UPDATE: Re: Rural Centurytel/Centurylink DSL

* Just wanted to let everyone know that it *wasn't* a change in service. Rather some number at the connection box settings got changed. He put it back to the correct number and we are now about 1.2 Mbps like we were. Thanks for caring. LOL

The phone/internet repairman came to see why our DSL was slower than what we're paying for (1.5 Mbps) and said that the phone company may have done an audit and decided we're too far out for 1.5 Mbps so they changed the settings down. Huh? I told him several times that we've BEEN getting close to 1.5 for over 2 years. That it only slowed down the last week or so. Also told him that the Centurytel/link phone tech said we were set for 1.5 and should be getting a minimum of 1.1. I just don't understand why Centurylink/Centurytel would suddenly determine that we're "too far out". Makes no sense to me :-( Plus it would just be wrong to charge us for 1.5 but only set us up for 512 Kbps, don't you think?

Flickr : buffalo, centurylink, centurytel, dsl, fixed, high, high-speed, long lanea, missouri, mo, phone support, repairman, rural, speed, tech, technicianm highspeed, thank you

Rural Centurytel/Centurylink DSL

The phone/internet repairman came to see why our DSL was slower than what we're paying for (1.5 Mbps) and said that the phone company may have done an audit and decided we're too far out for 1.5 Mbps so they changed the settings down. Huh? I told him several times that we've BEEN getting close to 1.5 for over 2 years. That it only slowed down the last week or so. Also told him that the Centurytel/link phone tech said we were set for 1.5 and should be getting a minimum of 1.1. I just don't understand why Centurylink/Centurytel would suddenly determine that we're "too far out". Makes no sense to me :-( Plus it would just be wrong to charge us for 1.5 but only set us up for 512 Kbps, don't you think?

Flickr : buffalo, centurylink, centurytel, dsl, high, high-speed, long lanea, missouri, mo, phone support, repairman, rural, speed, tech, technicianm highspeed

(updated) DIY raised bed frame

Got yet another busy day under my belt. Well, suspenders. *grin* No, I'm not wearing suspenders just because we live out in the boonies on a homestead. Just get tired of a belt sometimes. Although it took me two days, off and on, the bed frame to raise the bed by 18 inches is complete. Most of that time was having to take 2 by 4s off the ex chicken tractor. It's been vacant for a couple of years now, so I figured that the 2 by fours should have some purpose. This whole "make the bed higher" idea of how to do it came to me one day this week when I was looking out the window and seen the big round pole in the yard that got partially knocked over by our hay baler guy when he backed his baler into it. That was just one of the two in the front yard, so I cut each of them into 3 18 inch tall round things, connected them in a square with 2 by fours and screws, and put the bed frame, box spring, and mattress on it. Voila! A raised bed like Rain has wanted, like, forever! Going to be weird getting in and out of bed now that when sitting on said bed our feet don't reach the floor. She really would've liked it even taller so that you needed a few steps to get up to it, but our bedroom just isn't big enough. Ah well, it's going to be different anyway. *smile*

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Plus I got the CenturyLink people called. They're going to send a DSL repairman out on Monday to make it so our connection speed is closer to 1.5 mbps, as opposed to 608 kbps or less that it's been for a few days now :-(

Flickr : 2 X 4, DIY, bed, do it yourself, frame, two by fours

DIY raised bed frame

Got yet another busy day under my belt. Well, suspenders. *grin* No, I'm not wearing suspenders just because we live out in the boonies on a homestead. Just get tired of a belt sometimes. Although it took me two days, off and on, the bed frame to raise the bed by 18 inches is complete. Most of that time was having to take 2 by 4s off the ex chicken tractor. It's been vacant for a couple of years now, so I figured that the 2 by fours should have some purpose. This whole "make the bed higher" idea of how to do it came to me one day this week when I was looking out the window and seen the big round pole in the yard that got partially knocked over by our hay bailer when I backed his bailer into it. That was just one of the two in the front yard, so I cut each of them into 3 18 inch tall round things, connected them in a square with 2 by fours and screws, and put the bed frame, box spring, and mattress on it. Voila! A raised bed like Rain has wanted, like, forever! Going to be weird getting in and out of bed now that when sitting on said bed our feet don't reach the floor. She really would've liked it even taller so that you needed a few steps to get up to it, but our bedroom just isn't big enough. Ah well, it's going to be different anyway. *smile*

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Plus I got the CenturyLink people called. They're going to send a DSL repairman out on Monday to make it so our connection speed is 1.5 mbps, as opposed to 608 kbps that it's been for a few days now :-(

Flickr : 2 X 4, DIY, bed, do it yourself, frame, two by fours

My latest projects pics, Long Lane

I took these pics on the way to Lebanon.

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When we were headed out but still close to home, I saw a "hole" in the clouds. This is my attempt to capture it.

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This is State Hwy FF after we leave "our" road

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This is the town we technically live in, we're just 5 miles away from it. Don't blink!

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Just put this up yesterday to keep the puppy away from the cat's litter boxes.

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The other side of the litter box room gate. Had to use two pieces of scrap wood, combine them so the gate would be wide enough.

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This is the outside yard gate. Took me a week to get it all set up because I was trying to put a doorknob setup where that leash is attached in the middle. Didn't workout for me.

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This is the doorknob system I tried unsuccessfully to install

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There ya go. Kept me busy and out of trouble :-)

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Flickr : DIY, Lebanon, Long Lane, MO, Missouri, clouds, gates, homade, photos, pictures, sky, yards

Deer video and pictures

These two are *always* together when we see them, sometimes in the front yard, sometimes in the pasture. We call them our "Twin Deer". We went out to sit on the porch looking out to the back yard and they were just calmly munching on some grass. Stayed there the whole time we were out there smoking our cigarettes (almost 10 minutes). They didn't run off until our cat came bouncing out of the woods through the grass. Yet they stayed while the dog on the leash my DW was holding onto ran back and forth on the leash. Watch on YouTube?

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Some pictures I took as well :)

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This was the dog on the leash that they just ignored.

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Flickr : back yard, backyard, deer, twins, wildlife

My new haircut

Flickr : college, cosmetology, daughter, haircut

Our new dog: Annabelle

This is the newest addition to our family: Annabelle. Ain't she cute? She's 10 months old.

Flickr : canine, canines, dog, dogs, puppies, puppy

Sunset pictures

On the way home last evening the sky was, in my opinion just gorgeous, and these are the pictures of that trip home.

Flickr Tags: sunset,evening

Garden and the kitty cats (pics included)

Didn’t take me all day this time, just all afternoon, and boy am I beat. Me does believe that I am finished with “the garden” clean-up. Everything’s put in it’s place and the place is presentable (mostly from passersby), but still.

 

This is what it looked like before I got totally into it

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This is the final look

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The fencing stored in the wood shed

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Tire planters put in the other shed with older tires that were planters

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This wood was a smallish weed snuffing attempt that really didn’t work vey well. Eventually I’ll most likely build a compost bin… later!

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Because our DD is so damn considerate and wouldn’t believe in putting the cats off of her chair, she let them be and used the end-table to do her computer work. LOL.

Flickr Tags: garden cleaniup,debris storage,cat convenience

Garden no more

Took me all day, but it is done and what was the garden can now be completely reabsorbed by the earth. WOOT!

Before

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During

After!

Flickr Tags: garden pictures,ex-garden,yard work,completed

Birds and Wasps

Late last month we just happened to be on the porch looking towards the wooded area behind our house when we saw what *looked* like absolutely HUGE birds. We thought they were crows at first, but they were just too big. Then considered that maybe they we vultures, but Rain saw one fly up to a higher branch – didn’t look like vulture wing flapping. We think they could’ve been Ravens. I took the best pics I could. Unfortunately I didn’t get the one shot of one of them spreading it’s wings like it was stretching. I’ve Paintshopped in some arrows to make them easier to find (as if they were. lol). After those, there’s a pic of a hummingbird feeder that had been attracting more and more wasps looking to fill up for the winter. The humming birds ‘flew the nest’ a long time ago. Today I housed off the feeder and water logged as many nests as I could find, and proceeded to take their gallering place away. Hopefully they take the hint and move on.

 

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Flickr Tags: Ravens,Wasps