Sunday 14 June 2009

A ramble about communication


I had a rotten night's 'sleep'. So, at 4.15 a.m. after six hours of tossing and turning I got up. but who is complaining when this is what greets you? Not me.


A headland of Bayble Bay and the mountains of the mainland of North Western Scotland as seen from GB's on the Isle of Lewis with the sun about to rise at 4.15 a.m.


As anyone who has followed my blog closely will know I have all sorts of crazy passions. One of them is for letter boxes. The nearest letter box to Brother-who-blogs is in Lower Bayble and qualifies as one of my favourites. It is a fairly ordinary lamp letterbox but unlike the mainland ones it has a flap attached to keep the weather out when it's blowing a hooly. that however is not what makes it special. It is, as the estate agents would put it, 'Location, location, location'. Not only is it next to a smartly painted outhouse but the view over Bayble Bay is superb. I shall have to think about my other favourite boxes and do a separate post about them some time.

On a completely different topic; people are either amused, bewildered or pitying that I no longer answer the home telephone or make phone calls - except to family and close friends and even then sparingly. For someone who did a lot of his work on the phone I have become totally allergic to it since I retired. Is it any surprise, I ask myself.....


"This is the fault line for XXX. If you would like to report a fault, press one.
"You have pressed one. If this means you would like to report a fault, press one again.
"Thank you. You have indicated you would like to report a fault.
"The number to dial to report faults is O845 00000000.
"This is the fault line for XXX. If you would like to report a fault, press one.
"You have pressed one. If this means you would like to report a fault, press one again.
"Thank you. You have indicated you would like to report a fault.
" If you are a moron, press one. If not, press one.
"You have pressed one. Please confirm that the equipment is switched on. If the switch is in the on position press one. If not, press two (you moron!)
"You have pressed one. If you are getting thoroughly peed off with recorded voices press 9 and wait for twenty minutes; someone three thousand miles may then talk to you....


No thanks. I'll stick to using my e-mails and letter boxes!
 :

9 comments:

  1. Normally I'd say too bad about you losing sleep, but in this case I think it was oh so good. Beautiful shots.

    Love the letter box. Ours are all boring blue and never in a convenient spot such as yours. :)

    Thanks for the laugh-- it was much needed.

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  2. FOUR FIFTEEN! Nearly lunch time then. We have flaps on letter boxes here, never thought they were to keep weather out, waste of time with our post delivery anyway, our mail looks as if it's been towed through a river even on the most clement of mornings.
    You are an incurable romantic I'm sure the flaps are to keep bombs out.
    Illogical I know, but the powers that be were probably raised on the Beano and assume bombs have to look like a Christmas pudding with a wee bit of string poking from the top.
    Great images, yet again, I'd be tempted to stop up 24/7 for views like that.

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  3. Funnily enough, Adrian, last year we had an as yet unresolved debate about the flaps. I said they were to stop birds nesting but was over-ruled by the local brigade who claimed the weather was the reason. Bombs sounds much more likely!

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  4. As usual, on my first coffee, I was half joking but I seem to recall these boxes appeared at the height of the troubles with our brethren across the water. Can see no logic, If I were to be scattered to the four winds I suspect the last thing on my mind would be the shape of my nemesis.
    On a more pleasant note, the post box in the wall outside my junior school was shut to facilitate some nesting birds, nice touch was that.

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  5. Nice to know someone else (who does not have to be off to work) in the UK is up before six! Makes me feel there is life out there!

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  7. I sympathise about the sleeping, it's no fun is it when everyone else is deep an slumber and you're not.
    Great post with two great angles. Love the letterbox view... and that morning sky, WoW!... see what the sleepers miss!
    You have got that telephone chat off to a fine art. Infuriating things phones!

    Love Granny

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  8. At one time I worked in customer service "on the phone" for 10 years. I'm with you, no thanks!
    Such beautiful pictures! After being greeted to the new day by such a beautiful sunrise, you should be fine til naptime, right?

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  9. Gorgeous sun rise.

    I couldn't do without my cell phone - love it for staying connected with friends and family, and I'm careful about giving out the number. I really like the call display feature on the home phone - if I don't know the number displayed, or if it's someone I don't care to hear from, I just let the darn thing ring.

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