primitives discuss being older than dirt

[franksolich]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1183494

Oh my.

trof (43,183 posts)    Thu Jan 31, 2013, 06:01 PM

Are you older than dirt?

Damn,I'm older than dirt !!

Someone asked the other day, 'What was your favorite fast food when you were growing up?'
 
'We didn't have fast food when I was growing up ??.

I informed him , 'All the food was slow.'

'C'mon, seriously. Where did you eat?'

'It was a place called 'at home,' I explained.

'Mom cooked every day and when Dad got home from work, we sat down together at the dining room table,& if I didn't like what she put on my plate, I was allowed to sit there until I did like it.'

By this time, the kid was laughing so hard I was afraid he was going to suffer serious internal damage, so I didn't tell him the part about how I had to have permission to leave the table.
 
Here are some other things I would have told him about my childhood if I figured his system could have handled it :
 
Some parents NEVER owned their own house, wore Levis , set foot on a golf course, traveled out of the country or had a credit card.

My parents never drove me to school. I had a bicycle that weighed probably 50 pounds, and only had one speed, (slow).

We didn't have a television in our house until I was 18. It was, of course, black and white, and the station went off the air at 11, after playing the national anthem and a poem about God. It came back on the air at about 6 a.m. and there was usually a locally produced news and farm show on, featuring local people...
 
I never had a telephone in my room. The only phone was on a party line. Before you could dial, you had to listen and make sure some people you didn't know weren't already using the line.
 
Pizzas were not delivered to our home... But milk and bread was.

All newspapers were delivered by boys and all boys delivered newspapers -- my brother delivered an afternoon newspaper, six days a week. He had to get up at 6AM to deliver it on Sunday mornings.
 
Movie stars kissed with their mouths shut. At least, they did in the movies. There were no movie ratings because all movies were responsibly produced for everyone to enjoy viewing, without profanity or violence or most anything offensive.
 
If you grew up in a generation before there was fast food, you may want to share some of these memories with your children or grandchildren. Just don't blame me if they bust a gut laughing.
 
Growing up isn't what it used to be, is it?

MEMORIES:

A man was cleaning out his mother's house and he brought his daughter an old Royal Crown Cola bottle. In the bottle top was a stopper with a bunch of holes in it.. She knew immediately what it was, but her daughter didn't. Saying someone had tried to make it a salt shaker or something. But the mother knew it as the bottle that sat on the end of the ironing board to 'sprinkle' clothes with because there were no steam irons. Man, I am old.
 
How many do you remember?

Head lights dimmer switches on the floor.
Ignition switches on the dashboard.
Pant leg clips for bicycles without chain guards.
Soldering irons you heat on a gas burner.
Using hand signals for cars without turn signals..

Older Than Dirt Quiz :
Count all the ones that you remember ,, NOT the ones you were told about !!
Ratings at the bottom.

1. Candy cigarettes
2. Coffee shops with tableside juke boxes
3. Home milk delivery in glass bottles
4. Party lines on the telephones
5. Newsreels before the movie
6. TV test patterns that came on at night after the last show and were there until TV shows started again in the morning. (there were only 3 channels ( if you were fortunate).
7. Peashooters
8. Howdy Doody
9. 45 RPM records
10. Hi-Fis
11. Metal ice trays with lever
12. Blue flashbulbs
13. Cork popguns
14. Studebakers
15. Wash tub wringers

If you remembered 0-3 = You're still young
If you remembered 3-6 = You are getting older
If you remembered 7-10 = Don't tell your age, &
If you remembered 11-15 = You're older than dirt !!! THAT'S ME !!!

Suich (8,596 posts)    Thu Jan 31, 2013, 06:26 PM

3. The very first fast food place I remember was in 1952 (I was 9) and they sold 19 cent hamburgers. Don't know what the place was called but it was on the corner of Sandy Blvd. and NE 33rd in Portland, Oregon!

fadedrose (5,606 posts)    Thu Jan 31, 2013, 07:04 PM

4. 14 - I was too poor for a cork popgun.

How about the flippable card - 10/15/20/25 - you put the number up of the pounds of ice you wanted delivered for your icebox.
 
Remember a huge tub that you used on the cellar floor that you filled with pots of water for a bath? They finally bought one with claws feet that had paint on it - some rich people must have been throwing it out.
 
Remember sprinkling clothes?

Remember "Let's Pretend" on Saturday mornings at 10 am? Sky King, Sgt. Preston and his dog King, Amos N Andy, George & Gracie, Red Skelton, Bill Stern, Lone Ranger on radio?
 
REMEMBER THE US SAVINGS BONDS sold by celebrities? for $18.75 ($25) and higher, and how you saved .l10 cents on a card till it was filled and you could get a bond. I've written to every gov official & tv people too to see if the paper bond could be risen from the dead....no go.

fadedrose (5,606 posts)    Thu Jan 31, 2013, 09:08 PM

10. My big sisters listened to them while they were ironing...everything got ironed...pillowcases, sheets, aprons, dish towels...what a waste of time that was..of course they were sprinkled first, and possibly rewashed if not ironed soon enough and they started to smell.
 
It's a real occasion, like somebody died, and needs a white shirt to be ironed, that I even open my ironing board.

Little Star (10,650 posts)    Thu Jan 31, 2013, 07:27 PM

5. I'm older than dirt and...

my dresses were made from pretty flowered chicken feed bags which I got to go to the store and pick out the one I liked. We had no running water in the house but a hand pump out in the yard. We did have a two seater outhouse with the very useful Sears Roebuck catalog standing ready. I could go on but you get the picture, I'm older than dirt!

trof (43,183 posts)    Thu Jan 31, 2013, 07:40 PM

8. On 'two seater' outhouses...

It's hard for me to imagine sharing that 'function' with someone sitting beside you.

<<<wonders about that^^^ too.

fadedrose (5,606 posts)    Thu Jan 31, 2013, 09:11 PM

11. I had relatives on a farm that had them...

But they were the first people I knew to get a real bathroom...we still had the big tub..the round one made of some kind of shiny steel that didn't rust.
 
Wish I had that big tub...wonder what happened to it

Little Star (10,650 posts)    Thu Jan 31, 2013, 09:30 PM

12. When you were young those outhouse holes were very scary...

I was so afraid I'd fall in. So I was glad to have my Aunt or Grandmother in there at the same time as me, lol. If they came in from the field to bring one of us kids, I'm sure they were glad to have the extra seat so we could hurry back to the field. Or many times it was two or more of us kids being brought so I guess it was just more efficient.

fadedrose (5,606 posts)    Thu Jan 31, 2013, 09:05 PM

9. My mom used big flowered flour sacks - and LIVE chickens

My mom or dad went to a chicken store and picked out a chicken, a live one.

The butcher chopped its head off and the poor thing ran around all over the store till it dropped. He quickly pulled out the feathers (which went into pillows & perinas - that's a big big fluffy quilt - that I later found out I wa allergic to and went to school with a runny nose for years) and we took the chicken home and ate it. No wonder I care about animals so much. It was hard for me to watch...

Little Star (10,650 posts)   Thu Jan 31, 2013, 09:55 PM

14. Sorry that it was hard for you to see that......

It must have been horrible for you if you never had seen anything like that before.
 
For me, on the other hand, it was just a matter of life. My grandmother use to be the one who chopped off the chicken's heads right there in the side field. We kids were taught how to do it. Though this for me, all happened on our farm right in Cheshire, CT. My family were mountain people from Georgia who mostly lived off the land. We slaughtered at least one pig a year and I can still see them hanging from the tree limb so the blood could drain out. My Grandmother loved her squirrel and would have my uncle go shoot her some quite often. I just grew up that way. We were very poor.
 
I wouldn't trade those first 11 or 12 years of my life for all the money in the world. It was a great life if you were a kid. Three houses huddled together at the end of a long dirt drive way surrounded by fields of produce in the summer months. Watermelon right off the vine, crashed on a big rock to break it open then eaten with a bare hand right there in the field. Plenty of cousins to play with and extended family grownups watching over all us kids. Sigh. Wonderful memories.
 
Then my mother got remarried moved me and my sister away and my life changed.

Silver Gaia (1,421 posts)    Fri Feb 1, 2013, 05:42 AM

18. My family didn't chop their heads off.

They would wring them off. I remember somebody made a home movie (new-fangled stuff) of my aunt wringing the head off a chicken. They would play this, and laugh, then wind it backwards to see the poor chicken's head go back on. They thought that was a riot. So gross. Ew. Yuck. My brothers and I all thought it was disgusting.
 
One year, Grandma and Grandpa raised some ducks. One of them was a special favorite of mine. Grandma cooked it and tried to make me eat it, but I wouldn't do it. She swore it wasn't "my" duck, but I knew better.

Downwinder (6,606 posts)    Thu Jan 31, 2013, 10:14 PM

15. Checker Cabs with the fold down seats.

wooden station wagons.

Crosley cars.

Coal furnaces with radiators.

Little Star (10,650 posts)    Fri Feb 1, 2013, 02:23 PM

23. One of my aunts had coal heat....

they use to have a shoot to drop the coal into her basement. But they had (I think they were called) registers. They were holes in the floor covered with a grate. When I'd visit, those were great for listening to the grownups on the main floor when we kids were sent upstairs to bed.

trof (43,183 posts)    Fri Feb 1, 2013, 06:29 PM

25. We had a coal furnace.

Grandpa would fill the hopper in the cellar with coal and a big spiral screw would slowly feed the coal into the furnace. That was called an Iron Fireman, IIRC.

We spread the clinkers (ashes) in the alley.

We had radiators with steam heat.

pipi_k (15,273 posts)    Fri Feb 1, 2013, 06:42 PM

26. We had coal heat at my house too and I would watch the coal truck come and and deposit the coal into the basement through a window via a chute attached to the truck. My dad would go down and shovel it into the furnace...like one of those old time train guys shovelling coal into the engines.
 
Another thing kids of today wouldn't remember...

No garbage disposals in the sink...we had a garbage pail out in the yard. You went out and stepped on the foot lever thing on the cover and dropped the garbage in. Once a week the garbage guys on their truck would come to empty the pails. There was always an...aroma...in the air then.

Little Star (10,650 posts)   Sat Feb 2, 2013, 03:01 AM

27. We had one of those when we left the farm for what..

was the big city for me (it was actually just a medium size town). I think it was pig farmers who use to come empty those pails every couple of days because it was a four tenement house. But I can remember the maggots during the hot weather, ick!

pipi_k (15,273 posts)   Sat Feb 2, 2013, 12:57 PM

28. OMG yes!!!

the maggots!

Being sort of a weird kid, I would open the cover a few times a day just to watch them.

[JohnnyReb]

Even the old as dirt DUmmies were spoiled, overly priviledged, losers.

Chopping wood, carrying in fire wood, building a fire around a cast iron wash pot, hanging clothes on the fence,etc.......at least we had running water, "BOY! Run to the well and get us a bucket of water"

....and 3 TV channels....we had one channel when we finally got a TV.

[franksolich]

Even the old as dirt DUmmies were spoiled, overly priviledged, losers.

Chopping wood, carrying in fire wood, building a fire around a cast iron wash pot, hanging clothes on the fence,etc.......at least we had running water, "BOY! Run to the well and get us a bucket of water"

....and 3 TV channels....we had one channel when we finally got a TV.

When I was small, I used to find old Cub Scout and Boy Scout "projects" of the three older brothers, usually in the basement or up in the loft of the garage.

One of the things that apparently was quite common in the good old days was taking soda-bottle caps, turning them upset down, and nailing them to a board, making shoe- and boot-scrapers?

Ever hear of that?

[JohnnyReb]

When I was small, I used to find old Cub Scout and Boy Scout "projects" of the three older brothers, usually in the basement or up in the loft of the garage.

One of the things that apparently was quite common in the good old days was taking soda-bottle caps, turning them upset down, and nailing them to a board, making shoe- and boot-scrapers?

Ever hear of that?

Heck yeah....we had chickens running loose on the yard and cows to feed so something to clean your shoes was required....made a many one. Also used to used them to play checkers. Take an old cardboard box from a case of motor oil (when there were 24 tin can quarts in a case) and make the checker board and then use the drink bottle caps for the checkers...every country store had a home made checker board and a bench for the old men to play on.

[GOBUCKS]

When I was a kid our refrigerator had a freezer compartment big enough for a couple of ice trays and a couple of popsicles.

And in the fridge and pantry containers were all either metal or glass.

The underside of pop bottle caps had a layer of cork.

[Freeper]

When I was a kid our refrigerator had a freezer compartment big enough for a couple of ice trays and a couple of popsicles.

And in the fridge and pantry containers were all either metal or glass.

The underside of pop bottle caps had a layer of cork.

I thought they would have still had ice boxes when you were a kid.

[Mr Mannn]

These old codgers at DU have no idea they will pay big time for Obama's Health care and they will be denied/placed on waiting lists, because they are too old to spend govt money on.

Back in my day, we had health care for the young And the OLD. Too bad Democrats want you dead.

[BattleHymn]

Even the old as dirt DUmmies were spoiled, overly priviledged, losers.

Chopping wood, carrying in fire wood, building a fire around a cast iron wash pot, hanging clothes on the fence,etc.......at least we had running water, "BOY! Run to the well and get us a bucket of water"

....and 3 TV channels....we had one channel when we finally got a TV.

Johnny, I hope you don't mind me asking, but about how old are you?  I've wondered, but never asked.

[franksolich]

Johnny, I hope you don't mind me asking, but about how old are you?  I've wondered, but never asked.

Our good and esteemed friend Johnny is an exact contemporary of both the adroit sparkling old dude and one of my late older brothers.  I'll bet it's even the same day.

[franksolich]

Johnny, I hope you don't mind me asking, but about how old are you?  I've wondered, but never asked.

Another clue, as Johnny tends to not get back to people.

JohnnyReb graduated from high school the same year South Carolina voted (R) for the first time in its history.

[GOBUCKS]

I thought they would have still had ice boxes when you were a kid.

Iceboxes pretty much disappeared in the late thirties, early forties.

Before my day. I've never seen one in use. Can you still buy block ice?

[Freeper]

Iceboxes pretty much disappeared in the late thirties, early forties.

Before my day. I've never seen one in use. Can you still buy block ice?

I thought you were a kid in the thirties. 

[franksolich]

I thought you were a kid in the thirties. 

Well now, you're probably not old enough to remember before refrigerators had automatic ice-makers.

<<<am old enough.

[diesel driver]

Iceboxes pretty much disappeared in the late thirties, early forties.

Before my day. I've never seen one in use. Can you still buy block ice?

The only place I've seen it is at some Food City stores.  They also sell Dry Ice.

Now, as for this:

1. Candy cigarettes  Yep, and I also remember cigarette vending machines.
2. Coffee shops with tableside juke boxes   Seen a few.
3. Home milk delivery in glass bottles   No need for home delivery.  I grew up on a dairy farm.  "Home delivery" meant someone took the milk jug to the barn to fill it back up!
4. Party lines on the telephones  Yep, and I also remember crank telephones.
5. Newsreels before the movie  Nope.
6. TV test patterns that came on at night after the last show and were there until TV shows started again in the morning. (there were only 3 channels ( if you were fortunate).  Yep, we had 3 channels, 2 were NBC, and 1 was CBS.  My brothers and I would use the Indian Head for target practice with our dart guns.
7. Peashooters  Nope, BB guns and firecrackers.
8. Howdy Doody  That's what we have in the White House now, right?  Buffalo Joe and Howdy Doody? 
9. 45 RPM records  That don't impress me.  Break out the 67's!
10. Hi-Fis  60's lingo for stereo.
11. Metal ice trays with lever  Have them?  I still USE them!
12. Blue flashbulbs  Magicubes
13. Cork popguns  Real guns
14. Studebakers  Had an uncle that had a Studebaker pickup.
15. Wash tub wringers  Wringer washer

Who would have thought you would be "older than dirt" by their mid 50's   

Well now, you're probably not old enough to remember before refrigerators had automatic ice-makers.

<<<am old enough.

Actually, I am.   

[Bad Dog]

Hah!!!  Whippersnappers, how about napping flint tools.

[JohnnyReb]

Johnny, I hope you don't mind me asking, but about how old are you?  I've wondered, but never asked.

I'm 68 years old and proud of every day of it.....the good lord has surely looked after me because i've not done to good at doing it myself.

And Frank, I graduated high school in the spring of '63....and though I wasn't old enough to vote in '64, I did campaign for Goldwater. S.C. was one of 5 only states that went for Goldwater. Wonder what history would be if he had won?

[ColonelCarrots]

I can remember cassettes and VHS tapes going out of style. I never knew MTV when it had music on it. I remember watching Ed, Edd, and Eddy a lot.

1. Candy cigarettes I remember those. Those were still around when I was a kid.
2. Coffee shops with tableside juke boxes Whats that?
3. Home milk delivery in glass bottles Nope
4. Party lines on the telephones Nope
5. Newsreels before the movie Only in movies based around WWII
6. TV test patterns that came on at night after the last show and were there until TV shows started again in the morning. He made that up.
7. Peashooters Straws?
8. Howdy Doody What?
9. 45 RPM records I know what a record is just never seen a working one.
10. Hi-Fis Is that like Hi-def?
11. Metal ice trays with lever Maybe?
12. Blue flashbulbs No?
13. Cork popguns Nope
14. Studebakers Its a car, but that's all I know.
15. Wash tub wringers Nope

[JohnnyReb]

I can remember cassettes and VHS tapes going out of style. I never knew MTV when it had music on it. I remember watching Ed, Edd, and Eddy a lot.

1. Candy cigarettes I remember those. Those were still around when I was a kid. ate many of them
2. Coffee shops with tableside juke boxes Whats that? seen a few
3. Home milk delivery in glass bottles Nope I put the stopper in the bottles
4. Party lines on the telephones Nope 10 parties and only had 4 didget numbers
5. Newsreels before the movie Only in movies based around WWII
6. TV test patterns that came on at night after the last show and were there until TV shows started again in the morning. He made that up. no, that's the way it was
7. Peashooters Straws? rolled note book paper
8. Howdy Doody What? Buffolo Bob
9. 45 RPM records I know what a record is just never seen a working one. and scratches...and scratches ....and scratches
10. Hi-Fis Is that like Hi-def?
11. Metal ice trays with lever Maybe? yep12. Blue flashbulbs No?
13. Cork popguns Nope
14. Studebakers Its a car, but that's all I know. owned a 57 Golden Hawk
15. Wash tub wringers Nope under the barn shed and carried water to it