I remember at about age 7 walking up to the corner shanty like grocery store on the corner of where we lived. For a quarter could buy me,a drink and a little itty bitty naked porcelain like doll with moveable arms and legs. I would set on the front porch,and make tiny little clothes for my new toy. It was so small I used a small match box for the bed. Later in the day, after swimming around in my mom's nbr 2 wash tub with my brother,he and I would walk in our flip flops to the other corner up a hill and buy snow cones-for a nickel. The smell of my grandmother in Missouri making doughnuts,on her wood burning stove. The outhouse at my grandmothers house-they lived atop a mountain. The outhouse was pink...lol that is what I painted it. Riding in the back seat of our car, looking out the window,and seeing signs at gas stations,with big easels sitting outside their stations, proclaiming their gas was cheaper. One side said 15cents, the other said 18 cents. Oh yeah, nothing digital back then. Back then the "green stamps". Oh heavens we had to save what seemed like thousands of those things,all licked and applied in the booklets by me and my brother. Then,when your mom thought she had enough, off to the green stamp store, to buy something nifty for the house. I can remember more , but how many can you remember ?
Enjoyed reading your post Gloria I so remember green shield stamps, I loved them, I was hooked Couldn't wait to get home and stick them in the book Sometimes I'd get 'extra' ! Wow, you'd think I won the lottery !
I remember green stamps and later I think there were plaid stamps, that might have been from A&P but I'm not sure. You sure had to get a lot even for something small though...a bigger item was almost unattainable. I think I did get some things for my room. As for outhouses, I've never even seen one til I lived in Hungary and visited the countryside...oops, just remembered a week at a summer camp that had an outhouse...it was scary at night since we were in the woods and the outhouse was quite a ways from the cabin. You had to have someone go with you and also a flashlight. I may be younger than you though.
No outhouse, but like some others here, I'm most likely younger than you (I'm almost 68). However, do remember, chopping/splitting tree wood for the furnace in the basement. For a skinny kid (95 lbs), that was a lot of work that I really didn't like doing. Also, helping step-parents can rhubarb. Watching very little tv, because they "ruled" the tv. Gas, when I got out of the Navy, was 28 cents a gallon. Renting a completely furnished apartment in a apt. complex (don't have anymore). Yes, a LOT of things have changed since "back in those days/years".
THIS was wonderful Gloria, thank you so much for the memories. Especially remember the wash-tub bath, and green stamps!! We had an old wooden sidewalk out to where the cars parked, and I can remember when I was like 3, running down that sidewalk squishing as many daddy-long-legs as I could. There was a store too! Brockway, and it still stands (pic below) and old wood floors, and penny candy
I remember most of those things, @Gloria Mitchell ! We didn't have those flip-flops until I was older, and I never wore them because I could not stand the feel of the thong in between my toes. I had little dolls; but hardly ever played with them. My mom was sure I needed dolls, and she bought them for me; but what I wanted was a PONY ! ! As. For the grocery store, yes, I remember the little neighborhood groceries, and that is where I lived when I was little. My folks had the little store and living quarters in the back. At least a kitchen and a bedroom. No bathroom, that was an outhouse. I hated it, was always terrified that i would fall in and be stuck in that smelly thing. I was SO happy when we bought the house next door to the store and it had a real bathroom. My Grandma Bailey didn't make doughnuts; but she did make pies, and those were delicious, and always smelled wonderful. There was a small drive-in that made fresh banana doughnuts every day though. By then I was older, and had a horse, and my friends and i would ride across town to the drive-in and get a dozen of the fresh and still warm banana doughnuts. To this day, that is the best doughnuts that I have ever had ! ! Here I am in my "Dale Evans" cowgirl outfit out on the front porch of the little grocery store.
If I had the money, I would buy it, no one has yet but it and a bit of land is for sale. I would make it into some teeny shops. It's right on a main highway (East/West) in Oregon, Hwy 42. My old highschool is right up the road I sure hope you keep adding more stories @Gloria Mitchell this made my morning
I remember me first Davy Crocket hat and loved the song that went with it I also remember me first jive skirt, I was only 9 years old - I twirled and twirled in that skirt
My father built the first house I remember living in, and it had really tall ceilings. It echoed. We too had an out house. A two seater! I always wonder who went to the toity in pairs? Even worse was the many BIG spiders down inside 'there'. I was always scared they would bite me on the tush. There was no running water in the house, we had an old plump out back that we had to prime with water each time we used it, and if we forgot to refill the water can that was grounds for punishment. We did have an old washing machine with the wringer on top, but we did have to lug water to it from the pump. I remember taking a bath in the over large porcelain kitchen sink, it had a draining board that was porcelain as well. I always wondered why it was there. There was no water! But I guess my father was looking forward to a day when he could ad plumbing.
hey Ina, we did live where there was an out-house!! I remembered! It had two holes too but I think ours was one hole for #1 and one hole for #2 right?? LOL!! I am loving this thread, I really had missed Ike's stories @Gloria Mitchell got us started again I remember a pump-house and we had indoor water for the kitchen. I've seen photos of my little bro and I being bathed in the kitchen sink but I don't remember that I do remember my favorite "toy" from the kitchen, an old, round bottom, metal bowl just the right size for me to sit in and spin around the kitchen floor