Dead Zone

     Our computer took sick and eventually died a slow and agonizing death, but not before we, I mean they, signed up for at least 3 virus protections and a few scans.  All has been going well until today, when the mouse refused to move.  I fussed and fumed but when I thought to replace the battery, which is essential to our recently purchased wireless remote, computer service resumed.  Yay.
     I was gifted with an automatic car starter last year, but it was March before it was installed.  I seldom need to go out in the cold heart of darkness these days, but a few weeks ago when I had to, I learned that my car starter didn't work.  I found the paperwork, even the box, but no instructions.  I located them online, and learned that the darn thing has a battery which needs replacing every so often.  Fortunately, when I looked in the box, there was a backup remote starter included.  But today when Dan M. came to plow the driveway, my car wouldn't start.  The thought was we needed a new battery, but I think the remote starter botched it, probably because of the "dangerously low" weather.  We'll see. 
    Our television has, for the last month, been very temperamental about starting . Press the remote and the message is to wait, or else the picture comes on and snaps off.  I get so frustrated that the master of the house has stepped up, saying no problem for him, Well, not as long as he holds the button for a certain length of time, points the remote in 2 different directions, and moves close to the set.  OK, let him do it.  But Saturday, the last straw; the television in the bedroom, where I pedal away on my exercise bike, also balked at turning on.  I can't pedal without watching TV, so in desperation, I called Time Warner Customer Service.  The rep was very helpful, and after a few false starts, she rebooted the cable box and all seemed well.  The TV in the living room worked fine, but later in the day, when I tried to turn on the other set, it was completely dead.  I didn't even know where the manual controls were, never having used them, and found them most inconveniently located on the very top back of the set, and nothing I did seemed to affect anything.  Relying on previous experience, I put new batteries in the remote, and Voila, there was success. 
       Our bathroom toilet also went haywire this week, at first with  a constant flow of water running through it, and later refusing to let any water through at all.  A replacement handle seems to have it back on track---here's hoping.
    I don't know why so many utilities malfunctioned in such a short period of time.  I should probably check those in the smoke alarm.  I'm glad we don't have pacemakers.