Childhood memories

[MSHappyCampers]

I thought it might be interesting to recall memories of our childhoods, particularly for those of us who are "oldies-but-goodies".

I lived way out in the country until I was about 10 years old, then we moved to the big city (about 1500 if you count the cats and dogs). We didn't even have electricity until I was probably 8 years old. I remember watching in amazement as the power company erected the poles. I thought those guys climbing the poles with gaffs must be kin to Superman! My dad was a welder and he made me a set of climbing gaffs. I shredded about every tree in the neighborhood with those things, and slid down a few of them too!

[TandW]

Penny candy. Party lines. Firehouse siren blowing curfew at 8pm. Peanut Gallery. Bertie the Bunyip. Air raid drills.

[YC1]

Lived in a mining camp in my early years. They were mining Quick Silver. Mercury that is. I loved it and roamed the hills, always on the lookout for those pesky rattle snakes.

The nearest town was 30 miles in each direction. Riding the bus to school across those curvy and steep hills was scary at times.

We had the fancy house with an outhouse connected to the porch. No going out in the rain except to get to the shower house.

This was in Northern California near Clear Lake for reference.

[MSHappyCampers]

Originally Posted by TandW

Penny candy. Party lines. Firehouse siren blowing curfew at 8pm. Peanut Gallery. Bertie the Bunyip. Air raid drills.

Obviously you were a city boy!

[TandW]

Originally Posted by MSHappyCampers

Obviously you were a city boy!

Not really. Grew up in Bensalem, Bucks County, Pa. Only one red light in the whole township back then at Street Road and Hulmeville Road. No one shopped on Sunday because of the Blue Laws.

[twogypsies]

Went with dad to the local cemetery to fill a tall stainless milk can with water from their faucet. We used it for drinking and cooking and used the well water for the wringer-type washing machine and bathing.

Spent many hours in our treehouse.

Popped tar bubbles in our country road.

Collected special Wonder Bread stickers for a Howdy Doody game.

We all laid our heads at the tall radio to listen to The Shadow Knows.

[TandW]

Originally Posted by twogypsies

Went with dad to the local cemetery to fill a tall stainless milk can with water from their faucet. We used it for drinking and cooking and used the well water for the wringer-type washing machine and bathing.

Spent many hours in our treehouse.

Popped tar bubbles in our country road.

Collected special Wonder Bread stickers for a Howdy Doody game.

We all laid our heads at the tall radio to listen to The Shadow Knows.

How did the water get in those tar bubbles?

[MSHappyCampers]

Originally Posted by TandW

How did the water get in those tar bubbles?

I think he's talking about air bubbles. Blacktop roads will do that sometimes when the tar gets really hot from the sun.

[TandW]

Originally Posted by MSHappyCampers

I think he's talking about air bubbles. Blacktop roads will do that sometimes when the tar gets really hot from the sun.

The ones with water in them were more fun to squish!

[twinboat]

I remember playing with my Tonka trucks in the coal soot pile. It was my Grandmothers rooming house, that the 6 of us lived in for a few years. That was Nassua Co. LI, NY
Probably wasn't to healthy.

Went to kidngarden in that town and then moved to a brand new house, way east in Brentwood NY in 1959.

[MSHappyCampers]

Before getting electricity our only lighting was kerosene lamps and the fireplace. I remember a big one on the chest by the fireplace. It was called an "Aladdin" lamp.

After the power company got the lines installed and gave us our first electrical power, the phone company came along a few months later and attached their lines to the power poles. We were on an 8-party line until we moved to town. You can bet there were no secrets in that community!

[Old-Biscuit]

Only 70 and towns were small rural but we had electricity and indoor plumbing
First phone number was 1000

Spent many summer days swimming in irrigation collection ponds
and drinking from hot rubber garden hoses
Picked fruit from the trees walking to school and ate carrots right from the field ---dirt and all

Big deal was going with Mom to town to the Cigar store to get Dad a box of Red Dot Cigars and a Case of Beechnut Crewing Tobacco.
That meant we would stop at Woolworths 5 & Dime and get a cold pop at the soda fountain....sometimes a strawberry shake we would share.

Dad was an Independant Welder in Oil Field....so we moved every 3-4 yrs as Dad went from Oil Field to Oil Field in UT and WY

I was always the New Kid.........but Mom made moving an adventure

I liked Rope red licorice, Candy Cigarettes, Smith Brothers Cherry Cough Drops (although that were suppose to be Cough Drops they were the BEST Cherry flavor and ate them like candy), Clove/Beemans/Black Jack Chewing Gums. And Sugar Daddy's....got those at Christmas

[TandW]

Originally Posted by twinboat

I remember playing with my Tonka trucks in the coal soot pile. It was my Grandmothers rooming house, that the 6 of us lived in for a few years. That was Nassua Co. LI, NY
Probably wasn't to healthy.

Went to kidngarden in that town and then moved to a brand new house, way east in Brentwood NY in 1959.

Well, my grandma spread those coal ashes along the path to the outhouse. It was a two seater. Mom had 11 sibs.

[TandW]

Originally Posted by Old-Biscuit

Only 70 and towns were small rural but we had electricity and indoor plumbing
First phone number was 1000

Spent many summer days swimming in irrigation collection ponds
and drinking from hot rubber garden hoses
Picked fruit from the trees walking to school and ate carrots right from the field ---dirt and all

Big deal was going with Mom to town to the Cigar store to get Dad a box of Red Dot Cigars and a Case of Beechnut Crewing Tobacco.
That meant we would stop at Woolworths 5 & Dime and get a cold pop at the soda fountain....sometimes a strawberry shake we would share.

Dad was an Independant Welder in Oil Field....so we moved every 3-4 yrs as Dad went from Oil Field to Oil Field in UT and WY

I was always the New Kid.........but Mom made moving an adventure

I liked Rope red licorice, Candy Cigarettes, Smith Brothers Cherry Cough Drops (although that were suppose to be Cough Drops they were the BEST Cherry flavor and ate them like candy), Clove/Beemans/Black Jack Chewing Gums. And Sugar Daddy's....got those at Christmas

You have to freeze those Sugar Daddy's and share them after cracking them on the countertop.