Hello Boomers.

Like many people, especially Baby Boomers, I often think about things that used to be a normal part of our lives that don't exist anymore.

The world has changed so much that even since like the 90s the world is hard to recognize from the way things were.

This morning for some reason, a distant memory wondered into my consciousness, of how we used to pull in to a 'filling station', and without even getting out of the car we would roll down the window and say, "fill 'er up" to the service station attendant.

I also remember paying as low as 12 cents per gallon for gas. Boy do I miss that.

People like to reminisce. What's one of your favorite memories of the way we were?

joe

My dad spent his life working for Illinois Bell Telephone, so I had a good idea of how telephones used to be set up. When I bought a land line, I wanted to it up in my kitchen, plug it in to the jack on the wall, but nothing happened. Called my internet service to add it to my bill. When their service person came out, I was shocked to learn it now gets hooked up to the computer.

Remember when getting a phone meant deciding what the phone would look like, what kind of receiver; all sort of decorative types were available; princess phone. I also remember when phone numbers used to include 2 letters of the alphabet. The first number number my parents had started with CA (Capital) 7-2793. Now those are all ancient history. Those old phones could add to the home decor.

I remember having to lick the glue on both envelopes and stamps to be able to use them. Companies purchased a special water/sponge applicator for their clerks to use for mailings.

The wonder of the new cinematic technology that came out with movies like Star Wars.

Butterflybabe I had an aunt and uncle who both worked for SW Bell in Oklahoma.

I remember when everyone had just a basic black phone.

I still remember our phone number from when I was a kid, and yes it had 2 letters. BR3-6104, or 273-6104. I don't think anyone would have that phone number now.


joe

Edit: I also had an uncle who worked for the US Postal Service.

My husband worked for Southern Bell/ Bell South for 40 years. When I was a kid we had a party line.

We had a party line too, Connie. I always laugh and tell my kids they have no idea how little we used the phone back then! If you wanted to meet your friends, you biked around in hopes of finding them!

Joe, I miss the simplicity. Of everything. Even though I find a smart phone a huge plus, it in some ways is a nuisance.
I miss seeing kids be kids. I love that we didn't have extra curricular activities that fill your day, ever day. Spending hours catching fireflies was just fine by me. Now their days are filled with scheduled organized activities.

You know, I really like this topic and just a few days ago I was thinking about something that I really missed from way back then, but for the life of me, I cannot remember now what it was .

We had a party line also, not something I miss, and our number started with SP7 or Spring 7.

A couple of atmospheric sounds I remember are the produce man going down the alley loudly chanting Strawberries, Cherries, and the hot lazy day sound of Jack Brickhouse coming from the other room in the house.

Connie my grandparents had a party line. I always hated that whenever I wanted to call my cousin there would be a couple of old ladies talking on and on.

One thing I remember about land lines or hard wire lines was that if you don't hang up after talking to someone, the line didn't disconnect,. and the other party could not call out again until you put your phone properly on the cradle.

So whenever I answered the phone, and some kids were having fun calling folks and hanging up I would not hang up. I would listen to them whenever they would try using the phone again and wonder what's wrong with it and why they could not call anyone.

As for using the phones when I was a kid, I used to imagine just how cool it would be if I could take my phone outside with me and call my friend while I walked around the neighborhood.

Ana we loved playing hide and seek till after dark, but for me it was kick the can.

Oldbroad I absolutely have the same problem with....... .......whatever it was you were talking about.

joe

We played Jump rope, Hop Scotch, and Jacks. We also rode bikes and skated where we wanted to go. Those were the days, when life was simple.

Same here, Connie

My passion when really young, though, was Whip & Top.
[I could send my top farther down the avenue than any of the other neighbourhood children and was called The Champion !! ]

I found clips on YouTube HERE but my equipment was very much smaller than the modern stuff being shown and was also very basic.

This was in the years soon after the end of WWII and money for toys was really scarce.

Champ, thanks for linking to that YouTube. I never heard of this nor seen it!

we rode bikes everywhere and back ... stayed outside until it was dark and then headed home

My mom was one of eight siblings who grew up in Massachusetts. When she married my dad, he planned to transfer to Mass bell but fate prevented that, so she was limited with her family to once a month because of the long distance charges. Usually arrangements were made so one of them would call Mom at an agreed day and time. If there was a family emergency, she and dad worked out the best time for the least cost. Or agree to bite the financial bullet to make the extra call. When dad reached his 15th work anniversary, he no longer had to pay for long distance calls. Mom was thrilled! Our family always knew when she was on the phone with them because they were canadian french and preferred that language.

Whenever one of us got hurt, scrapes, etc, we'd go get the 'telephone ointment'. Today it is known as Neosporin.

One of my favorite games was 'hit the bottle cap'. The cap would be placed on a sidewalk crack. Each player would hit it with a volleyball with the goal to hit it beyond the other player. One game could last for hours.

I also liked badminton. At one point we lived in a corner 2 flat. It led to an alley behind a block of stores. Many a night we grabbed the rackets and 'birdie' and used that alley which was perfect for wide, high shots.

My family lived on block filled with bungalow homes. Many nights we spent with out neighbors sitting on one or the other's porches and steps which were all part of the brick/cement building structure. Now people meet on lawn chairs.

My hubby worked for Bell Tel and we always had to pay for long distance calls even after he retired. The only calls we didn't pay for were in our lata which was a small area we lived in.