SLIGHTLY ANNOYED...

The above is the image which has appeared on my computer since Saturday morning.  Ever since then, I seem to have been in constant communication with gentlemen in Sheffield, Mumbai and other un-named venues in herculean efforts to get back on line.

But me being able to compose this post and you being able to read it, is evident proof that I have finally succeeded in overcoming the problem.   It seemed to all stem from an `outage` in the fibre optic cabling in this area and which, in turn - and to borrow a technical term - buggered up my router.   Mrs. Snopper was also unable to use her laptop, so there has been a feeling of being cut off from the outside world for the last couple of days.   It`s an old truism, of course, that you never realise how much you miss things until you don`t have them any more.

Anyway, all is well now, so Mrs. Snopper and I are back in business with just the odd regret that there might have been things we have missed out on over the weekend.   But none of those would come even remotely close to the distress caused to my neighbour Mr. Slightly, who was also affected by the `outage,` when he was unable to place his online pony with William Hill for a double accumulator predicting a 4-1 home win for Saints and a 0-0 away draw for his beloved Gills.   As these results actually came to pass, I can only guess at the anguish he and his family are suffering as they dream of what might have been with his winnings.

At least I have the consolation of now knowing what an outage is.