A very competent service technician came an hour late, and then stayed for an hour and a half...tracing some cables in the attic, which of course was hot work.
I was very grateful when he started to put the TV back, but continued to have flickering reception, so he clipped the ends of the cable, and replaced the cable tips (you know, those ends which have a wire sticking out of a screwed on link)...so I finally had TV, as well as the internet restored.
He even picked up the biggest blobs of fiberglass that had fallen on the floor, before I did the first vacuuming in weeks. I was glad that I'd put a sheet over the bookcase full of books too.
Mike was his name. He was outfitted with lots of supplies hanging from his tool belt...and was able to do everything he needed to get the connections to work. Apparently there had been something done wrong in the attic, so that's why he had to spend 1/2 hour up there. Fortunately the day had been cloudy so it probably wasn't as hot at it might have been on an Aug. evening. I provided a tall glass of water for him after he took off his N-95 mask.
I'm not sure how I should respond to one of the customer surveys that the Spectrum Co. sent out. He went well beyond what I expected, but he also had to clean up what ineffectual technicians had done before him. Somehow I don't think the standard customer service reviews will have a place for that. But I'll say that Mike did an excellent job.
He also told me that he would describe his work such that I wouldn't have to pay for it. I will wait till his work description has gone through before I request a credit for the 5 days that I was without internet, and also TV. For me, the Internet was the most bothersome thing.
I didn't enjoy carrying my laptop into the library twice...nor parking outside the laundry or the pizza place where I had their internet connections. One morning I carried my laptop into a coffee shop, when I wasn't able to pick up their internet from the parking lot right outside their wall. Twice I went in the church where I could use the internet connection before or after the church program.
All of the laptop toting meant that I pulled something in my back (or maybe I did that before and it just began to bother me then) so my back is now in spasms. If it isn't one thing...
So I start taking these lovely sleep inducing muscle relaxing pills for the back spasms when I'm ready to go to bed...in about a half hour actually.
What have I learned with 5 days of no home internet or TV service? That I really missed it. That I read 4 complete books. That I can live without some entertainment, but missed seeing any of the Olympics.
I'm definitely Thankful Thursday for Mike's wonderful work.
