How’s this for a spiritual practice? At 5:15 this morning I became aware of a peep from the smoke detector which is lodged somewhere in the hall ceiling lamp of this cozy little cottage. Not startlingly loud but consistent in its twenty second intervals between peeps—yes peeps, not beeps. I tried to dismantle it but to no avail, so I decided to practice living with it--including it, loving it, ignoring it, and so on. I did okay, but it sure didn’t give me the sense of silence that a peeping bird might offer. What’s more, I don’t need to extend this spiritual practice into the upcoming night.
Clearly this peeping had to be taken care of. The owner lives in the adjoining house but she is away until tonight, so my next step was to call the listed emergency number. But I don’t have a phone, so out I went in search of a pay phone, which I located near the bank and post office. Well, I am probably the first person who has tried to use that phone in over a year, and it wanted no part of my coins. Talk about obsolete!! Well, bless the Bank of Scotland teller. She let me use the bank phone--even dialed the number. No one answered so I left a message. I’ve done my part for now. Stay tuned. In the meantime, I’m taking to the hills.
Five hours later: I just made another attempt to unscrew something and voila, peace and quiet--no peeping or even beeping. I'm going to bed. All is silent.
9/1/11 The peeping began again in the early morning hours. Now no wifi connection at the cottage. I'm going to get out in nature.
I am peep and beep free. My delightful hostess and her delightful neighbor took the smoke detector out of the socket. It was still beeping when the took it away. End of story.
Clearly this peeping had to be taken care of. The owner lives in the adjoining house but she is away until tonight, so my next step was to call the listed emergency number. But I don’t have a phone, so out I went in search of a pay phone, which I located near the bank and post office. Well, I am probably the first person who has tried to use that phone in over a year, and it wanted no part of my coins. Talk about obsolete!! Well, bless the Bank of Scotland teller. She let me use the bank phone--even dialed the number. No one answered so I left a message. I’ve done my part for now. Stay tuned. In the meantime, I’m taking to the hills.
Five hours later: I just made another attempt to unscrew something and voila, peace and quiet--no peeping or even beeping. I'm going to bed. All is silent.
9/1/11 The peeping began again in the early morning hours. Now no wifi connection at the cottage. I'm going to get out in nature.
I am peep and beep free. My delightful hostess and her delightful neighbor took the smoke detector out of the socket. It was still beeping when the took it away. End of story.