Why have a landline?

I have been experimenting with something recently. I never answer our landline. I then use the *69 feature to see who was calling. Often it is blocked but just as often it is a phishing call or a robocall. I cannot believe how many of these there are. Who actually talks to them? Who actually gives their financial information to them? They must be mildly successful since there are so many of them.

Why have a landline? It is tied up with our internet connection but we can get around that, I think. I have trained most of my family and friends to only use my cell phone. There is a message on the landline to call my mobile to get ahold of me. I also include it at the end of every email you get from me.

I wonder if anyone else has the same experience with the robocalling phishing scammers? Does anyone see a problem with not having a landline? My cell may break, but would that be the worst thing in the world to be detached from a phone for a few days?

When we had the early Halloween snow storm this year, we were without electricity for over 2 days. Our landline died before our cell phones, and we could go somewhere to recharge them, so I think in an emergency the cells might be more effective.

SO help me out here, please! Do you have the same experience with calls? Have you considered dropping your landline? Am I crazy to be contemplating it?


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

New hot water bottle on it's way

I cannot remember which wise person I learned this from. It might have been a member of my womens group or another group I belong to.

On these nights during the cold winter months, about 15 minutes before bed time I fill a hot water bottle, and put it under the covers of my side of the bed. When I arrive, my bed is warm, and my feet don't freeze.

Last winter, at the end of the winter, the hot water bottle sprung a leak. It was a small leak, but nevertheless, a leak. Our second hot water bottle also had a small leak so I pitched that as well. I did my research and read the reviews and last night ordered a new one online. Why did I not visit our local pharmacy you ask? I looked and they are not the same quality. Even some of the reviews about the one I purchased, mentioned that often ones bought at CVS or Walgreens are inferior.

This is such a small purchase, and one I am so excited to receive. This routine of warming the bed has happened for many years. Before central heating there were in fact bed warmers.

As the temperature was 12 degrees when I left for yoga this morning, the USPS shipment cannot come soon enough! - Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Christmas present

Sunday afternoon I spent a relaxed two hours listening to a reading of "A Christmas Carol" in front of a fire in our church's Parker Hall. This is an annual tradition.

Dan Fenn, a member of our congregation, reads the story, the fire roars, and cookies and cider are consumed part way through the two hours. Time stood still, or crawled very slowly, as I listened to Dicken's story. I imagined what Christmas was like for the characters in the story.

I must admit that my mind occasionally wandered during the two hours and to-dos entered my mind but just like in yoga or meditation, I kept bringing my attention back to the story. There were some there, who were hearing Dan read it for the first time, and there were others, two of his offspring were there, who have heard it every Christmas Eve of their lives either read by Dan, Dan's father, or Dan's grandfather.

I cherish the traditions that my family has like this and I cherish the opportunity to spend 2 hours listening to an old story and sliding peacefully into this season of lights and miracles and traditions and family.

It is a challenge to live in the present in this season of high expectations for a perfect holiday created by Walmart or Kohl's advertising. For those two hours, for the most part, I was present with the story. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPad