My telephones

Monday, May 26, 2008

My telephones

Our first phone was installed when I was 3 but I remember it.

No more running next door to make a phone call or receive one.

It was one with 2 pieces...you spoke in the speaker part and listened with the the ear phone.

When you lifted the handset, a very pleasant, non-computer voice said 'Number Please.

We had a 4-party line and if we were on too long, we heard about it from the other parties...and then we hung up fast.

Later, we got a circular number dial phone and I thought that was really 'up there'. The word high-tech did not come into being yet.

When Jeff was on vacation from college on Chanukah, he said we're all going to Sears and he was going to buy us a 'push button' phone.

Well, I was against this but I went along. That meant he had to un-install the one we had and re-install the new one.

I really thought I would never have telephone service again...but Jeff and Allen worked on this project and when they were finished, we had a dial tone and I knew we were back in business.

Now I have 3 phones...land phone, remote and a cell phone, which Jeff and Donna have charged for me every year....and every year I have tons of minutes on it ... but I forget to use it. I just don't like the quality of it....seems like a toy phone to me.

The phone I have in my bedroom is really snazzy....it's an 'answering machine' which I think is a miracle in itself.

I have 'caller ID' which interrupts me if I'm using the phone.

I also have a 'speaker phone'....and an ID feature which lets me screen calls if I want to.

It also tells me what time the caller has tried to reach me and the day.

I think that even Alexander Graham Bell would be overwhelmed by the wonderfulness that he invented.

What a sensationl invention. And one other feature, I get to use a web-cam and to see and talk to my kids every Sunday when they give me computer lessons...all the things I screwed up with during the week. Because of the phone I have high-speed internet service...all for reading ythe silly jokes.

I'm not complaining...I JUST LOVE IT1

Slots for the hopeful!

hildag3@gmail.com... I like your visits...come again soon!

Friday, May 9, 2014

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Slots for the hopeful!

Tomorrow I'm going a'gambling!   Yep, High Point is sponsoring a casino trip and they've filled 2 full buses.   Cost of this trip is $3.00 and that includes lunch.

My problems are that I don't like to get up early in the morning.   Secondly, I don't understand the machines.

I think I'm too old!   Little critters running all over the screen and all kinds of crazy sounds with bells and whistles.....and I really don't know if I won anything.

Now I'm not a big sport...I play the 2 cent machine...but it sounds cheaper than it is because I play the maximum....so you use your money up fast.

Some people who live here aren't permitted to go ... cause they don't gamble and it costs the casino for the buses and the food.

At the beginning of the morning, I enjoy it...and then I get very very bored...and they don't furnish you a place to rest or sit because they wouldn't be making any money.

So...how much do I want to contribute to this day off the farm here?

It's funny...everyone tells you how much they won...never do I hear how much they lost.

But...I'm going to be a good sport....cause that's entertainment...Florida style!

Barnum once said there's one born every minute...count me in Mr. Barnum!

My Sister and I!

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

My Sister and I!

We shared a bed, my sister Elayne and I. We wern't allowed to take toys to bed...so we made do with all we had.

MY FEET!

I was about 4 and Elayne 7...and we played 'feet'. What exciting times we had. Elayne would create a story and my feet were the characters in the play. If it was sad, I would curl my toes down. If there was happiness...I would spread my toes apart. Real actresses my feet to her fabulous stories. She was the director...and I followed her every command, because my feet were the stars of the show.

We did this for many years.

I lost my Sister when she was only 36....and we really never discussed our 'feet years'.

I haven't thought about this for years! What brought it to mind...I dunno!

My Father would yell up the stairs...all right girls....tomorrow's another day......and then we would go to sleep.

Sloppy Broadcasting!

Thoughts from Hilda

hildag3@gmail.com... I like your visits...come again soon!

Friday, May 2, 2014

Friday, April 13, 2012

Sloppy Broadcasting!

I've noticed lately that TV commercial breaks have become less than professional...and I don't know whether this is due to satellites, which is a miracle in itself.   We can watch as it's happening!   Who would have thought!

.  The anchor person used to keep tabs of  the time  and know just how many seconds remaining  till it was time for a commercial break...or they'd kill a little time so that the break would be smooth.   The anchor person is not alone...there's someone who does a little windup with their hands.

I've noticed not so today!!   No..they cut off whoever's speaking in the middle of a sentence and then you see a big commercial,which makes you wonder all you missed.   But it probably wasn't all that much because it's all reality TV anyway.   Perhaps that's a more inexpensive way to produce shows.

Did the audience in real time see and hear what is going on and we were just 'cut off'.....and did we really miss something!

I think it's sloppy broadcasting that you don't need to be cognizant of the time....that the commercials will get in no matter what.  What if there was a real emergency...but time to break.  I know the answer.   Everything is routinely scheduled and automatic.

It appears to me that this has just happened since we now have digital TV...analog is gone!    Is our technology too technical for us, that it can control regular programming?

I think I want to go back to the old days when they announced we'll return after a brief message from our sponsor.

We're Safe...for this year at least!!

Thoughts from Hilda

hildag3@gmail.com... I like your visits...come again soon!

Sunday, December 5, 2010

We're Safe...for this year at least!!

Lots of people claim they wouldn't want to make Florida their retirement home because of our hurricanes.

They are awful...and I've lived through a couple...and it wasn't pleasant.    Actually scary to say the least, especially when  you've lost your power for 8 days...and the nights are sooooo very dark.

There's a song I used to sing to myself during these periods...."Hello Darkness My Old Friend--I've Come to Be With You Again".

Anyway, High Point, my development discovered the way to prevent the horrors of hurricanes....they bought a generator....and I pass this everyday on my way to our pool, and it's the best un-used thing we own.

The batteries are patiently waiting...my propane grill is properly full...my hurricane lamps fit nicely on my end table....and the battery fan is hidden safely away in a closet.

So....I'll use my cans of tuna and my salmon..spread my peanut  butter on some of the bread that I've frozen away...for when it  was needed.

Yippee......I won't worry for another year.

Saturday, December 4, 2010

The Event!

Everytime I think I'm running out of material for my blog I just have to look around me and think!     I'm so fortunate in having so many things to talk about.

A few weeks ago, or I should go back about a month ago, I received a precious bejeweled invitation to Ruth Fagan's 85 birthday party.  Now to look at my friend, you'd never believe that this was this special birthday.   In fact, Ruth didn't think so either...because written on her birthday (loaded with calories) cake was written....Happy 75th!   And she's absolutely right..today's 85th is ten years going back counter clockwise.     Actually, truth be told, Ruth looks much younger than that and her wardrobe attests to this.

I was really looking forward to this.....event of the season.      

To find Ruth's house, her friend Faye went to the dollar store and bought 2 beautiful helium  balloons which she hung on Ruth's outdoor post...announcing  to her  guests...you're here...you've arrived!

Ruth hired Cornelius, our High Point employee,  to help serve and clean up...along with entertaining because he has a beautiful voice.....and he sang a touching gospel number that he has recorded.

This wasn't the only entertainment of the evening....two members of Temple Beth El entertained us with music and a darling skit.

Ruth had filled up her whole house with friends and relatives.......and we all really pigged out on all the food catered by 3 G's restaurant.

Ruth had  ordered so much that I was invited back the next day to eat leftovers much to my delight.

We  all had such a good time that we stayed about 4 hours which is a long time when your hostess is exhausted.

The guests left with a large 'goodie  bag'  filled with all kinds of delightful presents.

My greatest present is the lasting delicious memory  of this special party...wih this special friend...and the enthusiasm and joy she put into this party. 

no one complains about their portfolios!

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

no one complains about their portfolios!

It's absolutely amazing to me. When I go to the pool the conversation is not very stimulating.... Look at the cloud formation..do you think it's going to rain...should they cook or go out to dinner....was their game good last night.

Nary a word is being said about our freefall on the stock market. Maybe everybody was smarter than me and put their money into cd's.

I'm in mutual funds...growth and balanced funds...and no matter how diversified I am...they're all going down.

In Charles Dickins time they talked about going to the poor house.

Where is the poor house. Is it the street people? I really don't know.

Or is the poor house h.p.3...because we're living here as cheaply as we could possibly live anywhere.

When we're not driving and someone picks us up, is it right to offer a buck toward the gas...since it's shooting skyward?

I think it is! And when we go to the Boys and we see big bags of peppers and apples and eggplants outside for a buck, should we buy this...or is this their spoilage soon?

Is that like buying food that's reached its expiration date? I need some help on these things.

What to do! What to Do!

hildag3@gmail.com... I like your visits...come again soon!

Friday, August 1, 2014

Back in the day, before we had refrigerators,  we had an iceman.   A home would put a card in their window informing how much ice was needed for that day.   To my recollection this information was on a diamond shaped  cardboard with various numbers listed on it, and it would point at the top to how many pounds of ice was needed for that day.


I know all the icemen had very good hearts and backs.   Ice was very heavy.  It would be carried with heavy tongs on the man's shoulders.  I wonder if he later had a bad back or arthritis.   I mention a good heart because he would cut off chips and leave it on the floor of his truck, and this, we children gobbled up.....so delicious.


Icemen became another thing of our  past when every house got an electric refrigerator.


I remember our brown icebox well and how we had to keep emptying the bottom tray as the ice melted.


Were those really the days?   Life is so much easier today for which I'm grateful.  


Our first GE Refrigerator had a  pedal on the bottom, so that if you had a handful of  food to refrigerate, you would just push down on the pedal.


This too became a thing of the past, although even today, it seems like a good idea.


We had this refrigerator after Allen and I married and new refrigerators became available again.


The memories are good....but I really like cold food.    And we don't even need ice trays because we have ice makers--100 cubes a day.

Oh NO

Thoughts from Hilda

hildag3@gmail.com... I like your visits...come again soon!

Saturday, March 8, 2014

Oh NO

Reading about 'writer's block' is not the same as experiencing it.   I have a lot to say but am not sure I want to talk about it.

But, okay, here goes:   The high seas were beckoning to me about a month ago and two of my friends asked me to join them on a cruise.  

Sounded delightful...get away from here for 5 days.    Now I know I'm getting older, but so is everyone that I know.   But I did take a cane with me because I have fallen a few times and so I assume I have a balance problem.

Before I left on this cruise, I worried about a fall....and it did come to pass.     I wasn't using my  cane at that moment.`

One of the reasons l attribute it to was that I only had about 5 hours sleep that night.   Another reason is that I climbed 5 flights of stairs before it happened to me.

I'm not used to either one of these, so I assume I wasn't in the best of conditions.    Anyway, I did fall on my back and messed myself up....I broke a bone in my lower torso.

Now I'm wearing a brace, hoping that it will strengthen my spine and I won't walk bent over.

I am using my cane whenever I leave my home.   I don't want to tumble again.    All the people here worry about a fall.   Nobody pushes us over....we just fall.

When we were little children we fell all  the time.   I recall all the scabs I always had on my knees and then  was painted with iodine or mercurochrome by my father or my mother...but when you're old,  you break your parts.

I'm very grateful that I didn't get hurt worse and didn't break anything more.

I consider myself lucky!  This is Judy, my roommate, who helped pick me up, along with Estelle.

It's a living breathing thing!

Thursday, May 1, 2008

It's a living breathing thing!

A salamander was running alongside the top of my fence on my patio. I believe I sat about half an hour watching this tiny specimen creature, one of God's creations.

A little red thing would energize every couple of seconds from his throat area and I didn't know if it was his breathing, catching bugs, or a sexual thing.

One thing I do know! It reminded me of how a dynasaur must have looked a billion years ago except a lot diminished in size.

Is this part of the reptile family? Is it a bug? Whatever, he was so cute that I would never dare deliberately take him out of this world. Some people refer to them as geicos...others as lizards.

Little children when they visit from the north want to take them home with them...but I explain that it's a tropical creature.

Some people meditate...others do yoga. Me...I watch salamanders.

Chicken Little

Saturday, June 14, 2008

Chicken Little

How many hundreds of thousands of chickens have we tried to be creative with? I know you're not supposed to end a sentence with a preposition...but now I must concentrate on this chicken thing.

Each country has different cooking styles for this unlucky bird whose main reason for living is to give us eggs and then let us feed on him.

I'll tell you what really disturbs me. When I go to the supermarket and I see their rotisserie with all the chicken, side by side, with their wings at their side, roasting and rotating while their juices flow.

Perhaps I should become a vegetarian!

Dog eat dog world!

Anyhow today I'm in the process of doing something with breasts...not mine...a chicken whose fate is to be not long-lived.

Did he enjoy his little bit of time on earth? Does he have a brain.

I know he has a heart and a liver...but I've never heard of chicken brains. I've heard of cow brains...but what about this unfortunate creature.

Am I spoiling my appetite for what I am about to cook!!!! MAYBE.