I Love My Parents!

Earlier this fall, my siblings and I learned that after February--even with a digital converter box--my parents would not be able to get the basic channels due to the digital signal line which comes in from Detroit. They were outside the cut-off line for the signal or something like that. So, my sister and her husband decided to look into other possibilities, mainly into cable.

Now those of you that have known me for a few years or more probably already know this, but my parents have never had cable TV. Growing up in Michigan, when we had a TV, it was a little black and white set that got the basic channels, PBS and a few Canadian stations. That was it. We got a color television and our first VCR when I was 16, as I recall. We had a large antennae next to the house complete with a rotor box next to the TV. I spent hours checking for all the available channels and labeling that rotor with the channel numbers so that we could get as many channels as possible. I guess it is no surprise that I got cable in my first apartment as soon as I could afford it. Hee hee! To me it was worth the $15 to have channels that came in nice and clear all the time, and I've had some form of cable ever since. OK, so it wouldn't be the end of the world to live without cable again, but it sure is a nice perk to have nowadays.

Anyway, after researching the cable options, my siblings and I talked it over and decided to get my parents signed up for basic cable television through Comcast and pay for their first year as our Christmas gift to them. My parents were pretty excited about the whole thing and eagerly awaited this "new" technology.

Well, earlier this week, my Mom and Dad called me to report back on the installation and their channel lineup...

"We have a C-S-P-A-N," my Mom said.

"Oh, C-SPAN. Cool," I replied.

"What is it?" my Mom asked.

"It's where you can see press briefings, Senate floor debates, interviews with policy makers and stuff like that. It can be rather informative," I told her.

"We also have TBN," my Dad added. "I think it's a Turner channel."

"Actually," I replied, trying not to giggle, "I think that is a religious channel, Dad."

"What is QVC all about?" my Mom asked.

"Oh, that's a bad one, Mom. It's a shopping channel," I laughed.

"We'll have to take that one off," my Dad said with a chuckle. They listed off the rest of the basic channel package, and they seemed really pleased with the selection.

"We even have a TV Guide channel, Mel," my Mom said. "I didn't even know there was such a thing."

After that, my Dad described how awesome their signal was. "There isn't any snow in the picture, Mel. It's amazing."

"That's great, Dad. Please tell me that you are going to get rid of the rotor now, right?" I asked.

"Yep. We already did," he said.

I've been up there around the holidays when my Dad and brothers have watched their football in the snow...and the snow I'm talking about wasn't on the field in Wisconsin, New England or North Carolina. It was just snowy picture reception and interference. They've never had consistent reception, and so I think they are still surprised at how the channels all come in so clearly and all without a rotor.

I could hear the excitement in my Mom's voice. She loves PBS and doesn't like to miss a good Masterpiece production. My Dad seemed thrilled with it, too. He loves catching This Old House or Yankee Workshop on PBS. Plus my Dad and Grandma watch the news a couple of times a day along with The Price is Right, Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune. So I think it was a wise investment for them, and just listening to them the other night made it worth it to me.

I love my parents. I love them just the way they are. I wouldn't change a thing. I love their enthusiasm. It's contagious.