April 26, 2009

So Many Channels, So Little Time...

Recently I upgraded my cable. Apparently, later this year an TV era will come to its end here in Denmark. The eater TV signal, or so-called analogue transmission will cease to exists and the only television signal possible to receive will be the digital one. To be able to receive such a signal, it might be necessary to get a so-called decoder. Therefore when my cable company advertised an offer for such a decoder that would arrive together with HD recorder and an array of new TV channels, some of the in HD (high definition) quality, I signed up for a subscription.

The installation was easy and when I switched my new decoder on, I realized that I now had 250 channels instead of the 45 I was used to. And the quality of some of them was amazing.
I have now had this selection for over a week and I still have not been able to fully enjoy watching a fraction of the channels. There is simply just not enough time. Especially as the weather is beautiful, I really do not feel like spending hours watching television. But I am looking forward to probably (hopefully) have something to watch once the autumn returns or on those rainy summer days, which are so common here in Scandinavia.

But for now, I am still enjoying the warm spring, even if at this point the nature is suffering from lack of water. It has been a very dry April so far and it is clearly obvious that nature needs rain. Although today is cloudier and the threat of rain is in the air, what would be beneficial is a heavy shower. I never thought I would say this.
Nevertheless, I water my plants and the sun and the water in combination makes everything grow with the speed of light. Below is an update on the growth of my lovely clematis – the difference a week made is a sign of the fact that it is indeed thriving.

14 comments:

Mahmud Yussop said...

WOW,250 channels! It's really worth a deal. I guess you can be a TV addict if you want to, considering the choices. But I know you'll spend more hours in the garden in spring. It's merely a week and the clematis is sprouting with life. How wonderful.

Hazel Designs said...

I didn't realize the switch from analogue was happening outside the U.S. as well. Is it worldwide then? Does everyone in Denmark pretty much have cable now?

We've had so much rain here for April, I wish I could give you guys some :)

Diane said...

It was summer here this weekend... in the mid-90's!! I don't know if we're even going to have a spring!

Hilary said...

I wish for you, so many lovely summer-like days and nights that you won't have too much time to watch TV. But so glad for you that you have a great selection for when you do. Those growth updates are awesome!

Zuzana said...

=Mahmud,
you are right on all accounts; I think I l become more familiar with my TV first in autumn and winter. Right now I love to be outside.;) And I know you, if anyone, enjoys watching my clematis grow.;) Hope you had a great weekend.;)

=Hazel,
yes, I think the switch is all over the world. In a way is is somewhat bittersweet; I will miss the fact that one cannot just take a small TV and hook it up to electrical outlet and receive a few channels. I guess that is progress in a nutshell.;) I am sending plenty of sunshine your way and am hoping May will be more sunny than your April was.;)

=Diane,
hurray for the summer weather; glad you had a wonderful weekend.;) In a way I feel we jumped winter; we went straight from autumn to spring.;)

=Hilary,
thank you kindly for such a perfect wish.;)
Glad you enjoy my clematis growth updates; I myself am utterly fascinate by this lovely plant. I have always wanted to capture its growth and now I am finally doing it. Comes August it will cover half of my fence and bloom with dark blue flowers.;)
Hope your weekend was lovely dear friend.;)xo

Gal Friday said...

Your clematis is really coming along!!
Strangely, mine(a September blooming one) is not doing much at all, with just a few teeny little nubs sticking up out the ground.

I always cut it down in late March--maybe I did it too early this year and some cold killed it? I hope not, as this was a house-warming gift from a friend nearly 8 years ago and I would hate to lose my clematis.

We have dozens and dozens of channels on our TV as well--and I only watch about four of them all week...

Taking Notes said...

We too have lots of channels and you can spend forever just channel-hopping. I have always preferred the BBC channels - programmes that inform as well as entertain; most of the other channels are just repeats of repeats!
We have just had a lovely warm weekend too; however I'm glad to see the showers today. Your poor clematis - it will perk up though, they are quite hardy plants. Hope your weekend was a good one!

Taking Notes said...

Oops looked at the wrong caption for your clematis!! It is indeed thriving!
x

Beverlydru said...

In the US we are also undergoing this change to digital only. We live in the country and cable isn't available. I pay for high speed internet through satellite, but not satellite TV. So we get about 5 stations. LOL. Our children considered us Dark Ages but we never had to monitor their TV time. We read and play games and it works out just grand.

Melanie Gillispie said...

Where did Spring go?? It went from 50 degrees to over 90 in the space of a week! 70 would have been nice for a while!

We're getting the digital upgrade here too, pushed back from February to June. I listen to my soap operas at work on an analog signal, and I will be very sad when I can't do that anymore.

Zuzana said...

=Tina,
I think you did the right thing; I cut down my clematis to about 30cm in late February and it is always been fine. Could it be that your spring has so far been cool and it will start shooting up now when you have gotten warmer weather.;) Just give it some time.;))

=Jeanne,
yes, I too love to watch BBC, I have to admit.;) My favorite is BBC entertainment and BBC world.
Not to worry, I too sometimes jump sentence and misunderstand the posts.;) Actually quiet often.;)) And I always have bad spellings mistakes in my comments as well.;))
Yes, my clematis is doing very well so far, so hopefully this good trend will continue.;))

=Beverlydru,
yes, I think the change to digital is worldwide.;)
When I was growing up, we too only had analogue signal and about 4 channels; 2 Swedish and 2 Danish, as we lived close to the border. As there was no internet and no one owned computers, as children we spend our time being outside.;))

=Mel,
at least you got some good weather finaly, even if it took some time.;))
In some way I agree that when the analogue signal is gone, it will be missed.;)

Noelle Chantal said...

WOW 250 CHANNELS?! that's a lot Protege! hehe, yes, I would rather enjoy the beauty of nature. esp in your case that you so miss spring and summer a lot. :)

Zuzana said...

=Noelle,
yes, I think my TV will get more attention from me in a few months, when the cold and rainy autumn will arrive. But for now, I am happy tbe best time of the year is only beginning.;)

Gal Friday said...

"Could it be that your spring has so far been cool and it will start shooting up now when you have gotten warmer weather.;) Just give it some time.;)) "

I think you are probably right with this advice for me, and what you wrote is pretty much what my husband told me, so I will "give it time" and hope for the best. :-)