"I remember when..."

[Frosty]

We are talking back a ways. My people owned a lot of the farmland out by the old Airport. Farms have been sold off long ago. There are a few left down there but I have had no real contact except for 1 group of cousins in 20 odd years.

This was long before the meth outbreak. Shine was the thing then and yeah.....outhouses and possibly cousin love.....

Huh... That's about 1/2 mile from my house I fished in the pond by the airport since I was a little kid... I never knew about any uncle-brothers but I was a kid...

 

[churchmouse]

Huh... That's about 1/2 mile from my house I fished in the pond by the airport since I was a little kid... I never knew about any uncle-brothers but I was a kid...

Just a wild bunch of hellions.
Not a group to be messing around with.

When did you fish that pond..?? what years.

 

[MrPeabody]

Anyone remember when lake Monroe, salamonie and mississinewa reservoirs were all dry land?

 

[Frosty]

Just a wild bunch of hellions.
Not a group to be messing around with.

When did you fish that pond..?? what years.

I think it was probably around '85 give or take a year. I usually hit it about once a year to remind myself what a disappointing day of fishing feels like.

 

[churchmouse]

I think it was probably around '85 give or take a year. I usually hit it about once a year to remind myself what a disappointing day of fishing feels like.

Well past my times down there. I think my last visit was my Great Grandfathers funeral in maybe 71 or so. That ended in a free for all after the service with 3 of my cousins and myself. They did not care foe my hair. To long. I must have been a "Hippie"
They never knew hippies could hit that hard.
Never went back. Farm was gone. Cousins were not to happy about getting their asses handed to them by a "Hippie"

 

[churchmouse]

Anyone remember when lake Monroe, salamonie and mississinewa reservoirs were all dry land?

I remember hearing my uncle talk about the "New Lake" they were building.

 

[Frosty]

Well past my times down there. I think my last visit was my Great Grandfathers funeral in maybe 71 or so. That ended in a free for all after the service with 3 of my cousins and myself. They did not care foe my hair. To long. I must have been a "Hippie"
They never knew hippies could hit that hard.
Never went back. Farm was gone. Cousins were not to happy about getting their asses handed to them by a "Hippie"

Yep, about 7 years before the blizzard that must have bored my parents to tears sounds like a fun ​bunch of guys

 

[Gary119]

I find as i get older i reminisce more and more. Only problem I have is everyone is gone. No one left alive that was there during my growing up years.

One of the things my mom did while her and my grandfather was still here, was to go for a drive back where he grew up with a tape recorder going. Let him tell about the things he remembered. I have the tapes now. Everyone should do this!

Went to find the homeplace where dad grew up (outside the Morgan-Monroe State Forest). My memory isn't what it used to be and things have grown up. Couldn't find it, but I will. Used to go mushroom hunting there.

This thread should continue, be a daily thing.

 

[churchmouse]

I find as i get older i reminisce more and more. Only problem I have is everyone is gone. No one left alive that was there during my growing up years.

One of the things my mom did while her and my grandfather was still here, was to go for a drive back where he grew up with a tape recorder going. Let him tell about the things he remembered. I have the tapes now. Everyone should do this!

Went to find the homeplace where dad grew up (outside the Morgan-Monroe State Forest). My memory isn't what it used to be and things have grown up. Couldn't find it, but I will. Used to go mushroom hunting there.

This thread should continue, be a daily thing.

Even with how my time ended down there I have the best memories of hunting, fishing and working on the farm.

 

[Fester]

I remember working at a full service gas station in school and on Saturdays the owner would go fishing and leave me, a 14 year old, to run the station all day by myself.
I would find and sell empty coke bottles to get $.25 to get into the movies or swimming pool.
3 channels on a black and white TV. Riding a spider bike with a banana seat. Digging up Civil War bullets and arrowheads in farmer's fields. Fishing with a cane pole.

 

[Gary119]

You are reinforcing the notion that even if you win at the rat race, the only thing you have accomplished is to have become the fastest rat!

I am my father, put me in the woods. Hard work never killed anyone. I enjoy being on a tractor, listening to the governor kick in. The sound of a baler keeping time. The smell of fresh cut hay. The smell of a wood stove smoke. My grandson is over tonight and first words he said when the wife brought him in the door was "John Deere papaw" (he's 3) so out we went to take a tractor ride at what 12 degrees? Yes, life is good. Let the rats have their race, I meander.

 

[1DOWN4UP]

My older brother has been gathering the stories from the older folks.He has had them printed to give out at the next reunion.

 

[Hoosier8]

I remember when gas was 15 cents a gallon during gas wars in Texas.

 

[SchwansManDan]

I remember when Schrade (and Old Timer, and Uncle Henry) knives were made in the USA.

I remember that failed experiment of selling gasoline by the liter. Oddly, liquor was still being sold by the quart or by the "fifth" at the time.

I remember phone booths that worked on a dime.

I remember my father having a s*** hemorrhage when beer went up to a dollar for a six-pack, and when Snickers bars went up to a quarter.

 

[IndyDave1776]

I am my father, put me in the woods. Hard work never killed anyone. I enjoy being on a tractor, listening to the governor kick in. The sound of a baler keeping time. The smell of fresh cut hay. The smell of a wood stove smoke. My grandson is over tonight and first words he said when the wife brought him in the door was "John Deere papaw" (he's 3) so out we went to take a tractor ride at what 12 degrees? Yes, life is good. Let the rats have their race, I meander.

As we speak, I am preparing to return to this very lifestyle. In a short time, my aunt is going to take my grandma (with dementia) home with her, ending my watch which has run 2 1/2 years in varying levels of intensity. After that, my pro-2A alpacas and I are going to move to my dad's farm which is now vacant, where I will have a lot of fence to build, a barn or two to build, plenty of work to do on the house which has been standing empty, and plenty of work to do on the equipment, including my baler that broke last fall that I haven't got around to fixing. I am definitely looking forward to this in addition to raising my own food and to a great extent escaping the rat race. I am with you in that I dearly love the smell of fresh hay! Getting a cow is also high on the list. I already have the large cast iron bell to summon the nieces and nephews.

Oh, and the alpacas...they are the only animals I have ever seen who actively like guns. In fact, when they get distressed, the one thing that calms them down is seeing me with a gun. Even before they had seen me or anyone else use one, they understood what it is and understand that it keeps them safe.

 

[SchwansManDan]

After that, my pro-2A alpacas and I are going to move to my dad's farm which is now vacant, where I will have a lot of fence to build, a barn or two to build, plenty of work to do on the house which has been standing empty, and plenty of work to do on the equipment, including my baler that broke last fall that I haven't got around to fixing. I am definitely looking forward to this in addition to raising my own food and to a great extent escaping the rat race. I am with you in that I dearly love the smell of fresh hay! Getting a cow is also high on the list. I already have the large cast iron bell to summon the nieces and nephews.

Oh, and the alpacas...they are the only animals I have ever seen who actively like guns. In fact, when they get distressed, the one thing that calms them down is seeing me with a gun. Even before they had seen me or anyone else use one, they understood what it is and understand that it keeps them safe.

I envy you for this. Not so much the alpacas, mind you. (Although their wool makes for one helluva nice coat.) Just for the tranquil setting & the smell of fresh cut hay.

 

[Frosty]

I am my father, put me in the woods. Hard work never killed anyone. I enjoy being on a tractor, listening to the governor kick in. The sound of a baler keeping time. The smell of fresh cut hay. The smell of a wood stove smoke. My grandson is over tonight and first words he said when the wife brought him in the door was "John Deere papaw" (he's 3) so out we went to take a tractor ride at what 12 degrees? Yes, life is good. Let the rats have their race, I meander.

Sounds like a slice of heaven...

 

[Mgderf]

Ref: Dimmer switches on the floor

I had a '71 Scout that had some teensy-weensy rust issues. Barely noticeable, really. I went to dim the lights for oncoming traffic...and pushed the dimmer switch through the floor board.

The next morning, I went to the local scrap yard and bought an old "one way" sign. Along with some screen and some bondo...instant new floorboard.

Hadn't thought about this in a while.
It was 1981-82...
Freshly discharged, back home and had the world by the tail.
Driving a beat up old Chevy '68 pickup on a 2-lane state highway at 3am doing 55mph when my headlights just go out, completely.
I took my foot off the gas and started to brake slowly. I couldn't see a thing.
All of a sudden something catches my eye and I look at the floorboard.

The dimmer switch had caught the carpet on fire! It was in flames at my feet, and I'm still doing 45mph down the highway with no lights!

Got stopped, popped the hood and pulled the battery cable.
Managed to remove the dimmer switch and wire around it. I only had brights but it got me home.

Oh the good old days!