Notes from The Farmer’s Daughter – Internet Dilemma

When did it happen? When did I become so reliant on technology that trying to upload a video file to a Facebook business page would make me snap and lose rational reasoning!

In one day, I went from being a comfortable, peaceful, tree-loving, bird-watching country dweller to an angry, impatient urban wannabee with an unreasonable priority of fast internet speed being number one on the list for a future home, needed immediately. 

The feeling of highspeed internet envy shook me and rattled my very being. I began searching the local housing market, scanning the for-sale ads, contemplating our pending move. Thankfully this mad moment of mayhem was fleeting and soon replaced with a set of realistic questions, helped along by a calm and patient husband.

Would I really be willing to move and perhaps give up life on the lake in a secluded bay? Do I want to leave behind a one-level house that has been thoughtfully designed with the future in mind? Could I adjust to a paved road with more traffic and increased noise? Would I still be able to enjoy an evening on an old porch swing? Would I dare leave behind Fuzzy and Zippy, who are now resting under the old butternut tree for eternity?

The answer is no, or at least not yet, but why do I have to choose? Why can’t I have my cake and eat it too?

The world we find ourselves living in has become increasingly digital, and technology and the internet are necessary for many of us. The internet is not something I am willing to do without, period! I am not saying that with an air of snobbery but one of meaningful emotion. I rely on the internet for my phone (VOIP), my business, work, and even my connection to distant friends and relatives.

This reliance on technology is not uncommon. The outcry for greater broadband availability is echoed by many area businesses, residents, farmers, families, and visitors who require it for countless transactions, interactions, and communications. Greater access to broadband in our area must be a top priority and should no longer be seen as a luxury.

We need to efficiently and effectively work from home and learn from home whether we live on a lake, a farm, or main street. The announcement this October that Rideau Lakes is receiving funding through the ICON program (Improving Connectivity for Ontario) was and still is exciting; however, many of us will remain on a waiting list.

In the meantime, a search for options has garnered me a list of “no not yet’s” from several local internet providers and a “nothing better” from our current provider, who claims to be Canada’s rural internet provider. Then low and behold, one last phone call and a last-ditch effort on my part resulted in a rocket hub being sent my way.

I am anticipating delivery of this wonderous device in 24 to 48 hours, and fingers crossed, it will be the solution I have been looking for, for my business and my home. Then, our feet can remain planted in rural Rideau Lakes while we browse the world wide web and beyond.