The Good Old Days

Occasionally, my husband and I get into a conversation about some of the improvements that have taken place during our lifetime. We have a few laughs and dig up some bittersweet memories, too. Perhaps we’re living out the established practice of thinking and talking more about the past as we get older. Maybe our children and grandchildren will remember some of it. Who knows?

One of the first things we recall is that our parents bought ice from "the ice man.” Before we had refrigerators, everyone had an ice box. This was a large box made of wood and lined with metal or cork. It had a tube running out the bottom to catch the melted ice water into a tray. Ice was made artificially in ice plants, and delivered right to the ice boxes. The delivery man would throw a piece of canvas over his shoulder and, with large tongs, he'd heft the ice onto his shoulder and bring it to the box. In the summertime, we kids would follow behind the truck and, at the next stop; the delivery man would give us some ice chips. Sucking on them was refreshing on a hot day.

Of course, we had no air conditioning in our early years. I’m not sure we even had a fan. Basically, we endured the hot weather by opening windows and welcoming a cool breeze. A nice summer shower was even more welcome. It wasn’t uncommon for mothers to allow their small children to play in a warm summer rain as long as there was no lightening. Kids loved it!

We had no TV either. My family finally got one – black and white only – when I was in high school, but my husband says he doesn’t remember having one at all until sometime after we were married. And, of course, a home computer was only a fantasy. The only computer we’d heard of, at that time, filled a whole room.

Our children laugh when they hear these conversations. They simply can't imagine what we did with our time! Funny, much of the time was spent washing dishes (no dishwashers), doing laundry, hanging the clothes on the clothesline to dry, then ironing them, raising our own vegetable garden, and numerous other daily chores. For entertainment, we read books, went for walks, had conversations, played board games and many other nice things that people have forgotten about with the addition of modern conveniences and electronics.

I could go on and on but I think I’ll stop for now. Old memories sometimes get me down.

And, besides, I’m giving away my age!