at and t cellular

Dearest Moyra,   Finally I am sitting down with a couple of hours and determined at least to make a start on what will doubtless be the long and slow process of bringing you up to date on life in Northern Rivers, just six months after moving into the Snailshell. Long because there is quite a lot to tell; slow because I am having to peck away at my phone screen, the computer not having been a reliable form of safe communication for over a month. It, the Netflix in Miranda's house and all the computers simply drop out or shut down or just won't operate several times a day and have to be restarted on hope and a prayer. I can't tell you how frustrating it is. Thousands of people are complaining daily to a government which initiated the National Broadband Network a couple of years ago --a network which is simply incapable of handling the ever increasing demand for speed and capacity. The PM and the Minister responsible simply deny that there are any problems and insist that it is the best system available and that any glitches are the fault of the providers. Perhaps  things may improve if there is a change at the next election, but more likely not.  Anyway, to try to bring some order to this missive I think I had better try to corral my thoughts under a few headings, otherwise I will be waffling all over the place. So.......

HOUSE.

I must say that I am delighted by the way it turned out and that in spite of a few initial misgivings, having lived in really big houses for so long, it seems remarkably spacious- probably because there are large windows in all the rooms and sliding glass doors opening onto decks on two sides, which effectively provide two more living areas. On the other hand it is cosy and everyone says how warm and welcoming it is.  Certainly it was hard to divest myself of all the treasures...the longcase clock and tables and all the stuff I bought from Eye, but in the end it doesn't seem to matter, and it is certainly a plus that I can do all the housework in an hour!! (In Hemevez it took two of us six hours every week, and that did not include silver and copper cleaning!) The big difference here is that I have to attack every wall and ceiling, inside and out, with an extended cobweb brush each week; otherwise we would be completely smothered. I have just finished this morning's war on webs....they were round every light fitting outside; on every window frame; draped from gutter to downpipe and  down the back of the chairs. And with the rain and humidity it is as if the spiders make a rush indoors to set up home behind blinds and curtains and to embroider cornices and corners with their fine lace flytraps.

The other variable is the humidity. Certainly the fine antiques would not have been happy. I kept the Hepplewhite pot tables and a couple of gate legs and have to be really diligent about tackling mould and blue bloom.

 Miranda warned me that leather bags and shoes suffered badly so I installed dehumidifying rods in both the wardrobe and linen press during the renovation. I had used them in Singapore so knew how well they worked. No problems.  She also thought that I would need air conditioning, but because there are screened doors on all four sides and the house is elevated on stilts it catches any breezes, unlike theirs, which is like an oven when the temperature climbs.  Which brings me to the WEATHER.

Am sending this bit..explanation in next bit....