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Health & Fitness

More Than Cooler Temps Showing Us Fall Has Arrived

Holiday decorations aren't all that let us know November is approaching.

Halloween decorations appeared in August while school supplies were still out. Thanksgiving decorations were soon to follow. I went to our local Hobby Lobby last week, and the Christmas accessories and decorations were on proud display with "40% off!" signs.

While most of us are used to the stores early start on holiday preparation and decorating, there is yet another telltale sign of fall arriving not-so-quietly: political party phone calls.

I don't have much of an excuse to complain about the calls. My husband tries to talk me into getting rid of our landline at least once a year. I confess, readers, that I am emotionally attached. We have had our phone number for 15 years. Also, I have an unnatural fear that a family member distanced by hundreds (thousands?!) of miles will try to phone us with critical life-or-death news that for some reason only we can receive, and the only number they will have is our landline, which will be disappointedly disconnected. I envision them sadly hanging up the phone, "If only I could have warned Carola that the earthquake/hurricane/famine/disease in my town is coming her way. Now she will never know."

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I still get a small thrill when the home phone rings, knowing it most likely is not news of disaster, but maybe a good friend who wants to chat? My sister? My husband, calling from out of town to tell me how much he adores me?

Caller ID slows my racing heartbeat: it is a political party.

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It does not matter what the Caller ID shows, I am not interested. "Democrats of Amer..." "Republicans for..."

One time, Caller ID showed "Party for..." and I got all excited, before I realized it was not a party organization calling to let me know I won a free party.

I have mentioned in this blog before, as a minister's daughter, we grew up with very little. We had no cable television, no Atari, no dishwasher other than mine and my sister's hands, and absolutely no such luxury as Caller ID.

The political calls, as they tend to do, are slowly and steadily increasing in frequency as steadily as the days are getting shorter.

Perhaps before November 6 my patience will wear so thin that I will finally be finished with my beloved 314-909... number... Oops, gotta go, the phone is ringing!

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