Partly cloudy skies this evening. A few showers developing late. Low near 65F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%..

Partly cloudy skies this evening. A few showers developing late. Low near 65F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%.

It was the type of surprise not felt since a few decades back when Crayola had the bright idea to toss out a few of its classic crayon colors. Some years ago, I learned the timeworn Monopoly thimble, an iconic piece of the popular board game since 1935, was to be no more.

The little silver dome would be hitting the blue-violet road, soon to be nothing more than a memory for those old enough to remember rabbit ears, black and white TVs and telephone party lines.

Technology came slowly to those living in the country. and for those who resided near the top of a giant mountain in rural Mercer County, it marched in at the pace of a snail with a proverbial bad hip.

When others in southern West Virginia were enjoying the newfangled luxury of cable television, those living off the beaten path continued to struggle with antenna line and the aluminum foil factor.

I still remember the precise art of attaching balls and strands of Reynolds to the protruding metal rods at the top of our portable TV. The result was that the screen became not clear, but a little less snowy.

With half a roll used, the picture might become discernible — a person, a cowboy, a car chase. It was kind of like looking at those Magic Eye posters that were popular in the ‘90s. At first, all one saw were random patterns. But, after staring for 15 minutes or more, images would come in to focus.

Of course, that was the technique necessary for the little TV — the one delegated to the youngest kids in the family who were also stuck playing the thimble in Monopoly.

The big television, the one in the family room, had a much fancier setup. It was hooked to ladder wire that went out of the house, and was strung carefully through briars, bramble and hardwood trees up the steep side of the hill.

At the top of the mountain was a giant, metal antenna placed somewhat precariously in the top of a tree.

The result: When weather was clear, planets aligned and karma was good, watching TV was “Ahhh” inspiring. One could actually make out the colors of the witch’s socks when watching “The Wizard of Oz,” and the yellow brick road was ... well, yellow.

But that was on a good day.

When thunderstorms rolled in, a tree fell or a stiff breeze blew through the forest, watching TV again became a chore. This subsequently entailed a hike up the mountain to clear debris downing the wire and a quick splice to reconnect the signal.

As the adult daughter of a former coal mine electrician, I am totally inept at resetting my car clock or troubleshooting pesky email issues. Yet give me a pair of pliers, wire strippers and a roll of black electrical tape, and I can fix any tattered wire problems in the blink of an eye.

Grumbling over slow internet speed on a recent weekday evening, it strikes me that the meaning of “wired” has a totally new context when yesterday is compared to today.

The husband is trying to watch a show on Netflix while I attempt to call up the Telegraph’s Facebook page. We both encounter the low- to no-speed “spinning wheel of death.”

It is the continued struggle of country living.

The Monopoly thimble may not be relevant in today’s modern times. It may be a harbinger of the past — a time when clothes were darned and new jeans were not available 24/7 at a plethora of online retailers.

But for those who remember the day when TVs had “ghosts,” wire meant “wire” and board games were for families not connected, the thimble is a symbol of our much more simple past.

Losing it meant relinquishing another piece of history.

Samantha Perry is editor of the Daily Telegraph in Bluefield, W.Va.

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