Beginnings ...

This may not be the best time for me to be starting a "blog". Living in the outposts of the backwoods known as Rapidan, VA does not allow much in the way of modern technology as related to Internet access. Currently, my husband & I use a satellite company for this - and it was very recently rudely interrupted due to us wanting to - get this! - access the internet at will. Seems that satellite companies have a "Fair Access" kinda policy that severely limits the amount of time we can actually access the airwaves. Soooo, in his ever diligent search to come up with alternative means for us to be on the cutting edge of technology, my husband found that our cell phone provider has a gadget that we can plug into the USB port of our computer(s) and we can access the internet that way. What a relief!

The relief was short-lived. Even though the big-name reputable cell phone provider assured my husband that we could access up to 5 computers with this gadget, it appears that this information was somewhat of a sales ploy to entice us into lusting for the gadget. Oh yeah, we can use the device for multiple computers ... just one at a time.

We have 3 computers in our home. I have a nice big honkin' desktop, and there is a desktop (not as big OR honkin' as mine!) downstairs. My husband has a cool laptop that he likes to carry around to various places with him. When my stepdaughters come to visit, they both have laptops also. This does, indeed, mean that at some times we have 5 computers going. It seems that having 3-5 computers will suck the life out of the amount of "fair access" we are allowed. OK, so we will have to learn to adjust.

I consider myself a flexible person, but I came from the CITY where we had (gasp!) cable access to internet. Before we were in the CITY, we were in a semi-small town where we had DSL. Heck, when I first got a computer and learned about the huge cyber world, I had dial-up, which even though slow and poky, didn't limit the amount of time I could spend on the computer. Yep, folks complained about my phone line being tied up all the time - so I got a dedicated phone line for the computer.

NOW almost 15 years after that first dial-up experience, modern technology has not extended to the bowels of Virginia. Yes, I may be an hour from Washington, DC, 45 minutes from Charlottesville, VA, and an hour an a half from Richmond, but it's still the middle of nowhere.

I'm happy to live in a beautiful area of Virginia. I really am happy about that. I'd be a lot happier with DSL ... or FiOS ... or cable ... anything but satellite!

Looking forward to writing about a city woman's (mis)adventures as a country wife ...