The time to add to my rambling comes much too quickly. It seems like I added something a day or two ago and 2 weeks have passed, however, it is time that I once again contribute to what I have already said.
I have been talking about things of the past and probably will continue to do so for the benefit of those who have not lived there or those who would like to reminisce about times gone by, however, there comes a time when a person has to give some opinions about what he/she sees transpiring around them in the world of today, for example:
What is this with self serve gasoline costing the same as full serve. I used to go to any self serve station and gas up until I noticed that I could have someone do this for me with all the cheerfulness and agility I myself could muster and not pay a penny more. Also, I am probably getting lazier in my old age and find that the young folks in the stations can do this much more quickly and with less effort than I could myself. The other thing is that they wash my windows, (yes, all of them in most cases) and that's also more than I would do myself.
And on the same note, how many of you are using the new self checkouts at the stores? I notice that many of the larger stores now have them. I have to admit I like them most of the time, however I am a little concerned that there are jobs being lost to people who might need them. Possibly it is hard for the stores to get enough cashiers to cover their needs, since I have talked to some of the store managers and found that they are always short of cashiers. Maybe no one wants to do this kind of work??? The other thing that comes to mind is that, again, should we pay the same price as those who use the stores' cashiers? I don't know. I probably will continue to use this service since I find that in most cases it is very convenient. Maybe that's the answer to the previous question, (whether we should pay the same price). I have also noticed that at certain times of the day these are the only checkouts that are open in some of the stores you go to.
Well, enough of that. I am not complaining, only voicing some of the thoughts that go through my head as I take advantage of some of the services offered out there. I will return to my more innocuous ramblings in my next contact with you, so I'll say so long for now. Hope to meet you again in the near future.
For instance: Who remembers what an apron is? And what were they good for, (think carefully)? What did you do in your spare time before TV, Video Games, DVD's, cell phones, CD's, personal computers, internet?
Friday, September 25, 2009
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Remember This Car?
So, its time to go for a short (or long) trip. What have you got to go in? What is you car like in the days and ages gone by? I can tell you of some of the things that my father coped with, but more clearly the way things were when I first started driving and what we were used to when we travelled.
I recall being told about some of the things my parents put up with when they first began travelling in autos. Never mind what it was like travelling by horse and buggy. I have seen in museums the vehicles that our parents used for their journies. No block heaters, for those of us living in the colder areas of the country. Our fathers, on cold days, would often put a stove pipe with an elbow pointed up to the engine oil reservoir, (remember stove pipes?) and then place some straw and/or wood into the pipe and light it to warm the oil. Remember engine cranks? That's how these cars were often started when the starter wouldn't or couldn't turn over the engine. Some cars had no starter so this was the way the cars were started. There's more, but I'll go on.
My earlier travelling days were in cars that are a far cry from what the latest and greatest is today. My first car had the starter button, (no, it didn't have the starter on the key) located on the floor, just above the gas pedal, sometimes called the footfeed because the earlier cars had the throttle on the steering column. It also had a radio, AM only, and not transisorized, it had what were called vacuum tubes (remember those?). Boy, the reception you could get on those, usually one station, local, although things improved on nice clear evenings.
But those were good times. We could load up the car with lots of young folks, and because there were no seat belts there was no limit as to the number that could be accommodated in the vehicle, so there was lots of crowding and good fun. There were no child seats, no booster seats, no air bags and no seat belts. It was noisy, and sometimes smelly due to some of the fumes that came off the engine or out of the exhaust. No catalytic converters to scrub the exhaust fumes before they got into the air. Also gas was 23 to 25 cents a GALLON, (that's four liters or so).
After I married, things progressed considerably. The starter button was moved up to the dashboard, still not on the key. Air conditioning and cruise contol were option you could order but cost you extra. The cars were larger, but you could also buy the smaller imports if you wanted to save a bit of money or improve on economy. I remember the crowding that took place in those. Five in a car like that was about all that would fit, although I also recall that a lot more were often packed in for the fun of it.
Now I drive a new vehicle with many of the amenities that are offered, or are supplied at no extra charge. I'm not sure if we can call all this progress. You turn the key and the engine starts every time(?) and air conditioning and cruise control are considered necessities along with Am/FM CD player, with possibly a DVD for showing movies to the little ones while you travel. You also have engine heaters that warm the engines to make starting a fool-proof proposition.
But I sometimes sigh and wish for the "good old days" but realize also that they were often not as "good" as we like to think. I'll talk about that later.
I recall being told about some of the things my parents put up with when they first began travelling in autos. Never mind what it was like travelling by horse and buggy. I have seen in museums the vehicles that our parents used for their journies. No block heaters, for those of us living in the colder areas of the country. Our fathers, on cold days, would often put a stove pipe with an elbow pointed up to the engine oil reservoir, (remember stove pipes?) and then place some straw and/or wood into the pipe and light it to warm the oil. Remember engine cranks? That's how these cars were often started when the starter wouldn't or couldn't turn over the engine. Some cars had no starter so this was the way the cars were started. There's more, but I'll go on.
My earlier travelling days were in cars that are a far cry from what the latest and greatest is today. My first car had the starter button, (no, it didn't have the starter on the key) located on the floor, just above the gas pedal, sometimes called the footfeed because the earlier cars had the throttle on the steering column. It also had a radio, AM only, and not transisorized, it had what were called vacuum tubes (remember those?). Boy, the reception you could get on those, usually one station, local, although things improved on nice clear evenings.
But those were good times. We could load up the car with lots of young folks, and because there were no seat belts there was no limit as to the number that could be accommodated in the vehicle, so there was lots of crowding and good fun. There were no child seats, no booster seats, no air bags and no seat belts. It was noisy, and sometimes smelly due to some of the fumes that came off the engine or out of the exhaust. No catalytic converters to scrub the exhaust fumes before they got into the air. Also gas was 23 to 25 cents a GALLON, (that's four liters or so).
After I married, things progressed considerably. The starter button was moved up to the dashboard, still not on the key. Air conditioning and cruise contol were option you could order but cost you extra. The cars were larger, but you could also buy the smaller imports if you wanted to save a bit of money or improve on economy. I remember the crowding that took place in those. Five in a car like that was about all that would fit, although I also recall that a lot more were often packed in for the fun of it.
Now I drive a new vehicle with many of the amenities that are offered, or are supplied at no extra charge. I'm not sure if we can call all this progress. You turn the key and the engine starts every time(?) and air conditioning and cruise control are considered necessities along with Am/FM CD player, with possibly a DVD for showing movies to the little ones while you travel. You also have engine heaters that warm the engines to make starting a fool-proof proposition.
But I sometimes sigh and wish for the "good old days" but realize also that they were often not as "good" as we like to think. I'll talk about that later.
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