29 July 2010 you just pick up the cell phone and make a call.

29 July 2010 you just pick up the cell phone and make a call.


The network extender arrived yesterday at about 1530. It took about an hour to unpack it, read the user guide, and hook it up. By1700 we had received text messages on both phones and actually placed phone calls with each phone. All this happened inside the house, in what was previously a dead zone. The major rooms of the house all seem to be usable with cell phones. Imagine, all we have to do is punch in some numbers and, like magic, we can talk to people. What will they think of next?

Battery drain may be a new problem to deal with. I left my phone on overnight and woke up to a low battery indicator after about 6 hours of non-use. Gloria’s phone was turned off overnight and came up with a full charge indicator. Managing battery life may also depend upon how distant the phones are from the network extender. 25 feet may make a huge difference with this system. We can, I suppose, leave them plugged in to charge and use blue-tooth head sets to overcome rapid drain.

We know, now, that the connection via network extender drops off rapidly with distance from the unit. I found no sustainable connection in our yard today or while standing at Mike’s driveway after this morning’s hike with Mike.

Bad Neighbor’s dogs were not seen this morning but evidence of their continued existence appeared in-between leaving and returning from the hike. More troubling, was the re-appearance of a red pit bull that is part of a pack belonging to someone down valley. This dog was wandering loose, contesting any passage by pedestrians along a section of road. Loki’s presence seemed to increase its aggressive behavior. At one point, we thought an attack likely and Mike was ready to take preventive action if necessary. This dog is one of a pack that periodically escapes its boundaries, or worse, is let loose by another careless owner.

The increasing number of pit bulls in the area is disturbing. In many cases, the dogs are kept tied outside and are un-socialized. While I’m not advocating doggy psychiatry, a breed developed for fighting and then mis-treated will quickly revert to type when it escapes and/or becomes part of a pack roaming and hunting for food. The aggressive behavior seems to be wanted by people who have some reason to wish to discourage visitors or who distrust the intentions of their neighbors. We, on the other hand, welcome Loki’s ability to and willingness to keep us alerted if people happen by. Attacking them, however, is not in her job description.

I’m fairly confident that if I took binoculars and a camera along on the morning walks. I’d be surprised at what I discovered taking place. I’m also confident that I would stir up more anger and suspicion than I want to deal with. We have a small and well-maintained arsenal. The defining word is “small.” For other residents, the defining word is “arsenal.” Discretion and careful non-observation while walking past the property of other residents is highly recommended.

We’ve had several days of low 90’s temperature, high humidity, and widely scattered pop-up thunderstorms. We’ve received bursts of rain but not enough to measure the rainfall. The drive home from Greeneville today was amazing. Grocery shopping and pharmacy pickups overcome even the most carefully emptied calendar.

We had large expanses of open terrain filled with views of haze shrouded mountains, seeming to rise up in a long line from nearly level ground. I know that the terrain in the outer chains is amazingly steep. When we cross the creek behind us, there is an abrupt valley wall that takes off at nearly 90 degrees of angle upward.

The squirrels have stopped tormenting Loki for the moment. She lays on the floor watching the bird feeders for their approach and then goes ballistic. Once in a while, just to prevent the squirrels feeling that they are smarter than all dogs, we let her out to chase them.