A good night's sleep, chocolate, the happiness and satisfaction of sharing on AgingCare forum. Does anyone have some favorite things to think about? Yes, this phrase is from the song in the movie "The sound of Music". My husband and I often resort to using movie lines and song to improve communication. We were the only two in a gathering of people who heard the background music playing. We both had the same (cassette tape/CD). A connection bringing two people together. To this day, we crack up when one uses a simple movie line to make a serious point.
SO, What is one of your favorite movie line, some of your favorite things?
LuckyLu, we too used to read the comic pages together. I remember sitting next to Dad as we read them on Sunday morning. I had forgotten all about those times until reading your post. It really brought back memories.
Sharyn, I had also forgotten about cokes sitting in buckets of chilled water.
Anyone remember changing into those one piece gym suits we had to wear for gym activities? We barely had time to get out of them though and change back into school clothes.
When I was in grade school, either once a week or once a month (so long ago I don't remember) we had treats: ice cream in little cups, eaten with a small wooden spoon. It was accompanied by a hot dog and potato chips. Thinking back, it was certainly an unhealthy meal.
But it was a treat as we otherwise had to bring lunches from home every day. Which reminds me....what kind of lunch box did you carry? I remember holding my little lunch box as I walked to school. I wonder now how we managed to do w/o refrigeration - must have had sandwiches that didn't need to be refrigerated.
Remember the horses at Texaco (?) gas stations? There's one in a small community far west of me. It always reminds me of those old gas stations when "fill 'er up!" was the common request.
Susan and LuckyLu, I remember the old Woolworth and Kresge stores in the downtown area of one of the "big" cities back in the old days. I especially remember the card section, but primarily the Valentine assortment. For some reason the Valentine cards were very special.
I also remember the squeaky wooden floors.
The smaller store was long and skinny. Had penny candy. Wax lips! Wax soda bottles filled with sugary liquid! Styrofoam-ish UFOs filled candy dots! And a pinball machine that was in constant use. Ping-ping-bling-bling.
The bigger store -- which was still small -- was an old-fashioned grocery. Literally a mom-and-pop operation. Some items were on high shelves behind the counter. "Pop" was up and down the sliding ladder all day. And you could run a tab!
Ahhhh. Ancient history. The skinny store closed in the 1970s. The little grocery limped into the early 1980s before it expired.
Sadly, the folks that own it want to retire next summer, and if they don't find someone to buy the store, it will close. :-(
And how about when you could take clothes home on "approval",try em' on at home and if they didn't fit you could bring them back.
I also remember the gold wrapped chocolate coins; they were a real favorite at Christmas.
That seems like a century ago!
Long into her life -- and long after shorthand had fallen out of favor -- mom would inject the occasional symbol into her to-do lists and such.
So pleased that this thread cracked open a long-dormant memory. Because I primarily rant and vent on this site, most folks probably think I had a lousy past with my mother. Not entirely true. As I was growing up, there were aspects of our family life that sucked sh*t. There were also good times. Including some preferences and traditions that I've carried into my adult life.
In fact, one day last year, I intended to start a thread titled "It Wasn't All Bad." And share some positive stories about my mom.....things I appreciate about her (that got lost in the fog of her decline and my stress). Came home from some errands that afternoon, and my landline had a string of missed calls/messages from the police, EMS and county coroner. You can guess the rest.
It's time to treat myself - spend the day relaxing, cuddling up in warm throws or quilts, drinking hot chocolate or hot cider, and of course thinking about which rib-sticker stew to make today. Homemade bread would be a perfect accompaniment if I can muster up the energy.
Early in my career when I became bored with secretarial work, I moved from law firms to the county and became a court reporter. At that time, ALL court reporters in that particular court used Gregg shorthand. After practicing and practicing, I qualified at 200 wpm, the requirement to be a court reporter.
Years later, my fingers still wiggle and move and take down conversations automatically. People might think I have a medical disorder, but the practice of recording became so ingrained that my right hand automatically starts "recording."
I probably couldn't tell you how to write specific characters - I'd have to watch to see what my fingers do as they have better patterning memory than my brain! It's a good thing I can hide my right hand sometimes so it doesn't begin jumping around recording social conversations.
Executive secretary positions were big deals back in the day - I wonder if anyone knows Gregg Shorthand anymore?
He would leave his exec office, go down to the plant (yeah....back when exec's actually had a physical connect to the plant and the workers) and pack up a big box for Mom: Camay soap, Dial soap, Armour bacon, and.....yesss.....crates of .....Spam.....
LOL....we were, I guess, pretty poor at that point, BUT....we were d*mn near willing to starve to death before we had to survive on SPAM.....
Sorry.....for whatever reason, "scrapple" which I will admit, I do not even understand and have very possibly, never tasted, just reminded of that SPAM.....
I love your cutting wit and incisive posts, BH......thank you for this strange but welcome memory of my very recently late, wonderful Mother.
I can see waters ragin' at my feet
I can feel the breath of those surroundin' me
I can hear the sound of nations risin' up
We will not be overtaken, we will not be overcome
I can walk down this dark & painful road
I can face every fear of the unknown
I can hear all God's children singin' out
We will not be overtaken, we will not be overcome!
The same power that rose Jesus from the grave
The same power that commands the dead to wake
Lives in us, lives in us
The same power that moves mountains when He speaks
The same power that can calm a ragin' sea
Lives in us, lives in us, He lives in us, lives in us!
We have hope, that His promises are true
In His strength, there is nothin' we can't do
Yes, we know, there are greater things in store
We will not be overtaken, we will not be overcome!