I’m old enough to remember not having air-conditioning in the home where I lived. Heck, only 88% of US homes have some type of AC even today.
Nanny and Pap-pa had an attic fan in their small house that only ran at night. I can remember Nanny making my brother and I a pallet on the floor in front of the front door.
Yup. The very door in the photo above. The fan pulled hot air through the screen that swept over us.
I don’t remember being hot.
I remember thinking sleeping on the floor and being able to see the stars in the sky was incredibly amazing.
I remember when we got our first air conditioning unit at home. It was a big ole’ window unit that was in the kitchen/dining room area. It was so loud that you couldn’t hear one another talking, but it was grand just the same.
I purchased my first car with A/C in the early 80’s.
I bought a brand new Toyota Celica with a sunroof and A/C… then I got married, sold that car to pay my then husband’s settlement to his first wife, and drove a red Datsun truck with a camper shell on the back and crank windows to keep cool. Young and dumb doesn’t begin to explain my stupidity.
Once Ben was born, a reliable car was necessary and I bought a brand new, BLACK Chevy Chevette… without A/C. Mom & Carl ended up with that car and they tell horror stories about sweating in that thing.
That was the last time I purchased a vehicle without A/C — it was 1982.
What about you? Do you remember life without air-conditioning?
If so, like me, you survived. 🙂
Now you know: The U.S. uses more energy to power AC units each year than the entire continent of Africa uses for everything combined.
Shake up your brain and answer the following question that will likely tell your age — but in my case, maybe not. 🙂
Step into the wayback machine and tell us…
What’s the first major news story you remember as a kid?
My Momma’s first memory was the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt on April 12, 1945. Of course, in 1945 news wasn’t delivered the same as it is now, so it’s understandable that she would be 13 at the time of her first major news memory. She also remembers Joe Louis’s fights being broadcast on the radio in the 30’s because my Pap-pa always listened to them.
Mr. Pesky remembers when the Dodgers won the World Series for the 1st time on 10/4/55. Although my favorite brother was born in 1954, he probably remembers that too — he was 110% more in tune with news as a kid than I was. 😉
During my childhood, news also wasn’t delivered like it is now. Still, I don’t recall a time we didn’t have a TV in the living room, so I can’t fall back on that as an excuse. My first memory is from the year I graduated. Good grief — I was sheltered.
It’s amazing that I can even remember what I ate over the weekend.
All the major news stories listed are within my lifetime:
A couple of these I was too young to remember… but others I SHOULD remember and I don’t.
I don’t remember the Cuban Missile Crisis — 10/16/62
I don’t remember JFK being assassinated — 11/22/63
I don’t remember the moon landing — 7/20/69 (but I should)
I DO remember the death of Elvis — 8/16/77
I don’t remember the death of John Wayne — 6/11/79 (this is Perry’s first memory)
I DO remember the eruption of Mount St. Helens – 5/18/80
I DO remember the Challenger exploding — 1/28/06
I DO remember police chasing OJ — 3/17/94
I absolutely remember 9/11
So what about you? What’s the 1st major news story YOU remember?
Now you know: Cows have over 800 blood types (compared to humans’ 8).
Yesterday, I said the rain thwarted mowing plans, but then the sun came out and I went to work! I planted 2 peonies and 4 hosta plants, weed eated 10 miles of fence and flower beds, and push mowed the dog part of the yard. Whew! Two loads of laundry after that and I was ready for a break knowing the rest of the yard mowing is tomorrow. 😎
Time to start looking through those memory boxes of Dad’s.
There were 2 BIG boxes that contained a bajillion photos. I smiled when I ran across around 15 photos that were kept separate from all the others that were of me and Scott when we were kids. I don’t know how many certified death certificates Betty kept for Dad, but I counted 10 she saved.
His honorable discharge paperwork from the army and his birth certificate were also in there. There was a HUGE bible that was encased in an extremely old box… not sure where it originated.
The two highlights for me so far…
Dad kept his Masonic Bible in a white box yellowed with age. My Pap-pa, Noah Garriott, had signed inside of it. There were a few other names I recognized from back in the day — I knew them from my time in the Rainbow for Girls.
The other was a scrapbook Dad kept from his time in Korea in the early 50’s. The scrapbook itself is amazing (I’ll share a photo another time). There were tons of pictures of Dad in there… some with friends — many of him holding/playing a guitar. ❤️
I’ve yet to dive deeply into the treasures or scan anything, but as I do, I’ll share more here.
My goal was to get rid of things I didn’t care to keep — items that aren’t sentimental to me and photos of people he knew from his time in Brandenburg or from the Corydon Jamboree where he played music every weekend. I accomplished that much at least.
Now you know: The Korean War, a conflict between North and South Korea, was a major event in the early Cold War era, lasting from 1950 to 1953. The war was marked by heavy casualties, including significant civilian deaths, and ended in a stalemate with an armistice, leaving Korea divided. The war saw the first all-jet dogfights in history.
I ran across a meme that showed a spray bottle of raspberry spritz and a pack of Marlboro cigarettes. The accompanying text said, “what every girl smelled like in the 90s.”
Just seeing that threw my brain into the way back machine…
The first bottle of perfume I ever owned was Sweet Honesty by Avon.
Mid 70’s and I’m not sure how long I begged before my Momma broke down and ordered a bottle for me. She was one of those Avon women. I remember the little order books laying around and the delivery of all the fancy men’s fragrance bottles shaped like cars, etc. I likely guilted her into the purchase.
Even back then, Sweet Honesty wasn’t all that expensive and everyone wore it. Nothing about being distinct or standing out back then — my goal was to smell exactly like everyone else. 🙂
Even though those currently around me the majority of the time don’t care what I smell like, I still like nice perfumes.
How about you? Do you remember the first fragrance that was your very own?
Now you know: George Washington ordered smallpox inoculation for all troops during the American Revolution. “we have more to dread from it than from the sword of the enemy.”
I guess they’re saying today is the coldest day of the year. Since we’re only 1/2 way through January, there’s not a lot of competition so far. Still, it’s cold enough for me and probably 99.9% of those living in Indiana. And I’ll bet you never thought you’d hear me say this… but I’ve had enough snow for awhile.
The hounds without thick coats of hair agree.
Dharma is great with the cold because she has the thickest undercoat of any dog I’ve ever owned. Merida and Hugo have a fraction of the body coverage as Dharma.
Memories are wonderful — BUT they’re also a reminder that you’re old as dirt.
Facebook has a “memories” thing that pops up what you posted on the same day throughout the years. When it’s from a couple years ago it’s fun. But when it’s more than a decade and a half ago… holy cow! Perry had hair and I had fewer wrinkles by at least a gazillion…
Now you know: Thomas Edison’s son, Thomas Edison Jr was an aspiring inventor, but lacking his father’s talents, he became a snake oil salesman who advertised his scam products as “the latest Edison discovery”. His dad took him to court, and Jr agreed to stop using the Edison name in exchange for a weekly fee.
