Pfft. It's been a frustrating day in town - as usual - LOL. We got this big ad in the mail about satellite TV and Internet. Called them and got a big run around. We are out of town so we can't be serviced without a street address and land line phone. I got news for their 1-800 number, a good many of the people who live right inside the city limits here don't have a street address! No one out by us has a land line - we are told there are none (the 1-800 operator suggested we run ask our neighbors - ROFLMAO - like we live in...what? What part of "remote ranch" do you think she failed to understand?)

I begin to suspect we simply cannot get Internet on the ranch. Unless we buy a new laptop, then maybe we can get a Broadband card from Sprint - since their phones do work out there. That's a pretty big maybe to go buy a $2000 computer to check out, eh? *sigh*

There has to be a way...I know one person a few miles from us has satellite Internet. But he was pretty rude to us when we asked him about it. He made it very clear that he knew "trash" like us couldn't afford a satellite system. *Imagine any finger gestures you like in this space*

Ah well - so I am at the library and very limited in what I can do. I cannot share the lovely photos since I can't use my zip drive (which is a very understandable restriction, of course). Fortunately, I did get a couple of new drawings up at Color Your Own, and a couple of new ecards up at Fre-ecards.com. Links up in the updates above. I guess that might be all I get done, Internet wise. Oh - I also got the logos off to the greyhound rescue who requested a design. Hope they like them. If I can, I'll add a link to their website in the updates and on my greyhound links - they sound like a greyt group. :D

And I did answer one Ask Me Anything question - because I couldn't resist. Maybe I'll go check the mail and see if I can do a few more of those. I've got quite a bunch and I THINK I can do research and blog entries on this computer.

Can't play my Orbis games tho...still can't figure that out! I see a sign here that says I am being Cybersitted - but if I can prove I'm over 18 (Har har har) I can ask to have it turned off. Maybe I'll try that...but first I'll see what I can do with the email.

Meanwhile, life at the ranch is wonderful as ever. Many new birds! Put out a bird block and they are loving it. I can't get over how fast the chickens grow and change. We put up roosts for them this weekend. The kittens are starting to run about and look for ways to climb out of their big box - any day now we'll have little fuzzballs under foot. Goats are spoiled as ever and quite enjoying all the green things to munch on. A whole new group of wildflowers, small, white daisy like blooms burst into flower all along the back side of the house. The Lady has done an incredible job of planting and arranging and I wouldn't dare to compete. I didn't get the veggie garden started this weekend as one thing and another kept us coming into town. Payday weekend is often like that. I did add to my "horsey hope chest" - a cinch and halter have joined my odd saddle in the corner of the front room. James wanted to move them into the warehouse - so I had to tell him they are right inside the door so I can walk in after work saying "Gosh, How I Hate My Jo - ah...someday soon I'll be able to afford a horse, if I just keep working" - LOL.

I don't exactly hate my job - but it has been stressful. The shift before mine has perfected the "eight hour break" and the "but I did my work" shuffle (hiding the trash and dishes is NOT the same as doing them folks). Out of sight - out of mind...and out the door the instant they see me coming. LOL. The mess left behind is so bad that the brand new person I trained for my relief has already given her notice. Two days of what I put up with five days a week was enough for her. That is sort of affirming in a negative way - I am not being too demanding or expecting too much of the shift before mine - everyone finds it outrageous the mess they leave behind. :/

I'm giving it a while yet. (After all, I still need a bridle, grooming kit, and horse trailer - not to mention the horse) Maybe they will find a few more people from out of town who will actually work :) or manage to motivate the folks they have.

What is it about having limited time that makes the mind go blank? Well - maybe I'll break down and give myself another day in town this week to get online. The thing is...town just drives me crazy. Sure do love the ranch! And anything that adds to my crazy level could tip me over the edge - given that my job keeps me right at the verge most of the time lately!

Yes, I was really hoping to get 'net at the ranch and both spend less time in town, and be able to do more things that make me feel like I'm accomplishing something - like artwork, building webpages, fulfilling the several graphics requests I have waiting, answering a whole bunch of askme inquiries...

And here I thought there was no place on earth so remote you couldn't get Internet...let alone somewhere right here in the U.S. This little 'net junkie is finally starting to tweak...

Think good thoughts and if you have any brilliant ideas for getting Internet out to the ranch, pass 'em on!

Blessedbe