Very good. Sounds like you made the most of the temporary outage, @denmarkguy, by getting out into the peace and quiet of the country surrounding you. That is where I like to head in my free time. Others head into the heart of some big population center. Not me. I prefer the peace and quiet of the great outdoors. Shared only with loved ones nearby.
I really enjoyed your comments about our current standard of living and comparing to what it once was like:
"When you called the exchange, my auntie's number was three."
"I'm not kidding..."
Did you ever experience party lines, where there was one line for more than one family? I did.
"In our technological world, I doubt most of us really realize how much electronic "white noise" surrounds us, 24/7."
No question. Says the ringing in my ears. Hahaha ...
"I can actually hear the birds in the trees, outside."
Much better.
You are a real trooper, if you put this post together on a phone. Thank you for making the effort. Brought back some good memories!