Wednesday 2 December 2009

T is for...


Telephone

I remember the telephone my paternal grandparents had in their kitchen: a big black bakelite phone. I even remember their phonenumber: 412! My maternal grandparents had to use the telephone box (or cell as we call them in the Netherlands) in the village and it wasn't until I was about ten or so that they finally got hooked up.

This photo was taken somewhere in Luxemburg (country) while on holiday there in 1997. Mobile (or cell) phones weren't in use yet and if they were, you held a proper brick in your hand: heavy and huge! So, if you wanted to phone home, you had to use a phone box. I couldn't even insert a card, it had to be money! We've come a long way...

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21 comments:

  1. We have indeed come a long way where telephones are concerned. When I graduated from high school and before I went to college, I worked as a telephone operator -- you know, the number please gal on the other end of the line! Looking back to that from where we are today always makes me laugh! Who would have thought!

    Enjoy!

    Sylvia

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  2. I think it could well have been in Trois Vierges, or something similar.

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  3. Hey...Telephone, a great 'T'. The thought of using Telephone never even entered my mind. Terrific!

    I haven't seen a phone booth for a very long time either!

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  4. Telephones sure have come a long way in our lifetime.
    Now everyone has a cell phone, even children. And telephone booths have almost disappeared because no one uses them.
    Great T! Brings back the memories.

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  5. I still use my grandfather's old black phone in my kitchen. It actually has the best sound in the house!

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  6. Things sure have changed in a very short amount of time. Great choice for the letter T.

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  7. Great look back at the past. And in my case, the present...as I am not a fan of cell phones exept for in emergencies. But I know I'm in the minority. :)

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  8. Hi Mara,
    Your post made me remember all the old phones we have had since I was a child. We sure have come a long way in communication, just look at computers and blogs.
    Your blog is delightful. Thanks for stopping by and leaving a nice comment.

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  9. We didn't have a phone at home until I was thirteen. I remember the big black bakelite ones, though, because they were like that in our phone boxes! And yes, they were sooo heavy! We had to put four (old style) pennies in to make them work, but now all the phone boxes seem to be for phone card use only.

    Thanks for the trip down memory lane!

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  10. What a nice roomy Telephone booth - great choice for T.

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  11. We don't see many phone booths (as we call them) here in the USA anymore. When I was in Ireland they used the phone box to duck into when it showered.

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  12. Yes indeed we have 'progressed'. Telephone 'cell' made me laugh but seriously telephone boxes seem to be disappearing and not everyone has a home phone or a mobile phone.
    Do you remember the A and B buttons?

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  13. I have a picture of my daughter in the only phone booth I've seen in recent years; wish I could easily find it, but I'd have to look every 26th of the month in my blog, and I'm too lazy.

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  14. Oh for easy to remember numbers like that again. Hunting for change is what I remember about telephone boxes, or your word cell is probably a better one; the trapped feelling when inside.
    I saw a news story about a village who had bought the local telephone box and turned it into a library.

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  15. 492?
    only 3 numbers?
    is it still like that?
    i mean only 3 numbers of course

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  16. Interesting perspective that we loose sight of so quickly is how fast things have changed even in the past ten years of so.
    Great post!

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  17. I've not see a telephone booth like that ( with telephone inside) for a long time! there's the red booth somewhere here but it's used as decorations only. With almost everybody having their own handphone, these public phones has become obsolete!

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  18. We have come a long way - I'm still fond of the rotary dials - at least one didn't drive while using them! :)
    Good post.

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  19. I can remember saying that I couldn't imagine why anyone would want a mobile phone. Didn't we leave the house to get away from those things? But, now....!

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  20. It is hard to believe the changes to the phones in 20 years - 20 years ago I still had a rotary phone and had a party line!
    Now I have to learn how to text!

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Any weighty (and not so weighty) comments are welcome!