Thursday, November 3, 2022

Just a Throwback Stroll

 Nothing special today - just a stroll back in time.  Sometimes we just need to remember life as it was.  Many were good old days - other things were not good.  The days in my life back then were pretty good.  I have mainly good memories.

This would have been about my 5th grade year.  (1965).  We didn't go out to eat when I was a kid.  I remember walking to Burger Chef (it was the closest to us) when I got to be in junior high and getting a treat (to me).  I think a burger was about a .25 by then.  I just loved the orange drink they had.
I remember getting milk in grade school at recess time - it was .04 a carton!!!!!!

Yep.  High school and early married years.  I pretty much did all of this except Disco!  Wasn't crazy about it.  There were a couple of songs that were fun - and I still get happy when I hear them!  I find it so funny, that today many of these things are all the rage again - youngsters think it is so cool!  Been there and done that!  Funny for them to imagine grandma did bell bottoms, hot pants, midriff tops, platforms, and no bras!!!!!!  I just have to laugh out loud sometimes!  I DID enjoy those days!
It is so great that there was no one going around taking photos or filming our every move back then!!!!  Oh, some of the silly things I did - we all did - glad there is no evidence except memories - and many are at the age that those are going away!!!!!  LOL

YES I DO!!!!!!  This is a normal for me.  Once in a while I turn on the oldies in the house (cable stations have so much to listen too).  If I turn on music in the house - I will be dancing around like a fool.  Nice that no one can see me - and well, heck if they did.  Usually, I hear the radio in the car - and yes, I crank it and sing like I know how!!!  I always listen to the oldies - so I am in my element.
I love music - all kinds - but mostly I like to listen to my oldies.  It makes me smile, it makes me happy, and it takes me back to a fun time in life.  We all need that now and then.

Now I do not remember gas being this cheap - some probably do.  I love the little sign under the price "gas war".  Seems that has been the way forever.  I do however, remember gas being about .29 - .35/gal.  I got my first car in 1972 - and I could put a couple dollars of gas in it and drive all week!  $5 in gas would get me a nice drive to Brown County (a popular spot south of here) - and spend the day in the country with friends. That happened a lot on the weekends.  Cruising - was another thing we did in high school.  We had 2 - 3 spots that we drove to and around a lot of Friday or Saturday nights if not dating.  It was just a way of seeing friends and having harmless fun.

See the S&H stamp sign?  Remember those?  Mom used those to get many a household item or gift.  I remember licking those and putting them in books - I thought that was fun when I was little.  The store that offered goods was such a neat place to go.

Yep, life back in the day was sure different from today.  Somedays I like to go back and think of those times.  It was a much simpler time.  We made our own fun.


Have a great day and LAUGH a little!  It is infectious!!!!!!





41 comments:

  1. Hahahaha! I remember! We would occasionally go to McDonald’s for dinner….Dad would go in and get orders and we would eat in car. Ugh….I disliked all the stuff on my burger but I liked the fries and soda!!! Gas was $0.72 a gallon when I started driving. That was nice and affordable. Yes to bell bottoms and lightening hair but we were very modest….no midriff tops. The 70’s were definitely unique in styles and color!!!! What a fun post - thank you! - Carol

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    1. The fries are still pretty tasty! Wouldn't .72 be great???
      I used lemon juice on my hair, I only did midriff tops after I got married. Mom said no!!!!! Lots of platform shoes - gosh those were awful!! Glad you enjoyed.

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  2. I agree, a great fun post.
    No midriff tops for me either, I never did have the midriff for them. I didn't have a McDonald's until I was 17 and went to London with college, I don't think I had ever even seen a McDonald's until that point.
    I had a little 100cc motorbike and I used to put £2 worth of petrol in it and that would last me the entire week and my journey to work was 15 miles each way.

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    1. I was super skinny - so I got by with midriff tops - only after married. How fun on the motorbike. I wouldn't mind one of those today! Prices were sure amazing.

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  3. I still have aside table in my house that my folks bought in the 60’s with green stamps!

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    1. How cool! That is awesome. Wish I still had something.

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  4. Definitely a fun post. We didn't have McDonalds but we had a drive in burger place. If memory serves we got to visit there a couple of times while I was a kid. On the way out of town (we lived on the farm) there was a small gas and convenience store - family owned) that offered soft ice cream cones. We often stopped there for a treat in the summer time.
    I remember wearing a halter top (no bra) as a teenager but that wasn't frequent. My favorite pair of bell bottoms were a pair of Bay City Roller plaid pants. Were those a thing for anyone other than me?
    Gasoline was definitely less expensive! I don't recall the prices in the 70's but there was a gas war happening when I moved to the city in 1984. Prices were $0.31/litre at home, and $0.18/litre in the city. (That's about $1.20 and $0.70 per US gallon). I would definitely like to go back to those days!

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    1. I remember the plaid bell bottoms. Plaid was huge at one time. I got my first jeans my junior year. Crazy to think about now - as that is about all I wear.
      We went to a A&W root beer stand like once a summer - for the frosty mugs. Dad loved it!
      It seemed there have been gas wars forever!
      I would love to pay all the prices we did back in the day!

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    2. My first ever job was at an A&W (I was 15), for $1.50 per hour plus tips. :-) --Elise

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  5. White Castles were cheap in those days too! Love the picture of that little gas station. Green stamps and yellow stamps were offered at a lot of stores. We had a Wake Up station that had some sort of rewards program.

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    1. LOVE White Castles. They don't like me - but I sure do like them. Haven't had one in years!
      Yep, yellow and green stamps. It took us forever to get many yellow ones (I think dad got them at gas station). Standard grocery gave green stamps. Good times.

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  6. McDonald's was a rare treat, but I remember when you could get a burger, fries and a small soft drink for less than $1.00. When we visited relatives in WI, there was a corner market that sold penny candy. I wasn't big into candy at the time, but loved the candy "bead" necklaces. LOL!

    It was raining before dawn today, then shifted awhile ago to snow flurries. Hubs took Blue to the vet for her spay. I took advantage of the time with them out of the house to vacuum seal the marked down pork from yesterday, 5 very large b/s chicken breasts (also from yesterday), and 2 loops of smoked sausage that were at their sell by date. All are in the freezer. What came to mind is how, especially in the mid to late 70s, meat most often went into casseroles. I could never have imagined (at that time) having so much beef, pork and chicken stored up. It just wasn't possible. We didn't go hungry, but what I have right now would have been considered a major luxury, so I feel very blessed.

    Also back then, you had ONE winter coat, usually replaced at Christmas for growing kids. Ditto winter boots. Pajamas and socks were also gifted at Christmas. There was always ONE big gift and several small open up gifts like color books and crayons. In my teens those smaller gifts were nail polish, hair barrettes and such. There weren't any blow up yard decorations. You had outdoor lights and a wreath on the door. Inside was the tree and mistletoe. Good china was brought out and silverware polished for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Much simpler holidays back then. --Elise

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    1. We had a small corner store that sold penny candy too! Gash, that poor lady was so patient while us kids stood in front of the big candy counter trying to decide.
      Snow - ick!!!!! Hope Blue recovers quickly.
      I remember those Christmas's. I look back fondly at those Christmas's. Mom would wrap everything - no matter how small - it looked like more! Loved those simply days.

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    2. It's snowing in earnest now. I just saw a snow plow headed down the paved road we're on. It's what we expected, though... snow somewhere around Halloween. The pellet stove keeps the house warm, plus I'm doing laundry and baking Chocolate Snickerdoodles, which are GREAT with hot cocoa or decaf coffee. --Elise

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    3. Oh my!!!! Too soon for lots of snow and plows for this old gal. Glad you like it. I guess one has to embrace it or cry!!!!!!

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  7. I remember all of this. We had a local family owned hamburger/ice cream shop that we would go to occasionally in the summer (they were only open in the summer) but never McDonalds. Remember tube tops? lol
    Things have really changed and in my opinion a lot of it isn't for the better.

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    1. YES, I remember tube tops - I couldn't hardly keep them up!!!! Back then this girl had no boobs at all! LOL
      I agree - things have changed. I would rather go back sometimes for a lot of things.

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    2. One niece was about 5 or 6 years old when my mom and I took her and a nephew (also young) to Disneyland. I was wearing a tube top that day. BAD idea. The kids kept trying to tug on it and I sunburned like a boiled lobster. LOL!
      --Elise

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    3. Oh goodness - but I had to snicker! Those things were a fit to keep up!

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  8. I never trusted those tube tops! I did occasionally wear a borrowed halter top if I could sneak out without getting caught! I was born in the 60s so I missed a lot of those trends. For us, it was Jordache jeans and Gunne Sax dresses. And then big 80s hair in my 20s.

    Oh, I loved doing the stamps and browsing the catalogs! This is the first I've heard of gold. We had green and Blue Chip. I still have an Easy Money game that my grandma bought me with stamps. I miss all the old freebies from so many places. The market, the gas station, and fast food. Those were a rare treat, but they still had them when I was a teenager and earning my own money. I had an incredible set of Olympic cups from McDonald's in 1984. My grandpa collected international dolls for me from the gas station. All that stuff was just fun!


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    1. Yep, you could get a lot of neat items at various places. Seems many restaurants had glasses of some sort. Mom got dish towels, fancy juice glasses (I still have), washcloths, etc. in soap powder. You could buy really pretty dishes and all the place settings for pennies with each purchase of groceries at the store.
      I didn't do big hair. Never did understand that trend. I still see pics and think oh my.
      Every ten years or so there was a new trend going on. Many have come back. They say style repeats about every 30 years! Say it aint sooooooo!!!!!

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  9. So delightful! I love the gas station, we had an old fashioned gas station in town and an adorable man much like an older a bit chubby Mickey Rooney worked there, we loved Mr. Mundy. My dad also owned a Gulf gas station for the boats and had an ice house too...Oh the stories and the memories on the bay there.

    I remember those stamps, I helped my mom too filling in her little books. : )

    Didn't care too much for bell bottoms because I wanted things like the 40s or 50s in style. I've always loved the old fashioned vintage times better.

    This past few weeks I've been listening to Bing Crosby old radio programs from WWII in my kitchen, I have a set we found at half price books...I love it and it takes me to another time in our country. People had troubles but they handled things a bit differently. Lately things have gotten to me a bit and I'm needing uplifting things. : )

    Blessings to you Cheryl, take care now. : )

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    1. Love the memories. Those old time memories are just so neat. I remember Mr. Dugeon at the bicycle shop. He was in a wheelchair from polio - yet he was a businessman for years and years and he was the friendliest and kindest soul ever. Got my first bike from there at age 10 - and I still have it!!!!
      Old Bing was a crooner! I like listening to his songs at Christmas time.
      I think we all get to that spot that we need a lift - whatever it takes. Yes, people handled things a LOT different in past.
      Thank you!

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  10. Thank you for the stroll down memory lane. Where I lived, we did not have a Mickey D's but we had a Red Barn. Hamburgers were a quarter back when I was in high school, and I would use my babysitting cash to buy one every second or third Friday.

    God bless.

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    1. You must have been rural! It didn't matter what they were called, those first fast food places were just magical to a kid!

      Babysitting - my I almost forgot about that. .50/hr. to watch my neighbors 2 kids! Can't imagine anyone doing anything for that price today!!!!!!!

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  11. I remember all of that and did all of it, too. My oldies are from 50s and 60s. Now, the oldies stations are 80s or 90s!

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    1. My oldies are the 50's and 60's too. I have one station I have found that plays those! I am not much into the 80's and 90's stuff at all.

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  12. What good memories (those are the only ones I keep now too). The candy bar prices are unbelievable now..I remember we used to pay a quarter and the price has never stopped going up.

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    1. It seems the candy bar prices went up and the size went down!
      I remember a time when I could stop by the hardware store on the way home from school and get a candy bar and an ice cold 'bottle' of coke for .35 total!!

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  13. I remember my mom with all her Blue Chip stamps and going to the redemption place, she had us children sit in the car while she went in -- something you would not do today. It was probably her only alone time all day long. I find it amusing to hear music from my generation on the oldies station as I remember when "oldies" were music from the 1950s and my grandma loved her generation's Big Band music. We have so many wonderful things today but, I sometimes miss those simpler times when a big worry was whether my hair would hold a curling iron curl without the whole bottle of Aqua Net sprayed on it.

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    1. Indeed our worries were much simpler!!! Many things we did back then - that people would think was horrible today. No seat belts, kids on mom's lap in the car. Riding in the back of dad's pick-up. Even drinking from the garden hose! Off playing on our own - knowing to be home by dinnertime.
      Times have sure changed - and like you - I miss them.

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  14. Oh, the good ole days! I love the photo of the little gas station. My daddy ran a small country store near our home for a couple years when I was a little girl. Such great memories there!

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    1. Yes mam - the good ole days!!!! I really miss them. Love that we have memories of a simpler way of life. Kids today would never understand. I bet having daddy run the store was fun!

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  15. Lots of good memories in this post! I remember as a kid going to Mr. Cagle's corner store and getting all manner of goodies for almost nothing. There was a large glass jar on the counter that held giant cookies (think the brand was Jack's); they were only a penny each. Remember the candy "cigarettes" and bubble gum "cigars"? Such things surely wouldn't fly nowadays, lol. My grandma also got a bunch of goodies (glasses and washcloths, fingertip towels) in detergent boxes. I think the brand was Duz.Also I remember in 1974 when we had the energy crisis. That was the first time gas was $1/gallon. The pumps around here weren't configured for that price, so for a while, they had to sell gas by the half gallon.

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    1. Love it - big penny cookies! Yes, I remember the cigarettes and cigars - they sure were tasty! You are right - those things wouldn't go over well - yet other things do!!!!!
      Mom got an assortment of nice things from soap powder as well. I still have some of the glasses and dessert dishes she got. They get used for special occasions.
      I got married in '74 and moved 2 states away for a while - it sure made coming home for visits a lot more expensive. Laughing now - would love to pay a $1/gal.
      Things have sure changed.

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  16. yes the good old days - but also fun to remember that TODAY is the good old days we'll be looking back on next. :)

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    1. Hmmmm - now that is something to ponder! Not sure that I will be around to remember these as good old days - but the nieces and nephews will. Sure makes you wonder what they will remember. I guess we ALL need to make each day a wonderful memory for someone.

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  17. I remember the McDonald's jingle...45 cents for a 3-course meal...sounds to me like that's a deal (or steal?)..Burger, fries, and shake. I bought baby things with green stamps in 1970(my first). I was born in the 40's, so my oldies are 50's and 60's music.

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    1. I don't remember the jingle. It would be something to get 1 thing for .45 let alone all three for .45!!!!!!!! I bet that was a big help getting the baby things with the stamps.
      I was born in 50's - but 50's and 60's stuff is my favorite. My sis was 10 years older and that is all I heard when I was younger.

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  18. I enjoyed reading your post and the readers replies. I was born in 1958 so used to go to our local discos. I was more hippy and liked American classic rock music. My sister is 7 years younger. She met her future husband at the disco in the town where he lived (they still do) I think she fell in love with his yellow Ford Capri really!
    I can't remember McDonald's when I was young but out nearest large town had a Wimpy Bar, in my late teens.
    We had Green Shield Stamps and it was exciting collecting them for new things, Mum was happy they were free.
    My CDs in the kitchen where I iron are Classic Rock and a 4 disc of 80s classics, having three children in the 80s that was what we listened to. I love a sing along in the car too.
    Penny sweets and candy necklaces brought back memories, as a teenager I worked in our village store and Saturdays was pocket money day for many small kids. Little white paper bags and counting out their spends.
    Enjoy your weekend. Heather from the UK

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    1. Lovely memories. Classic rock - good choice. Funny -"fell in love with his yellow Ford Capri"!!!!!!! LOL! A car can make a man!
      I always sing in the car. You would think I can actually sing - NOT! That is just what we do!
      Penny sweets - such a fun thing. Our little shop had so many (so it seemed) to chose from - decisions, decisions!!!
      Thanks for sharing, seems no matter where we are from - much of life is the same! I love it.

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