Sunday, November 30, 2008

Comes In Threes?

That’s what they say. Bad things happen in threes. Well not really bad things, just pain in the neck things. First it was my computer speakers. Turned out nothing was wrong at all and it wasn’t a big pain. Next it was the camera. That also turned out to be easily fixed. Easy for me of course, not as easy for FD#4 since she was the one who had to look everything up and explain it to me over the phone. But that too turned out to be not such a big pain after all.

This time it’s the telephone. I very seldom use the phone, but I admit it is one of the necessity of life. The phone rang this morning, I picked it up, heard FD#4 say “hello” and then it went dead. Thinking she accidentally cut us off, I waited for her to call back. She did. I picked it up but nothing was there. Total silence. Hmmm. Another ring. But this time instead of ring, pause, ring, pause, it was just one long riiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnnnngg. Even after I picked it up, it kept right on riiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnging. Well, this can’t be good. It finally did stop ringing but then I couldn’t get a dial tone. Nothing.

A little background. When FD#4 first moved in here with me, she also bought her cordless phone. Since she always used a cell phone, we hooked her other one up for me to use. It was the first time I had used a handset instead of being tethered to the phone by a cord. I liked being able to walk around the house or even the yard while talking to someone on the phone. I got spoiled. When hers finally bit the dust, I went out and bought a new one. This time with the extra handset to use upstairs. Neat.



Now this one that is only 2 years old is broken, dead, kaput. What the heck? Only 2 years old!!!
No easy fix here this time…… I take that back. I might not be able to fix that one, but I still have this one that I never got rid of which I will now hook up by my computer desk.


I bought this quite a few years ago when that crap started where anytime you tried calling any business, you had to press 1 for this, 2 for this and etc. This set-up was easier than trying to push the buttons that were in the receiver while you were trying to listen at the same time.

What dodo came up with that idea? I will now use this one upstairs since I don’t plan on calling any businesses from my bed.

And if/when the time comes that both of those go the way of the cordless wonder, I also still have two of these that I’ve been saving in the closet.

As you can tell, I have had this for umpteen years. And they both still work just like new. They sure don’t make things like they used to, do they?

The only downside now is on that rare occasion that I am on the phone, I’ll have to say “Hey, can you hold on a minute? I want to get a cup of coffee” If you don’t want to wait, well then just hang up. If it was important, I’m sure you’ll call me back.

By the way, do good things come in threes, too? If I win the lottery, does that mean I’ll win it two more times? Do you think I should break down and go buy a ticket?

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh, I hope good things come in threes too! We are having the interior of our home painted. By unplugging things, the computer, the digital camera, the land line phone have all quit working this past week. The rare moments that something works, we look like crazy people trying to catch up on blogging & Nalley's baseball game!

Shady Gardener said...

I think good things might come in threes or even fours. :-) I'm not sure about buying lottery tickets, though.

RURAL said...

Did you try getting a new battery for the phone? Does it take batteries? Maybe it just is unhappy about the cold winter weather.

Good things should come in multiples of threes also. Try buying 3 lottery tickets. LOL.
Good luck with the phone.

Jen

Rudee said...

I think we're too busy enjoying good things as they come that we probably don't count them. They don't make anything like they used to, do they? Refrigerators, dishwashers, etc. They all die prematurely. I'm on my 3rd dishwasher in 14 years. Third times a charm.

beckie said...

I have heard that saying all my life and it does seem to happen that way. Of course sometimes months go by waiting for that 3rd thing! :} really, though, I think things like that run in cycles. At least that's what happens here. If one appliance breaks down, I can expect more to. Hope you get everything in good working order soon.

TC said...

I want one of those retro phones! Don't ya just love how the dialer works? I can just hear it now; kacheeeeekaaaarrrnng, kacheeekaaring, kacheekarng, kacheekarng, kacheeeeekaarrnng, kacheekarrng, kacheekarrng.

(You're supposed to imagine you're hearing a seven digit phone number being dialed. Duh!)

KALI said...

whew!!! headache it is...
it seems that the "lovebug" hits you... 9 years later!!! :)
tekki gadgets needs rest too.

flydragon said...

Mildred,
Sounds like you have a few pain in the necks yourself, and all going on at once:)

shady,
I'm pretty sure the lottery tickets don't work that way either:)

Jen,
both handsets were completely charged so it had to be something in the base and that doesn't have any batteries. Cold weather is no excuse. I'm unhappy with it too, but I still function:)

rudee,
I guess manufacturers figured that if they make products that break down sooner, they end up selling you a new one more often. I liked it better the other way.

beckie,
I think it works that way too. If your coffee pot dies, you can bet your microwave and television are not far behind:)

TC,
Kacheekarng ? That's a new sound for me even with imagination. And I do love how the dialer works, key word here being WORKS.

KALI,
And I need a rest from all these tekki gadgets!!

Dog_geek said...

Well, there was that guy in West Virginia who has won the lottery twice... maybe he's got a third lotto win coming to him. I'd like to just win it once - i'm not greedy!

Susie said...

I don't know if good things come in threes or not so I'll be positive and say they do! It seems like we have to replace our cordless every other year. They tear up easy!

Nunya said...

good things definitely come in fours - c,c,c & l. need i remind you! geez, can't believe you had to ask.

my stupid handhelds are dead too. you can replace the batteries, but of course it's cheaper to just buy new phones. which i'll do. eventually. maybe. i have my cell - now where did i put it?

Roses and Lilacs said...

I gave up on cordless years ago. Every time we would get a storm, the cordless got fried. Just goes to show sometimes new technology isn't an 'improvement'.
Marnie

flydragon said...

DG,
You and me both. Once would be just fine! But since I haven't bought a ticket in forever, I guess my chances of winning are pretty slim.

Susie,
They can put a man on the moon but they can't make a cordless phone that last more than 2 years? Something's not right, somewhere.

NVAM,
Well of course I knew good things came in fours. Or maybe it is just three.
A little duck tape on the forehead, and you wouldn't be losing that cell.

Marnie,
I'm with you. No more cordless for me either!

Anonymous said...

I love those old phones. Maybe when you plug it in you'll be on a party line and you can pick up somemore good blog stories. Middle sis.

flydragon said...

Hey, great idea Betty. I never thought of that, and I certainly need some more ideas. I'm gonna try that right now!!

Anonymous said...

Where did you get that white rotary phone? Out of one of your black trash bags!!

And about that lottery winner from West Virginia--you don't even want to go there!!! There's been more bad news in his life than 10 lifetimes (most of it his own makings).

SisterNan

Anonymous said...

PS--I loved your photo of the hawk in the tree!!! Great shot, even if he didn't have a pigeon in hand/claw!

SisterNan

flydragon said...

Nan,
I've been saving those phones in the closet forever just in case.......And the hawk actually does have the pigeon in its claws. It's just hard to tell from the picture. He was on the ground for the first pictures I took that didn't turn out, and then he picked up dinner and flew to the tree. Really.

T said...

They just don't make phones like they use to. We seem to have to buy new phones every other year. Each time we get a new one, it never works quite as good as the one it is replacing.

Far Side of Fifty said...

LOL! Better go for broke and buy a lottery ticket, but if you win will you stop blogging?
You know your very old rotary dial phone? I have one just like it in use. It is the only hard line we have out of here in case the power goes out. I have had it about 25 years..still works great..unlike the other phones that I must replace every two years or so:(

flydragon said...

T,
Until I read all the comments here, I didn't realize that cordless phones went kaput so soon. When I bought this one I went with the well known name thinking it would be the best. Nope.

farside,
When I win the lottery are you hoping that I will quit blogging, or that I won't? Not quite sure:)
And when all those other phones die at once (wouldn't surprise me) only those with the old rotary phones will be able to communicate. Only to each other of course, but still. And they'll be worth a fortune. Hey forget the lottery, I have 2 rotary phones. I'm gonna be rich! Whoo hoo.

Anonymous said...

I understand the hawk had a pigeon in his 'hands' BUT I didn't quite know how to say that I thought it would be a great picture EVEN IF he never caught a pigeon. Is that any clearer? Probably not. Good old English language--never means what you say you mean!!!! Now we're really confused, right.

SisterNan

flydragon said...

Nan,
Ohhh... Now I understand exactly what you meant. Uh huh, you bet, clear as mud. :)))