# when we were kids



## SLADE (Feb 20, 2004)

I was a member in good standing of the "LASSIE GET UP AND GO CLUB."
My older brother still had my card and showed it to me a couple years ago.
I must have sent in a coupon for the wallet and card.
How about you any memories you want to share?


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## painterswife (Jun 7, 2004)

My mother worked a floor up from a toy factory. She brought home toys that had problems with them. We had lots of toys. They were metal toys that did something. I had a Monkees car that plaid music and a cow that walked. The cow was about a foot tall.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

I remember how much of a kick us kids got out of rubbing balloons on our heads and sticking them to the walls!

Cutting door and window openings into a large appliance box was like owning our very own dream home.

Being given .10¢, .15¢, .20¢ to go to the store to buy penny candy. What a treat that was!

So many more...


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## painterswife (Jun 7, 2004)

Penny candy.  I would look for 2cent pop bottles so I could go to the store and buy penny candy. It was amazing how much you could get for 10 cents.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

Scrambling home from school on the day of Halloween night, so we could dress-up in our homemade costumes that mom made! We neighbourhood kids would assemble at someone's house, and with snow white pillow cases in-hand, off we'd go to Trick-or-Treat!

The anticipation of the last day of school before summer! I remember I couldn't get home fast enough! Wow! All summer off!


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

painterswife said:


> Penny candy.  I would look for 2cent pop bottles so I could go to the store and buy penny candy. It was amazing how much you could get for 10 cents.


So true! I remember the likes of Red Hots, a chewy, spicy candy, tiny little black jaw-breakers, Mo-Jo's, and a whole host of other candy that we kids would leave the store with in a tiny little brown paper bag.

Sort of makes me sad thinking about, because time passes by so quickly, yet so many of my childhood memories remain so vivid, so fresh, so strong in my mind, as if they happened yesterday. Just thinking about my past (early childhood years), thanks to this started topic, is a reminder of how short life truly is.


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## painterswife (Jun 7, 2004)

Maude said:


> So true! I remember the likes of Red Hots, a chewy, spicy candy, tiny little black jaw-breakers, Mo-Jo's, and a whole host of other candy that we kids would leave the store with in a tiny little brown paper bag.
> 
> Sort of makes me sad thinking about, because time passes by so quickly, yet so many of my childhood memories remain so vivid, so fresh, so strong in my mind, as if they happened yesterday. Just thinking about my past (early childhood years), thanks to this started topic, is a reminder of how short life truly is.


I think you and I grew up close to each other.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

painterswife said:


> I think you and I grew up close to each other.


Awww... we probably did.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

I'm also thinking back to Sunday evenings, when so many great old television shows aired.

Shows like The Hardy Boys & Nancy Drew Mysteries, The Wonderful World of Disney, and, and, and... the list goes on.

Remembering the excitement that built in me with up and coming holidays, and how we used to make festive cut-outs and paper decorations at school to reflect and celebrate those holidays. Paper lanterns, leaves, snowmen, snowflakes, Halloween figures and things (witches hats, black cats), gosh, and so many more that I have long forgotten about and can't even remember now with so many years that have passed.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

And what kid at heart could ever forget the lead-up to Christmas, when schools shut down and we kids went on Christmas Vacation! The life!

Always felt like Christmas Holidays lasted forever! Playing outside from morning until night, tobogganing, building snow-forts, having snowball fights, then on the morning of Christmas Day, playing and enjoying all that Santa Claus brought us, and dashing to neighbourhood friends places to show and tell each others gifts!

In our house soda pop was a rarity, but at Christmastime mom and dad would buy several bottles, and we kids would enjoy the likes of a glass of pop with a bowl of potato chips, moms homemade baking (how I miss it), snacks galore, endless trays and plates of cold cuts, and chocolate.

We played outside until everything was soaked, and when boots failed to dry adequately between our outdoor adventures, plastic bags were put on our feet to help keep the wet and damp at bay!

We all wore rosy cheeks, chapped lips, but we were happy, and I wouldn't trade those memories or years for a thing!


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

Was just thinking about the vast playground we kids enjoyed growing up. We played from morning until night for blocks around, and everyone yard were our own. So tolerant people were back in the day.

We played croquet, Frisbee, catch, Lawn Darts (oh my word, remember those)???

We waited impatiently for night to fall so we could play hide and seek, and I remember the boys had smoke rifles and played cowboys & Indians. 

On hot days, we turned sprinklers on and ran through them for hours at a time, enjoyed front lawn picnics, and if life was extra good, we were transported off to the cities outdoor public swimming pool! What I'd give to go for a swim in that very pool again!

Life was a dream, we were free, no pressure, no stress, life was all about play. Boy, did we ever have it good.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

Just having a good laugh right now thinking about how we used to peel our Mandarin Oranges at Christmas and squirt one another in the eyes with the orange peels! ROFLMAO!


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

Laughing so hard right now thinking about party lines (remember those)?

We kids would gather round and listen to the telephone conversations of neighbours, and as sure as the light of day, one of us kids would start to giggle, then one of the people on the other end of the line would say "Who's on the line"... prompting us kids to quickly hang-up!

And of course no deserving kid thread would be complete without the old days of crank telephone calls! Oh yes, I did them! No call display or call blocking in those days, so the poor people on the receiving end of our crank calls were at our mercy. No reprieve! LOL!

Gee, did we ever have fun!

And to think we had no electronic devices, no cell phones, no tablets, no computers, and for a good number of years in many homes, kids didn't even have a coloured television to watch!

Captain Kangaroo reined supreme, as did Mr. Dressup, Mister Rogers, and The Friendly Giant!

School used to get out at 3:20, and if I darted home quick enough I got to watch Gilligan's Island, The Munsters, The Flintstones, The Forest Rangers (Canadian Broadcast if I'm not mistaken), and The Beachcombers (another Canadian Broadcast at the time).


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## SLADE (Feb 20, 2004)

In the winter my sled and skates were "my precious"


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

SRSLADE said:


> In the winter my sled and skates were "my precious"


No question about it! I remember Santa bringing me Super Slider Snow Skates one year, and nothing beat my snow skates! We used to tie a rope to the sissy-bar of a bicycle and tow one another down the street! OMG, talk about fun!


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## SLADE (Feb 20, 2004)

In the summer we got new p f flyers or red ball jets.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

SRSLADE said:


> In the summer we got new p f flyers or red ball jets.


You'll have to remind me as to what PF Flyers and Red Ball Jets are. I probably know but have more than likely simply forgotten.


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## SLADE (Feb 20, 2004)

Sneakers


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Winter to this day is my favorite time of the year. 
Our little one room country school house with 26 kids from kinragarden to 8th grade sat at the top of a small hill.
At the bottom of the hill was a valley to a larger hill. We kids would ski and toboggon down the smaller hill then climb the bigger hill to slde back to school after a bit the small hill would get so slick and packed you could ski right to the school door.

Speaking of the big hill at the top I could put my back to thre school and see my house about 300 yards away so yes I walked a 1/4 mile to school up hill both ways.

The township hall was cidder corner from the school. It commanded one of the highest hills in the area and you could ride about a 1/2 mile down it. the areas familys gathered there on Friday nights and had sledding partys although there wasn't much sledding with sleds the snow was just to deep. So it was toboggans and skis.

The saw mill would drop off slab wood they cut up for tjhe bon fire and every one donated for Hot dogs and other fire roasting foods.

Liveing on a farm summer was a lot of never ending work. Seemed we no sooner got thre crops planted and we started putting hay up till harvest time.

 Al


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## Oregon1986 (Apr 25, 2017)

I love hearing all these trips down memory lane!


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

SRSLADE said:


> Sneakers


Ah...

Silly me, I really am old!


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

As a kid I remember when the boys played with Legos, Lincoln Logs, and Mechanix Sets, and how us kids used to spend hours playing old-fashioned board games like Monopoly, Life, Masterpiece, along with a whole host of others.

And who can forget about playing house. Gosh, us girls would put on our crinolines, shoes, hats, and gloves, we'd serve tea, smoke candy cigarettes, take care of our babies (dolls), and cook make-believe meals from scratch on our fake play stoves.

When spare, empty cardboard boxes were available, we'd snatch one from the basement and slide down the carpeted stairs, and climbing trees and sitting hidden within the leafy canopy was all in a day's play/adventure, passing the day away day-dreaming and basking in the moment.


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## SLADE (Feb 20, 2004)

Maude said:


> Ah...
> 
> Silly me, I really am old!


P F flyers came out in 1937


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

SRSLADE said:


> P F flyers came out in 1937


ROFLMAO! Okay, I'm older but not that old.


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## JeepHammer (May 12, 2015)

Few, but absloute rules on the farm...

Hoards of kids at Grand parents house, running around like half dressed savages.
When strawberries & rhubarb came in, kids eating more than than got into the baskets,
When watermelons came in, the kids got lined up and hosed down before they could go in the house, same when the tomatoes came in.
A tomato isn't good unless you are eating it like an apple and it's running down your arm!

Try to dodge the big aluminum salt shaker with the handle on the side and string around the neck so it didn't get lost.
Everyone else delights in yanking the shaker, and your head looks like a bobble doll.

We took GREAT DELIGHT in picking the perfect rotten tomato, almost clear skin with liquified interior, preferably something swimming around in there, then hitting someone squarely with it in a tomato fight!

Endless games with vague rules made up by the kids, no one kept score and often evolved into tag, chase, or mad dashes to pump cold well water.

Hunting arrow heads and other artifacts in freshly plowed fields, catching crawdads & frogs in the creek ('crick' in this neck of the woods),
Stomping around ANYPLACE there was mud or water.
Swimming ANY chance we got (dressed for it or not).

Pickup truck rides, kids in the back, parents & dog up front.
$5 night at the drive in, more kids than a dog has fleas in the back of a pickup, one with a driver's license & $5 up front with a pile of blankets & lawn chairs...
5 movies where rubber aliens/monsters invade earth, and you watched 'em all!

Cool-Aid frozen into ice cube trays with tooth picks for handles.
'Twin Pops', two handles in a popsicle you could break in half.
Ice cold 'Pug' (little) bottles of Coke for a nickel.
'Bazooka Joe' comics!

Popcorn balls, Carmel apples & that gawd awful ancient candy corn at Halloween.
Christmas was the candy payday, divinity, fudge, chocolate dipped everything, brownies, peppermints, 
The promised land for sugar junkies!
Perfect if you can avoid the 10 year old brick of fruit cake....


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## Teej (Jan 14, 2012)

I was going to mention drive-ins JeepHammer. Mom would start popping corn when she started supper and fill a brown paper grocery bag and would take a carton of cokes (the only time we got coke) along with ice, cups & bowls and then her and dad would pack all 5 kids into the old station wagon with our blankets and pillows and off we'd go. Us kids would sit on the roof of the car and watch the movies until we got tired and then move back inside and fall asleep. We always had to be out by the time the last movie came on because it was usually rated R and meant for the parents.


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## geo in mi (Nov 14, 2008)

Skating (actually, you'd get a long run and slide)on the ice on the snow slick sidewalk during recess. The trick was to execute a double turn about before you slid onto the concrete that wasn't slick. You could do that in the leather shoe days.....

Mumbly--peg(?) in the warm months. You could execute a double flip with your pocket knife-open-and stick it right beside your opponents foot. He would have to spread his feet wider and wider apart until he fell over and you won. Again, during the leather shoe days.....

geo


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## whiterock (Mar 26, 2003)

I do remember a lot of these things. Not the sled or skate things. Didn't do that on a Texas cotton farm. Got my PF Flyers in 1957.


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## Irish Pixie (May 14, 2002)

Maude said:


> No question about it! I remember Santa bringing me Super Slider Snow Skates one year, and nothing beat my snow skates! We used to tie a rope to the sissy-bar of a bicycle and tow one another down the street! OMG, talk about fun!


We used to do that type of thing with horses- tie one of those big metal flying saucer sleds to the saddle and away we'd go. It was always done out of sight of the house tho, so mom eyes couldn't see the danger.


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## Irish Pixie (May 14, 2002)

I remember Saturday morning cartoons, what a treat because they weren't on during the week. I loved the Scholastic Book Club, and saved every penny to buy books. And buying new clothes for school.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

Irish Pixie said:


> We used to do that type of thing with horses- tie one of those big metal flying saucer sleds to the saddle and away we'd go. It was always done out of sight of the house tho, so mom eyes couldn't see the danger.


Totally forgot about those old retro aluminum flying saucers!

My memories are strong with the likes of flying saucers, crazy carpets, toboggans, inner-tubes, and super-slider snow-skates!

One thing I notice about today compared to my childhood, is kids don't play outside anywhere near as much as we did.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

Irish Pixie said:


> I remember Saturday morning cartoons, what a treat because they weren't on during the week. I loved the Scholastic Book Club, and saved every penny to buy books. And buying new clothes for school.


Oh yes, Saturday morning was cartoon watching time for sure!

Me and my siblings would make a fort under the coffee table using the blankets and quilts off our beds, then we'd huddle under our little fort, and with no lights on, watch our favourite Saturday morning cartoons!

Scooby-Doo, Fat Albert, Casper the Friendly Ghost, Looney Tunes, The Pink Panther, The Jetsons, The Tom & Jerry Show, Yogi Bear, Bugs Bunny/Roadrunner Show, Schoolhouse Rock, Popeye the Sailor, Porky Pig... I've forgotten more than I remember.


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## Irish Pixie (May 14, 2002)

Maude said:


> Totally forgot about those old retro aluminum flying saucers!
> 
> My memories are strong with the likes of flying saucers, crazy carpets, toboggans, inner-tubes, and super-slider snow-skates!
> 
> One thing I notice about today compared to my childhood, is kids don't play outside anywhere near as much as we did.


My grands play outside a lot, but not like I did as a kid. I had horses and I'd be gone all day, my mother didn't have a clue where I was. The grands are watched much more closely.


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## 101pigs (Sep 18, 2018)

SRSLADE said:


> I was a member in good standing of the "LASSIE GET UP AND GO CLUB."
> My older brother still had my card and showed it to me a couple years ago.
> I must have sent in a coupon for the wallet and card.
> How about you any memories you want to share?


 Sat. night dance club age 12. YMCA swimming team age 13. YMCA boxing club age 15. Sunday afternoon stock car racing. Sunday night played sax in strip club. Grand theater, St.Louis age 16. 
Early life spend on family farm. Swimming and fishing in Current river. No TV. Lots of farm work with all farm animals.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

Irish Pixie said:


> My grands play outside a lot, but not like I did as a kid. I had horses and I'd be gone all day, my mother didn't have a clue where I was. The grands are watched much more closely.


Yes, times have changed for sure.


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## painterswife (Jun 7, 2004)

Jellyfish fights. This is the white jellyfish in the ocean. They would come in with certain tides and we would scoop them up and throw them at each other. Better than water balloon fights.


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## geo in mi (Nov 14, 2008)

Annette

geo


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

Irish Pixie said:


> My grands play outside a lot, but not like I did as a kid. I had horses and I'd be gone all day, my mother didn't have a clue where I was. The grands are watched much more closely.


I remember how we'd moan and groan and resist coming in at the end of a long day outdoors playing and doing whatever we wanted. It was as if we were experiencing the end of the world. LOL!

Oh, and mom just hollered for us when it was time for us to come home, and when it was time for supper. "SUPPER"!

Certainly fun times, and times where I am grateful to have been a part of and experienced.


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## Mish (Oct 15, 2015)

painterswife said:


> My mother worked a floor up from a toy factory. She brought home toys that had problems with them. We had lots of toys. They were metal toys that did something. I had a Monkees car that plaid music and a cow that walked. The cow was about a foot tall.


How funny - my mom was a QA chemist for a rubber/plastics company that made toys for kids. She used to bring us home things like irregular Stretch Armstrong dolls, the Obie squeeze toys, and balloons...all sizes and shapes of balloons. I loved those big ones made of heavy duty rubber that had a rubber band on the end you blew up and then you'd hold onto the rubber band and punch them hard so they hit your sister but came right back to you


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## SLADE (Feb 20, 2004)

geo in mi said:


> Annette
> 
> geo


Did you like her ears?


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## SLADE (Feb 20, 2004)

Anyone remember CLACKERS?


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## painterswife (Jun 7, 2004)

Or a ball in one leg of the nylons where you whipped it back and forth against the wall. Don't remember the name or what the words you said were?


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## Mish (Oct 15, 2015)

Irish Pixie said:


> We used to do that type of thing with horses- tie one of those big metal flying saucer sleds to the saddle and away we'd go. It was always done out of sight of the house tho, so mom eyes couldn't see the danger.


We needed a horse. One of the times I remember getting in the most trouble was volunteering our two German Shepherds for the entire neighborhood to tie their saucers to and have the dogs pull us back up the hill so we didn't have to walk. I think we worried they were getting cold so we dressed them in my dad's undershirts and socks too.

Big trouble.


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## painterswife (Jun 7, 2004)

Mish said:


> We needed a horse. One of the times I remember getting in the most trouble was volunteering our two German Shepherds for the entire neighborhood to tie their saucers to and have the dogs pull us back up the hill so we didn't have to walk. I think we worried they were getting cold so we dressed them in my dad's undershirts and socks too.
> 
> Big trouble.


LOL I think I just snorted.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

Mish said:


> How funny - my mom was a QA chemist for a rubber/plastics company that made toys for kids. She used to bring us home things like irregular Stretch Armstrong dolls, the Obie squeeze toys, and balloons...all sizes and shapes of balloons. I loved those big ones made of heavy duty rubber that had a rubber band on the end you blew up and then you'd hold onto the rubber band and punch them hard so they hit your sister but came right back to you


OMG, yes, I remember those heavy duty rubber balloons!


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

SRSLADE said:


> Anyone remember CLACKERS?


Oh my goodness, yes! I wore sore knuckles for the entire time I played with mine!

I'm thinking about the noise those clackers made! Must have drove our parents looney! LOL!


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## Mish (Oct 15, 2015)

Maude said:


> OMG, yes, I remember those heavy duty rubber balloons!


The perfect weapon for stealth attacks. Then you could sit there just holding a balloon and looking innocent when your parents came in to see why your sibling was crying.

Starting to think I was a pain in the butt kid looking at my posts on here.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

Mish said:


> The perfect weapon for stealth attacks. Then you could sit there just holding a balloon and looking innocent when your parents came in to see why your sibling was crying.
> 
> Starting to think I was a pain in the butt kid looking at my posts on here.


Harmless fun! LOL!


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

I remember a neighbour having a huge chestnut tree up the street, and each year when the spiny chestnuts began to fall, I'd grab the old doll baby buggy, and up the street I'd go, filling it to capacity, then pushing the buggy home. Hundreds of chestnuts, but they were so shiny and neat looking, I just loved them!


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## keenataz (Feb 17, 2009)

Maude said:


> I'm also thinking back to Sunday evenings, when so many great old television shows aired.
> 
> Shows like The Hardy Boys & Nancy Drew Mysteries, The Wonderful World of Disney, and, and, and... the list goes on.
> 
> Remembering the excitement that built in me with up and coming holidays, and how we used to make festive cut-outs and paper decorations at school to reflect and celebrate those holidays. Paper lanterns, leaves, snowmen, snowflakes, Halloween figures and things (witches hats, black cats), gosh, and so many more that I have long forgotten about and can't even remember now with so many years that have passed.


OMG you are young. Hardy Boys was in my teens. Fun fact. Parker Stevenson was hired as lead star for show. Shaun Cassidy was second. Parker wasn't happy. At least that is what my sister's Tiger Beat said


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## whiterock (Mar 26, 2003)

Cheyenne, Bronco, Sugarfoot. Have Gun Will Travel, Wyatt Earp, Lawman, The Rebel, Lone Ranger, Hopalong Cassidy, Range Rider, Jim Bowie.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

Oldest shows I remember watching as a young child were Gunsmoke, Bonanza, The Big Valley, and I also remember watching Walter Cronkite on the news.


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## whiterock (Mar 26, 2003)

I was in high school when The Big Valley came out.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

whiterock said:


> I was in high school when The Big Valley came out.


I also remember Get Smart, Grand Ole Opry (every Sunday), watching it, because mom and dad always watched it, Hee Haw, and gosh, how the memory goes soft with time.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

Just remembered Tinker Toys!

Oh, and all of my baby brothers play Tonka things were made out of metal.


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## muleskinner2 (Oct 7, 2007)

I loved the old Disney movies, with Rex Allen narrating.


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## keenataz (Feb 17, 2009)

painterswife said:


> Jellyfish fights. This is the white jellyfish in the ocean. They would come in with certain tides and we would scoop them up and throw them at each other. Better than water balloon fights.


Jeez, that sounds...unpleasant, yuck


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## keenataz (Feb 17, 2009)

Maude said:


> Just remembered Tinker Toys!
> 
> Oh, and all of my baby brothers play Tonka things were made out of metal.


I have a carton of tinker toys at home. Got them for my kids who are all grown now. Just can't part with them for some reason


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## SLADE (Feb 20, 2004)

muleskinner2 said:


> I loved the old Disney movies, with Rex Allen narrating.


I was always fascinated by Sterling Holloway.


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## geo in mi (Nov 14, 2008)

SRSLADE said:


> Did you like her ears?


She had ears?

geo


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## emdeengee (Apr 20, 2010)

Spending the whole day at the local outdoor skating rink no matter how cold. Each rink had a large warm up shed with a wood stove. Mom would bring hot cocoa and sandwiches at lunch time as did all the other moms. I can still conjure up the scent of wood smoke, hot chocolate and wet woolen mittens by just closing my eyes and the sound of the blades clumping across the wooden floor.


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## JeepHammer (May 12, 2015)

*CAP GUNS!*
When that crossed my mind I swear I could smell the cap smoke again!

Funny how memory works...


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

This has been such a fun topic!

Can't tell everyone how many times I've read through everyone's memories!


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## SLADE (Feb 20, 2004)

I remember making buttery cinnamon toast and hot cocoa and watching cartoons.
When our grand mother made pies the left over dough was made into cinnamon wheels.
The baked goods today have no flavor.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

SRSLADE said:


> I remember making buttery cinnamon toast and hot cocoa and watching cartoons.
> When our grand mother made pies the left over dough was made into cinnamon wheels.
> The baked goods today have no flavor.


Yes, we enjoyed the same! Toast with a sprinkling of cinnamon and icing sugar! So good! Yummy!


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## JeepHammer (May 12, 2015)

Someone said 'Clackers' and the memory instantly come back (and my knuckles hurt!  )

I thought of cap guns and I swear I could still smell that cap smoke (REAL distinctive).

SRSlade brought up butter/cinnamon toast,
At our house the 'Daytime Grandma' snack was homemade bread, butter, sprinkled with a little sugar & cinnamon.
I still do that when we make bread!

Cool-Aid in those *crazy colored aluminum tumblers* almost everyone seemed to have back then and noting more than buttered bread sprinkled with sugar/cinnamon made us the happiest kids in the world!


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## Lisa in WA (Oct 11, 2004)

SRSLADE said:


> Anyone remember CLACKERS?


I loved those things. Mine were purple with sparkles inside. Mom confiscated them when she heard they could splinter while we were clacking. Probably worried we’d put an eye out. 

I found them again when my kids were younger but they weren’t as exciting as the first time. It was ridiculous how satisfying it was to clack them.


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## Irish Pixie (May 14, 2002)

Here's a list of banned toys. https://www.littlethings.com/banned-toys/4

Clackers were banned in 1985, and Jarts in 1988.


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## Irish Pixie (May 14, 2002)

JeepHammer said:


> Someone said 'Clackers' and the memory instantly come back (and my knuckles hurt!  )
> 
> I thought of cap guns and I swear I could still smell that cap smoke (REAL distinctive).
> 
> ...


My grandma on the farm had colored aluminum tumblers but they were filled with fresh milk, usually with real Hershey chocolate syrup from a can.


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

keenataz said:


> I have a carton of tinker toys at home. Got them for my kids who are all grown now. Just can't part with them for some reason


You're supposed to save them for grandkids.


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

JeepHammer said:


> *CAP GUNS!*
> When that crossed my mind I swear I could smell the cap smoke again!
> 
> Funny how memory works...


Smashing the caps between two rocks was even more fun, as long as mom didn't find out.


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## Lisa in WA (Oct 11, 2004)

Irish Pixie said:


> Here's a list of banned toys. https://www.littlethings.com/banned-toys/4
> 
> Clackers were banned in 1985, and Jarts in 1988.



https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clackers


“*The toy enjoyed a brief renewal of popularity in the 1990s *with Clackers consisting of a handle and plastic triangles with the plastic balls at the end giving weight to the free moving toy. It was played the same way and sold in bright neon colors”


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## Lisa in WA (Oct 11, 2004)

You can still get the aluminum tumblers. 
I have them down at the lake and a set of matching ice cream dishes. 
My grandson loves them. 

https://www.amazon.com/ALUMINUM-TUM...dized+aluminum+tumblers&qid=1570901049&sr=8-1


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## Lisa in WA (Oct 11, 2004)

wr said:


> Smashing the caps between two rocks was even more fun, as long as mom didn't find out.


I remember sitting on the sidewalk, banging away with a rock and a red roll of caps.


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## Lisa in WA (Oct 11, 2004)

I have a very vivid memory of the last day of school one year in elementary school.
We must have had a party or something because my mom picked me up and I normally walked home. 
We went by good old Davis’s Variety store and my mom bought me one of those HUGE boxes of crayons...the one with the built in sharpener in the front of the box. 
I remember clearly sitting in the car on the way home and thinking to myself: “last day of school, a brand new box of crayons and nothing at all to worry about”.
I was free. 
What an amazing feeling.


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## 101pigs (Sep 18, 2018)

Maude said:


> I also remember Get Smart, Grand Ole Opry (every Sunday), watching it, because mom and dad always watched it, Hee Haw, and gosh, how the memory goes soft with time.


No TV when 10 on the farm. Grand Old Opry on the radiio on sat. night.


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## 101pigs (Sep 18, 2018)

emdeengee said:


> Spending the whole day at the local outdoor skating rink no matter how cold. Each rink had a large warm up shed with a wood stove. Mom would bring hot cocoa and sandwiches at lunch time as did all the other moms. I can still conjure up the scent of wood smoke, hot chocolate and wet woolen mittens by just closing my eyes and the sound of the blades clumping across the wooden floor.


My Uncle's girl friend had a pair of ice skates. She didn't use them anymore and gave them to me. I was about 11. I put paper in the skates and about 3 pair of socks on. They worked ok. Use to skate on the ponds and lakes and one time the Mississippi froze over and we used it to skate on. In a couple years i had enough money saved to buy my own. Use to roller skate a lot also at a big indoor skating rink in St. Louis when i was older.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

I mentioned Lawn Darts on page 1, and what fun we had playing with those!

Remember Lawn Darts?

I'm sure kids/people got seriously injured playing with them, but we used everyday, ordinary common-sense when using them.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

101pigs said:


> No TV when 10 on the farm. Grand Old Opry on the radiio on sat. night.


CBC Radio used to have the best Mystery Hour Series on, and I used to tune in to listen all the time.


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## JeepHammer (May 12, 2015)

Irish Pixie said:


> My grandma on the farm had colored aluminum tumblers but they were filled with fresh milk, usually with real Hershey chocolate syrup from a can.


Those aluminum tumblers were 'Space Age' about mid 50s to early 70s.
I just couldn't get over the colors, most certainly NOT found in nature!
Noting sucked the 'Cold' out of a drink faster! And they 'sweat' like a waterfall!
They always made them just small enough and just deep enough an adult couldn't wash the bottom with a dish rag...

Do you remember those big Bunches of glass 'Grapes' everyone just had to have on coffee tables (that never got used for coffee)?


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

JeepHammer said:


> Those aluminum tumblers were 'Space Age' about mid 50s to early 70s.
> I just couldn't get over the colors, most certainly NOT found in nature!
> Noting sucked the 'Cold' out of a drink faster! And they 'sweat' like a waterfall!
> 
> Do you remember those big Bunches of glass 'Grapes' everyone just had to have on coffee tables (that never got used for coffee)?


Sure do! Along with plastic bananas, apples, and other fruit! Also remember marble fruit, particularly grapes, that looked so real!


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

ROFLMAO, thinking about this one!

My baby brother used to take his tricycle into the back alley, and at the height of summer when dust could be made easily, he'd scoop up hand-fulls of dusty alley gravel, place it on the back step-plate of his tricycle, then get on his little trike and pedal as fast as he could, hoping to create a dust screen behind him!

He spent hours and hours entertaining himself doing that! So darned cute.


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## SLADE (Feb 20, 2004)

Lisa in WA said:


> I have a very vivid memory of the last day of school one year in elementary school.
> We must have had a party or something because my mom picked me up and I normally walked home.
> We went by good old Davis’s Variety store and my mom bought me one of those HUGE boxes of crayons...the one with the built in sharpener in the front of the box.
> I remember clearly sitting in the car on the way home and thinking to myself: “last day of school, a brand new box of crayons and nothing at all to worry about”.
> ...


Ah the smell of those crayons.
I remember the first days of school getting new books and pencils and the smells they gave off.
The new smell.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

We lived close by a large bridge that spanned a large body of water, and flying paper planes off the bridge was as entertaining as it got. Those paper airplanes flew for what seemed like forever!


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## Lisa in WA (Oct 11, 2004)

The very best thing I remember from my childhood was my bike.
Mom ordered most everything from the Sears catalog back then and we’d walk by the bike section to get to catalog order pickup.
And the roasted nuts display with the red pistachios. Remember how all the Sears had roasted nuts counter back then?
Anyway, id fallen in love with a Sears Spyder girls bike. That baby was blue-green with a flowered banana seat and a white basket with big plastic 70’s flowers on it to match the seat.
I eyed it every time we went and one Saturday morning my dad told me we needed to go to Sears for something. He asked me about the bike I’d been ogling and we went over to see it. It was gone!
My heart was broken but we finished hi errands and went home.

When we went in the house, about fifteen little girls jumped out and screamed “surprise!”
It was my sixth birthday and I didn’t even know it.

About half an hour into the party, the cellar door opened and my dad came up, wheeling THE BIKE across the kitchen floor.

Best birthday ever.
That bike and I spent so many hours together.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

wr said:


> Smashing the caps between two rocks was even more fun, as long as mom didn't find out.


Had a friend who's brother thought it would be neat to smash .22 bullets on the rail tracks using a rock. Sadly, he lost an eye and was so very young when it happened.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

Lisa in WA said:


> The very best thing I remember from my childhood was my bike.
> Mom ordered most everything from the Sears catalog back then and we’d walk by the bike section to get to catalog order pickup.
> And the roasted nuts display with the red pistachios. Remember how all the Sears had roasted nuts counter back then?
> Anyway, id fallen in love with a Sears Spyder girls bike. That baby was blue-green with a flowered banana seat and a white basket with big plastic 70’s flowers on it to match the seat.
> ...


I used to babysit some kids that had these crazy motorcycle sounding grips on their bikes. They slipped over the handlebars and had grips like a real motorcycle and when revved like a real motorcycle, produced a realistic motorcycle sound.

Also remember my baby brother pinning a playing card to the frame of his bicycle, and as the wheel turned and the spokes clipped the playing card, an audible clicking sound happened.


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## HDRider (Jul 21, 2011)

I was 12 again reading all that. Such nice memories.


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## Irish Pixie (May 14, 2002)

I don't remember first starting to ride horses, but my mother claimed I was two. My childhood, teenage years, and on all centered around horses. They were confidants, friends, and transportation all rolled into one. Nothing could ever compete. 

I miss having them now.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

SRSLADE said:


> Ah the smell of those crayons.
> I remember the first days of school getting new books and pencils and the smells they gave off.
> The new smell.


Indeed, I remember there being a distinct smell all throughout the school on the first day, due to everyone wearing brand-spanking new clothes, and toting around brand new school supplies.

To this day I still feel a sense of sorrow, because my mom and dad were so poor that they struggled financially to outfit us for school (clothes, shoes, school supplies). I remember my mom making comments like, "well you should still have such and such from last year".

In a lot of ways, the old school supplies lists of the 60's and 70's, should have been up to the schools to provide, not the parents. In fact, I remember the old Mathematical, Compass/Protractor sets that came in a fancy little tin. I don't ever remember even pulling mine out, but my school supply list required me to have one.


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## Lisa in WA (Oct 11, 2004)

Lisa in WA said:


> The very best thing I remember from my childhood was my bike.
> Mom ordered most everything from the Sears catalog back then and we’d walk by the bike section to get to catalog order pickup.
> And the roasted nuts display with the red pistachios. Remember how all the Sears had roasted nuts counter back then?
> Anyway, id fallen in love with a Sears Spyder girls bike. That baby was blue-green with a flowered banana seat and a white basket with big plastic 70’s flowers on it to match the seat.
> ...


I found the exact bike and basket online several years ago and saved the pics. 
No expensive mountain bike could ever be as cool as this one.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

I recall an event from my early childhood, I couldn't have been much older than 4 or 5, anyhow, my mom and I were next door visiting the neighbours, and a hugs storm rolled in, bringing with it torrential rain and heavy wind, and I remember bundling up before leaving the neighbours house, then running across our adjoining lawns as fast as we could, back to our house.

There was an old pear tree right at the corner of our lot, and wind had toppled it over, and it seemed like mom and I ran for blocks and blocks so get to our house. Everything as a young child seemed so much bigger. Riding ones bicycle around the block was an adventure, and all-out expedition. Something so magical about it.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

Lisa in WA said:


> I found the exact bike and basket online several years ago and saved the pics.
> No expensive mountain bike could ever be as cool as this one.
> 
> View attachment 79942
> View attachment 79944


You said it! Had a bike just like it! The basket was the greatest! Groceries from the corner store, empty bottles to cash in, even giving ones little furry friend a ride!

I remember my bike had plastic ribbons/tassels hanging from the handlebars.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

I swear the highlight of me and my siblings childhood, was waiting for the Christmas Wish Book to arrive! How we waited so impatiently for that day, and when it did finally arrive, we'd all gather-round the kitchen table, or sit in a circle on the living room floor and point and dream as to all we wished for!

I want that, no, I want that, Santa is going to bring me one of these, I'm writing Santa to bring me one of those.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

What about flying kites? Gee-whiz, kite flying was such a big thing when I was a kid. The higher - the better! Pushing the envelope, having just one tidbit of string left on the roll! So high our kites looked like specs in the sky!


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## Lisa in WA (Oct 11, 2004)

Maude said:


> Indeed, I remember there being a distinct smell all throughout the school on the first day, due to everyone wearing brand-spanking new clothes, and toting around brand new school supplies.
> 
> To this day I still feel a sense of sorrow, because my mom and dad were so poor that they struggled financially to outfit us for school (clothes, shoes, school supplies). I remember my mom making comments like, "well you should still have such and such from last year".
> 
> In a lot of ways, the old school supplies lists of the 60's and 70's, should have been up to the schools to provide, not the parents. In fact, I remember the old Mathematical, Compass/Protractor sets that came in a fancy little tin. I don't ever remember even pulling mine out, but my school supply list required me to have one.


My parents didn’t have much money either. Mom made our clothes or they came from of course, Sears. But I don’t remember ever feeling like we were poor. We had what we needed and we lived in a wonderful little town in Pennsylvania. We camped most weekends in summer with my aunts families, so we usually had about fifteen cousins roaming around on our bikes, canoeing, swimming, berry picking, snipe hunts, ghost story telling, etc. So much freedom and so little worry. 
I think it was pretty much an idyllic childhood. 
Though the teens werent so much fun.


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## Lisa in WA (Oct 11, 2004)

I think we need a thread of pics of us as kids.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

Lisa in WA said:


> My parents didn’t have much money either. Mom made our clothes or they came from of course, Sears. But I don’t remember ever feeling like we were poor. We had what we needed and we lived in a wonderful little town in Pennsylvania. We camped most weekends in summer with my aunts families, so we usually had about fifteen cousins roaming around on our bikes, canoeing, swimming, berry picking, snipe hunts, ghost story telling, etc. So much freedom and so little worry.
> I think it was pretty much an idyllic childhood.
> Though the teens werent so much fun.


I remember my mom breaking down in tears a few times, because there was no food in the house, and payday for my dad was days away. 

As for freedom, we enjoyed the same. Three, four, five blocks around, we ran from morning until night, coming in for a drink, a bite to eat, or to use the bathroom. Seemed like whatever we kids didn't have, one of the neighbourhood kids had, and so pooling our resources together meant we got to enjoy a variety of different things we normally would have been able to experience.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

Also remember the surprise of a new baby sibling!

Mom would leave the house with a suitcase, and a few days later magically appear with a tiny little baby in arms! LOL!

I remember sticking to my moms as if we were joined at the hips! Watching her warm bottles, change diapers (I got to hold the safety pins in the beginning), me fetching clean diapers for her, taking dirty ones to the bathroom, and being in charge of pushing baby siblings around the block in the baby carriage, all while showing-off my new siblings to passers-by and neighbours. Such a proud big sister I was!

Such a royal pain in the (you know what it was), being woken in the middle of the night to a tiny set of lungs wailing away in his or her crib, which, because we lived in such a tiny little home, shared my room with me. Boy, such (I'm sure) is unheard of today.

Oh, and as a kid we only had one vehicle, as did so many other neighbours and relatives. Multi-vehicle ownership wasn't something that I seen a lot of.


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## HDRider (Jul 21, 2011)

Lisa in WA said:


> I think we need a thread of pics of us as kids.


My two brothers and I looked like refuges from a prison camp


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

Lisa in WA said:


> My parents didn’t have much money either. Mom made our clothes or they came from of course, Sears. But I don’t remember ever feeling like we were poor. We had what we needed and we lived in a wonderful little town in Pennsylvania. We camped most weekends in summer with my aunts families, so we usually had about fifteen cousins roaming around on our bikes, canoeing, swimming, berry picking, snipe hunts, ghost story telling, etc. So much freedom and so little worry.
> I think it was pretty much an idyllic childhood.
> Though the teens werent so much fun.


I remember ghost story telling when we'd have power outage. Mom would light the coal-oil lanterns, and in the dark the fun would begin. What fun we had.


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## Lisa in WA (Oct 11, 2004)

HDRider said:


> My two brothers and I looked like refuges from a prison camp


Pic?


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## HDRider (Jul 21, 2011)

Lisa in WA said:


> Pic?


I would be so embarrassed. Mom still has all the old pics.


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## SLADE (Feb 20, 2004)

Maude said:


> I remember my mom breaking down in tears a few times, because there was no food in the house, and payday for my dad was days away.


You're not alone I remember days like that.
When I was young many men would supplement their income by hunting and fishing. My father was not one of those men. When he came home from the war he never wanted to kill even if it meant hungry children.
I didn't understand and still don't but I didn't live his life.
My parents marriage lasted until I was about 8 and that I understand. It's a miracle it lasted that long.


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## HDRider (Jul 21, 2011)

Rough stuff Mr. @SRSLADE


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## whiterock (Mar 26, 2003)

Thing I remember about those aluminum tumblers, whatever you drank out of them tasted different. Smelled different too. One of my aunts had some she used to bring outside on Sunday afternoon gatherings. I didn't like to drink from them. Didn't like the smell or taste of the tea she put in them. It could have been the water from that particular well that made the difference but I did not like them. They did sweat enough to drip all down the front of a person's clothes. 

Coming home from school and taking off the school clothes and hanging them up to be worn again. Old clothes were to be worn outside to play and do chores.


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## JeepHammer (May 12, 2015)

Most certainly colors not found in nature!










That cap gun gets a WHOLE lot more fun!
Just NEVER enough of these when you were eight...










EVERY coffee table needed these!










Anyone remember this toy?
My life revolved around this one year!










Ever freeze your tongue or lips to one of these?










Some SERIOUSLY creepy dolls back then...


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## JeepHammer (May 12, 2015)

A trip to the emergency room waiting to happen...
Described as a 'Missile' on the box and instructions!










These were REALLY hard on small bones in hands and forearms!










One of THESE got me a visit from the fire department a couple of times....
Some of these has real, seriously radioactive uranium ore in them!
Great for the budding 'Mad Scientists'! 










Weponized toys, step on one of these in the dark and Legos seem tame!










Every boy wanted one of these when they came out, and the fastest way to the 'Woodshed' at my house!


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## Evons hubby (Oct 3, 2005)

One of my favorites were the gumdrop trees, mom would load them up on pinochle nights. Peanut butter cookies that melted in your mouth. Playing with the frost on the windows in the wintertime. Watching the Rose parade on New Years morning was a very special treat.... That was the only time us boys were allowed in the living room where mommas "nice things" lived. 
In the summertime there was magpies that needed to be shot, gophers needed trapped, fish needing to be gotten out of the river befor they drowned.... Very poor success rate on that! Bicycles forever needing to be fixed and a host of other mischief for little boys to wile away their days with.


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## Lisa in WA (Oct 11, 2004)

Yvonne's hubby said:


> One of my favorites were the gumdrop trees, mom would load them up on pinochle nights. Peanut butter cookies that melted in your mouth. Playing with the frost on the windows in the wintertime. Watching the Rose parade on New Years morning was a very special treat.... That was the only time us boys were allowed in the living room where mommas "nice things" lived.
> In the summertime there was magpies that needed to be shot, gophers needed trapped, fish needing to be gotten out of the river befor they drowned.... Very poor success rate on that! Bicycles forever needing to be fixed and a host of other mischief for little boys to wile away their days with.



You can still buy gumdrop trees. My husband’s grandmother gave me one and I filled it at Christmas with spice gumdrops. Just got another one so my grandkids can enjoy it. 

I wasn’t a big Barbie fan but I did like Dawn dolls.
Look at that blue eyeshadow.


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## Evons hubby (Oct 3, 2005)

It goes well with her eyes!


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

JeepHammer said:


> A trip to the emergency room waiting to happen...
> Described as a 'Missile' on the box and instructions!
> 
> 
> ...


Oh my goodness, do these ever take me back!

Can't help but think what boring lives so many younger kids live nowadays compared to what me and my siblings enjoyed!

A great walk down memory lane seeing all these pictures!


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## doc- (Jun 26, 2015)

Coulda clicked "like" on every post so didn't click any.
I had a crystal radio set (how'd it work without a power source?). I would hide under the covers & listen to night games from Chicago, St loius, Milwaukee, and occasionally pick up Cinn or Detroit. We'd play baseball from sunrise to sunset every day.

Dad, at dinner: how'd you do today, kid? Me: Lousy day. Only had 26 HRs, 18 triples & 42 doubles.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

Silly Putty anyone?

I remember us kids pulling cartoon images from newspapers by flattened-out our Silly Putty, sticking it to the page, then peeling away slowly, then you could stretch the Silly Putty all different ways to make the images look funny and weird.


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## JeepHammer (May 12, 2015)

doc- said:


> Coulda clicked "like" on every post so didn't click any.
> I had a crystal radio set (how'd it work without a power source?). I would hide under the covers & listen to night games from Chicago, St loius, Milwaukee, and occasionally pick up Cinn or Detroit. We'd play baseball from sunrise to sunset every day.
> 
> Dad, at dinner: how'd you do today, kid? Me: Lousy day. Only had 26 HRs, 18 triples & 42 doubles.


I *HAD* to know how crystal & razor blade (trench) radios worked,
About 2nd grade I laid hands on a copy of, 'The Boy Electrician' and a lifetime of electrocuting myself, burning off eye brows, setting things on fire started!










If ANYONE has any interest in electronics, radios, electro-magnetic link,
And if you EVER think knowing how to build homemade radio receivers or transmitters might be useful, you might want to download this .PDF (free)
I hope the link works.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...FjANegQICRAB&usg=AOvVaw2i-VVOUnwuRc1SdlwJG2YH

The book is still in print and the author has books on hobby radio that predates semi-conductors.
The books allow you to build your own radios, and I built them out of thread spools, oatmeal cans directly from this book and the others published by the same author.

The soft cover reprint version.









*The cats weren't happy when I learned about cat whisker radio receivers! *

Tesla coils, Van De Graaff generators, transmitters & receivers, telegraph, home made telephone connections, a TON of 'Hobby' stuff in there.

Anyone learning to size wiring for loads, like when doing wiring for home or solar, it's one of the last sources for the Un-Edited Brown & Sharpe (B&S) copper conductors, which let's you figure out exactly what wire sizes work for what amp loads.

One of the things I did as a child that I still have and work with.

I salvaged every dump where anything with a power transformer showed up, most of my early components came from car parts, old TVs, Radios, anywhere I could find them for free.
If you need wire and you are 8 years old, it's salvage what you can where you can since you don't have a paying job, and this was endless hours of experiments and entertainment for me.
Yes, I was an 'Odd' kid! But those climbing electrical arcs (Jacobs Ladders) like in the Frankenstein movies sure were fun!
Scared the crap out of my parents, but my granddad was all up for it!


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

And let's not forget about Atomic glass and table wear, gingham checkered clothes (pants/tops/tablecloths), and who knows what else... and the funky, cheap-looking, polyester shirts and pants that crowded all clothing racks back in the day!


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## emdeengee (Apr 20, 2010)

JeepHammer said:


> I *HAD* to know how crystal & razor blade (trench) radios worked,
> About 2nd grade I laid hands on a copy of, 'The Boy Electrician' and a lifetime of electrocuting myself, burning off eye brows, setting things on fire started!
> 
> 
> ...



Thanks from my husband. He remembers it all just as you do and was very happy to get the link.


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## emdeengee (Apr 20, 2010)

Of course one of the big events in my childhood was the Cuban missile crisis. Duck and cover and filing out to shelters was part of our daily class when I was in grade three. Optimistic and delusional but what else could they do to try and comfort the populace for an impending nuclear war?

All the women in our neighbourhood took St Johns Ambulance training that summer. Poor men. For many it meant looking completely after the kids (dinner, homework, bath time etc) for the first time while Mom was learning to deal with radiation burns. No problem for my Dad as he just put us on a military routine.

As the crisis escalated Mom and Dad packed the car with survival gear, took us out of school and we headed north into the Ontario wilderness. People mocked my Dad but he lived through WW2 and knew just how quickly things could change and escalate. One of the best vacations we ever had and extra special as we missed school.


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## whiterock (Mar 26, 2003)

Let's DO forget the polyester clothes. PLEASE.


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## emdeengee (Apr 20, 2010)

Memories. Iodine on your wounds. I probably spent 12 years of my life with gauze and tape covering my bloody knees and elbows as I was always falling or getting into sports scrapes and fights defending my sister (who usually started them by driving the boys crazy). Of course today the recommendation is not to use iodine on open wounds but I was not poisoned and my knees are still nice looking. 

Mercurochrome was also used during my entire childhood (stung like mad and such a distinctive smell) until someone thought that using mercury on open wounds was probably not a very good idea. And it sure stained. Now made without mercury but not used much.

Also the entire school lining up in the gym for vaccinations and TB testing. All grades together but in order from the youngest on and lots of kids not very happy. I was never bothered by needles so was usually used as the first example. The school nurse must have ratted me out to the doctors. 

Teacher – see it does not hurt Sunny at all. 

Me – yes it does!

Teacher – NO IT DOESN’T!

Me – YES IT DOES!

Entire first grade class started crying and I was filled with smug satisfaction. Such a brat.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

emdeengee said:


> Memories. Iodine on your wounds. I probably spent 12 years of my life with gauze and tape covering my bloody knees and elbows as I was always falling or getting into sports scrapes and fights defending my sister (who usually started them by driving the boys crazy). Of course today the recommendation is not to use iodine on open wounds but I was not poisoned and my knees are still nice looking.
> 
> Mercurochrome was also used during my entire childhood (stung like mad and such a distinctive smell) until someone thought that using mercury on open wounds was probably not a very good idea. And it sure stained. Now made without mercury but not used much.
> 
> ...


Oh my word, I totally forgot about the days of using iodine! Yes, I totally remember! Talk about a walk down memory lane.


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## emdeengee (Apr 20, 2010)

I once asked my husband why he liked lingerie so much. He said he could not speak for other generations but in his case it was because in grade school the girls used to hang upside down from the monkey bars and show off their underpants. I never did. I hung upside down from the bicycle racks and also spun around on them.

My Mom sewed all of our dresses - girls were not allowed to wear jeans, pants or shorts in my time. She was once passing the school yard during recess and saw my underpants display. After that she always made shorts to match the dresses which she made sure we wore under our dresses. A lot of other mother's copied her. Poor deprived the boys.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

emdeengee said:


> I once asked my husband why he liked lingerie so much. He said he could not speak for other generations but in his case it was because in grade school the girls used to hang upside down from the monkey bars and show off their underpants. I never did. I hung upside down from the bicycle racks and also spun around on them.
> 
> My Mom sewed all of our dresses - girls were not allowed to wear jeans, pants or shorts in my time. She was once passing the school yard during recess and saw my underpants display. After that she always made shorts to match the dresses which she made sure we wore under our dresses. A lot of other mother's copied her. Poor deprived the boys.


The dress code thing I just missed, but I do remember when the elementary school grounds were segregated... girls on one side, boys on the other.

I'm glad to wave goodbye to those days.


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## emdeengee (Apr 20, 2010)

I lost most of my baby teeth with the help of a piece of string and a door. The rest got knocked out playing and fighting. My parents could not stand me wiggling the loose tooth with my tongue all day long. I thought that today's parents would have a hissy fit at this but just saw that it is a thing on youtube.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

emdeengee said:


> I lost most of my baby teeth with the help of a piece of string and a door. The rest got knocked out playing and fighting. My parents could not stand me wiggling the loose tooth with my tongue all day long. I thought that today's parents would have a hissy fit at this but just saw that it is a thing on youtube.


Good one! Still remember the faint crunching sound a loose tooth made when wiggling it!

A visit from the Tooth Fairy made everything better.


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## JeepHammer (May 12, 2015)

emdeengee said:


> Thanks from my husband. He remembers it all just as you do and was very happy to get the link.


There were TONS of 'How To' books & articles from 'Boys Life' to 'Popular Mechanics'.
Boys built stuff, keep them out of trouble, they built skills and actually had something when they were done.
When I participated in Big Brothers & Mentor programs, the girls did everything the boys did, no sense in girls not learning to do all the vehicle maintenance & operate hand tools.

The first thing I remember making was laying on my back on the work bench and screwing baby food jars to the bottom of a shelf, and if you are old enough and grew up around a garage or farm, EVERYONE had them.










Shorter jars in front to taller jars in back, my grandpa LOVED it (or at least pretended to  ) and we spent hours & hours taking 'Junk' apart in the shop in the winter, separating copper from aluminum from steel... 
The screws/nuts/bolts/washers, latches & hinges all went into baby food jars, we made organizers for drill bits, threaded blocks for determining the size & thread on screws & bolts, making little 'Rube Goldburg' gadgets...
Just GREAT memories spending time with Grandpa on winter or rainy days, and a lot of what we did made the shop more efficient/organized.

They didn't get electricity until around 1950 or so, he considered electrical projects FM (Freaking Magic!) So when I started in on electrical projects I had a partner in crime!
Every stupid little electro-magnet, light, radio receiver was a 4 star brass band moment according to him, and I was too young to realize not everyone has parents/grandparents like that...
Just really good memories, particularly in a world where no matter what you do someone is ready to tear you down.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

JeepHammer said:


> There were TONS of 'How To' books & articles from 'Boys Life' to 'Popular Mechanics'.
> Boys built stuff, keep them out of trouble, they built skills and actually had something when they were done.
> When I participated in Big Brothers & Mentor programs, the girls did everything the boys did, no sense in girls not learning to do all the vehicle maintenance & operate hand tools.
> 
> ...


Totally brings back warm memories of one of my friends dads, who had the glass jars affixed to a shelf in his work-room!


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## JeepHammer (May 12, 2015)

Maude said:


> Totally brings back warm memories of one of my friends dads, who had the glass jars affixed to a shelf in his work-room!


If you are a certain age and your parents did for themselves, it was pretty well mandatory.
In my shop to this day chipped canning jar rims hold a lot of little parts, it's just too handy not to give the jars one last life...


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

JeepHammer said:


> If you are a certain age and your parents did for themselves, it was pretty well mandatory.
> In my shop to this day chipped canning jar rims hold a lot of little parts, it's just too handy not to give the jars one last life...


Agree, and do for themselves my folks did.


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## SLADE (Feb 20, 2004)

I remember the girls in grade school collecting those little loops on the backs of boys shirts.
There wasn't much ceremony they came up from behind and ripped them off.
I did feel special when the right girl took mine.
Anyone remember the paper fortune teller?


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

Was just thinking to the days when my siblings were little.

Their cribs had railings that could be raised and lowered, which allowed for the easier lifting of baby in and out.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

SRSLADE said:


> I remember the girls in grade school collecting those little loops on the backs of boys shirts.
> There wasn't much ceremony they came up from behind and ripped them off.
> I did feel special when the right girl took mine.
> Anyone remember the paper fortune teller?


I sure do! Can't tell you how many times dear husband and I have talked about owning one of those old fortune-teller machines. So unique.


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## Irish Pixie (May 14, 2002)

emdeengee said:


> Memories. Iodine on your wounds. I probably spent 12 years of my life with gauze and tape covering my bloody knees and elbows as I was always falling or getting into sports scrapes and fights defending my sister (who usually started them by driving the boys crazy). Of course today the recommendation is not to use iodine on open wounds but I was not poisoned and my knees are still nice looking.
> 
> Mercurochrome was also used during my entire childhood (stung like mad and such a distinctive smell) until someone thought that using mercury on open wounds was probably not a very good idea. And it sure stained. Now made without mercury but not used much.
> 
> ...


Thank you. This made me laugh out loud. It's been a long, stressful day and I needed that laugh.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

Some cousins of mine had a large number of Hardy Boys & Nancy Drew Mysteries books, and how I loved to read them.

When I'd stay at their house (sleepovers), we kids would settle ourselves down for the night in their upstairs bedroom (old Victorian home), and under the glow of only a dimly-lit, shaded wall sconce, we'd each select a book from the series and read ourselves to sleep.

Those old mystery series books always had a way of making me feel as if I was actually living the story in real life.

And how I looked forward to Sunday night television... watching the Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries.


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## JeepHammer (May 12, 2015)

Maude said:


> Some cousins of mine had a large number of Hardy Boys & Nancy Drew Mysteries books, and how I loved to read them.
> 
> When I'd stay at their house (sleepovers), we kids would settle ourselves down for the night in their upstairs bedroom (old Victorian home), and under the glow of only a dimly-lit, shaded wall sconce, we'd each select a book from the series and read ourselves to sleep.
> 
> ...


For me, reading the imagination filled in where no video screen can go, bigger, bluer skies, greener grass, taller trees, etc.
You could read/imagine things that CGI is is just now going and not as believable or vivid.
'Monsters' were scarier, the heroine was more beautiful, the hero was stronger and more handsome, the horses & cars faster, just no limits...

Too bad kids don't read anymore, I feel like they are getting cheated out of something magical.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Sring would arrive (snow all melted) and it was time to start roaming the woods and fields. there were cow slips in the marsh to collect those tasted so good when mom cooked them up. Morel mushrooms and fiddle heads to. Then there were the frogs we would set out to collect a round point shovel to splat them with. Tis a wonder no mater the smallness of them Mom would show us how to skin them and then cook them uo for us. remember always being amazed how thye kicked in the fry pan.

I remember how special I felt when dad would say go fire your tractor up and go this or that. I am the middle kid on the seat of my tractoe and my brother is to my right.









I spent many a hour on that tractor working the fields. 
A friend of my dads told him he shouldn't allow me to spend so much time on the tractor. I should join a summer base ball team and have some fun with other boys my age.
I was never forced to join any teams and the ones I did on my own at school didn't last long as I didn't enjoy it.

at 72 now nearly 73 I do not regret on minute I spent on that tractor. I enjoy having a bunch of tractors. Neighbours bring their grand kids to see them, I have also been asked to pull hay ride wagons with them.

 Al


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## AmericanStand (Jul 29, 2014)

I once came across a bunch of very old popular science and popular mechanics magazine’s
Built the best antenna I’ve ever had from the plans in a 1927 popular mechanics , Cardboard ,aluminum foil, some bits of wire,
It was amazing.
I think the best indication of how different people were back then were the plans on how to build a 12 inch telescope.
They included a diagram on how to rub two blocks of glass together in such a manner that they would be optically correct and if you followed the diagram correctly for just two hours a night in only a few years you would have the optics you needed.


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## Irish Pixie (May 14, 2002)

Maude said:


> Good one! Still remember the faint crunching sound a loose tooth made when wiggling it!
> 
> A visit from the Tooth Fairy made everything better.


My oldest grandson recently lost both front teeth. He looks so cute, and the Tooth Fairy was good to him.


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## mreynolds (Jan 1, 2015)

whiterock said:


> I do remember a lot of these things. Not the sled or skate things. Didn't do that on a Texas cotton farm. Got my PF Flyers in 1957.


We live in sand country. We used to take old tires and chain then up to the truck and go "tubing" down the dirt roads. 

Don't try this at home you young'uns.


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## JeepHammer (May 12, 2015)

AmericanStand said:


> I once came across a bunch of very old popular science and popular mechanics magazine’s
> Built the best antenna I’ve ever had from the plans in a 1927 popular mechanics , Cardboard ,aluminum foil, some bits of wire,
> It was amazing.
> I think the best indication of how different people were back then were the plans on how to build a 12 inch telescope.
> They included a diagram on how to rub two blocks of glass together in such a manner that they would be optically correct and if you followed the diagram correctly for just two hours a night in only a few years you would have the optics you needed.


I did that, radios out of Quaker Oat cans, etc.
I've gone back to some of that for the Antique Days, but this time it's mounted on a nice piece of oak with routed edges & nice finish, nice brass terminals... Not the hunk of stained pine and scraps I could salvage 50 years ago.
People call it 'Steam Punk' & 'Functional Art' now... Go figure!


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## SLADE (Feb 20, 2004)

When we went swimming we had a truck tube to float on.
we would stand on the dock letting the tube float and seeing if we could dive through it.
It was great until the valve stem raked down your ribs.
Even then we went back for more the next day.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

JeepHammer said:


> For me, reading the imagination filled in where no video screen can go, bigger, bluer skies, greener grass, taller trees, etc.
> You could read/imagine things that CGI is is just now going and not as believable or vivid.
> 'Monsters' were scarier, the heroine was more beautiful, the hero was stronger and more handsome, the horses & cars faster, just no limits...
> 
> Too bad kids don't read anymore, I feel like they are getting cheated out of something magical.


It's so true. I'm thinking back to an all-time favourite read of mine, leading up to summer vacation. I would have been in my single digits, and after scanning the school library shelves for something really, really good... I found it! Homer Price (The Doughnuts).

It's a story I will never forget, and thinking back on reading that book, there are times where I feel it was just yesterday that I was snugged-up in the corner of the library on my favourite bean bag, reading it.

That book set me up for a summer of dreams, one where I dreamed of working in a doughnut factory, too, or something else just as fun.

Such magical times, early childhood years are.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

SRSLADE said:


> When we went swimming we had a truck tube to float on.
> we would stand on the dock letting the tube float and seeing if we could dive through it.
> It was great until the valve stem raked down your ribs.
> Even then we went back for more the next day.


Do I remember!

And on those scorching days, having to flip the black tube over before climbing aboard, because the sun-baked side was sizzling hot!

Anyone else remember those stainless steel slides at the park? The ones that heated up like a frying pan in the height of summer? The ones where, if the slide hadn't been used and the surface was dry, your damp swim bottoms would stick to the metal and you'd fry your legs going down?


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## colourfastt (Nov 11, 2006)

"We walked 10 miles to school, up hill and in the snow all the way year-round."


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

colourfastt said:


> "We walked 10 miles to school, up hill and in the snow all the way year-round."


Oh, but it was uphill both ways (to and from) when we kids walked to school.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

Was just thinking back to the hot summers I put in at my grandparents house. No where to swim or cool-down, so out with the large metal tub it was, set on lawn, fill with ice-cold well-water, and us kids were in business!

We were all young/small enough to get right in and have a good old-fashioned soak!


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

Old-fashioned laundry chutes, remember those?

What fun we had dropping whatever we could get our hands on down the laundry chute! Such a novelty play-thing it was! LOL!


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## TraderBob (Oct 21, 2010)

Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom with Marlin Perkins and Jim Fowler, back in the 60's


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

TraderBob said:


> Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom with Marlin Perkins and Jim Fowler, back in the 60's


OMG, yes! I totally remember!

And Walter Cronkite! "And that's the way it is", or something along those lines.


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## Irish Pixie (May 14, 2002)

Maude said:


> Old-fashioned laundry chutes, remember those?
> 
> What fun we had dropping whatever we could get our hands on down the laundry chute! Such a novelty play-thing it was! LOL!


My grandma on the farm had a laundry chute. Several of the houses we looked at this fall had laundry chutes as well.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

Irish Pixie said:


> My grandma on the farm had a laundry chute. Several of the houses we looked at this fall had laundry chutes as well.


Haven't seen a laundry chute in decades. Would love to once again drop a few things down a chute just to say I did... to remind myself of the good old days.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

alleyyooper said:


> Sring would arrive (snow all melted) and it was time to start roaming the woods and fields. there were cow slips in the marsh to collect those tasted so good when mom cooked them up. Morel mushrooms and fiddle heads to. Then there were the frogs we would set out to collect a round point shovel to splat them with. Tis a wonder no mater the smallness of them Mom would show us how to skin them and then cook them uo for us. remember always being amazed how thye kicked in the fry pan.
> 
> I remember how special I felt when dad would say go fire your tractor up and go this or that. I am the middle kid on the seat of my tractoe and my brother is to my right.
> 
> ...


What a lovely retro picture! Love it!


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## alida (Feb 8, 2015)

Maybe it's regional, but I have seen laundry chutes in houses built in the last 10 years or so. 

One of my acquaintances bought a circa 1880's tired rundown two up and two down row house about 20 years ago. It needed a lot of work and when they opened up the previously boarded up chute a worker found remains of a hand knit sock that got caught on a splinter of wood in the chute. They added it to the collection of other "found" items uncovered during renovations, like numerous 100 year plus empty bottles,old newspaper used as insulation, some broken china and the like, plus a penny nailed under the door sill (which was supposed to bring good luck).


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## Oxankle (Jun 20, 2003)

Maude said:


> Hundreds of chestnuts, but they were so shiny and neat looking,


LOL; I was already an old man when I saw my first chestnut tree. I stood under it and threw a stick up among the branches to knock down some nuts. One of those spiny hulls hit me on my bald head and taught me about chestnuts.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

alida said:


> Maybe it's regional, but I have seen laundry chutes in houses built in the last 10 years or so.
> 
> One of my acquaintances bought a circa 1880's tired rundown two up and two down row house about 20 years ago. It needed a lot of work and when they opened up the previously boarded up chute a worker found remains of a hand knit sock that got caught on a splinter of wood in the chute. They added it to the collection of other "found" items uncovered during renovations, like numerous 100 year plus empty bottles,old newspaper used as insulation, some broken china and the like, plus a penny nailed under the door sill (which was supposed to bring good luck).


Lovely story!

I want a laundry chute bad, and dear husband said it would be a fairly easy job to install one, so when the time comes (in the new year), I should have a classic and ever-so handy laundry chute at my disposal.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

Oxankle said:


> LOL; I was already an old man when I saw my first chestnut tree. I stood under it and threw a stick up among the branches to knock down some nuts. One of those spiny hulls hit me on my bald head and taught me about chestnuts.


Nothing quite like a formal introduction. LOL!


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## AmericanStand (Jul 29, 2014)

TraderBob said:


> Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom with Marlin Perkins and Jim Fowler, back in the 60's


Seems like somewhere in there timex took a licking and kept on ticking ?


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## emdeengee (Apr 20, 2010)

Takes a licking and keeps on ticking. That commercial has a special place in our family lore.

Brother-in-law was a biologist and one of the projects he was in charge of was when the Canadian government introduced Reindeer into the Arctic. 

He got caught in a stampede and was pretty badly "hoofed" by the herd including having his wrist stepped on and his Timex watch shattered. He was dragged to safety by his team and his Timex just kept on ticking.

He wrote to Timex with the story and suggested it would make a great Christmas commercial. They declined the idea saying no one would believe it.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

emdeengee said:


> Takes a licking and keeps on ticking. That commercial has a special place in our family lore.
> 
> Brother-in-law was a biologist and one of the projects he was in charge of was when the Canadian government introduced Reindeer into the Arctic.
> 
> ...


Those old Timex commercials take me back to the days of Howard Cosell.


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## Oxankle (Jun 20, 2003)

Maude said:


> I should have a classic and ever-so handy laundry chute at my disposal.


LOL; The folks saved money during the war and when I was a Jr. in HS they built us a real "house", two story, enough to crowd in two adults and eight kids. In one of the bathrooms there was a pull-out hamper built into the wall---You pulled it out, bottom was hinged and in went the clothes. 

Well, younger sister had a pair of red, red, red shorts that Mama thought were way too short, but that sister thought were the cat's meow. Shorts disappeared. Years later we were getting the house ready to sell and pulled the hamper all the way out. There on the floor behind that hamper were those red, red, short, short, shorts.


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## doozie (May 21, 2005)

Granny watched me during the day in the summer sometimes. I spent a lot of time helping her lick and paste S&H greenstamps in booklets. I don't know what she redeemed them on, but it sure kept me busy. 
Tang... I always wanted it, but my Mom never bought it.


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## popscott (Oct 6, 2004)

45 RPM..... cut it off of the back of a cereal box... only one I ever found... 
The Dave Clark Five, Catch us if you can


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## mreynolds (Jan 1, 2015)

popscott said:


> 45 RPM..... cut it off of the back of a cereal box... only one I ever found...
> The Dave Clark Five, Catch us if you can


Sometimes it was more fun to watch the needle "ride the waves" than the actual music on those things. 

Ooops, I may be telling my age.


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## popscott (Oct 6, 2004)

mreynolds said:


> Sometimes it was more fun to watch the needle "ride the waves" than the actual music on those things.
> 
> Ooops, I may be telling my age.


Yea they did not lay down none to flat...


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## whiterock (Mar 26, 2003)

I put an album on the package tray in the back seat once to take to a cousin. Talk about waves.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

I remember when mom would turn-out a batch of freshly popped corn. In our house, enjoying a feed of popcorn wasn't just a treat, it was an all-out event.

Often, popcorn night coincided with the television, where a great movie or kids show was on, or about to come on, and me and my siblings would gather around the coffee table in the living room, like knights gathering around a castle round table. It was an especially enjoyable event when mom and dad had a large bottle or two of pop on-hand. Soda pop wasn't something that mom and dad kept on-hand very often, but when they did, we kids enjoyed every last drop, unlike today where soda pop is a household staple in many homes.

I remember the sweet smelling aroma of popping corn wafting all the way from the kitchen, down to the living room. Mom always popped corn in an old stainless pot with a copper bottom, and to this day I remember the popping sound. A drizzle of melted butter when corn was done, a little shake of salt, and popcorn was served-up in style in one of moms large pale green Tupperware bowls.

The refreshing sparkling bite of a slug of Coca-Cola, along with a pinch of popcorn, made for one tasty treat.


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## Lisa in WA (Oct 11, 2004)

Maude said:


> I remember when mom would turn-out a batch of freshly popped corn. In our house, enjoying a feed of popcorn wasn't just a treat, it was an all-out event.
> 
> Often, popcorn night coincided with the television, where a great movie or kids show was on, or about to come on, and me and my siblings would gather around the coffee table in the living room, like knights gathering around a castle round table. It was an especially enjoyable event when mom and dad had a large bottle or two of pop on-hand. Soda pop wasn't something that mom and dad kept on-hand very often, but when they did, we kids enjoyed every last drop, unlike today where soda pop is a household staple in many homes.
> 
> ...


My house was the same when I was a child. The popcorn, and like you, we never had soda unless it was a special treat. Those special evenings when Christmas shows were on, or Miss America, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, or Wizard of OZ we’d sometimes get to haul out the TV trays and eat in the living room with popcorn afterward.
I had such a happy childhood. I love remembering it. 

ETA: a trip down memory lane. the same exact TV trays we had back in the early 70’s.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Set-of-Fou...ss-TV-Serving-Folding-Trays-USA-/323931137753


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

Lisa in WA said:


> My house was the same when I was a child. The popcorn, and like you, we never had soda unless it was a special treat. Those special evenings when Christmas shows were on, or Miss America, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, or Wizard of OZ we’d sometimes get to haul out the TV trays and eat in the living room with popcorn afterward.
> I had such a happy childhood. I love remembering it.
> 
> ETA: a trip down memory lane. the same exact TV trays we had back in the early 70’s.
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/Set-of-Fou...ss-TV-Serving-Folding-Trays-USA-/323931137753


OMG, the trays bring back such warm memories for me! I forgot about the old retro TV trays.

We never had TV trays in our home, but I remember visiting the homes of friends, and they had TV trays. Always longed for mom and dad to buy some, but mealtime in our home was always at the kitchen table.

Gosh, Chitty-Chitty Bang-Bang, The Wizard of Oz, and so many others, take me back! I was just thinking about a few other favourites of mine from back in the day, movies such as The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes (starring Kurt Russell), The Strongest Man in the World (also starring Kurt Russell), and then there was The Mystery in Dracula's Castle, just to name a few.

What memories, and like yourself, I, to, enjoyed a stellar childhood and upbringing.


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## Lisa in WA (Oct 11, 2004)

Maude said:


> OMG, the trays bring back such warm memories for me! I forgot about the old retro TV trays.
> 
> We never had TV trays in our home, but I remember visiting the homes of friends, and they had TV trays. Always longed for mom and dad to buy some, but mealtime in our home was always at the kitchen table.
> 
> ...


my dad was a counselor for our Methodist church’s youth group and they’d put on movies at the church to raise money. the Computer Wore Tennis Shoes and anything with young Kurt Russell we’re favorites. Or Fred McMurray. Remember Flubber?


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

Lisa in WA said:


> my dad was a counselor for our Methodist church’s youth group and they’d put on movies at the church to raise money. the Computer Wore Tennis Shoes and anything with young Kurt Russell we’re favorites. Or Fred McMurray. Remember Flubber?


Oh my goodness, yes, Fred McMurray! My Three Sons, one of my all-time favourite childhood watches!

Flubber? You bet! Totally remember it!

The Youth Group movie watch sounds like it would have been a blast!


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

Was just thinking about how much me and my siblings loved Kraft Dinner and beans & wieners! Two all-time favourites in our house!


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## popscott (Oct 6, 2004)

popscott said:


> 45 RPM..... cut it off of the back of a cereal box... only one I ever found...
> The Dave Clark Five, Catch us if you can


Fer the young whippersnapper on here.... A 45 RPM is a vinyl record you put on a machine you called a record player... It has since been replaced by your carry around cell phone or MP3 player.... 
Same with something called an 8 track with an Inna Gadda Da Vida drum solo on it.


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## popscott (Oct 6, 2004)

Actually went back on Hulu and picked up on the first shows of My favorite martian, Beverly Hilly Billies, Lost in space, Mr Ed, daniel Boone.... wow what a scream to see how the martian got on earth, how Jed abandoned the good life and cabin for city life, and Mr Ed was a leftover from a previous owner.....
Till I got to Gilligans Island... no wonder I am the way I am... I actually thought that was the funniest stuff.... Now it is so corny it is unwatchable


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## popscott (Oct 6, 2004)

Anyone have a "Bug"... Bout burned mine up when the backseat springs shorted out the battery underneath it... Me and Mary Lou thought things were heating up until we started getting smoke in our eyes...


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

popscott said:


> Anyone have a "Bug"... Bout burned mine up when the backseat springs shorted out the battery underneath it... Me and Mary Lou thought things were heating up until we started getting smoke in our eyes...


We don't, but I had an aunt that drove a bug, and we kids would head straight to the back behind the backseat when going somewhere with her! Loved out little backseat spot!

What fun memories...


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## newfieannie (Dec 24, 2006)

I still have a record player and tons of records. we didn't have tv tables or TV for that matter. no coke or popcorn. we would make ice cream in winter. play lots of board games. dad and I played checkers for hours. when we had snow we would spend a lot of time driving around in the horse and sleigh with the bells on etc.

summer time we would make fudge, peanut brittle stuff like that. winter time too I guess. everything home made. only canned stuff I remember was franco American spaghetti and Hereford corned beef. I had a wonderful life growing up also ~Georgia


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

newfieannie said:


> I still have a record player and tons of records. we didn't have tv tables or TV for that matter. no coke or popcorn. we would make ice cream in winter. play lots of board games. dad and I played checkers for hours. when we had snow we would spend a lot of time driving around in the horse and sleigh with the bells on etc.
> 
> summer time we would make fudge, peanut brittle stuff like that. winter time too I guess. everything home made. only canned stuff I remember was franco American spaghetti and Hereford corned beef. I had a wonderful life growing up also ~Georgia


Old-fashioned board games are still (and will always be) a favourite of mine! Nothing like a game of Monopoly or Life, though we had many others... Master Mind, Scrabble, Masterpiece, Chess, Checkers, Trouble... goodness, I've forgotten more than most remember.


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## popscott (Oct 6, 2004)

We set up a card table here with a jigsaw puzzle.... in the winter time..
Takes a week... relaxing... work on it as time allows... I've had neighbors and family drop by to chat and end up sitting down and helping out.. sit it in the corner out of the way....


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

popscott said:


> We set up a card table here with a jigsaw puzzle.... in the winter time..
> Takes a week... relaxing... work on it as time allows... I've had neighbors and family drop by to chat and end up sitting down and helping out.. sit it in the corner out of the way....


Boy, does your post pull at my heartstrings.

Jigsaw puzzles were such a part of my moms life, she reveled in busying herself with jigsaw puzzles, some taking her weeks, even months to complete.

Thank you for the walk down memory lane.


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## Lisa in WA (Oct 11, 2004)

Maude said:


> Boy, does your post pull at my heartstrings.
> 
> Jigsaw puzzles were such a part of my moms life, she reveled in busying herself with jigsaw puzzles, some taking her weeks, even months to complete.
> 
> Thank you for the walk down memory lane.


my daughter is in her final year of law school and halfway through discovered the relaxation of jigsaw puzzles to clear her mind and unwind.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

Lisa in WA said:


> my daughter is in her final year of law school and halfway through discovered the relaxation of jigsaw puzzles to clear her mind and unwind.


I'm a firm-believer in the idea that everyone needs an out from the real world. Mine is gardening. When I'm gardening, I forget about and block everything out of my life, white sound included.


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## SLFarmMI (Feb 21, 2013)

Maude said:


> Old-fashioned laundry chutes, remember those?
> 
> What fun we had dropping whatever we could get our hands on down the laundry chute! Such a novelty play-thing it was! LOL!


The house we sold this past spring had a laundry chute. When we were getting it ready for sale my boys finally fessed up that they used to drop raw eggs down the chute. Apparently they would take turns holding the laundry basket and catching the eggs that the other one would drop. If the eggs didn’t break they would sneak them back in the fridge. They weren’t always successful. I never could figure out why we went through so many eggs.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

SLFarmMI said:


> The house we sold this past spring had a laundry chute. When we were getting it ready for sale my boys finally fessed up that they used to drop raw eggs down the chute. Apparently they would take turns holding the laundry basket and catching the eggs that the other one would drop. If the eggs didn’t break they would sneak them back in the fridge. They weren’t always successful. I never could figure out why we went through so many eggs.


The little devils! LOL!


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## SLFarmMI (Feb 21, 2013)

Maude said:


> The little devils! LOL!


And apparently my husband knew all about it and never told me. Or stopped it.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

SLFarmMI said:


> And apparently my husband knew all about it and never told me. Or stopped it.


Hopefully you embraced it like a feather and stuck it in your cap for the future!


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## mreynolds (Jan 1, 2015)

popscott said:


> Yea they did not lay down none to flat...


My brother glued a hula girl on the needle when we got _Surfer Girl _by the Beach Boys. I was the youngest and didn't get the joke. 

Wwwaaaayyyy younger lol.


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## Irish Pixie (May 14, 2002)

Maude said:


> Old-fashioned board games are still (and will always be) a favourite of mine! Nothing like a game of Monopoly or Life, though we had many others... Master Mind, Scrabble, Masterpiece, Chess, Checkers, Trouble... goodness, I've forgotten more than most remember.


Our youngest loves board games. I had to FaceTime her when I was going through them while cleaning the closet so she could chose the ones to keep. We did get rid of half, but Scrabble, Trouble, Clue, Harry Potter Trivia (among others) were kept. We still play when she comes home.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

Irish Pixie said:


> Our youngest loves board games. I had to FaceTime her when I was going through them while cleaning the closet so she could chose the ones to keep. We did get rid of half, but Scrabble, Trouble, Clue, Harry Potter Trivia (among others) were kept. We still play when she comes home.


Oh, yes, yes, yes... Clue, was another of my childhood favourites! Never did own the game, but a childhood friend of mine did, and we played all the time.

Just love all the memories here...


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

Pedal cars and the nifty battery-powered ride-em cars.

We had a variety of pedal type riders (nothing battery powered), but some cousins had the electric battery powered versions, and boy, were they ever fun to ride!

Can't imagine what some of the original pedal and battery-powered ride-em cars would be worth today. In fact, wish I had every single toy and gadget I was ever gifted with throughout my childhood, because I'm sure all would be serious collector's items, not that I'd get rid of any of it for money, just saying.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

Here's one that's sure to bring back a few memories for those old enough to remember.

Those old-fashioned 8mm video cameras that blinded you. Squinting, eye-closing, shying away from, turning away from... it can all be seen in our childhood Bell & Howell 8mm family movies, because of the blindingly powerful white light.

But gee, is it ever fun to get-together as a family and watch those old videos.


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## Lisa in WA (Oct 11, 2004)

Maude said:


> Pedal cars and the nifty battery-powered ride-em cars.
> 
> We had a variety of pedal type riders (nothing battery powered), but some cousins had the electric battery powered versions, and boy, were they ever fun to ride!
> 
> Can't imagine what some of the original pedal and battery-powered ride-em cars would be worth today. In fact, wish I had every single toy and gadget I was ever gifted with throughout my childhood, because I'm sure all would be serious collector's items, not that I'd get rid of any of it for money, just saying.


I just saw a pic of me in my brothers pedal powered fire truck.
I never had one but I longed for a Marvel The Mustang.

it would be fun to have a thread of childhood pics of members here.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

Lisa in WA said:


> I just saw a pic of me in my brothers pedal powered fire truck.
> I never had one but I longed for a Marvel The Mustang.
> 
> it would be fun to have a thread of childhood pics of members here.


OMG, yes, we had neighbours that had an old black, all steel pedal riding fire truck, which by all accounts looked to be homemade (from scratch), and boy, did us kids ever love to ride in it!


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## Lisa in WA (Oct 11, 2004)

Found it. Must be from around 1969 I’d guess. Probably not much fun by today’s standards.this must be at Grandmas house, given the lace tablecloth. Mom was all about “early American” decor. The eagles, pewter, and pine furniture era.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

Lisa in WA said:


> Found it. Must be from around 1969 I’d guess. Probably not much fun by today’s standards.this must be at Grandmas house, given the lace tablecloth. Mom was all about “early American” decor. The eagles, pewter, and pine furniture era.
> View attachment 80476


Oh my goodness, so sweet!!! I totally remember those red fire engine pedal riders!

Thank you so much for posting, Lisa!

Talk about a walk down memory lane!


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## mreynolds (Jan 1, 2015)

I don't know if I have any old pictures. My parents had plenty of pictures until hurricane Ike put them in Galveston Bay. May have to call my sisters.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

mreynolds said:


> I don't know if I have any old pictures. My parents had plenty of pictures until hurricane Ike put them in Galveston Bay. May have to call my sisters.


Lots of pictures here, but none scanned and transferred over to a picture file on the computer.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

With the Christmas season fast approaching, I was giving thought to the old Sears Christmas Wish Book this morning. How we kids excitedly awaited the arrival of the Wish Book each year.


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## whiterock (Mar 26, 2003)

and Montgomery Wards


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

whiterock said:


> and Montgomery Wards


Yes, and I even remember the Annual Eaton's Catalogue!


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## emdeengee (Apr 20, 2010)

Jigsaw puzzles and paint-by-number kits. A way for people with not much artistic talent to try painting. A very relaxing hobby and I know of two people in which the painting urge developed because of them. I was one. You can still buy the kits at Amazon.

The kits were *invented*, developed and marketed in 1950 by Max S. Klein, an engineer and owner of the Palmer *Paint* Company of Detroit, Michigan, and Dan Robbins, a commercial artist.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

emdeengee said:


> Jigsaw puzzles and paint-by-number kits. A way for people with not much artistic talent to try painting. A very relaxing hobby and I know of two people in which the painting urge developed because of them. I was one. You can still buy the kits at Amazon.
> 
> The kits were *invented*, developed and marketed in 1950 by Max S. Klein, an engineer and owner of the Palmer *Paint* Company of Detroit, Michigan, and Dan Robbins, a commercial artist.


Yes, and I remember Doodle-Art, funky large sized posters that came with coloured markers (felt pens) that you used to colour the posters! Took weeks... even months, depending on how much time you spent on it.


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## Lisa in WA (Oct 11, 2004)

This stuff. I LOVED IT. Though it could have been that we could get high off the fumes.
http://www.midlifecrisishawaii.com/2013/03/25/do-you-remember-dip-a-flower/


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

Lisa in WA said:


> This stuff. I LOVED IT. Though it could have been that we could get high off the fumes.
> http://www.midlifecrisishawaii.com/2013/03/25/do-you-remember-dip-a-flower/


Now that one escapes me, Lisa. I can't for the life of me remember them, but I do remember the strong gaseous fumes of the black balloon chemical stuff we had as kids.

It came in a plastic bottle, and you dipped the plastic straw into the bottle, just enough to cover the tip, then gently blew to form a big, black, stretchy balloon, and the fumes were over the top strong.

Hope someone else remember this old 60's/70's kid thing.


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## Lisa in WA (Oct 11, 2004)

Maude said:


> Now that one escapes me, Lisa. I can't for the life of me remember them, but I do remember the strong gaseous fumes of the black balloon chemical stuff we had as kids.
> 
> It came in a plastic bottle, and you dipped the plastic straw into the bottle, just enough to cover the tip, then gently blew to form a big, black, stretchy balloon, and the fumes were over the top strong.
> 
> Hope someone else remember this old 60's/70's kid thing.


I do remember the balloon thing. It never seemed to really work and was always a disappointment but was a regular item in party favors bags at friends birthday parties. Along with the paddle with the rubber ball attached by an elastic string


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

Lisa in WA said:


> I do remember the balloon thing. It never seemed to really work and was always a disappointment but was a regular item in party favors bags at friends birthday parties. Along with the paddle with the rubber ball attached by an elastic string


Glad you remember!

I seem to remember the same, just a big, black, sticky balloon, didn't float, didn't do much, and yes, absolutely, those old paddles with the rubber ball attached by an elastic, I totally remember!


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## [email protected] (Sep 16, 2009)

yo-yo's, hula hoops, flying saucers. (round plastic thing to slide down a snowy slope) before they became popular, we borrowed sheets of sheet metal from dad's shop. He installed furnaces and made his own pipes.
It still amazes me as how nobody ever got sliced with edges of those sheets..
we went sliding down our street. two blocks long.
had to cross 12th street. nobody ever got hit by a car.
another miracle.. the police would occasionally drive by and chase us off the road. but they didn't hang around so within minutes we were back at it..
we had a tobagen run starting at the top corner of our yard, across out road, through the neighbor's garden, off a slight drop off, across another neighbor's yard, across a small field, across the county road and as far as we could coast in the Kraft Foods field. about 3 blocks long.
........


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

[email protected] said:


> yo-yo's, hula hoops, flying saucers. (round plastic thing to slide down a snowy slope) before they became popular, we borrowed sheets of sheet metal from dad's shop. He installed furnaces and made his own pipes.
> It still amazes me as how nobody ever got sliced with edges of those sheets..
> we went sliding down our street. two blocks long.
> had to cross 12th street. nobody ever got hit by a car.
> ...


Such wonderful memories allowing me to conjure up images of events! What I'd give to be able to revisit my childhood days and go tobogganing again while on Christmas vacation!


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## SLFarmMI (Feb 21, 2013)

[email protected] said:


> yo-yo's, hula hoops, flying saucers. (round plastic thing to slide down a snowy slope) before they became popular, we borrowed sheets of sheet metal from dad's shop. He installed furnaces and made his own pipes.
> It still amazes me as how nobody ever got sliced with edges of those sheets..
> we went sliding down our street. two blocks long.
> had to cross 12th street. nobody ever got hit by a car.
> ...


Did your dad put a layer of oil on the bottom of the sheet metal like mine did? Those things could fly with just a little oil! I’m beginning to think my dad had a little bit of a sadistic side.


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## SLFarmMI (Feb 21, 2013)

Maude said:


> Glad you remember!
> 
> I seem to remember the same, just a big, black, sticky balloon, didn't float, didn't do much, and yes, absolutely, those old paddles with the rubber ball attached by an elastic, I totally remember!


Super Elastic Bubble Plastic! I remember it well.

Let the tiny balls of plastic dry out bit and they made awesome blow gun ammo to shoot at your sister. Not that I would ever do that, of course.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

SLFarmMI said:


> Super Elastic Bubble Plastic! I remember it well.
> 
> Let the tiny balls of plastic dry out bit and they made awesome blow gun ammo to shoot at your sister. Not that I would ever do that, of course.


By golly-gee, I seem to remember that name! Great memory you have!

We sisters definitely put up with a lot from brothers young and old!


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## alida (Feb 8, 2015)

Lisa in WA said:


> This stuff. I LOVED IT. Though it could have been that we could get high off the fumes.
> http://www.midlifecrisishawaii.com/2013/03/25/do-you-remember-dip-a-flower/


Not only do I remember this, I got one of those kits for Christmas one year. My sister and I made a bouquet of flowers which Mom, bless her, displayed on one of the shelves in the living room for several years. 

I also had doodle art posters too and a couple paint by number kits. I think that the colouring books for adults are contemporary versions of doodle art posters from the '70's. I still see paint by numbers for sale in some stores around here. hummmmm


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

alida said:


> Not only do I remember this, I got one of those kits for Christmas one year. My sister and I made a bouquet of flowers which Mom, bless her, displayed on one of the shelves in the living room for several years.
> 
> I also had doodle art posters too and a couple paint by number kits. I think that the colouring books for adults are contemporary versions of doodle art posters from the '70's. I still see paint by numbers for sale in some stores around here. hummmmm


Gosh, I haven't seen paint-by-numbers art in ages, but do remember having a book of paint-by-numbers as a young child.

Moms are the best!


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## SLADE (Feb 20, 2004)

I'm Thinking about the holidays and what it was like as a kid.
Everyone had thanksgiving and Christmas at my Nana's.
The thanksgiving meal was very traditional with all the trimmings.
The men hunted all morning and we kids all went out to slide, skate or ski.
About 2 the meal was set and fit for King and Queen.
Christmas time was a big deal as I had church duties as I was the alter boy.
The priest was a great guy named father Martel.
I remember the smells of Christmas. The food that was cooking.The balsam, tangerines, mixed nuts, ribbon candy, pie's and cakes. on and on. God it was good.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

SRSLADE said:


> I'm Thinking about the holidays and what it was like as a kid.
> Everyone had thanksgiving and Christmas at my Nana's.
> The thanksgiving meal was very traditional with all the trimmings.
> The men hunted all morning and we kids all went out to slide, skate or ski.
> ...


Great list!

Whenever I see your username, I think about the Flintstones. Remember Mr. Slate? I know your name is Slade, but Mr. Slate, always comes to mind for me. 

Anyhow, your post reminds me so much of my own childhood. I remember scurrying around (and under) grandmas large dining room table in anticipation of a large family meal/gathering. There was uncles and aunts, and cousins galore! Everything could be found on the table... green olives with pimentos, black olives, all sorts of varieties of pickles, and the list goes on. Such great memories.

Melancholy sets in whenever I think about those long, lost days.


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## mreynolds (Jan 1, 2015)

SRSLADE said:


> I'm Thinking about the holidays and what it was like as a kid.
> Everyone had thanksgiving and Christmas at my Nana's.
> The thanksgiving meal was very traditional with all the trimmings.
> The men hunted all morning and we kids all went out to slide, skate or ski.
> ...



Our Thanksgiving was always laying the ribbon cane by for seed. Then the compost pile and of course feeding the animals. We all worked hard to get it done by lunch so we could eat. Then the rest of the day we watched football as a family. I guess that is one reason I am so much into football. I should be just as much into laying the cane by but that doesn't register as much on my memory scale lol.


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## SLADE (Feb 20, 2004)

Maude said:


> Great list!
> 
> Whenever I see your username, I think about the Flintstones. Remember Mr. Slate? I know your name is Slade, but Mr. Slate, always comes to mind for me.
> 
> ...


I do remember Mr slate. I loved the flintstones and the jetsons.
Years ago the name slade was quite often used for the evil skinflint in movies and even books.


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## Elevenpoint (Nov 17, 2009)

Agent Zero M Sonic Blaster gun.
I think this was 1967 as I remember this Christmas and we moved to the country in the fall of 1968 and this pic is our old house.
For me this was the equivalent of the Red Ryder bb gun obsession in the movie.


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## SLADE (Feb 20, 2004)

elevenpoint said:


> Agent Zero M Sonic Blaster gun.
> I think this was 1967 as I remember this Christmas and we moved to the country in the fall of 1968 and this pic is our old house.
> For me this was the equivalent of the Red Ryder bb gun obsession in the movie.
> View attachment 80998


Could you put an eye out with that thing?


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## Elevenpoint (Nov 17, 2009)

SRSLADE said:


> Could you put an eye out with that thing?


Not sure but Consumer Reports tested it to a deafening 157db.
It was rated not acceptable.
I don't remember what happened to it but I'm sure after terrorizing my sister and parents my dad disposed of it.
One in the original box went for 3K at an auction not long ago.


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## SLFarmMI (Feb 21, 2013)

Maude said:


> By golly-gee, I seem to remember that name! Great memory you have!
> 
> We sisters definitely put up with a lot from brothers young and old!


She definitely earned any tormenting she got! She thought because I was the younger sister she could boss me around.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

SLFarmMI said:


> She definitely earned any tormenting she got! She thought because I was the younger sister she could boss me around.


ROFLMAO! I used to get the old... "just cause you're older than us doesn't mean you can boss us around" routine from my younger siblings (all the time) when I'd babysit them. The little stinkers.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

Anyone remember watching the television show, Harrowsmith Country Life, with Mairlyn Smith? Or reading the magazine?


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## [email protected] (Sep 16, 2009)

American Bandstand?
Red Skelton ?
Spike Jones band ?
Honey Mooners ?
Gunsmoke?
Wagon Train ?


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

[email protected] said:


> American Bandstand?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Still love watching old classics such as Gunsmoke, Bonanza, Peter Gunn, and so many more! IMO nothing compared to good ole classic television.


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## newfieannie (Dec 24, 2006)

I wasn't into jigsaw puzzles much I was mostly baking or in a corner somewhere reading . I talked to my bro last night. he just started one with over 1000 pieces. I told him he had high hopes starting that at 90. I'm not that good with them but he just sails through them.


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## SLADE (Feb 20, 2004)

sergeant preston of the yukon
Rin tin tin
Pow wow the indian boy
shot gun slade
the rifle man
Sea hunt


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## popscott (Oct 6, 2004)

great site for free classic movies

http://free-classic-movies.com/index.php


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## 101pigs (Sep 18, 2018)

Maude said:


> What about flying kites? Gee-whiz, kite flying was such a big thing when I was a kid. The higher - the better! Pushing the envelope, having just one tidbit of string left on the roll! So high our kites looked like specs in the sky!


Kites was a big past time around age 10-12. In the country we made our own about twice the size of a regular kit. News paper or wrapping paper. Good strong wind we used string from feed sacks. Kite would be out over the woods and when all the string was used up we let the string go and the **** would go down 172 mile away. In the country when young we made just about all our own toys. Used rocks and other things for our toy autos. Made a lot of roads and bridges etc. along the road.


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## popscott (Oct 6, 2004)

Classic TV

http://archive.org/details/classic_tv?&sort=-downloads&page=3

Heck the whole site is loaded with whatever

http://archive.org/


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

101pigs said:


> Kites was a big past time around age 10-12. In the country we made our own about twice the size of a regular kit. News paper or wrapping paper. Good strong wind we used string from feed sacks. Kite would be out over the woods and when all the string was used up we let the string go and the **** would go down 172 mile away. In the country when young we made just about all our own toys. Used rocks and other things for our toy autos. Made a lot of roads and bridges etc. along the road.


Great memories! I remember the old homemade box kites which were so large and cumbersome looking, one would think there was no way such a contraption could ever even get off the ground, but once airborne those kites rose like no other.

Such warm memories reminiscing about the past, as it never fails to take me back in time to a place I wish I could be once again. How I miss those old days...

Thank you for the walk down memory lane, 101.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

newfieannie said:


> I wasn't into jigsaw puzzles much I was mostly baking or in a corner somewhere reading . I talked to my bro last night. he just started one with over 1000 pieces. I told him he had high hopes starting that at 90. I'm not that good with them but he just sails through them.


I recall how popular it was to lacquer the surface of a completed puzzle back in the day, and hang them like a picture on the wall.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

popscott said:


> Classic TV
> 
> http://archive.org/details/classic_tv?&sort=-downloads&page=3
> 
> ...


This is fantastic! Thank you so much for posting!


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

Does anyone remember the old Tommy Hunter closing song, Travellin Man?

My mom never missed a Tommy Hunter show, and to this day listening to Travellin Man, brings back such warm memories for me.

In fact, so many of the old 60's and 70's theme songs of classic television shows such as Love Boat, Taxi, The Brady Bunch, The Partridge Family, and of course I can't leave out the likes of shows such as Too Close for Comfort, Night Court, Three's Company, The Facts of Life, Benson, and I can ramble on with so many others.


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## MichaelZ (May 21, 2013)

Used to bike to my friends up the road and watch the monster movie on Saturday afternoon. Then after that we would swing on the rope in the barn and I would invariably hang around and have dinner with them. They were Hispanic, which is probably why I love very spicy food to this day!


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## Elevenpoint (Nov 17, 2009)

Maude said:


> Does anyone remember the old Tommy Hunter closing song, Travellin Man?
> 
> My mom never missed a Tommy Hunter show, and to this day listening to Travellin Man, brings back such warm memories for me.
> 
> In fact, so many of the old 60's and 70's theme songs of classic television shows such as Love Boat, Taxi, The Brady Bunch, The Partridge Family, and of course I can't leave out the likes of shows such as Too Close for Comfort, Night Court, Three's Company, The Facts of Life, Benson, and I can ramble on with so many others.


I get all of those shows with over the air antenna, Mannix, Conrad, Johnny Carson every night at 9, Superman, Batman, etc.
No need for cable or dish here.


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## JJ Grandits (Nov 10, 2002)

I grew up in a working class neighborhood populated by polish immigrants or their first generation children.
It was the greatest place in the world. As young teens we would visit our friends on Christmas eve. You would go into the house filled with people all talking English, Polish or a combination of both. The mother of who ever you were visiting would look at you like you haven't eaten in two weeks and then fill you full of outstanding Polish cooking. His Father would look at us and say ( in a heavy Polish accent), "Hey boys, come down to the basement, I want to show you something". We would than follow him down and at his work bench he would give us each a shot of Black Velvet whiskey and a 16oz. bottle of beer saying, "Merry Christmas boys, don't tell mama".
We would than go down the street to visit another buddy. We'd walk in the house and his mother would look at us like we haven't eaten in two weeks and again fill us full of homemade delicacies. After we were done eating his father would say,(Polish accent) "Hey boys, come out to the garage, I want to show you something". The same scenerio as before followed up with "Don't tell mama".
And then down the street we went.
By the time we hit midnight Mass we were singing with all the gusto our young hearts could muster.
The nuns were very impressed.
They suspected that maybe they were getting through to us.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

elevenpoint said:


> I get all of those shows with over the air antenna, Mannix, Conrad, Johnny Carson every night at 9, Superman, Batman, etc.
> No need for cable or dish here.


I wasn't jealous before, but I sure am now!


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## [email protected] (Sep 16, 2009)

during summer vacation from school they would show movies outdoors once a week at John Marshal school.
the screen was on the side of the school building. we sat on the ground. It was a 2 1/2 mile walk to get there. there would be bunches of kids coming from every direction. on our way home we walked through the big cemetery. some boys would run ahead and hide and jump out to scare the other kids.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

[email protected] said:


> during summer vacation from school they would show movies outdoors once a week at John Marshal school.
> the screen was on the side of the school building. we sat on the ground. It was a 2 1/2 mile walk to get there. there would be bunches of kids coming from every direction. on our way home we walked through the big cemetery. some boys would run ahead and hide and jump out to scare the other kids.


Your post prompted me to remember my early years, getting caught up playing in downed autumn leaves on the way home from school. Such warm memories where time didn't matter, and every day was a play-day. No pressure, no stress.


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## emdeengee (Apr 20, 2010)

It is probably a trick of the memory but I remember summer vacations as nearly always being hot and sunny. And when it did rain we had the best time staying indoors and playing games all day long.

We travelled a lot on summer vacation to join my Dad wherever he was working but when we did stay home Mom took us somewhere nearly everyday. The favourite place was just a short walk from our apartment building, across the old streetcar tracks and down to the river's edge. 

Mom would get all of her housework done early in the morning and prepare lunch - often hot - that she would pack into an insulated picnic bag. We would head out at about 10:30 and spend the whole day at the river just swimming and lazing around. Lots of other mothers and kids and their dogs there. We would walk home after the heat of the day and sleep like the rocks we played on in the river.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

emdeengee said:


> It is probably a trick of the memory but I remember summer vacations as nearly always being hot and sunny. And when it did rain we had the best time staying indoors and playing games all day long.
> 
> We travelled a lot on summer vacation to join my Dad wherever he was working but when we did stay home Mom took us somewhere nearly everyday. The favourite place was just a short walk from our apartment building, across the old streetcar tracks and down to the river's edge.
> 
> Mom would get all of her housework done early in the morning and prepare lunch - often hot - that she would pack into an insulated picnic bag. We would head out at about 10:30 and spend the whole day at the river just swimming and lazing around. Lots of other mothers and kids and their dogs there. We would walk home after the heat of the day and sleep like the rocks we played on in the river.


Summers were hot for us, too, but we lived a mere few minute walk away from a beach, so spent many-a day swimming and having fun at the beach, and on days we were at home, out came the Water Wiggle or sprinkler snake. It used to turn the end of the garden hose into a, well... have a look-see for yourself!






We were poor, so there was no vacations or travel for us, but looking back on my childhood now, we didn't miss out on much, and really, being able to stay home, do our own things, play with all our friends, and do whatever we wanted, IMO, trumped being on vacation somewhere or at someone's house, away from all that we knew.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

Tetherball... hands-up if you remember playing!

We played for hours at a time!


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## [email protected] (Sep 16, 2009)

comic books, boxes full of them, lots of covers missing, but who needed the covers ? Except the kids who sent for the Dick Tracy wrist band ..
Monopoly. set up the game on our enclosed porch and left it set up. Played the game to the very end. sometimes it took days. Donny S. usually won everything in the end..
swimming: it depended where we were at. at the farm the river was just down the hill about a quarter of a mile.
when we were home in town, we walked down a mile and a half of railroad tracks to the municipal pool. they had free swimming from 9AM til noon. then we walked back home in the blistering sun which negated any swimming we did earlier.
.....jiminwisc....


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

[email protected] said:


> comic books, boxes full of them, lots of covers missing, but who needed the covers ? Except the kids who sent for the Dick Tracy wrist band ..
> Monopoly. set up the game on our enclosed porch and left it set up. Played the game to the very end. sometimes it took days. Donny S. usually won everything in the end..
> .....jiminwisc....


OMG, yes, comic books! And the cheesy ads for dirty face/hand soap, hand buzzers (shockers), gigantic Frankenstein figures, ghost figures, and on and on those ads went.


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## Evons hubby (Oct 3, 2005)

Can we still get sea monkeys? Haven't seen an ad for those things in years!


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

Yvonne's hubby said:


> Can we still get sea monkeys? Haven't seen an ad for those things in years!


Good question. We ordered them as kids, and with special plastic magnifying glass (included in package), we could watch our sea monkeys which resembled not 1% of what the comic ad portrayed.


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## Evons hubby (Oct 3, 2005)

Maude said:


> Good question. We ordered them as kids, and with special plastic magnifying glass (included in package), we could watch our sea monkeys which resembled not 1% of what the comic ad portrayed.


Glad I didn't send off for any then. Sure wanted to from the ads though.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

Yvonne's hubby said:


> Glad I didn't send off for any then. Sure wanted to from the ads though.


You didn't miss a thing! LOL! 

I agree, so many of those old comic book ads were super appealing to us kids, and while we didn't have the money for such, we still dreamed. I remember a kid at school had the hand-buzzer or zapper, whatever it was called, and he'd go around shaking everyone's hands to give them a zap.


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## JJ Grandits (Nov 10, 2002)

Like "Snap gum" and "Xray glasses"?

HOW ABOUT "Itching Powder"?

How about the old wives tales?

If you go all the way over the bar on the swing set at the park you will turn inside out.

So will being sucked under the merry-go -round.

Giving a dog chocolate will give him worms.

Step on a crack will break your mother's back. My cousin would get so mad at his mom and go outside and find a crack in the sidewalk and stomp all over it. Than he would go inside, look at his mother and come back out and try it again.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

JJ Grandits said:


> Like "Snap gum" and "Xray glasses"?
> 
> HOW ABOUT "Itching Powder"?
> 
> ...


OMG, talk about a walk down memory lane reading your post! Love it! 

Yes, itching powder, X-ray glasses (LOL), and so many more! I've forgotten more than most probably can remember. 

Oh my word, yes, old wives tales! I remember (back in the day) when old wives tales were super-duper popular... always someone repeating or telling an old wives tale. What great memories.

LOL, about your cousin! I'll just bet he was a handful as a young child. 

One old wives tale, told to me by an old Italian neighbour of ours, that when a woman is pregnant, to never drink red wine, because the baby will be born with a port-wine birthmark, and so many more.


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## Witch's Broom (Dec 23, 2017)

Was just thinking back to my childhood this evening, and remembered a little something related to Christmas.

I remember how excited I used to get when dad and mom could afford icicles for the tree, and how defeated I felt when Christmas came and went, and we had no icicles for the tree that year.

Also remember mom carefully saving icicles from year-to-year when money was tight, and how much more difficult it was to hang them, because they'd all be twisted, bent, and tangled.

We never did have a Christmas Tree skirt for under, and I remember how hot the bulbs would get. Also remember adding a sugar and water mix to the tree-stand pot to help keep the tree hydrated for longer, and remember vacuuming up all of the loose needles once Christmas was over.

Always had a fresh-cut tree for Christmas as a kid.


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## AmericanStand (Jul 29, 2014)

My favorite old wives tale is that a piece of red flannel wrapped around your neck will cure your sore throat

It actually works!

What makes it an old wives tale is it doesn’t have to be red flannel ,anything you wrap around your neck to keep it warm will usually cure it in 24 hours. 
I suspect the way this one got started is lots of those old wives probably had a piece of red flannel in their sewing box


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