a diagnosis of my laptop problem

As you are using Google Chrome you could try this as a first step if the page unresponsive occurs while using it..

In Google Chrome click the More menu in the top right corner and select Settings.
Scroll down to the bottom of the Settings page and click Show advanced settings.
Scroll down to the System section and uncheck Use hardware acceleration when available.

You may also consider reinstalling the browser.

Thank you--I did the first suggestion although I did not get the 'Page Unresponsive' message--so hopefully the foresight will work

I have never heard ctl-alt-delete called C-A-D.

I'm ctl-alt-del user too, I didn't think I have ever right clicked the task bar.

I mostly use Apple devices now, but of 2 Windows machines periodically used, a Dell XPS13 and an Acer Aspire, I find my old faithful Acer is no longer an energy loaded kid anymore since it's 9 yrs old and has slowed down a bit (Dell same age and also slowed similarly).... Wondering if you have contacted Century Link to see if your connection speeds have been adjusted by them or if you have some aging wiring that might recently be affecting your connection speeds?

Since you use the LT for limited duties have you deleted old programs you no longer use it for and judiciously used CCleaner to max your free space on the hard drive as part of your clean up practice?

I have Chrome browser on the Acer as one of the additional browsers but don't use it very often any more as with recent updates it seems to just be slower than a short time ago. It is supposed to auto update to most current browser version when you open it, but I still manually check to see if I have the latest version of the browser and often find that it needs to be manually updated (click the hamburger icon (3 littles bars atop each other, or 3 dots in top right of Tool Bar) and the click Help and then click About Chrome so it will get the newest version of the browser... I tend to stick with Firefox on both Windows machines, but browsers tend to be personal choices by users...notice that some tech site folks that always recommended Chrome before but lately I find several have changed their minds .... again, personal choices of browsers for all users is the norm....

I'm like Judy in that I mostly always use the right mouse click on the Task Bar and choose Task Manager... I do that way as I found over the years that the 3 finger salute or combo of C+A+D (Control plus Alt plus Delete key combo) most often had to be done 2 or 3 times to finally get the choices window pop up so I could choose Task Manager, whereas the R/mouse click on Task Bar always works on first try for me anyways ... That's on the Acer since I use a wireless mouse on it at a desk. The Dell XPS I use the finger touch pad mostly with machine on my lap and tend to not use the R/mouse touch pad key since that takes 2 hands usually for button key and the finger pad...... just another item of personal preference for computer users, like browser choices....

Finally....If your connection speeds haven't changed to slower connections in the last month(s) or having erratic connection speeds, and you have used CCleaner to get rid of all the old temp files and trash, and have the machine hard drive cleaned of non-used programs, and you appear to be relatively up to date in operating system and browser version, then likely your system is just getting slower with age.... One thing you could do that is not technically challenging is to wipe the hard drive and re-install Windows operating system (likely you don't have a Windows 10 disk but may just have Win 7 disc and you'd have to update to Windows 10) so the machine is somewhat like new as it was when you first got it and then install browser preference, and any program you want to use and add maximum RAM or at least 4 to 8 MB of RAM... machine would be lean and mean and could at least physically perform at it's youthful speed but you would still have old parts, and can have a mechanical failure of a component but that would be cheaper than a new purchase generally..... For what you use the machine for, and your preference for Chrome, you could purchase an inexpensive Chrome Book laptop to use for your emailing and web searching ...Several tech site folks and computer professionals, such as Leo LaPorte the Tech Guy, swear by a Chrome Book for folks that just have your needs of Internet use and strongly recommend ChromeBooks, so that was just an additional suggestion.....

My wife if a retired RN as I believe your user name implies that you are, she's computer technically challenged, but uses an iPad tablet with great joy and does just email, Google searches and online shopping and is quite happy with it..... until Apple updates the iOS operating system and she has to change her M.O. of getting things done.....   .  

Have you tried Edge which is the browser that comes with Windows 10. IE will soon be a thing of the past. I use FF as my default browser, haven't used IE in years but truly Edge isn't bad at all. Very fast for sure.

Thank you JHolland ; that may be an idea if i get courage enough to try it.
I will look at your link. Everton when I have a few more minutes than now.

Everton--you are amazing !
The audio was off for that site and now it works just fine....thank you!
Even the admin of the site did not know what the problem was.

Go to Start and type in Edge