Well, this is something I have known for a couple of weeks now. I've been waiting to see if something changed at the last minute, but it doesn't look real likely, so here it is.<P>On this coming Tuesday, June 27, my home internet will be shut off. I've been on a discounted six-month trial, and it's finally run out. H and I are in way over our heads financially - because of child support, of course- and internet is something we just can't afford to keep up. Got the notice a couple of weeks ago that my trial period is ending Tuesday, and unless I pay to continue, they're shutting me down. At this time, I can't afford to renew my subscription.<P>We are in a little better position now that ow's support order has been reduced (in fact she's getting nothing right now) but the extra money has to go to pay all the bills we have been postponing for the last couple of months. I am hopeful that in a few months we will be out of the red and I can hook up again. Right now, we'll be focusing all of our cash on the essentials. By my projections, it should take us about 4 or 5 months to get our ducks back in line.<P>Until then, starting Tuesday, you'll be seeing a lot less of me (no cartwheels, please ) I still have internet access at work, so I'll check in when I am there, but I only work a couple evenings per week, and sometimes not even that much. When I am at work, I'll catch up and post, and my email address will remain the same, so it's not like I'll be totally gone. <P>Just wanted to let everybody know. If anybody posts something directly to me, you may need to pull it back to the top a few times before I am able to see it and respond.<P>this is going to be gut-wrenching for me because I've come to count on you all so much. At least I'll be here once in a while though, and who knows...maybe in a couple of months I'll be back up and running again. I've got more computer classes scheduled, so that will help us catch up, too. <P>Well, at least I should be able to post the results of monday's C&Y hearing before they pull the plug. With any luck, things will go our way and I'll be able to go out with a bang! <P>with love,<BR>-cd

Sorry to see you take a leave. You are a voice of reason and hope. My e-mail is blue00b@hotmail.com ,please write and God's speed back.

CD--<BR>Maybe you could do the suggestion given to NGU: check in at the public library once in awhile. We want to hear from you!

Dear Cd,<P>Sorry to hear that, I enjoy talking with you through<BR>our emails.<P>Hope you can get home service again very soon.<P>Take care, fluke

CD, I am really sorry to hear this. I really enjoy reading your posts. I hope things will get better and you can get connected to the internet again soon. Are there any other companies that are out there offering a free trial or discounted rate, I wonder. I hope all goes well in court and with the visitation. We have both been on the same road with our visitation and it has always been interesting reading your posts. We have a meeting with our lawyer this coming week to discuss what our motion will contain. We are filing for modification of visitation, the ow will not give any more time than the short block of time we get once a week. The original court order said it should increase as time goes on, it has been 4 months and she refuses. So back to court we are going, and also we wanted to go anyway to discuss a few nasty things she has been saying to the oc like he can not call my h "DAD" and how her parents, his grandparents, hate my h, his dad, and also how my h did not want him and he ran away from him when he was a baby. Well what else should I expect from the witch...I just will not stand for the hurt she is causing. Stay in touch and if you want to drop me a line please do so, abarkandabath@aol.com. Peace, Gabi1116

While you're still online -- GO GET NETZERO AND DOWNLOAD IT... I did that at my old house and it wasn't great, but it kept me at MB okay... just slow.

I will miss your daily doses of candid comments and your excellent advice! I know, you will be around, but not as much as you have been.<P>Love,<P>Tigger

Dear CD,<P>I am sorry to hear this. I have enjoy reading your post. You always have wonderful advice to tell the people in this forum. You have been extremely helpful to me. I can relate to you, h and I are up to our heads with financial worries. CD is there anyway I can give you my email address without having to post it here. I get nervous posting my email address, just in case I run with h xow here.<P>Take care mina,

cd How can I pay for at least a month?<P>Love<BR>Debi<P>------------------<BR>Imagine....

CD,<P>You should download Netzero now and hook it up. It is free internet connection. Go to: <A HREF="http://www.netzero.com/" TARGET=_blank>http://www.netzero.com/</A> <P><BR>You will have to fill out a lot of information but at least you will stay connected to your life line. You will have to live with banner ads but it is not that bad once you get use to it.

Hi all,<BR>I checked into netzero, but there are no local access numbers for where I live. I am looking to see if there is another internet company around that has a good cheap trial service. One of the downfalls to living in a relatively remote area is that there just aren't many internet companies willing to provide local service here. I have also been thinking about seeing if my employers will pay for my internet service. They really want me to be online, and I am the only computer instructor they have right now that can teach of all the software courses they offer, so who knows. They might just go for it.<P>It might actually be cheaper for them to pay for my internet service than to have to call me long distance all the time to inform me of schedule changes, student enrollment, etc.<P>Anyway, if all else fails, I WILL be able to log on at work, so it's not like I will be gone, I just won't be here every day.<P>I've also just found out that they want me to cover classes for two different office locations now, so at very least, I should be working two to three days per week. That should give me ample opportunity to keep abreast of mb news. <P>Mina, my email address is cdcollins4ever@altavista.com<P>Gem, you are a sweetheart, but I can't let you do that. <P>Gabi, best of luck in court. I can empathize with what you're going through. Our ow won't even tell oc who we are. So far, she just thinks we are strange people who come to visit her now and then. I'm wondering if ow will tell her before Monday. I would almost think she'll have to, considering that oc will hear it in court at the hearing anyway. Do you have any idea when you'll be going back into mediation yet?<P>Talk to you all soon,<BR>-cd

CD - Oh please don't go!!!!! I feel like I just found and now might loose a new friend. Selfish but true!! I really do wish you the best and in the short time I returned to posting , you've become a real source of wisdom. Hope all goes well for you. You deserve it. Take care<BR> Kris

cd...<P>You have my number; give me a quick call Sunday night or Monday if you can.<P>Catnip >^**^<

Hey Catnip,<BR>Will do....I'll probably call Monday night so that I can tell you all about how our court hearing went. Might want to buy earplugs between now and then <BR>-cd

Nosetta,<P>I just read your post and wanted to get a quick note off to you. Juno and Netzero are just a couple of the many, many FREE ISP providers. Because of your location, you'll have to do some searching, but that's your forte. Try looking up "free internet service providers". That will give you a good start.<P>OB1