Happiness is....

I wrote my first blog over a year and a half ago sitting in the telephone company office, waiting to request a landline for the umpteenth time. 

A week ago we had our landline installed at last, and two days ago the internet was connected. 

I have lost count how many contracts we signed, how many trips to the telephone office we made, how many times they anulled our petition.  But it was worth persisting in the end. 

To start with they said there was a line available, but every time the technician went to connect it he said it was a damaged number and would not work. 

Then they admitted there were no functioning numbers available. We had to wait until they fixed one.  

A month ago Vladimir spotted workmen up the pole near our house.  He went to chat to them and found out they were at last fixing the problem.  We immediately requested a phone line again.  This time the technician came but took one look at the river he had to take the line across to our house and scarpered, cancelling our request AGAIN.  Such is Ecuadorian efficiency and work-ethic.  

Vladimir went to the boss.  He promised to come and connect the line himself... but of course he did not.  Vladimr went to see him again and he did send his workmen that very day.  This time they braved the river and did their job and installed the phone.  I danced around the living room! 

Yesterday we experienced what having the internet connection at home means to us, living as we do, thousands of miles away from my family in the UK. 

From the comfort of our living room we dialled my sister on skype.  My girls were bouncing with excitement at the prospect of seeing their baby cousin.  To our delight both my sisters were there and little Sebastian babbled delightfully to my girls.  Then my sister in law came to join the gathering with her two little ones.  It was such a wonderful scene;  My niece reading her book, my nephew smiling away, my other nephew chatting insessantly... and we could join in. 

Happiness is skype.