History is representational, while time is abstract; both of these artifices may be found in museums, where they span everybody’s own vacancy.” – Robert Smithson
I remember paying only three cents to mail a letter. Does anybody else? — Photo by Pat Bean
The Good Old Days? Or Not?
When you get to be an old broad like me, historical museums let you relive your life. That was especially true of the recent morning I spent at the Tucumcari Historical Museum.
The telephone switchboard on display took me back in time to the late 1950s. I had worked one of those machines when I was a Western Union operator back in the 1950s, after teaching myself to type on a manual typewriter like the one that sat nearby the switchboard.
First Tucumcari bathtub the sign said. Thankfully this was an item that was before my time. Not only was this bathtub child size, you had to heat the water that went in it. As I said, everything wasn’t the good old days. — Photo by Pat Bean
The treadle sewing machine on display looked exactly like the one my grandmother used, like the one I put a needle through my finger with when I was five years old. .
And then there was the stamp vending machine. Remember when stamps only cost a penny for a postcard and three cents for a first-class letter?
The television set on exhibit, however, looked a lot bigger than the first one in our home. I was 15 when we got it, so essentially I grew up without one. That’s hard for my grandkids to believe.
Some say those were the good old days. I’m not so sure. I think, like all of life, we get some good mixed in with the bad, whatever year it is.
Bean’s Pat: Oliver’s Story http://tinyurl.com/7c5gc99 This story goes far beyond one lost bird
Pat Bean's blog 
Yep, I remember 3c stamps. I also remember 14c gasoline, 12c loaves of bread. When a pack of cigarettes went from 15c to 17c, the cigarette companies packed 3 pennies is a pack so you could buy them for 2 dimes in a machine.
I remember when no lunchmeat of cheese came in a package. I remember when you picked up a phone and an operator said, “Number, please” and you gave her a 4 digit number and maybe called her by name.
I kind of wish you hadn’t reminded me.
AL
You make me laugh Al. That’s a good thing for an old broad to do.
Almost as much fun as rummaging in antique shops and seeing things one has thrown away or given to Goodwill over the years.
I so enjoy your blog, Pat. I’ve thought of hitting the road in an RV and admire so that you have DONE it. I will at least travel vicariously with you and AL.
I’m so happy that you have found a new pal to travel with, a real cutie. Grasshopper is is great traveller when I hit the road, though only in a car. Can’t imagine an adventure without her.
Happy trails…..
P
I remember penny postcards and 3-cent stamps. In the summers we went to our aunt’s farm in Colorado, where we took our weekly baths in a large washtub in the middle of the kitchen floor. The water (which came from a pumo in the yard) was heated on the wood burning kitchen stove.
I remember when my mother was hired as a substitute teacher, she had to have a phone to get calls from the school district. It was soon after the war, so dial phones were in short supply. We were given one of the old stalk phones
Did you have your own number or was it a party line?
It was a party line. I used to sneak and listen.
which had the ear piece hanging on the side of the stalk. We were on a 4-party line.
(Sorry for the break…I hit “send” by mistake!)
I throughly enjoyed your Route 66 meanderings!!!…and Pepper is looking at you thinking-you are the most wonderful person and I’m so glad to be your co-pilot!!! (beautiful coloring up close on Pepper 🙂
Thanks PJ. I’m lucky to have such a beautifully-haired co-pilot, although I see a lot of brushing in my future.