Why?
Because I'm smarter than I look!
Well, not really... because to be honest with you, it's taken me a long time to wake up and smell the coffee.
But at least I've finally done it!
And what have I 'done', you ask?
I've unplugged the bloody stinkin' phone for the duration of my holidays !!!
I pulled that sucker right out of the wall, and I told told friends and family that if they want to talk to me, they need to send me an email first, or to call me on my non-business mobile phone.
Because I hate phones!
Especially since my business number is actually my home number as well...
And because most of my clients have no manners at all, when it comes to ringing me at any time of the day or night.
They know that I'm on holidays right now, because their kids are now booked with someone else for the duration of my days off, so how confusing can it be?
But for some inexplicable reason, they feel the need to inform me that they won't be here the 3rd week in November, or they call because want to book placements for the Christmas holidays.
Or, in the case of one mother, she called me on Saturday, to ask if her little darling had eaten all of her lunch last week, because she seems to be off her food and seems to be "sickening", since last Tuesday!
Like I care?
Well, I do care, (probably too much at times) but I'm not going to get all worked up about it, especially during the next few weeks!
As far as I'm concerned, if they've got a concern about their child's health, they can damn well have their doctor call me.
After he sends me an email first!
Because this time off, is all about me!
It's MY time, to blog...
My time to read blogs...
My time to read a pile of books...
My time to pick my toenails...
Or to just scratch my arse...
Oh... and to have "Nana naps" to my hearts content!
But if you need me, just call me.
Okay?
12 comments:
You rock, Girlfriend!!! I, too, HATE telephones, perhaps not for the same reasons. My mentally ill mother would call from 500 miles away "dropping her little toxic bombs" or threatening to hurt herself or in a drunken stupor and then not hang up the phone. The calls came at all hours. And of course, with my hospice nursing, I was "on call" from 5 PM Fridays until 8AM Mondays quite often ... soooo I salute you for 'pulling the plug' ... run around the house naked if you choose, contemplate your naval, finish off a tub of ice cream at 3 AM ... and truly enjoy your special 'hiatus' <--- not to be confused with your 'arse'!!! Thanks again for all the grins!
Sandy,I know what you're talking about! I was married to an 'on-call' cop (CHP) for years. And when I was nursing, I was on-call as well, so the late-night phone calls were a complete PITA! And after the divorce from a-hole, he started doing the exact same thing your mother did!
And mobiles? (cell phones)? I hate them with a passion! I mean, what did we do before they came along, eh?
I am with you all the way, that's why we have caller ID & if I just don't want to answer...........I don't!
DH yells at me "aren't you going to answer the phone?" No damnit. I am NOT if I don't feel like it.
Enjoy your hols!
Roslyn, I HAVE caller ID and an answering machine, but some of the parents call and then hang up and keep calling and hanging up a dozen times, because they know I'm at home and they think I should answer!
Grrrr!
And calling at dinnertime or bedtime? Don't get me started! lol!
What did people do before we had all these lines of communication? They just had a news report about all the people getting in accidents or dying because they Have To "TEXT" while driving. They said we are raising a new generation of people that cannot be alone.., they have to be connected at all times to someone else. SCARY isn't it.
I think someone need to take a stand. Your annoyance at clients calling you on vacation, at all hours is justified. It's an invasion of privacy. Turning off the phone or "pulling the plug" is the best idea I can think of. You know they will all be there when you return, but give yourself some peace and quiet right now.
I happen to think that "contemplating your navel" (as Fruitcake Sandy said) is a God given right.
GOOD FOR YOU! (now, don't forget to turn your mobile on, ok? ) ;-)
Yayyy for the phone off the hook! As you know, I too had the hubby-on-call 24/7 thing to deal with for the past seven years and know the sense of feeling unable to relax. Now we take the phone off the hook at about 9:30 PM and just leave it that way until one of us remembers to put it back on!
People still sometimes knock at our door, needing an ambulance, even when it is not parked here! Fortunately, it has not happened in a while. I cannot say enough about the right to have time to yourself in your own home, away from every kind of interruption.
Hey! I have an idea! You've taken care of the phone thing for your holidays, but you know how people sometimes rock up with kids on the wrong week or whatever during your holidays? Well, how about a "Welcome" mat that says "Go Away" instead???
Happy reading, blogging, naked gardening, sleeping in, and whatever else you have not been able to do lately!
Hello, hello, are you there? I can certainly understand unplugging your phone. Enjoy your time off!
I turn off the business phone during vacations, too. Y'all can talk to the machine, OK? And it clearly says when we'll be back. So enjoy your phoneless vacation, and amuse us!
I know what you mean. I just had two wonderful weeks of holidays. It was blissful. No phones, no TV, just pure relaxing. But I had to go to Nova Scotia for it! Won't find it here in busy Seattle!
I'm WITH YOU!!!! I HATE the phone. All my friends know an email is the fastest way to reach me. And honestly? I write about my life all the time so if anyone is really interested a bunch of it's there. Who has time to be on the phone? It's a worse time sucker than blogland and at least when I'm done there I have somethin' to show for because I've WRITTEN something.
You ESPECIALLY need to get away because you're on call so much. I hope you have a whing-ding and some corn. Or toast. Or whatever blows your skirt up.
And this just in.....I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU PLAY THE FIDDLE!!!! Do you KNOW how much fun we could have together?!!! OH MY GOSH. We are a jam session waiting to happen. When you come to California, you BETTER bring it with you!!! How CAN WE LIVE 800,000 miles apart?!!!
Ring, ring...are ya there Kate?
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