Portland, Oregon

Portland, Oregon

Tuesday, February 28, 2017

Telephone, ACLU, Bush, Conway, and Knitting

LIFE
Life was not good this morning in Harmony Cottage. The morning began with me deep into my reading and Old Husband at the dining table working word puzzles. The phone rang. It was on a table near my chair so I glance over, do not recognize the number, and glance back at my reading. Old Husband goes into panic mode so I answer. It was a wrong number.

All would have been well if I could then have gone back to my reading but no, that wasn't going to happen. "Who was it" he said, "Wrong number" I said, "Who did they want" he said, "I don't remember" I said, "What do you mean you don't remember," he said, you get the point.

The phone has now been moved to a table next to the dining table where he sits. He has a phone next to his chair in his room. I have resigned phone duty.

I may send him to live with our sister-in-law. She's just like Old Husband when the phone rings. They couldn't live together because they'd both dive for the phone, butt heads, and knock each other out.

Reminds me of the days as a child when we had party lines. On our party line was an old woman who wheezed something awful. She might not have had enough breath to talk but she had enough to make it to the phone every time a call was for us. We could hear her wheezing while we talked.
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POLITICS
The ACLU Is Taking Its Trump Fight From The Courtroom To The Streets

I smiled when I read this article about the ACLU. In my past life as an Evangelical Christian I was taught the ACLU was one of those nasty liberal organizations. Years pass, life happens, and since January 20, 2017 I've become a donating member of the ACLU. Who would have thought it?
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Former President George W. Bush Speaks Out

Thanks President Bush for speaking out. We need your voice.
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I try not to be disrespectful but this one just struck me as too funny. Pete Souza served eight years as the official White House photographer for President Obama, and took millions of photos to be archived for history. He was a master at being in the room and not seen by anyone. I can only imagine what he thought when he looked at these photos. If President Trump has an official photographer perhaps someone should speak to Kellyanne about making herself scarce when photos are being taken. No doubt these will make it to the archives as well.
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KNITTING

Yesterday I wrote about my concerns knitting this yarn using #1 needles. Not wanting to rip out I had decided to push on to completion. That did not work out well. That night I was in much pain through my shoulders and upper arms. 

Morning came and rip went the sock. I dropped the stitch count to 56 stitches and am now using #2 needles. I have such a hard time making myself knit socks with anything but #1 needles. I'm learning though, yes I am.

23 comments:

  1. Oh Lordy--yes the party line. She should have known enough to put a hankie over the speaker part of the phone. LOL

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  2. We seldom answer our house phone, just let it go to machine. We mainly have it because 1) we've had the number 36 years and it's on all of our official documents, and 2) our house alarm is set through the house phone.

    That photo will go down in history, as will this entire administration. This, I hope, will be the one used in future classes about how NOT to do the presidency of the United States. But, you know, those who voted for the guy are thrilled with what he is doing. They still think he's the bees knees.

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  3. I think I just figured out why I always answer the phone. Back when I was in my early teens a neighbor called and said there was a man peeping in my bedroom window and he had called the police.

    I wonder who took the photo of KellyAnne. She sure looks inappropriate and I see no reason why anyone would think they'd get a better photo that way than just standing up. The ACLU is a good group to protect the constitution and I'm glad Bush spoke up about the press today.

    Did something happen that made you suddenly leave the Evangelical Church or was it a gradual breaking away?

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    1. My evangelical denomination, the Southern Baptist Convention, began it's march to the extreme right about the time I went to work for a Christian Curch (Disciples of Christ) Seminary. In that seminary we had students from about 25 different denominations, and the faculty was a mix of denominations. It was a world I'd never been exposed to, and my ticket out of fundamentalism.

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  4. Oh, I remember those party lines! Everyone knew everyone else's business!

    I am no fan of Kellyanne Conway. She has been barred from Morning Joe due to her untruthful statements. I love watching the SNL skits when they play her and Trump!

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    1. Kellyanne reminds me of a junior high girl with a crush on the high school football team's captain, and believes he is surely going to invite her to the senior prom.

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  5. We don't have a landline and neither of us like answering or talking on the phone so that's not an issue with us. However, I will say something and Louis Dean answers but he has misheard what I said. His new cardiologist is Indian and he's having a hard time learning her name. It's pronounced 'UP a lah potty.' You can imagine the fun he's having with that!! I told him MY primary caregiver is also Indian but her name is Suma Abraham which is easier to say. He siad, "Oh, is she Jewish?" Sometimes I just quit talking. It's easier and less complicated!! Hahahah!

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    1. Linda, I hear you, spoken like a woman with an Old Husband. I've almost pulled my hair out trying to teach Bob to pronounce the names of doctors of other ethnic groups. Worse than that I once had to change cardiologists over ethnic issues. He once had an Asian cardiologist named Oh, that's right, Oh. He simply didn't know what to do with Bob's humor. Humor doesn't always translate well between ethnic groups. He would just look at Bob like he'd ever seen anything like him. I saw right quick that would not work. His cardiologist that died recently was named Promisloff and I don't think he ever one time pronounced his name right. Now his cardiologist is Filipino. His name is Cammara and I think I may have some success by telling him to think of the Camaro car. It's work living with an Old Husband.

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  6. I could leave the phone ring and not answer it. If somebody starts leaving a message I will answer the phone.

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    1. I would remove the phone and let people text me if that were possible. Not so long winded when texting.

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  7. I hate leaving the phone to ring, even after doing it for a long time now. Sometimes I just lift the receiver and put it back down, just to shut it up. We hardly ever get a "real" call any more.
    It is hard to take Kelly Ann seriously about anything, and this photo just reinforces that attitude.

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    1. I would get rid of a phone if I could but I suppose that's not a good idea. I prefer people text me. They're not so long winded when they text.

      What can I say about Kellyanne. There are times I'm embarrassed for her. There are times I wonder about what Husband would let his wife go on TV and make such a fool of herself. Somebody please, think about her children. I have to think it's a blessing they're still too young to be embarrassed by her behavior. She's to be pitied me thinks.

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  8. Can you imagine churches being against an organization that promotes civil rights, liberty and fair treatment for ALL! What on earth is wrong with these people. Fundalmentalism really gets under my skin. Do you find other churches are swinging more to the right as well? Seems few follow what Jesus's message was really all about. They seem obsessed with abortion, gay marriage and anything progressive.
    Kelly Ann is.....well I have no words.

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    1. Mary, I'm pleased to say I don't think the fundamentalism of our generation is growing. It's aging out and dying but never fear a new form will take it's place. Usually fundamentalists are in groups around a Charlatan. There are many charlatans thus many groups, but seldom are they organized into one large voting group. The exception to that being when Karl Rove organized them in order to elect Bush in 2000. They've made very little headway in being elected to either chamber of Congress. They make a lot of noise and are very annoying but they're not to be feared. They don't stick together very well. Easily led off to follow a new charlatan.

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  9. That was an amusing image -- the two knocking themselves out reaching for the phone. I think caller ID was the greatest invention of the 20th century and with a message feature, there is no need to ever answer the phone unless I want to talk to the caller at that moment.

    Who would have ever thought W would suddenly seem articulate. Good for him to speak out.

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    1. I thought it was interesting W made it clear he personally remained quiet during Obama's time in office and intends to do the same with Trump. HOWEVER he says the Bush Center will be speaking out. His daughter Barbara works for the Center in a program that involves women in Africa. She spoke recently in defense of Planned Parenthood and received criticism from some conservatives. I continue to believe the Bush presidency would have been very different without Dick Cheney.

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  10. Love caller ID but I can see how the mystery might bug him. If you let him answer, careful he doesn't order stuff from those robo calls. You may have new house siding suddenly.
    Kellyanne's posture is pretty teenage but it is her fascination with the phone that gets me. At least she didn't make it a selfie.

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    1. I don't have to worry about him ordering anything, he's too cheap to do that. He also enjoys verbally abusing those callers.

      I'm embarrassed for Kellyanne every time I see her but she is beyond annoying.

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  11. Obviously, you can't be trusted to answer the phone. Years ago, phones with teenagers in the house was an experience -- guess they all have their own smart phones now. Disciples of Christ was denomination we attended when I was young with special young minister then, Dale Fiers. Party line story funny -- seems often party lines had someone like you describe. I, too, am glad Bush spoke up. As for Conway, she's a real piece of work --- spewed another fake news tale today -- never stops. or blinks an eye.

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    1. Disciples of Christ is a very small denomination but I believe President Johnson was a member of that denomination.

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    2. Rev. Fiers later became Prez of National Council of Churches; coincidentally high school classmate became minister with denomination -- active with university students in Great Lakes state, civil rights and sanctuary movements.

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  12. My husband always answers his phone immediately. Half the time my phone is in another room. Unless it's the kids, I don't feel an obligation to answer every call if I'm busy or if I don't recognize the number. Since cell phones arrived, some people think we should be available no matter the time or what we're doing.

    I remember those party lines. Ha
    It was good to see President Bush out there.

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  13. I hate leaving the phone to ring, even after doing it for a long time now. Sometimes I just lift the receiver and put it back down, just to shut it up.


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