Issue link: https://imageup.uberflip.com/i/1544731
By eresa Rossetti, Resident As I write this, we are in the middle of a ridiculous March heat wave. Since I'm not a fan of perspiring, I've spent too much time indoors, contemplating odd things that randomly pop into my head. Do you remember any of your old addresses and phone numbers? Most people do, without even trying. The numbers and words flow easily from your brain to your mouth: house numbers, street numbers, a town or city, a state minus the zip code. To streamline mail sorting, zip codes were put into use in 1963 due to the increased mail volume. Your telephone number started with two letters, then some numbers: five, maybe less. Some people still had party lines. Growing up, most of my friends and relatives lived no more than a 30-minute drive from my house. Some of you probably can say that distance was even shorter. Area codes, used to simplify long-distance calling, began in 1947, but there was no need for them with local calls. Frankly, I thought zip codes came along before area codes. I plead the ignorance of childhood. Nowadays, there are four more numbers added to our zip codes. I refuse to memorize them. If you don't dial an area code for calls, even within the same zone, most times it won't go through. At some point, the number one had to be added before the area code. Due to the vast number of cell phones now, that is no longer necessary. Unless you're making an inter nation call. Got all that? Good, now explain it back to me. Have you ever looked at all the area codes in your address book/ contact list or wherever you store that information? Personally, I have 37 different area codes in my contacts' phone numbers, based in 18 different states. So, what's my point? I really don't have one except to note all the changes we've seen in our lives and how different things were "back in the day." Now, to change the subject back to the first line of this article (did you have to look?), one good thing about this heat wave will be the huge number of rose blooms this spring! So, enjoy the flowers, enjoy our pools and the air-conditioned Lodge, and maybe call a friend you'd like to reconnect with. The number is probably still in your phone. For those of you who actually enjoy the blistering heat, I'm sorry to say we can no longer be friends. SOLERA DIAMOND VALLEY | MAY 2026 7 An Absurd Number Of Numbers! As I write this, we are in the middle of a ridiculous March heat wave. Since I'm not your brain to your mouth: house numbers, street numbers, a town or city, a state minus the zip code. To streamline mail sorting, zip codes were put into use in 1963 due to the increased mail volume. Your telephone number started with two letters, then within the same zone, most times it won't go through. At some point, the number one had to be added before the area code. Due to the vast number of cell phones now, that is no longer necessary. Unless you're making an inter nation call. Got all that? Good, now explain it back to me. Have you ever looked at all the area codes in your address book/ contact list or wherever you store that information? Personally, I have 37 different area codes in my contacts' phone numbers, based in 18 different states. So, what's my point? I really don't have one except to note all the An Absurd Number Of Numbers!