I remember when my grandfather in Oklahoma would call long distance to us in Virginia. This involved a fair amount of yelling into the receiver so that our words would reach Tulsa, and the need to keep the call short because of the extravagance.
Their sainted aunt has them till Tuesday, when their happy (after 4 childless days) parents swing back and cart them home to Rhode Island. Since her own kids are 15, 20, and 22, it’s going to take some fortitude to get through the time shift of wake-up happening before 6:30 every day.
She seems to be holding up well so far though, starting with a trip to a
local farm, and then there’s always the pool. The really tricky part is that
none of us have had much success getting them to eat anything other than pasta,
fruit, broccoli, and sometimes cheese.
In unrelated news, or perhaps the solution
for a mellow few days ahead –
“Oh,” I thought, “is this some version of the old Parade magazine that always used to come on Sundays?"
Closer inspection told me this was just a tad different.
Note that CRQ stands for Cannabis Review Quarterly.
I well remember those rare and short long distance calls.
ReplyDeleteMy dad told me a story once. It was the middle of WWII and the phone rang. It was my Uncle, calling my Mother from Georgia. My Uncle was shipping out to France in the next day or two and called Mom to say Goodbye. They talked and talked. Dad looked at his watch once and it had been half an hour. They kept talking. Dad did nothing because the man might not come home. When the monthly phone bill came, Dad was in great dread. Except--that hour or so long call was never on their bill.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful story, Joanne. Hopefully, your uncle made it back?
DeleteI don't remember any long distance calls from childhood, we didn't have a telephone, most people I knew didn't and if a call was necessary we walked to the nearest public phone box with a handful of coins. I didn't have a telephone untill a couple of months before my third baby was due.
ReplyDeleteThat's another time indeed!
DeleteHow much our lives have changed over the decades. I remember long distance calls, too, which are now unknown to the young people.
ReplyDeleteWait -- that came in your newspaper, or your mail? That's wild. I knew cannabis was going mainstream but didn't realize it was THAT mainstream.
ReplyDeleteI do indeed remember the days of long-distance calling. In some ways it wasn't bad that the expense kept the calls short!
Yes, that "magazine" was an insert in the Sunday paper, right nest to the food flyer. Which I guess was appropriate. . .
DeleteWhen I lived in Alaska in the early 70's, phone calls outside (what Alaskans called the lower 48) had a slight delay, a second or two in the signal. No idea why. I don't remember the cost, but I expect it was significant.
ReplyDelete