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I'm so much looking forward to this. I am already tapering off the news. I recently purchased a second hand analog radio, I have it in the kitchen as my grandparents did with their wireless. There are some really good programs I can listen to on the Australian ABC which is our national radio without ads. 

My house is a mid 1930's Queenslander on stumps and it is a typical house for this time period in Queensland, Australia. Luckily it has escaped being renovated too much and is in mostly original condition. I have a heap of fairy lights up that I will need to pack away and I will go back to beeswax candles for the month. 

I think the idea to leave your mobile in one place is excellent. My adult children are prolific texters, I will try ringing them back instead and I don't need to respond to them instantly. I'm sure it won't do them any harm. :) 

One thing I am really interested to see is how my general anxiety goes. I never used to be anxious but over events from the last five years I have become increasingly so. I have noticed that I have become a compulsive news checker over this time. Before then, we didn't regularly watch the news and I never checked it online. I think for my personal good, I will also try to avoid the news for the month. I'm sure if anything momentous happens I will hear about it anyway. 

I'm also really looking forward to doing some old-fashioned baking. It seems to have gone out of fashion and I miss it. 

Hello G. Donna.

Thanks for this great article. I am excited about this challenge for sure.  My struggle is the fact that I rely heavily on ebooks. I love to read but I do it mostly on my phone. I will try to get a radio if possible. So greatful for the tips.

Michelle K, that is your home? I love it!

Hi Margaret,

Yes it is!  She's a lovely old girl, they don't build them like that anymore more is the pity. 

There would have been no online shopping for groceries. I have done that but have found I like having my handwritten list and going in store ( as soon as it opens) much better. 

I'm looking forward to no technology month in October. Great suggestion about the phone Donna. 

That is a beautiful home!  Should be fun with the added element of a period correct home :-)

I am looking forward to this. I purchased a tracfone and minutes and so far have only shared the number with my husband and one friend but said I can’t really text on it. I’m hoping to leave my other phone home when I go out. The distractions of texts and calls is crazy. I feel like I can’t even complete a thought or get a couple grocery items without an interruption.  Like I said, I’m looking forward to October. 
Will be interesting when we return. 

Although I'm not actually going back to the 1930's, I can at least comment because my mum and dad were married in 1936 - my mum was a prolific dressmaker (by hand and sometimes an old treadle Singer machine) and loved to do crochet and embroidery - in fact before her marriage, it was in this area that she was employed.  I have heaps of newspaper articles referring to her and her sisters at this time of the last century.  My dad was apprenticed to his uncle at an early age as a plasterer and did very ornate ceiling decorations which were his specialty.  Mum loved to talk about the early days where they would be in an old rented home and would search for and find pennies slipped down the cracks of the floorboards which would buy them enough to last until the next pay-day.

I was lucky enough to feel to be a part of those times via the tales my family used to tell including my much-loved nana and my mum's sisters who lived with her.  We've never had one of these new radios, in fact my dad was also a radio engineer affiliated with the American Forces in Queensland during the war and he always had a short-wave radio close by - I now have this radio, still going strong after all these years, and listen to it every morning.  Dad had a fractured skull prior to the wat with a plate in his head due to a motorbike accident, so wasn't accepted for duty despite being really desperate to go.

We only use our mobile phones for calls and texts, although we do download books on there from the library from time to time.  I also have a big bookcase full of favourite books to read at any time we need to do so.  I rarely take my phone with me anywhere I go, I figure if anyone wants me that urgently, they can leave a message - but most times they call on the home phone if necessary.  Having said that, since the nation broadband network came in, our so-called landline phones are now connected to the modem so if the power goes out, so does the phone.

We have grown up without all the mod-cons and indeed try to do without them these days anyway, and I've odnated a huge amount of so called convenience items that I simply do not want or need.  We've simplifed our lives to the extent that when we leave this mortal coil (and we all will at some point), there will be little clutter to get rid of for our girls when we do go.

I meant to add that I still go to the grocery shops physically, have never ever had something delivered and no need to as long as I can do it in person.  I really prefer to see and get the idea of  what I'm buying before getting it.  This applies to all shopping, I don't really like online shopping at all.

Grandma Donna where did you get your receiver that attaches to your cell phone, please? That's a wonderful way to turn a modern phone into an old fashioned one! 

I need to make some new peace and quiet habits. 

Planning and preparing a 1930s Christmas would be fun. At school from October we would be making presents, tray cloths, knitted scarves, pot holders, felt needle cases, lavender bags, felt book marks, Christmas cards, and calendars. At home Mum would be knitting warm jumpers, woolly hats, mittens and gloves for Winter. Granny would unravel outgrown knitted clothes and crochet them into stripy rugs, her old ones had lots of grey from Dad’s wool socks. The Misses Watts would be busy making a collection of dressed soft toys for the village Christmas Fair.

The Christmas pudding and cake and mincemeat were made early to mature, and a few treats, a small tin of ham or salmon, and a tin of pineapple were bought and put away for Christmas. 

We would be rehearsing for the carol service, the school play, and the Sunday School Nativity Play. 

This time of year we would be playing conkers, but as the weather gets colder the board games and old jigsaw puzzles would be got out. I remember endless games of snakes and ladders and draughts played by candle light in the power cuts, and music and plays on the wireless. When they retired my parents played a game of Scrabble every morning, by the kitchen range in Winter. Dad recorded with glee in his journal on the odd days that he won the 10p. They settled by the fire with their library books in the evening.

Janet W. That all sounds so lovely. I can just imagine soaking up the warmth from the range, with a cup of tea at hand and your father's delight at besting your mother at Scrabble. 

Michelle your home is beautiful!

Janet that is an excellent point re playing games in the evening, I know we have Yahtzee, Scrabble and Backgammon in the cupboard so will dig those out to put them on the table ready for slow evenings when the tv can stay off! The only soap that I follow is the Archers which is a radio programme so will listen to that on my small radio rather than use the Sonos system.

I have shopped from home and found an unused notebook to record all my feelings during the study, I will also use it for grocery lists, meal planning and for ticking off chores as they are done. I’ve set a 30 minute daily limit on my tablet to check emails and banking, all social media has been suspended.

The closer we get the more excited I’m becoming :)

Michelle K, I love your home! Like you, I have issues with checking the news cycle. It actually feels obsessive so stepping away from that is going to be a major focus for October. 

Grandma Donna, I am really looking forward to this experiment. I know I won’t be able to do it in the way you are but I hope that I can try as best I can. Knowing that others are doing their own version along with me and that we can report back in November makes it feel like a very supportive community. I want the month to be an opportunity to slow and simplify my life. To look at alternatives to the reliance I feel on technology and to feel more present and less stressed. I will definitely keep a journal and I’m thinking of creating some daily questions to keep me focused on why I want to do this. I feel like there are lots of challenges, mainly around living with others who won’t be participating.

For a couple of years now I have been listening to the Archers, the famous long running BBC radio soap opera! I love it, but listen via podcast as I live in Australia.

I would love to hear what ideas people have for evening activities by candlelight?

Stephanie, you can get the phone receiver at Amazon with this listing. It comes in many different colors and it is about $12. 

Retro 3.5mm Telephone Handset Cell Phone Receiver Mic Microphone Speaker for iPhone iPad Mobile Phones Cellphone Smartphone (Black)

Grandma Donna wrote,

Thank you Becky Sue K for responding to Stephanie. The one I purchased on Amazon is 

Opis 60s Micro : Retro Phone Handset with USB-C and AUX 3.5mm Plug as a Classic Vintage Telephone Receiver for Cell Mobile Phones (Black)

I purchased ours in 2023.  I noticed the one that Ann posted costs less than the one I purchased, so that sounds like a better deal.  You can look at both of them and compare the reviews, they look similar to me.  The end of the receiver cord plugs into your cell phone.  It very comfortable talking on the receiver instead of the cellphone, especially sitting in a chair with the cellphone laying on a surface away from our body. .  I can only speak of the one that I have and it is just like the old phone receiver, the weight and grip and I like the soft, smooth shiny finish.  Donna

Michelle K, what a beautiful home!
I have not participated in the study at all, but the no technology October is intriguing to me and I’m going to try it as well. I will need to do my version as my husband will not participate with me.  But I plan to use my cell phone as a landline phone, letting others know ahead of time of my plans so they can expect phone calls. I will turn off all social media, and limit my news to what I may hear from my husband. I hope to use my evenings for work around the home, cross stitching, journaling and reading. It will be interesting to see how this goes. It will be nice to think of others doing this with me from this forum, as “in my real life” I will be doing this alone.

Grandma Donna Wrote,

Michelle K, your dining room is lovely, I also love your floors and choice of color in the room.  

Janet W, I enjoyed seeing the bunnies, I love bunnies and those are classic. :)  Thanks for the reminder of preparing for the Christmas season during October. 

Those of you that cannot do the no technology month, there are so many things that can be done in October to get back to basics. :)  I feel that it is always good to have a reset. 

Yes, it's lovely!

I work from home, on a computer.  Lots of video conferences.  Multiple ways of being contacted and interrupted - actual calls, emails, texts via online phone service, texts via my personal phone, instant text and video messaging.  Loads of intricate spreadsheets.  To keep up with my workload I often need to work over my normal hours.  And it is extra crazy this year.  

If I was working in an office and coming home in the evening it would be easier to keep my work life and a simple home life separate but it is super hard to turn off that kind of energy.  

I did order some yarn to finish up a project I started last winter and I have plenty of low tech hobbies and work to do in the house that I will continue on with.  I am having my singer featherweight serviced next week and looking forward to sewing on it again.  I already do all of my own food prep and enjoy sitting on the back porch playing and singing with my baritone uke or fiddle.  (I lean towards traditional music).  

I will try to keep my non-work hours 30's-ish, keep off the computer, etc.  I already do to a large extent.  But I will miss hearing from you Donna and the rest of you!

Thank you, Grandma Donna and Becky Sue K ! That's a much better way to hold a phone. The old ways were better. :) 

I am really enjoying how others are planning their tech-free months, it is very inspiring! And so many of you have beautiful homes!

My partner and I began turning off the TV this past month. I wasn't raised on a lot of TV and didn't own my own until I was married, but their family was one with a TV in every room running day and night as background noise. Over our 20 years of marriage, TV has been the only thorn but now we both want it off more and more. 

We are watching three shows on rotation, Only Murders in the Building, the new Star Trek, and a British period drama (currently Home Fires). Once the first two reach the end of their seasons, we'll just keep watching a period drama and the occasional movie, which means we'll only be "going to the movies" once or twice a week.

We have filled our evenings with nice, simple dinners at the kitchen table (I have a curb-picked 1930s Swedish gateleg dropleaf table that is my pride and joy), which sometimes continue into cups of tea with a game of Scrabble or cards. Otherwise, I tend to read, write, knit, or embroider while my partner retreats to paint miniatures or watch documentaries in another room. Sometimes we work in the garden or sit out on our deck until well after sunset because it is so peaceful. Sometimes we enjoy an adult beverage and a game of darts inside, especially on rainy evenings. 

I am beginning to work on Christmas presents. Perhaps going low/no tech will help me avoid the last minute crafting rush this year!

As for news, I must stay abreast of at least the gist of it because scary things are happening that may affect myself and my family very, very directly. I scan the email edition of our local national newspaper on the library website each day, since it is no more than 24 hours out of date. I am going to treat my morning email correspondence/e-paper time as morning newspaper time. This helps me avoid the talking in circles and constant rehashing and random editorializing of the same story one finds on TV or online news. I also read our weekly local-only print edition, which actually brings me peace because locally much of the news is good. I also enjoy doing the crossword puzzle in it on Saturday mornings :)

I loved reading about the 30s Christmas preparations.

While I was out this morning I bought a box of beautiful Christmas cards. 40 cards for $4 at the thrift shop. I'm so excited because I'm going to write them all out in October (instead of hurrying through it 2 days before Christmas!!) I enjoy sending and receiving cards so I think the early start will add to that enjoyment. 

So then thinking about the cards started me thinking about gifts. My goal is to do 100% handmade/homemade gifts with a few thrifted items. I don't know if I'll make that or not this year but starting in October will help. 

I loved hearing about your parents playing scrabble! My husband and I have been playing a game of scrabble each night after we put the children to bed for the last couple of years. This year we're recording who wins each night so we can "crown" a victor for the year.

hi! 

this sounds lovely; reminds me of reading the Fairacre and Thrush Green books by Miss Read

-Sheila

Grandma Donna, based on this article I will do a trial week from 9/21 - 9/27 and then check back in to get ideas from you and the others who also did the trial week, to help iron out any issues before the full month break.

Carolyn H - Are you a morning person or a night owl? We are morning people. I hope this doesn't sound too boring but we don't do much of an evening at all. We use this as a time for relaxation and readiness for the next day. We will sit out on the verandah of a evening and talk about our day or listen to a radio show or podcast of a night indoors. My grandparents always kept their house dark after dinner and we do the same. 

One more thing- not sure if it’s been mentioned: a thermometer for outside.  I have one but don’t think it’s very accurate. I need to test it before October. 

I just deleted my post because it was a mental mess. LOL.  I'll have to do this on different terms, but I'm 100% into no social media.   So, I just looked up what newspaper sections entailed in the 30's.  No home section. Boooo.  I'm already going to go no social media.  I will also use the time in the am to do a quickie news scout, and most of what I read are blogs, articles, and decor groups, the latter from FB.  So am going to plan what to choose from what I read and delete the rest - I may delete all groups on FB entirely that have a lot of comments .  I've already started to delete bookmarks. Most of it's overkill - you know, if one thing is good, more is better.  Yeah.  Not.  So I'll make choices and consider the little I keep as a newpaper and a magazine read.  All of what I read in the am isn't "social" but articles and blogs as they are an inspiration to get me going in the am.  It's the afternoons I'll have issues with.  But I am jazzed.  I'm looking forward to less anxiety, mental calmness all that of which the social media portions are awful for our brains.  I'm finding even when one article is good and I find more like it, that then becomes not good. It's all too much.   I am jazzed about the receiver. I wonder how long it'll be before someone comes out with an actual old school phone that we can plug our phone into and use it old school!!!  I so miss my land line.  I remember my wind up clock for school and I relish a clock that doesn't light up the room! I do have my dad's old folding travel wind up, but the ticking will keep my husband awake.  I'd like to sew too, but not sure what.  Either way I am excited to hear what you'll all be doing, and mostly how much better, no doubt how better we will feel mentally at the end of the month!  I hope we'll have less anxiety, we'll be more connected, find new fun things to do, be busy in a productive way, relish true down time, and just feel less depressed overall.  I'm excited to do what I can!!!

Thank you Michelle K! Definitely a morning person!! Your routine sounds beautiful and not the least bit boring. I generally read for a bit in the evening but then get very sleepy so will watch something on TV between 8-9 pm before going to bed. I’m trying to think of something I could do to unwind for that last hour before bed which isn’t TV. I love low lighting or candles to relax which makes craft or jigsaws too hard to do. I do love listening to podcasts so although it’s still technology it is perhaps at least a bit more intentional than TV? Perhaps I’ll give that a try.  As soon as the weather is a little better I’ll be outside as that’s where I’d rather be 

Carolyn H

Local radio stations used to have an evening or weekend story hour by me around that time.  I think AM.  You may want to try and look that up.  Sirius has one all the time as I used to have it in my car which I thought was kinda fun.  I live in the boonies so I no longer get am radio very well, but I remember it being on, on our way home on a weekend evening after dinner. 

I love the idea for getting your Christmas cards ready early! I will definitely be doing this as well.  When I participated in the 1940s study, I found the hardest part was occupying myself in the evenings, as I was used to watching television all evening until I went to bed. I didn't have the energy for much else.  I would play cards and listen to old radio shows, but I bored myself!  So I've made a list of things I can do on the nights I don't have "movie nights."  I can do jigsaw puzzles, get organized for the holidays, do some early baking and freeze things. I can sew and knit, so I'll hand sew some cloth napkins to add to my stash, and maybe knit some dishcloths and/or potholders (although who to give them to will be a challenge!).  I have a record player and will look through my records for music of the era, which will be mostly Big Bands music or classical.  

I've ordered the phone receiver for my cell phone, and I'll order a ladies' magazine from that time period, for the articles, stories, recipes, and fashion ideas.  I know those magazines aren't representative of most "real" women, especially those in rural areas, but I can get ideas of the movies and books they recommend.  I really enjoyed those from the 1940s.

I wanted to mention a website that has the complete broadcast day of a Virginia radio station from September 21st (today!), 1939.  The station WJSV recorded their entire broadcast day from morning sign-in to evening sign-off, for posterity.  It includes news, local events, game shows, soap operas, recipes, a baseball game, a political speech (Poland had been invaded), and music of the day.  It is fascinating and can be listened to in episodes on https://archive.org/details/OTRR_WJSV_Complete_Day.  My mom would have been 11 years old that day, and I often wonder if her family was listening to that radio station that morning as my grandma was making breakfast or packing lunches.  Did she listen to the weather forecast and remind the kids to take their sweaters?  Did she listen to the soap operas as she went about her day?  

Thank you all for your great ideas for this project!  And Donna, thank you so much for setting these projects for yourself and Charles, and for us to follow along or join in.  You truly have enriched my life!

Janet W

Thank you for mentioning playing conkers!

Earlier this week I read a news story about Princess Kate mentioning her son’s quirky collecting of conkers and it seemed there was a missing context. Your mention helped me understand better why a boy might collect them… it would seem he’s strategically acquiring them so he has an Adequate Supply on hand to improve his conker skills and conquer his future opponents!

Lynne, thanks for that link. I'm definitely checking that out.

I realized tonight I need to clear out a drawer or shelf to store my projects as I work on them in October-- that's a big reason I often don't do a project because I have nowhere to put it when I'm not working on it.

Margaret, when I was in my 20s, I worked a seasonal sports job that required a lot of December travel.  Because of this, I was super organized for Christmas.  I had all my gifts bought/made by Halloween.  In the first weeks of November, I prepped all my Christmas cards for mailing by addressing and stamping them.  Then I took them on the plane with me on Thanksgiving morning.  During the flight, I wrote notes and signed them all, then I'd mail them at our destination airport.  It was so nice to be able to relax and enjoy December and my travels without pressure.  I would go into malls in some cities and just sit and enjoy the decorations or the singing choirs or whatever.  

I also worked a full time job so I took off a week in summer.  I spent much of that making gifts, in between swimming and such.  I used to buy about a gift per month for those I bought for.   

You will be glad for doing everything early.  It truly makes for a peaceful season with no pressure.

Good luck!

I read an interesting tidbit yesterday.

The average person checks social media 150 times per day.  That's mind boggling!!!

I love that last sentence:  They settled by the fire with their library books in the evening.  It just seems so peaceful.  

Kimberly F (who is now off and on her trial)...I can't wait to hear about this.

Hi, everyone!

Although I won't be doing a total break from technology, I will try to avoid news, scrolling through my phone and similar things. 

I found sweet Grandma Donna because I was eager to find people that, like me, wanted to live a more peaceful, quiet and meaningful life and I Iearn SO much, every time I read Grandma Donna's posts and the comments that all of you write!

I was just reading Mrs. White blog (https://thelegacyofhome.blogspot.com/) and there was this quote that resumes what we are all looking for: 

"To reorder one's own world, the need to simplify is imperative. Otherwise, we will find ourselves unable to be at rest within, unable to enter the deep, silent recesses of our hearts, where God's best messages are communicated.

And if we live very long in that condition, our hearts grow cold toward Christ and we become objects of seduction in a wayward world. What perils await us in that condition!"

 - Chuck Swindoll, from  ~ Intimacy with the Almighty

Have a blessed week!

Oh Debby B that sounds wonderful.  Thanks for sharing that. I'd love to enjoy December like that!

I've noticed that some people are interested in phone options for October. On Amazon, I found a cell phone to jack converter that lets you use your cell phone to connect to a regular phone. It says you can even use it with an old rotary phone! So you could use an authentic vintage phone, even a rotary phone. There are no monthly fees to use this. You just buy the device for $37.00, and then you can use a regular phone as long as you have a cell phone. Here is the listing. 

CELL2JACK - Cellphone to Home Phone Adapter, Make and Receive Cell Phone Call on Your landline Phone Free

Additionally, if you want a true 1930s-style phone, you can find a replica on Amazon.

Retro Telephone, TelPal Black Corded Telephones of 1930s, Vintage Landline Home Phone

These aren't my listings. I just thought some might enjoy having a real phone for the study.

I wish I could do this study fully, but hubby is not on board. But what I can do, and will do, is take a good look at every aspect of my life and see what is working and what isn't and make the changes I need to live the life I want, one that resonates with me. A simple life will look different to everyone, but I need to decide exactly what that means to me and put it in to action. This technology break is something I need and am looking forward to.

Thank you so much Becky Sue for sharing these ideas. I have had an antique phone that I got from a swap meet years ago and have wanted to use. But we don’t have a landlin. I just ordered the  cell jack phone adapter. I had no idea they even had a product like this. I can’t wait to hear the ring of my 1930’s phone! This project just keeps getting more exciting:)

Grandma Donna thanks for the challenge!  I certainly won't be able to go completely tech free due to the necessities of work, banking etc, but I am definitely in need of a tech detox!  This week I deactivated my Facebook account, partly because I'm sick of all the ads on it and partly because there's been a lot of commentary by friends on current events that have been causing a lot of arguments with other friends and I just want nothing to do with it.  I haven't completely deleted the account but might be ready to by the end of October!

So often I wonder how my Mum and Nanna managed to get SO much done when we were little - not just the cooking and cleaning, but sewing and knitting all of our clothes, attending social groups etc.  Why is it that I can barely keep up with the housework, let alone get any sewing done??  I used to just think that I was an incompetent housewife, but the more I've thought about it the more I'm convinced that it's the distraction of modern tech and the 'short cuts' that doing things online are meant to take (but really end up causing more problems and taking longer).  I'm really keen to see how much of the other stuff I manage to get done this October.

Before we all sign off though, I'm wondering if some people here can give me some advice please?  I recently got a vintage stove top Fowlers (Australian brand) preserving pot for water bath canning, but I have very little experience with preserving, apart from jams, so I have a few questions:

1. What sorts of things can I preserve using the water bath method?

2. I understand that meats, soups etc. should be preserved in a pressure cooker, but if we had a power outage and I needed to save the food in the freezer, could I still use the water bath method to extend the life of the food a little bit, but make sure that I consume it all within a couple of weeks?  Or is this still too risky?

3. What size pressure canners do people use for canning?  Here in Australia they seem to only be big enough to cook a meal in, rather than to fit jars and bottles in, but I could be wrong.

Thanks in advance and good luck to everyone who's going to try the no-tech/low-tech challenge!

Ugh, my email sent the notice of a new post to my junk mail again!  It does that about every 3 or 4 months, so I just saw this post.

First, Melanie d, Ball Company has a preserving book, so it may be available to you and there may be others that are Australian equivalents.  In a nutshell:

Only acidic foods can be canned in a water bath canner - most fruits, pickles, and tomato products.  Tomato products and some fruits frequently have a little acid (lemon juice, citric acid or vinegar) added to be safe, as they are not uniform in acidity.

Water bath canning will not extend the life of your low-acid food. Any organisms that managed to start will not be killed. 

My pressure canner holds five quart jars and about seven pints.  It is a Presto brand.  You definitely need a real canner, with rack inside and a gauge to read the actual pressure.  You should be able to order a pressure canner if you can't find one at stores.  If buying used, the pressure gauge should be tested and the seal ring (if it uses one) probably replaced before using.  In the US, our County Extension Agents can often test gauges or refer you to a place to get it tested.  Replacement gauges can also be had.

As far as next month:  I'm glad someone mentioned puzzles!  I'll get mine out for evening entertainment.  I will also watch movies - I have a DVD player and DVD's, so I don't need streaming for that.  I even have the Thin Man series of movies and old shows of Red Skelton to watch.  I will be on computers at work and need my phone for work as well as family calls, but I'll stay off it for entertainment.  I have some crafts planned as well.

I have actually thought about getting one of those old phone receivers - they were so much more comfortable to hold.  And now I see you can get a whole phone!  This is something I may get - I have long conversations with far-away relatives, and my hand gets tired of holding that little flat phone. 

Thanks for all the ideas, and... here we go!

I am a long time reader but a first time commenter. I'm excited about October and resetting my life with less technology. It will just be me as my husband would not be on board but that is fine as there are many ways I can adjust my life that will not affect or bother him. In fact, it may bless him for me to be less bothered by the outside world and more present in my homemaking. 

To help me fill the time that I would normally spend scrolling FB or instagram (which I plan to deactivate), I have gone through my long time collection of magazines and separated them by seasons and have put the Fall season magazines in a basket in the living room where I can grab one to peruse or read in the evenings. They are all older dating from 2008 to 2019 but I will enjoy revisiting them. I have also arranged my many current handwork projects by my chair so I can work on them throughout the day and evening. I have knitting, embroidery and hand quilting projects on which to work. I have also selected a couple books from my shelves to read. 

I wear a wristwatch as well we have 2 analog wall clocks for time. I would like to find an analog alarm clock if I can. 

We just last month canceled our land line in order to save money (it cut our internet/phone bill in half). I receive very few phone calls but I will have to use my cell for calls and I will still have to text as that's the only way others communicate now. And I will have to use my phone for banking. 

I already live a pretty old-fashioned life, but I have allowed modern ways to sneak in over time and I would like to remedy that as much as possible. Go back to being more of a producer and less of a comsumer. Be content with what I have and not think I "need" all the things the world tells me I need. Rather than scrolling Instagram looking at other peoples projects I want to spend that time working on my own handwork projects. 

Brenda said "Rather than scrolling Instagram looking at other peoples projects I want to spend that time working on my own handwork projects."

Yes! That's my plan, too!

I'm also arranging my potential activities to be close at hand as you are.

Grandma Donna Wrote,

Melanie, I completely agree with Joan's answer and I always say do not take any shortcuts when it comes to canning.  Do it by the book or what your extension service suggests.  I also second answer to Melanie's answer, get a proper pressure canner with the proper gage and have it tested so you can do it right from the very beginning.  Also the canning book will tell you, what food can be canned by water bath canner and what can be canned in pressure canner.  Melanie, I am happy that you will be doing at least part of the October study and break from technology. :)

Brenda L, I am happy that you are commenting here in the forum and happy to read that you already have many items that will help you along on this vintage break from technology.

Everyone, If you can start this week putting your cell phone in another room and take long breaks from looking at the phone.  It may not be easy, but reminding yourself that  if you really lived during the 1930s there were no options of using these modern things.  

Melanie D talked about the distractions, and she said,  I used to just think that I was an incompetent housewife, but the more I've thought about it the more I'm convinced that it's the distraction of modern tech and the 'short cuts' that doing things online are meant to take (but really end up causing more problems and taking longer). 

This is Grandma Donna again here, and I can say that I remember my years before technology and I know without a doubt that technology has robbed me of valuable time and distracted me from getting things done in my home, it has squashed my creativity and decreased my energy to finish projects.  I personally feel that our minds are not supposed to have this much daily information to have to sort through and technology interruptions all through the day.  I hope everyone can at least do a small part of this living more like the old way without technology for the month of October. Donna