TOXIC CALLERS

 

Recently I received that scam phone call with the woman announcing she's on a recorded line and inquiring, "Can you hear me, OK?"

Red flairs began going off in my head immediately. This is an old scam actually. Your "YES" answer is used to gain access into your personal info.

This boggles my mind that they can do it with just that! To view my bank account online I practically have to jump thru flaming hoops followed by a tap-dance and then stand on my head while juggling bowling balls!

When asked if I could hear her OK I shouted "NO!" so loud I hope it blasted her ear drums! Had I been upstairs on the other line I would have topped it off with my police whistle to make sure!

Back in the 1970's I received a call I'll never forget! Back then, answering machines may have been around, however there was no need for one. Unlike now, the phone didn’t ring all day with telemarketers, scammers, & charities. Nine out of ten times you knew the person on the other end.

This particular incident happened on a Friday afternoon when I was alone in the house. A man asked for Mrs. Lininger and I replied that she was out for the day. He then asked is Mr. Lininger there? I told him that he was in West Palm Beach, I was their daughter, and did he want to leave a message?

What he said next, turned things upside down and twisted our conversation side-ways in a whole different direction.

"Do you love your mother?" he inquired.

"No!" I answered loudly with a laugh.

"This is not a joke!" he shot back and repeated the question.

I was silent. Never have I been close to my mother. Mom's love was the strangling kind and I'm rather fond of breathing. And I found the question intrusive! He repeated it again.

"What is this about? Why are you calling?" I wanted to know.

"Your mother is going to be blinded," he declared. "Do you love your mother?'

My initial thought was, who has Mom pissed off now? This was during her fanatical religious period that immediately followed the loss of Dad's high paying job. She dove head first into the bible and it was not unusual for her to tell people they were going to hell for not being church goers.

"Who is this?" I asked.

He just repeated all the above like a parrot!

I demanded to know who he was, plus how he knew, and when this going to happen!

Apparently, he was not expecting all these questions! He became agitated and seamed to freak out while repeating those same things over and over. Finally, he asked "Is there anyone else in the house?"

That was it for me, I hung up! Immediately I called the police!

Soon after, an officer arrived to make a report. He stated the target was not my mother, but me. He explained that sickos feel powerful by getting in your head and messing with you. I knew people like this in high school so that made sense.

He felt the call was probably random. But what disturbed me was that the caller knew the correct pronunciation of our family name, most don't!

When my mother returned, I told her everything that happened. She seemed unconcerned.

Later, my memory was jogged. Just three days before a couple of young guys in their 20's came to repair a cable outage. One behaved creepily! He kept staring at me strangely, then began gazing around our house in an odd manner, and then back to a fixed stare at me.

I can't prove he was the one who phoned, but I'd bet on it!

OFF TRACK WITH THE TRACFONE

 

A migraine inducing exercise in futility!!! -- Also why I’m keeping my landline.

Recently, I purchased what is commonly referred to as a drug dealer phone. It was the cheapest one I could find. This was for emergencies; and eventually to replace my landline saving me money, I thought.

Why are all these modern devices made for elves? It was so tiny I had difficulty reading it and finding anything even with my glasses. And it doesn’t help that my vision is impaired thanks to posterior vitreous detachment, which I developed after cataract surgery.

My power & internet go out with alarming regularity here, taking my landline along with it. My lifeline is my next-door neighbors. The lady is sympathetic, but although she denies it, her husband doesn’t like me. – Probably because I vote differently!

She has informed me that if I require help, I’m no longer allowed to ring the bell or knock since it upsets her husband. Instead, I’m to write a note and tape it to the glass on their front door. She’ll see it and help me.

I find this silly, and more than a tad belittling. So, I purchased the Tracfone. I’m a senior and far from a tech person, so I had to pay $150 an hour for a professional to set it up. He gave me a crash course, and I took notes, but I still couldn’t figure out how to operate the damn thing! And there’s absolutely no instructions that came along with it!

This I don’t understand, why are there detailed instructions with TV dinners that should be plain common sense, such as: Remove from box before placing in oven. Yet, with something this complicated that requires a manual there’s nothing!

I tried googling for instructions, hoping for a demonstration on YouTube, but also found nothing! I kept getting notifications, & despite my notes I was unable to open them.

In frustration, I checked the box again when something caught my eye. – There was a cancer warning! Hot cat pee! Cancer runs on both sides of my family. Both my parents died from it. I don’t want this cancer device anywhere around me! I really wanted to undo the deal!

Only a couple weeks later, I thought I’d killed it! Or else it read my thoughts and commit suicide. Since it was an emergency phone, I probably didn’t charge it as often as required. As I stated previously, there was absolutely no instruction enclosed.

So, I called their customer service. After a lengthy wait, a pleasant and patient lady with a foreign accent helped me. We chatted for quite a while and eventually got it working again.

I cancelled the auto refill after she confirmed what I had been told (too late) that this phone would not work once power or internet have been lost. Sadly, now I’m back to depending on my neighbors with my scotch tape & note paper at the ready.   

NONE FOR YOU, NOSFERATU

 

NOR DRACULA, COUNT ORLOFF, OR ANY TWILIGHT VAMPIRE, CREATURE, OR CRYPTID.

I’ve become a regular blood donor. I’ll admit my reasons are less than altruistic. Each time, I’m given at least a $20 (sometimes more) discount on my groceries. Due to these stupid Trump tariffs & being on a fixed income, I really need this! Like the old lady who peed into the sea every little bit counts! – That was a common saying when I was growing up.

I’d donate every week if I could, however I’m limited to every 8 weeks.

And besides, I’m given a fun gift: a T-shirt, cap, mug, etc. Also, they have a snack station, and I’m allowed to take anything home. Usually, I choose a couple small bags of Doritos or cheddar popcorn.

Before donating, I must answer a long list of embarrassing questions that are also rather insulting, such as: “Have you ever had sex for money or drugs, or had sex with someone who has?” However, these are necessary!

A bone graft would disqualify me. I’ve had several from my dentist. Thankfully enough time has passed that this no longer counts. My bout with skin cancer also counts but doesn’t disqualify me.

The process only hurts for a quick second. Afterward I’m told, “You just lost one pound, and then I’m shown the bag of blood.”

Once, I didn’t hold my finger down long enough after the needle was removed and blood streamed down my arm. Another time, they were training a rookie and didn’t get enough from one arm and had to stick me the other one, too.

I must wait 15 minutes before leaving, in the event of side effects or me fainting. Neither has ever happened.

Before departing, I’m instructed not to lift anything heavy.

Later, I receive an email stating exactly where my blood was sent, & to someone who needed it. A WIN, WIN for all!

CANKLES & SWOLLEN CALVES

 

I’ve had them, and that too!

Now I hear our President; the pussy grabber, convicted felon & rapist, and the draft dodger with bone spurs, has cankles. Well good, I say! But he deserves far, far worse! How anyone with a functioning brain voted for this horrible excuse for a human being is beyond me! Yet I know many who almost worship him.

Back when he was first running for the office, I saw the writing on the wall and planned to expatriate. Plus, the Third World is cheaper, and better suited (I thought) to someone on a fixed income.

I had it narrowed down to either Ecuador or Thailand. I took exploratory trips to each before deciding. – And glad I did!

In Ecuador my first trip, the shoes that were so comfortable strolling the mall & big box stores did not handle those cobble stone streets well. And I am unused that much walking, plus my home is a barefoot zone. On the Andes part of the trip, besides cankles I had sore torn-up painful feet.

In the Galapagos Islands, I bought a pair of flip-flops which brought some relief.

Less than six months later, I flew to Thailand. After getting off the plane, I was shocked to discover I had Ecuador feet! And my newly purchased walking shoes were digging into my flesh. But it was just the beginning!

Walking around Bangkok was torture! Next day I purchased a pair of thong sandals which I wore for the rest of the trip. However, there was lots of climbing as well as walking on the trip.

In Chiang Mai, I wanted to experience a Fish Massage. First, two men washed & bandaged my swollen bloody feet. When I rolled up my loose trousers, I was surprised at how tight they’d suddenly become. Back at the hotel, in my underwear, I couldn’t recognize my own legs in the mirror. I was shocked at how big my calves had become!

My trip was only half over, and I was in pain. However I was determined this was not going to slow me down!

In Mae Hong Son, I was surprised upon seeing a man wearing a TRUMP T-shirt. I gave him the finger, but he didn’t see me.

Both Ecuador & Thailand turned out to be too Third World for my taste. Among other things, I didn’t want to stand in long lines every month to pay my utility bills nor take a bus for 8 hours to see a movie; along with many other deal breakers.

And since then, both countries have gone thru negative changes that would have forced me to move had I expatriated. The result of a major change in government just as here!

Once home, my feet & calves soon returned to normal size. Of course, I’d gone on a strict fruit & vegetable diet. My weight plummeted to 118 lbs. I don’t care what Madison Ave says, scrawny and boney isn’t attractive! I looked much healthier and better when I gained some weight back.

Since then, I’ve twice had a cankle, first on the left foot, then on the right. The first was due to injury, the other too much salt. Both times, I looked like a human fiddler crab. But thankfully, both were temporary.

And as for Trump; please do us all a favor, have a stroke and croak!!!

WINN DIXIE DAYS

 

Now a memory.

In 1999 when my father & I first moved to Vero Beach, we were surprised to see a Winn Dixie supermarket being constructed only a short distance from us. We couldn’t understand why one was being built way out here, so far beyond the city limits.

Back then, going to or leaving town felt like driving thru a country lane, lush with orange groves and pastures. It was part of the appeal of moving here! In fact there was an orange grove directly across from our subdivision. We fell in love with this one because it resembles an old-fashioned neighborhood. Every home is different and has character.

But sadly, almost immediately the area around us began changing! The orange grove across the street disappeared and a cookie-cutter subdivision went up in its place. That subdivision was named The Grove, although not one orange tree remained!

Not long after, the other groves and pastures as well were plowed under for more subdivisions, shopping malls, and businesses. Shortly after my father’s death in 2001 a Publix shopping mall was built just around the corner where previously there was only wilderness.

Soon, came a CVS drug store and a Walgreens across from one another. And the sprawl continues to expand!

The Winn Dixie near me has closed. Currently it’s an empty sad-looking ghost building. An Aldi is scheduled to replace it sometime next year.

I’ve been assured that shopping will be cheaper there. But I miss Winn Dixie’s seafood & bakery. They were the best!  And for Valentine’s Day they sold the hugest, most delicious strawberries covered in thick dark chocolate. – The other stores didn’t compare!

And I miss the friendly and helpful staff. Winn Dixie didn’t have a high volume of employee turnover like Publix or Walmart. Many were older folks around my age who stayed. I hope they are all okay now and have moved on to better things.

SIX SEASONS OF HANDMAIDENS

 

I’ve been streaming for less than a year with only a few paid sites to save money, all with (ugh) commercials. However now I’m able to watch series that were once unavailable to me. One that has been on my wish list for years is THE HANDMAID’S TALE. I recently binge watched this and I must say it didn’t disappoint!

My hat is off to Margaret Atwood author of the novel this series is based upon. She has truly created something extraordinary that will be remembered forever.

I watched this over so many evenings it began to feel like a dystopian soap opera. However, soap operas have their appeal and are addictive. Plus, this one was particularly gripping, not to mention scary, since I can see something similar happening now due to our current political climate. Twenty years ago, I never imagined it possible that the United States could ever be taken over by a cult.

The only issue I had was with the casting. I find it unbelievable Commander Waterford who had an accomplished wife as beautiful as a supermodel, would cheat behind her back with the bovine Offhead/June.

On the other hand, it reminded me of the true story about the poor lobster fisherman’s son whose mom sent him off to school every day with a lobster sandwich because that’s all they could afford. He envied his classmates, drooling over their peanut butter sandwiches.

I love chocolate truffles, but if I had them every day, they would cease to be special.

After completing Season 5, and half-way thru Season 6 the final one, I found myself suddenly locked out of HULU for which I was paying! I was informed that now I required a Disney account to access it which would add to my ongoing bill!

Geez, I’m an adult! I didn’t want the damn Disney! I have no interest in seeing people frolicking and singing with woodland creatures. I’d sooner see them fornicating with forest animals!

I was forced to call my $150 per hour tech guy. The one who set me up streaming. I resented having to do this! However, he solved the problem.

Thankfully I was able to finish watching this series that I enjoyed. It’s also a cautionary tale that shouldn’t be ignored.

APPLIANCE RELIANCE

 

Refrigerators & freezers like their owners grow old and die in similar ways. First come the popping cracking noises followed by moaning and growing in misery and eventually incontinence. When you find a puddle by your fridge you can blot it up with a Depend's diaper, but its life is near the end.

Maybe it's because I'm alone but I get attached to my appliances. A friend reminded me they can't love you back. But I don't need them to! I'm not that emotionally needy.

My oldest appliances feel like family. Others are like employees whom I've worked with; some are better at their job than others.

I still miss my first microwave oven. Never once did I need to move food around during mid cycle to ensure it cooked thoroughly. Ditto for my previous toaster oven! It was larger & simpler to operate. My current one required reading a manual to operate.

Back in the day before DVRs I went thru a slew of VCRs. One, a cheap off brand, (I swear to God) could miraculously record programs even during a power outage! Sadly, it broke after only two years and the brand was discontinued.

In the old days appliances were made to last! The space heater I brought to Vero Beach had to be at least 50 when it died. I was age 55 at the time and I remember it being used to heat our home when I was an infant. My parents brought it down from Michigan in 1952.

My current refrigerator is the best one I've ever owned! It's a gorgeous gigantic silver & black one. I purchased the spring of 2004 before the back-to-back hurricanes hit in the fall. This was two years before I lost a staggering amount of money in what my (then) financial advisor assured me was a safe investment. It’s still running fine as of this writing.

However, I’ve had 3 garage freezers since 2005! The last one (I just replaced) was purchased in 2017. I remember well the day it arrived; I’d had cataract surgery that morning and it was delivered that afternoon. The thing didn’t even last 10 years!

I was recently told by a salesman in the appliance dept that newer models are deliberately designed by the manufacturers to last only between 5 to 7 years forcing customers to replace them sooner.

This sucks, they should be ashamed!