PART II--THE WAY WE WERE

hey, thanks a lot for your contributions and now here's some more memories from when we were kids. these come from seven different families.

cartridge pens were a big deal because it eliminated bottles of ink. ball points were next.

hot lunches. if you went to a catholic school, this was a big deal. maybe 6 times a year, you had a shot at a sloppy joe or a hot dog. other than that, you brought your lunch. milk was 2 cents.

corduroy pants. you couldn't sneak up on anyone.

reaching 7th grade and getting a locker for the first time.

forgetting your combination.

playing outside ALL DAY in the summer until the street lights came on. then you begged for just a 'little more time.'

being yelled at when you ran thru the grass at dusk. "you'll stir up the mosquitos!" little did they know that their yelling attracted more of them with carbon dioxide than we did by running.

catching lightning bugs and putting them in a mason jar.

my sister making me and my brother take part in a funeral 'procession' for the parakeet.

the girls washing their hair in the utility room because they couldn't tie up the only bathroom.

getting your first little league uniform. all wool but very cool.

getting my first autograph from pete ward at the grand opening for a 7-11.

going to the dump in northern wisconsin after dark so you could watch the bears come in and eat
the garbage. seriously.

blistering the roof of your mouth on a hot pizza.

shaking a pecan tree and then selling them for a nickel a bag.

learning how to play pinball. and pool.

curling your hair with a curling iron heated on an open flame.

almost everyone smoking cigarettes.

going to the local gas station to buy cigarettes for your mom. don't you dare forget the note! and then putting a quarter in the machine and getting the pack with two pennies inside the cellophane. that was your reward.

a washing machine with a manual wringer. how about a mangle to steam press your clothes? there was nothing permanent about 'permanent press.'

that's it for now.