before, but he is getting on for 14 now, despite thinking he's still a puppy (even the vet commented on him not appearing his age!) and things are beginning to wear out. His hearing is definitely nowhere near as sharp as it was, and I think his sight is beginning to go a little too. (Oh, and I forgot to say that the anti-biotics made no difference to the snoring, so we're learning to put up with it. Although he has difficulty getting up the stairs now, poor pooch, so it's not as disturbing as it could be.)
We don't want to be without a dog - Quyn is such a part of the family he's going to be missed desperately when he dies (which hopefully won't be for a few years yet, though I'm not counting on it), and while we can never replace him, we do intend to get another dog (a rescued one this time. I don't think I could face house-training another puppy, and there are far more homeless dogs than people who can take them.) Talking about the subject on ICQ the other day, Lutra wondered if getting another dog while we still have Quyn might work, so I asked the vet for her advice while I was there.
She thinks it could be a good idea - a younger dog very often gives the older one a new lease of life, and as long as it's not aggressive or tries to take over, it can provide real companionship. Of course, we'd need to be incredibly careful with the choice no matter when we get it - we'd need to minimise the disruption for the cats for one thing, although they're so used to Quyn I think they'd accept another dog reasonably easily. It would have to be a breed that doesn't need huge amounts of exercise, as we simply don't have the time for extended walks. It would need to be friendly, happy with children and cats, and neither timid or aggressive. I'm not fond of small dogs, but we also don't want anything too big. And one with much less fur! Heh, sounds like a shopping list...
There's also the financial aspect of course - pets aren't cheap, although as far as I'm concerned what they give back is priceless. Not sure the bank would agree, mind you. Anyway, the upshot is I'm going to get in touch with
Bristol Dogs' Home to get some information. They're open on Saturday, and it's a shortish, pleasant walk along the river from us: I'll see if Kai fancies a trip at the weekend.
More as it happens.
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Joules *Dances with Haddock* Taylor
pontificated this at 11:57 am
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