This past week of my life that existed in the early ’90’s and I recorded in my Calendiaries was pretty boring. However the entry from this day in 1991 stands out a bit.
August 23, 1991
I finished swathing that field that was left. Gena got a new bike. They are putting in private lines. Dad has 3 fields left to combine.
It seems a bit surprising now when I look back that I was operating machinery ie. tractor and swather at the ripe old age of 14 but considering we learned to drive around age 9, I guess I was good and ready.
I’ve tried explaining party lines versus private lines to my kids and it seems to go right over their heads. Especially considering many households, including ours, no longer even have a landline. It is a very foreign concept so I’ll give them that.
A phone fixed to the wall, the receiver connected with a cord, and if you lifted the receiver and heard voices, that meant someone else was using the phone. Not someone in your house, someone on your party line. We shared with one neighbour I believe.
Thankfully at that time these neighbours had no kids so I don’t recall them tying up the line all that often. But I do recall stories of people listening in to other’s conversations just to be nosey or outright telling someone else to get off the phone because they needed it.
Can you imagine talking on the phone today and your next door neighbour butts in and says ok please get off the phone I need to use it. Or you hear a click which makes you think that someone in the house across the street is listening in.
And we’re worried about privacy now?
bloom.planted.north 
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