tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3705825161954545710.post6195054461012845726..comments2023-05-02T12:33:58.182+01:00Comments on Perpetually In Transit: It’s a conspiracy! Perpetuahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01214396019726161983noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3705825161954545710.post-46945244659279483212012-09-30T18:33:49.634+01:002012-09-30T18:33:49.634+01:00And the same to you, Spindrift. The dishwasher was...And the same to you, Spindrift. The dishwasher was having the sulks quite frequently even before we left for France, so the general strike wasn't a total surprise.<br /><br />You're right about the enforced outdoor activity. As soon as the rain lets up again, I'll be out there with my shovels and rakes and implements of destruction...... :-)<br /><br />DeletePerpetuahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01214396019726161983noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3705825161954545710.post-51112229966530654502012-09-30T15:58:32.160+01:002012-09-30T15:58:32.160+01:00I think your poor dishwasher was pining, and proba...I think your poor dishwasher was pining, and probably jealous of its French cousin!<br /><br />Think positively - the enforced outdoor physical activity is the perfect healthy way to off-set the frustrations of indoor technology problems.<br /><br />Welcome home!<br /><br />Spindrift51Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3705825161954545710.post-15492633587801883402012-09-30T13:10:15.873+01:002012-09-30T13:10:15.873+01:00You've said it, PolkaDot. This time last week ...You've said it, PolkaDot. This time last week I was going around whimpering quietly, but things have definitely improved. Sadly broadband is still at less than half-speed, but we'e managing.Perpetuahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01214396019726161983noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3705825161954545710.post-64782612346564252942012-09-30T12:44:37.579+01:002012-09-30T12:44:37.579+01:00What a welcome home Big Sis!!What a welcome home Big Sis!!PolkaDothttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04753780150155246671noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3705825161954545710.post-30355746400907573812012-09-29T23:04:46.416+01:002012-09-29T23:04:46.416+01:00Hello, Andrew. How nice to see your name among the...Hello, Andrew. How nice to see your name among the comments. :-) <br /><br />Grrr!! Don't talk to me about Google and its users. Ever since Blogger in Draft came out I've been giving them feedback about accessibility issues as have many, many others. Unfortunately, despite the co.uk at the end of my web address (.fr when I'm in Normandy) Google (and therefore Blogger) remains US-based and comes under US law. However there is perfectly good disability discrimination legislation in force there which they appear to have ignored completely. <br /><br />I've stuck with Blogger so far, but if life goes on getting more difficult here, I may end up joining you over at WordPress after all.Perpetuahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01214396019726161983noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3705825161954545710.post-50870159368118587392012-09-29T22:47:08.403+01:002012-09-29T22:47:08.403+01:00You've said it, Sue. I can't ever remember...You've said it, Sue. I can't ever remember quite such a chapter of accidents in such a short time. As my mother was fond of saying: "These things are sent to try us...." :-)<br /><br />Thanks for the tip about the zoom. I must confess I haven't noticed the icon you mention on my screen, but I'm sure it must be there somewhere. Actually text size isn't the main problem, as I just use Control + to zoom. It's the pale font and lack of contrast which is hardest to work with.Perpetuahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01214396019726161983noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3705825161954545710.post-23141038218745215442012-09-29T22:35:09.068+01:002012-09-29T22:35:09.068+01:00Thanks, Astrid. It's good to be back. :-) In a...Thanks, Astrid. It's good to be back. :-) In a perverse sort of way I'm glad to hear that we're not the only ones with phone and broadband problems. To be fair to the phone company, they did come out the day after they were notified, but my guess is that our line is so old and has been mended so many times over the years that the whole thing really needs to be replaced. Looking on the brighter side, the new router works really well when the line lets it.Perpetuahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01214396019726161983noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3705825161954545710.post-34839796511490579772012-09-29T22:31:39.037+01:002012-09-29T22:31:39.037+01:00Absolutely, Molly. Thankfully both the physical an...Absolutely, Molly. Thankfully both the physical and metaphorical rain appears to have stopped for now. :-) The broadband thing is a real pain and I'm sorry to hear that you are suffering too. When the line was mended earlier in the year things improved quite a lot, though we knew we would have to replace the router before long. The new break in the line, which must have happened while we were away, has been mended but not to the engineer's satisfaction, so I suppose we'll just have to keep nagging BT. Sigh...Perpetuahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01214396019726161983noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3705825161954545710.post-88054468497801295142012-09-29T22:14:07.620+01:002012-09-29T22:14:07.620+01:00Welcome back! I don't use Blogger (I'm a W...Welcome back! I don't use Blogger (I'm a Wordpress man) but Google do have a habit of knowing what's best for its users*. As you use blogspot.co.uk, you could try reminding Google of the Disability Discrimination Act. If the site is not suited for anyone with cataracts, it could be falling foul of the law. Google don't make contact very easy, but there is a "Send feedback" tab at the bottom-right of the Blogger homepage which might work.<br /><br />*Rather like Microsoft. It took me ages to find "small caps" in Word 2010, and I'm not sure I could do that again!Andrew Leachhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09757362407627046261noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3705825161954545710.post-14979586304477830942012-09-29T22:11:36.984+01:002012-09-29T22:11:36.984+01:00Oh dear, not a good start to your return home. Jus...Oh dear, not a good start to your return home. Just take your time and it will all come together. The little round circle, under the white cross with the red background in the top right hand corner is where you'll find 'zoom'. You can change the font there. Hope that makes things easier for you. hehe! SueAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04239023812597159873noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3705825161954545710.post-58636238160725031162012-09-29T19:33:47.609+01:002012-09-29T19:33:47.609+01:00Welcome back dearie...your problems with your phon...Welcome back dearie...your problems with your phone line rang so many bells for me. The telephone company here had me on my knees pulling out plugs and cables left and right, plugging in alternate phones...I thought next they'd ask me to whistle into the phone, then send me a packet of birdseed....nothing worked. Two weeks later (yep, they were very busy in other areas) the phone rang and the techie advised he'd fixed it without ever stepping foot inside my house. Why this couldn't have been achieved two weeks earlier is anyone's guess. Hope your 'gadget' woes ease up soon too.AstridsSoapboxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12765645879431056941noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3705825161954545710.post-79025045955749050252012-09-29T19:21:31.097+01:002012-09-29T19:21:31.097+01:00Oh dear, it never rains.......as they say. Our bro...Oh dear, it never rains.......as they say. Our broadband is sadly lacking too. They sent me a new hub which didn't make the slightest bit of difference and then I stopped talking to my neighbour up the road - they'd sent him a new hub too (which didn't make the slightest difference to their broadband either)I think it's called fobbing you off. Hope things improve soon.Mollyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08604864977387798470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3705825161954545710.post-84767829142244096792012-09-29T17:12:46.644+01:002012-09-29T17:12:46.644+01:00LOL, Dee. Yes, that was me under that umbrella las...LOL, Dee. Yes, that was me under that umbrella last week. Thankfully things have eased off now and even the rain has stopped.<br /><br />Given that our nearest neighbour in Wales is nearly a quarter of a mile away, I'm not sure if they've noticed we're back yet. :-) But that cup of tea is a great idea and I'll put the kettle on as soon as I've posted this and printed out my sermon for tomorrow (helping out in a neighbouring parish for a couple of weeks).Perpetuahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01214396019726161983noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3705825161954545710.post-23179032025864107312012-09-29T16:58:41.463+01:002012-09-29T16:58:41.463+01:00Dear Perpetua, Morton salt used to show on its box...Dear Perpetua, Morton salt used to show on its box a little girl holding an umbrella in her right hand and holding out her other hand to catch the raindrops. The saying on the salt box was "it never rains; it pours!" Meaning, of course, the salt from the box!!!!<br /><br />You seem to be under your own "salt box" right now, with one mishap after another. I hope you have time to simply put your feet up on a hassock, sip a cup of tea, and enjoy being back in Wales. I'm sure all your neighbors are happy to have you home. And I'm so looking forward to your postings. Peace.Deehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00612299013780771262noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3705825161954545710.post-85299983640786374932012-09-29T16:38:20.131+01:002012-09-29T16:38:20.131+01:00Thanks for the welcome, Jane and Lance, it's n...Thanks for the welcome, Jane and Lance, it's nice to have been missed. :-) The trials are gradually sorting themselves out, thank goodness, though the internet connection is still rather unpredictable. Hopefully it will improve now the rain has stopped for the moment. <br /><br />If it holds off long enough for the ground to dry out somewhat, I'll go back to tackling the garden. We have sometimes thought it would be easier to have a house without a garden, but can't bear the thought of leaving here permanently.<br /><br />You are both evidently made of much sterner stuff than I, who had to be dragged kicking and screaming into the new era of Blogger. :-) I gather from the help forums that some of the more irritating glitches should be sorted out over the coming months, but why launch the new format until it worked properly?Perpetuahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01214396019726161983noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3705825161954545710.post-58440735407988521962012-09-29T13:10:28.019+01:002012-09-29T13:10:28.019+01:00Hello Perpetua:
How wonderful it was to see you po...Hello Perpetua:<br />How wonderful it was to see you pop up in our Google Reader today! We have missed you and are concerned to read about the trials and tribulations of your return home.<br /><br />It is so true that when one does leave one's house for another for any length of time, the jobs requiring to be done mount up alarmingly. Fortunately, we have no garden in Brighton otherwise on our return next month we would be sure to need a machete to find our way through it!<br /><br />We decided to change to the new Blogger format some time ago believing that it is better to jump rather than be pushed. What we fail to understand is why changes seem to be made for no apparent reason and yet irritating glitches never get fixed?!!<br /><br />Welcome back!!Jane and Lance Hattatthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16831890261259302647noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3705825161954545710.post-38634906120804935302012-09-29T10:08:59.440+01:002012-09-29T10:08:59.440+01:00I hope you had a lovely trip, Linda and I look for...I hope you had a lovely trip, Linda and I look forward to reading about it. I'm glad it's not just me who is struggling with the new format. I mastered the old one so easily that it's a shock to realise how hard I find this one. Still, I've experimented and found that I need to do all text first before adding images, if I don't want the narrow column formatting I got this time. One small step....Perpetuahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01214396019726161983noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3705825161954545710.post-69359231127588305092012-09-29T10:06:05.240+01:002012-09-29T10:06:05.240+01:00My memory is bad now, Rosaria, but I don't thi...My memory is bad now, Rosaria, but I don't think I'll ever forget the old format. It was intuitively functional and easy to use and the new one is neither of those tings. Sigh...<br /><br />Thank for your tip. I've clicked on my wrench and looked at Edit User Settings, but there's nothing on that page which is clickable and has anything to do with font size. Hey-ho, I'm sure I'll work it all out eventually, but it's going to take time.Perpetuahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01214396019726161983noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3705825161954545710.post-85606527797457132162012-09-29T09:56:15.198+01:002012-09-29T09:56:15.198+01:00Thanks for putting it all into perspective, Pondsi...Thanks for putting it all into perspective, Pondside. :-) I'm not really a grumbler by nature but this week has been an exception. Yes, we're home safely and so are you, thank goodness. I look forward to reading about your trip when I catch up with my backlog of posts.Perpetuahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01214396019726161983noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3705825161954545710.post-2959619633551744632012-09-29T08:12:58.849+01:002012-09-29T08:12:58.849+01:00I came back from our trip to Wales to find the sam...I came back from our trip to Wales to find the same problem re. Blogger format and I'm only getting used to it after a few posts. Eyesight problems aside I've been managing by only concentrating on the basics.<br />We shall be going to Italy soon so I can understand the busyness of settling in and spending time on chores.<br />Glad you're safely back and hope you settle in soon.<br />Linda Phttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10634839688042592781noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3705825161954545710.post-4832163963252010012012-09-29T04:28:04.698+01:002012-09-29T04:28:04.698+01:00Perpetua, blogger has changed so much that I can&#...Perpetua, blogger has changed so much that I can't even remember the old format! Just go up to your tool kit/it's an icon on the top right hand side that looks like a wrench. It will allow you to choose the font size, something I know I appreciate.Rosaria Williamshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03133147851332084180noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3705825161954545710.post-2848017271059482352012-09-29T01:34:49.156+01:002012-09-29T01:34:49.156+01:00It sounds like you've come home to lots of cho...It sounds like you've come home to lots of chores and a little frustration - but you're home safely, and that is the main thing. Having just visited your part of the world I can imagine, if only a little, what it's like where you are - beautiful!Pondsidehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02407539138546412482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3705825161954545710.post-67236416376274112222012-09-28T23:17:32.011+01:002012-09-28T23:17:32.011+01:00Thanks, Ray. There's nothing like a good rant ...Thanks, Ray. There's nothing like a good rant to make one feel better and put things in perspective. :-)<br /><br />I'm really glad to learn that it isn't just our patch which has grown so phenomenally over the summer. It wasn't so wet in France and so things grew pretty normally, which made the shock even greater when we got back and saw just how wild everything had run. I made good inroads into it last weekend, before the latest lot of rain started, but since then it's just been too wet to do much. What I need is a nice bit of Indian summer....Perpetuahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01214396019726161983noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3705825161954545710.post-69178849792128148332012-09-28T23:10:30.810+01:002012-09-28T23:10:30.810+01:00Thanks, Annie. It's been an exhausting week, w...Thanks, Annie. It's been an exhausting week, which made me very aware I'm not as young as I was, but I refuse to be beaten - even by Blogger! I wish I was insouciant enough not to know one Blogger interface from another, but alas I'm not. The old Blogger was simple to use and pleasantly-coloured (blue and fawn) which was so much easier on my eyes. The new one is much less intuitive and is all white space and pale text, ornamented with odd orange blobs like all Google products. And it really doesn't work as well. Sigh....<br /><br />Sorry to hear you've got the rain too, but at least you probably need it after your hot summer, whereas the poor old UK was awash even before this last lot. Our daughter lives not far from York and the river in her village peaked yesterday at 7.86m, just 4cm less than the highest level ever recorded there. Gulp....!Perpetuahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01214396019726161983noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3705825161954545710.post-53983210017688772682012-09-28T22:58:13.543+01:002012-09-28T22:58:13.543+01:00Welcome back Perpetua. I hope your problems will ...Welcome back Perpetua. I hope your problems will soon be behind you and you can relax enough to enjoy your time in France in retrospect.<br />I sympathise with the garden growth this year. <br />The rainfall has produced twice the normal amount of growth here, and taming my jungle is looking like one of the labours of Hercules.<br />When life slows down a little we must compare progress. Ray Barneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09209429097744326143noreply@blogger.com