I, too, am a former Verizon, and now Frontier, customer, but I recently upgraded to fiber optic. When I used to have Verizon DSL, the main problem was that the connection would sometimes slow down, or, all of a sudden, I couldn't connect to anything at all. This could happen once every 2 months, or 10 times a day. Re-booting your DSL router, as zep516 suggests, would generally clear the problem. This doesn't mean DSL is bad, it just means that some people have problems with it. In any case, I've found that having Frontier as a provider is an improvement over Verizon. The Frontier tech support folks are friendlier and willing to spend more time with you, so don't hesitate to contact them if this problem persists. For example, it's possible that there are some simple changes to the router settings that would help, and maybe they could assist you with that.

Do you have Ccleaner installed? If so start it then click the 'Registry' button on the left side. Do not alter any settings, click 'Scan for issues'. The scan may find a few or more likely a few hundred entries, do not fear these are all obsolete or left over entries. Once the scan is complete you should click 'Fix selected issues' or something similar. Back up the registry when prompted and click to remove the items show. Close program, hopefully the issue will be resolved Note to lurkers, do not play in here unless you fully understand the implications. A wrong move and you will possibly have monumental problems. Under normal circumstances any obsolete entry in the registry is simply ignored by the computer. In not2bright's case this is a move to stop the aggravation at startup.

Well, first of all let me congratulate you on your retirement! 36 years of teaching is quite an accomplishment! I like all your menu items, but I agree with Linda C. To me there are too many, and that's an awful lot of food for a luncheon-type party. I'd be ready for a long nap after that much food! LOL I categorized them below, as I see it. APPETIZERS Chex Party Mix Pretzels Chunky salsa and chips Spinach artichoke Parmesan spread w/assorted crackers Italian salami and crackers Chicken & apple sausage bites Meatballs (crockpot) SALADS Fruit salad Tossed green salad Vegetable "primavera" salad Mozzarella, basil, and Roma tomato "stacks" ENTREES Meat Lasagne Vegetarian Lasagne DESSERTS Peanut butter rice krispie treats Cherry cheesecake Chocolate mousse cake Key Lime pie I think I'd narrow it down to: *4-5 appetizers (Somehow the salsa and chips don't fit with the rest of menu) *one veggie salad and a fruit salad *two lasagnes as main dishes *two desserts I would also add some type of rolls and butter. Just my 2 cents because you asked. I am sure whatever you decide, it will be a wonderful party! Linda

The only truly irreplaceable item I have is sitting next to me on the couch eating supper. Well, and the fourfooted one shedding on the rug, too. Everything else is just "stuff", to be used or displayed, not hidden away "to keep it safe", at which time it simply becomes closet- or attic-filler. Most of my accessories (antique copperware, some old molded glass birds and fruit my grandmother gave me, etc.) are packed away simply for lack of anywhere to put it out - I am thinking about maybe putting a shelf up about a foot below the ceiling all the way around the living room - but I'll probably get rid of a great deal of it because if it's been out of sight and out of mind for 2.5+ years and I haven't missed it, I don't need it. I have some antique furniture, but it's all used rather than coddled and fussed-over - none of it's valuable, and it's all pretty beaten-up to start with. :-) Maybe I would have a different attitude if I had expensive, rare items that had some kind of historical or monetary value, but I don't and I highly doubt I ever will! My family is mighty short on heirlooms, but to be honest as a general rule we're just not terribly sentimental people. The only things I even wanted to have from my late father was his Masonic regalia, but the stepmonster would not turn any of his possessions over to me after his death even though I was the legal heir per his will. It's not truly heartbreaking that I don't have them, and not worth hiring a lawyer and hunting down the stepmonster (who has moved away to goodness-knows-where), but my DH has expressed interest in joining a Lodge someday and it would have been nice for him to have those things as a legacy since Dad would have sponsored him to his Lodge in a split second. I probably would have made a shadowbox for displaying them until they were needed for use. I have no children to pass anything on to, not that I would burden them with things they would think they had to keep just because I owned something, especially if they didn't like it on its own merits. I'd rather my things went to a charity sale, an estate auction, etc. so that people who actually wanted the things could obtain and enjoy them.