WWYD with no internet for a week, if you lived alone?

[Creeperofhabit]

My friend's internet has been cut off because the provider have made a mistake (she told them she didn't want some extras on her sky tv any longer, but they've cut the whole lot off instead).

She can't work (health issues), lives by herself and doesn't see much of anyone. She relies on the internet to speak to her friends, use forums, watch her favourite TV, do hobbies, she also buys and sells things, now she can't do any of it for a week until they can put it back on.

She does have hobbies outside of the home, and a friend who lives an hour away who drops in sometimes, but due to the weather her friend can't visit and her hobbies (photography, magnet fishing, walking, fossils) are all not very accessible for now. She does live in a very picturesque part of the country though.

I've made a few suggestions. She's said she'll sort some things in her house but, she's quite organised and good at DIY anyway so doesn't have much to do to pass the time.

WWYD in her position? She says she's 'climbing the walls' after one day! I am two hours from her and can't visit because I've got a house move this weekend and will be working on the other days

I know It's a 'first world problem' but I feel sorry for her as she's a close friend and has had lots of bad luck in life (is NC with family, has a lot of illnesses, a lot of bad luck generally recently so I'd like to help her pass the time but my mind's gone blank!

Read the 3 books I haven't touched because I'm always mindlessly scrolling the internet.

She can get a new SIM with more data if it's internet she after. I'm assuming you're not asking for alternatives but for solutions. Call a taxi to take her to a phone shop and explain to the shop assistant what her needs are.

I'm surprised Sky can't sort the phone data.

I'd listen to radio 4, read and watch some DVDs ... I'd have to dig out my Jillian Michaels ones for exercise

I'd have a lovely time tbh. I'd go out for walks regardless of the weather (I have to, as I have a dog). I'd read, knit, crochet, spin, watch films/series, cook nice food, do a bit of declutterinf, re-organise my wardrobe. A week wouldn't be long enough. I'd do most of that if I had a week off work on my own even if I did have internet access though.

Reading and cooking

Oh I forgot yoga. I'd do plenty of that too.

I think you said she liked photography well I understand she has problems but how about taking some nice photos even if just in her own garden or area?
other than that
read
craft
use the library internet but also look at the clubs they offer too
go to a nice cafe use the free wi fi but also maybe find nice folk to chat to

Pretend I was a child again was life was peaceful and calm. When we didn't have information being thrown at us from all directions

I'm 66, disabled and I lost all Internet, TV and landlines from 28th December until 6th January. So this was real for me...

I love reading, but there only so much reading you can do I discovered. I still have a DVD player and DVDs, thank God. And mobile signal to tether.

What it taught me is that no matter what you think you want to do more of, you really don't ever want to do that much of it!

Do some cooking and baking from scratch, complicated dishes with lots of elements and different stages that would normally be way too much faff. Like baklava! yum.

Go out walking and take lots of photographs. Or try to identify local fauna and flora.

Do some handsewing - fixing buttons and hems to be practical or tapestry and embroidery to be creative.

Practice calligraphy.

This happened to us but we were left for around 3 weeks! Ours was Virgin Media and apparently they can send out dongles that will get her online. She will need to kick up a fuss to get this though but I guess she has plenty of time on her hands to do this 😂

I’d assumed virgin but still, I’m amazed the phone is tied into the Tv/internet. I’m sure it’s not with Virgin.

Buy a cheap DVD player? I love Tv and the internet. I also read and do other stuff but I’d still really miss the internet.

Mine was Virgin.

After you get the service back, then your entertainment is getting the compensation that you are legally entitled to! I was literally told (by a call centre in India) that I had no loss of service at all, despite two engineers saying I did! It took notice that I was going to the ombudsman to get it.

I would knit a cardigan.

Assuming I was able to, I would be going on a few walks in the daytime.

It’s hard to say without knowing what her illness is, a lot of these suggestions seem aimed at someone who is very fit and able. As for the one about getting over her Internet addiction, I agree that society does have one as a whole but the Internet is a literal life line to those who are unwell at home.

Can you send her a little activity in the post each day? If you’ve got Amazon you could find a cheap thing off Amazon to send that will keep her busy, it’s amazing the cheap things you can find on there. It doesn’t have to be an adult item, there’s tons of kids craft kits which an adult would enjoy and fill up a couple of hours and wouldn’t cost much. She then has the joy of a surprise delivery followed by a few hours of keeping busy doing something new.

Is she able to go out at all? Can she take a device to somewhere with free wifi and download some podcasts and programs to watch to keep her going for the week

She must have data on her phone?

As it's their error, I'd be telling them to send out a WiFi hub with credit in it next day postage. I'd also ask for 2 free months as compensation.

Sleep, relax books, walk if the weather was ok, clean the house and have a clear out of my wardrobe.

However if I didn't already have a big data allowance on my phone, I'd buy some more data for the week.

I live alone but in a central area of my city. Quite internet reliant tbh. However- I would read. I would do the put-off household jobs like clearing a junk cupboard. Go through clothes and mend anything that needs a stitch or a hem or a button. I would go for a swim and sauna at the local gym. I would go to the cinema. I'd have long baths and do some nice skin treatments. I'd go for walks. I'd cook or bake something faffy and new to me. And presumably she still has a phone number? Maybe friends could ring for a chat.

@OhmygodDont they've said it is something to do with the system. It 'won't let them' put it back on as it'll 'think' she's a new customer and charge her accordingly. They've got to wait until the day she usually pays to reactivate it. Or something like that. Tech is great when it works in people's favour!

Just reading through the rest-thank you everyone. Library is good idea-she's in a tiny (well known) village in North Yorkshire, not sure they have one but I am sure the nearest town will have!

Good ideas @Mabelface @DaisyDreaming !

@DaisyDreaming she has slight brain damage which causes terirble migraines that can come on at any time. So she can go out and does, but only on days where she's fairly sure she won't get one. Takes very heavy medication for it though so can't drive or concentrate well on things. Also has a hernia, depression and social anxiety.

(I've name changed and I know she's not on here).

I've told her definitely ask for compensation! This is their fault. If it had've been me I'd have potentially lost my job (WFH, still on probation). Not acceptable.