Thoughts
As with my tripping post, this is one I want noted for the record. [Gotta Hand It To Myself, That Was Stupid]
A few weeks ago, my phone died. Blinked a few times and turned into a brick. Due to the shutdown, I wasn’t in a screaming hurry to get a new one. I could Internet from my desktop. Family had a way to contact me in a crisis. I knew I’d need one eventually. At least, when/if I started going abroad in the world again. Took me three weeks. Here’s what I learned.
Bought a Samsung A50. Went in to get the wifi card working. The dude at the phone store took one look at the age and condition of our phones and recommended a budget model.
BTW, after four months, hands all better. Knee no longer hurts. Toe still stiff. Weird.
What I Missed Right Away
The crossword puzzle at night. Do puzzle. Go to sleep. Without the former, I had trouble with the latter. Pavlovian. [Totally Off Topic Brag]
Looking up random facts. Song lyrics. Plots, when I want to know what happens but don’t care enough to finish the episode/book. Where did I see that actor?
Photo of a barn snake eating a rat. Really cool. Don’t worry, I would have put it behind the jump.
Reading in bed at night. Reading in the barn aisle. Both dark places, therefore reading from a screen is more convenience than arranging a light to fall upon the codex.
Blog pix.
What Grew On Me As Annoyances
When I did call, I used our landline. Therefore, I was tethered to my desk. How 20th century!
Lack of a flashlight. We have others. I missed having one to hand.
Gossip. Some things ya just don’t commit to print. Firm believer in the adage, Never email (or text) anything you don’t want to see on a billboard on your way to work the next day.
Lack of videos. I watch more videos than I realized, particularly lately. The Mid-South show was on livestream. I had to pester husband in order to watch classes the barn was in. In fact, my calm acceptance of missing a horse show *might* have been contributory to us going out and getting my new phone that weekend. [Show Today, Yet I Languish At Home, Is It The End Of An Era?]
Instant books. I want to read that book. Now.
No one emails any more.
Being unable to access the blog email [Ride Away With Me, Virtually].
Getting online during a storm, when the desktop was powered down. Party for entertainment, partly for weather checks.
Using the map locater to know where husband was once he started going back to work.
Phone calls. Apparently I do talk to a few people in the course of a month.
Overall, the loss of a phone had more impact than I thought it would, in many small ways. Of course, my timing sucked pond water. Isolated lifestyle that is not my perfect fit > pandemic > cutting off even more contact.
Awareness of the Outside World
Will look into a responsible way to recycle/ditch my old phone.
Stay safe. Stay sane.
Katherine Walcott
Virtual Brush Box 
When you do find out what to do with your old phone, please tell us. I have a few I need to shed.
I found most of the cell phone stores will take them. I just went through this a few months ago. Some have a monthly or regular charity that they give them to. Or you can send them to some of the charities yourself. https://electronics.howstuffworks.com/donate-cell-phone-charity.htm
It is amazing how much we use them even more than we think. Too bad in many ways but then there are others that do help us connect (but mine is silent way too many days).
I must have missed your fall post. Don’t know how except that I was severely under the weather from the end of Dec until late March. Glad you’re (mostly) on the mend. Just so you know you’re not alone, I’ll share (one of) my fall stories.
I tripped two years ago while carrying about 100′ of looped garden hose. I had a crew of tree workers arrive a half hour ahead of schedule, I was in a rush to get water to horses that had been relocated for said workers, and I was annoyed that my husband hadn’t moved the hose previous to the workers arrival and now it was one more thing I had to do. Rushing, anger and distraction; my personal perfect storm for a disaster. As I was watching the crew unload and lugging an armload of garden hose, I completely missed the step from my patio to my driveway; something I navigate safely at least twenty times a day.
I discovered that it’s true what they say; that if you fall while holding something you’ll generally just clutch it tighter rather than ditch it to protect yourself. I clutched, and my face broke my fall. I did have the presence of mind to turn my head just as I met the pavement. Fractured the zygomatic bone in my cheek. (That’s kind of the “apple” of your cheek. For those of you who wear makeup, it’s where you put your blush) It bruised badly. So badly, that three months later when I went to my regular dental cleaning the dentist noticed. Being a bit of an expert on facial bones, she told me what I’d done. It wasn’t just bruised, it was fractured. She also said that when this bone breaks or shatters it often does bad things to your vision, which can’t always be fixed. Seven years ago that eye went through hell and back with multiple retina tears, so I consider myself very lucky. It still looks faintly discolored and is tender to the touch. Probably always will be. Yay, me. (Permanent blush?) I’m counting my blessings. It could have been much worse.
Just don’t ask about the recent golf cart mishap. 😉
Thanks for phone info.
Speaking of grabbing things. Years ago. Friend & I got ice cream. Her cone tipped. Tried to balance, Top ball of ice cream started to abandon ship. She clutched it to her chest, as one does to keep something from falling. Never forget the look on her face when she realized that she had just smooshed ice cream all over her front.
I can picture that. Hysterical