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Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 5,267
Registered: ‎01-05-2015

Re: What are your favorite memories of the "Good Old Days"?

 

Mom lovingly tucking me into bed every night...

 

Drive-In Theaters...

 

Mom whistling around the house (she was a beautiful whistler)...

 

School Dances every Saturday night..

 

Mom waiting up for me until I got home..

 

Sitting on the stoop outside our apartment house on warm Summer nights, while my "First Love" flirted with me from across the street (I was 14)...

 

Mom keeping a close eye on him...LOL

 

So many come to mind!

 

 

~~Formerly known as "WildFlowers"~~
Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,336
Registered: ‎03-11-2010

Re: What are your favorite memories of the "Good Old Days"?

I grew up in what was financial poverty . Left school at 16 to go to work so that I could buy nice clothes. When I got married we were fortunate enough so that I could stay home and raise our children. When they were old enough, I got my GED, an Associate's Degree, and finally a BS in Accounting. Worked for a while in real estate. These are my good old days, with a loving family, and all the nice clothes I only dreamed of as a young girl. 

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 5,258
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: What are your favorite memories of the "Good Old Days"?

I'm going for the favorite vice the "un-favorite."

 

***

 

My mother was one of 5 daughters and the only one to leave Michigan.  This provided me with many summer opportunities to fly back to Michigan (southwest) to live and work on my grandparent farm, as well as those of aunts and uncles.

 

My grandparents house was a typical 2 storey with cellar turn-of-the-century farm house: good size kitchen, pantry, large dining room with lots of walnut built-in china cabinets, large livingroom, master bedroom and a parlor - all on the first floor.

 

My fond memory relates to this parlor, which could have been transported from 1875 Victorian London.  I vividy recall one Saturday when the entire family had gathered for a 4th of July celebration.  After all of the eating, ice cream making and dishes had been seen to, the men were led down into the cellar for Apple Jack by my grandfather and the women made their way into the parlor.  The first time this occurred I was 7 years old and thought I was going to be bored with all of these women talking and taking tea.  Howevr, much to my surprise and terror, my grandmother asked me to take my place at the piano, as they had planned a sing-a-long and I was to accompany them.  Since I'd only taken piano lessons for 3 years, I didn't have much confidence in sight-reading the music.  So, everyone gathered around the piano, singing in 3 or 4 part harmony (musically gifted family) songs like "Down by the Old Mill Stream," as I provided accompaniment.  We all enjoyed a wonderful time together and I didn't mess up too much sight reading songs I had never played before. 

 

Those were indeed the days.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 24,685
Registered: ‎07-21-2011

Re: What are your favorite memories of the "Good Old Days"?

I grew up in Chicago.  I knew everyone on my block and almost everyone across the street.  Neighbors looked out for the children.  There was such a thing as penny candy. No cell phones so when people left work they were not constantly contacted. No computers so kids played games outside with each other.   I remember always getting a new outfit for Easter.  It seemed like summer vacation lasted forever.  Loved going to Woolworths after school for fries & a coke.

kindness is strength
Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 7,134
Registered: ‎06-29-2010

Re: What are your favorite memories of the "Good Old Days"?


@Vickiv wrote:

I went to country school. So much fun.  I remember party lines on the telephones If you wanted a private line cost so much more.  Operators would ask what number you were calling and connect you. You could talk to a real person when you called a company,

The old Atlantic City. Steel Pier with all the big name bands and the stars perform. Mammy's donuts on the boardwalk. 

 

A kinder time of life. Manners. True family people.  Many women in the days stayed at home to raise their children. Kids could play outside for hours. Gathering every night for dinner and on Sunday's mom always made a special dinner. Feeling safe no matter where you were. 

Ahh! The good old day's!!


One of these threads comes up every month or so.  Okay, for me the good old days are NOW.  The past is the past for a reason.  I enjoy many innovations that come with living today.  I also know that in the past, so called true family people were hiding their improper behavior and violations of their children or others.  We can expose that and deal with it now.  The good days are now.

Never Forget the Native American Indian Holocaust
Honored Contributor
Posts: 8,567
Registered: ‎03-14-2010

Re: What are your favorite memories of the "Good Old Days"?

Life was simplier, music was better, no cell phones, no computers to fill our time with, cars were simplier (I don't even like powered windows!...I also still drive my 89' firebird)...still fit in a size 8, missing all those things.

I was never inconvenienced by payphones or party lines...VHS and cassettes were just fine for me too...

Valued Contributor
Posts: 798
Registered: ‎06-27-2010

Re: What are your favorite memories of the "Good Old Days"?

I miss vibrant downtowns like we had in the town I grew up in.  We had Dime stores (variety stores) drugstores, clothing stores, soda fountains, furniture stores, shoe stores, diners, etc.  You could do all of your shopping On a few city blocks, and never had to go out to a "big box" store to find anything.  I especially liked at Cristmas time, all of the stores would stay open until 9:00 pm every night.  There was music playing, and "Santa Claus" would walk up and down the street and pop into the stores.  It was so festive and fun!

 

I also miss the shopping malls that my mother and I used to go to.  They were full of a variety of stores and restaurants.  We used to dress up when we went shopping out of town.  The malls seemed beautiful and exotic with fountains and greenery in the center.  Then the businesses closed a few at a time, and the neighborhoods became blighted, and finally the malls were bulldozed down.  The few that are around now are very bland.

 

When they say you can't go home again, it's true, because so many places that hold your good memories just to not exist any longer.

"It doesn't matter if the glass is half-full or half-empty as long as you still have the rest of the bottle."
Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,146
Registered: ‎06-15-2015

Re: What are your favorite memories of the "Good Old Days"?

All the places I loved and missed. We must have passed each other In AC. Zaberer's with their long waits and everything was Zaberized big portions,

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 7,645
Registered: ‎03-28-2015

Re: What are your favorite memories of the "Good Old Days"?

I remember growing up in the 60's our neighborhood was filled with families with kids. There was always so much to do during the summers....roller skating, riding bikes, playing "hide & Seek", running thru the lawn sprinklers and kickball in the street. We had to be home at 5 for dinner and in for the night when the streetlights went on.

Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,349
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: What are your favorite memories of the "Good Old Days"?

Neighborhoods where people knew and talked to each other.  When I was a kid, there was an older retired couple who would sit on their front porch every evening, particularly in the summer.  They had a nice green lawn, and all the neighborhood kids would congregate there, sit on the lawn, play games, and talk with this couple.  They loved kids and made everyone feel welcome.  Many times they would have cookies and lemonade for us.  Other neighbors would stroll by and chat as well.  Young and old mixed.  It was peaceful and safe.

If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.--Marcus Tullius Cicero