Yesterday

[fullmetaljesus]

Old guys reminiscing about things they miss from yesterday.

Is there an age limit on this thread?

 

[BigRed]

Is there an age limit on this thread?

24 hours and now will be yesterday!

 

[churchmouse]

What Big Red said.

 

[BigRed]

I was 15 when I got a "learner's permit" and was able to legally drive on public roads.

About 3 months later, Dad had me on a road trip pulling a trailer with a van through Kentucky, Tennessee and North Carolina.

When we got back home, it was late. I hit the rack but could still hear Mom and Dad talking. Mom was not happy that Dad let me do that.

"He doesn't even have a license!"

"He's got a learner permit...and he learned alot."

I look back at that now....I was not some expert driver....Hell, I was 15.....but Dad somehow had some trust in me and was the guy who seemed to always have the attitude of "you're going to need to learn sometime....may as well start learning now."

 

[nonobaddog]

I was 15 when I got a "learner's permit" and was able to legally drive on public roads.

About 3 months later, Dad had me on a road trip pulling a trailer with a van through Kentucky, Tennessee and North Carolina.

When we got back home, it was late. I hit the rack but could still hear Mom and Dad talking. Mom was not happy that Dad let me do that.

"He doesn't even have a license!"

"He's got a learner permit...and he learned alot."

I look back at that now....I was not some expert driver....Hell, I was 15.....but Dad somehow had some trust in me and was the guy who seemed to always have the attitude of "you're going to need to learn sometime....may as well start learning now."

Seems like Dad knew what he was doing.

 

[BigRed]

Seems like Dad knew what he was doing.

Looking back, maybe so.

He was much different than most dads I see these days.

Of course, my opinion may be biased.

 

[churchmouse]

I was 15 when I got a "learner's permit" and was able to legally drive on public roads.

About 3 months later, Dad had me on a road trip pulling a trailer with a van through Kentucky, Tennessee and North Carolina.

When we got back home, it was late. I hit the rack but could still hear Mom and Dad talking. Mom was not happy that Dad let me do that.

"He doesn't even have a license!"

"He's got a learner permit...and he learned alot."

I look back at that now....I was not some expert driver....Hell, I was 15.....but Dad somehow had some trust in me and was the guy who seemed to always have the attitude of "you're going to need to learn sometime....may as well start learning now."

Yes. Very different times.

 

[nonobaddog]

When I was young most of the guys and half the gals knew how to drive a stick long before they were old enough to get a permit. We practiced on gravel roads, in trucks out in the fields, even tractors.

 

[BigRed]

Friend invited me over to his "private range"...he knew I recently picked up a Remington 700 in 30-06 that needed to be sighted.

Got to spend a few hours just taking a little time to get some stuff sorted out and dialed in....very laid back...very helpful.

We used to call this "shooting out back".

Classify these as good times.

 

[BigRed]

Got to take a good dog on a hike today.

Simple days are the best.

 

[smokingman]

Yes. Very different times.

I was driving on my moms,dads,uncles laps and shifting before I could even reach the pedals.I could shift on the floor or column and steer before I was 10. I learned to drive probably by 12 all on my own. I may have even borrowed a vehicle or two because I wanted something in town from time to time...well before 15. I was never stopped by law enforcement.

Columbus north high school still had drivers ed,and at 15 you could to take the class(if your parents paid for it) and drive with an instructor.

 

[churchmouse]

I was driving on my moms,dads,uncles laps and shifting before I could even reach the pedals.I could shift on the floor or column and steer before I was 10. I learned to drive probably by 12 all on my own. I may have even borrowed a vehicle or two because I wanted something in town from time to time...well before 15. I was never stopped by law enforcement.

Columbus north high school still had drivers ed,and at 15 you could to take the class(if your parents paid for it) and drive with an instructor.

DE was free when I took it in summer school. 1966 I believe.
My kids went to the Catholic schools so no DE available and we paid to have them instructed for insurance reasons. They both (like you) could drive by 12/13 because we taught them and continued to drive until they were licensed. Taught my son to drive 3 peddle vehicles early on. He loved my 4 speed cars.

 

[smokingman]

DE was free when I took it in summer school. 1966 I believe.
My kids went to the Catholic schools so no DE available and we paid to have them instructed for insurance reasons. They both (like you) could drive by 12/13 because we taught them and continued to drive until they were licensed. Taught my son to drive 3 peddle vehicles early on. He loved my 4 speed cars.

It is kind of sad they stopped driving though. I mean functioning in the modern world can be rough if you do not drive.

I could not help it....it was right there.

 

[BigRed]

Got a call today informing me that I had lost a good friend, client, and business partner of almost 30 years from his wife.

Some of what she shared with me about what he would tell her and others of our relationship was extremely humbling.

If I may give a word of advice to any willing to listen to it, do not pass up the opportunity life gives you to get to know, work with, and counsel people that have solid grounding and understand the long game of what actually matters.

When my time comes, I hope my better half can communicate something close to resembling what his did to me for some folks.

 

[bgcatty]

Us old curmudgeons could go on for hours and hours about the good old days, and it would be fun. But the past is in the past and there is only the future. Thus, we should use that brain power to make the future better.
My soapbox speech for today.

 

[wcd]

Got a call today informing me that I had lost a good friend, client, and business partner of almost 30 years from his wife.

Some of what she shared with me about what he would tell her and others of our relationship was extremely humbling.

If I may give a word of advice to any willing to listen to it, do not pass up the opportunity life gives you to get to know, work with, and counsel people that have solid grounding and understand the long game of what actually matters.

When my time comes, I hope my better half can communicate something close to resembling what his did to me for some folks.

Very true words written here. What you have in life (material things) matters not family, relationships and trying to make a difference matter most.

I do my best to keep our home address off the radar, home is blurred out on Google Maps street view etc.

Friendships can come from the oddest places. Not to long ago my wife had sent me a text, really rattled and upset. It was getting close to being dark and there was this older model car that had been up and down our road a few times and was now parked out in front of our house for maybe a half hour Just sitting there.

So I take the long way around the peninsula and head home so that I could come up on our home from the other direction. When I arrived the car was still there. So I took appropriate precautions and approached the car. We’ll come to find out there was an older man behind the wheel and he had his grand daughter in the car in the front passenger seat.


Long story short she has challenges in life and they had driven by our place a few times and noticed the gang up front. So she was having a bad day and asked her grandfather if they could come by and watch the gang for a while? it seems that she really likes goats and enjoys watching them. So that is why they were sitting there. There really was no way for them to let us know what they were doing since the driveway is gated and the house sits off the road quite a bit.

By this time my wife noticed all the activity up front and came out. So at the risk of damaging my reputation of being a prick some might even say I can be an *** **** I suggested to my wife that we offer to invite them in for a bit so that the little girl could hold one of the kids. Well you could see the little girls eyes light up.

In short order she was having a ball playing with the kids. Now they have a standing invitation to come by for some Goat therapy.


So I guess what I miss the most is not having to sometimes assume the worst. Unfortunately as stated upstream we live in different times now.

 

[BigRed]

I had the opportunity to spend some time visiting the area my family is originally from today.

It's funny how certain moments can take you back decades as if they just happened.

Some great memories of that place.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

I had the opportunity to spend some time visiting the area my family is originally from today.

It's funny how certain moments can take you back decades as if they just happened.

Some great memories of that place.

 

[BigRed]

Yep....things change.

One thing I always miss there is the iron truss bridge that was down the road from my grandparents' place. It was constructed in the 1880s. We used to sink tin cans in the water below with our air guns and 22s. I've often wondered how much metal could be recovered from the bottom of that creek!

For those willing to take the dare, the truss bridge provided a great climbing opportunity. Once when I got caught doing that the worse part was the punishment delivered with a switch from an old Weeping Willow tree behind the house.

Years ago that beautiful old bridge was rebuilt with the typical, mundane, generic, beam bridge that never gets a second look because there is nothing attractive whatsoever about it. No climbing opportunities on those things. BORING!

 

[smokingman]

How about an ATARI 2600?
Pitfall anyone?
Asteroids.

It was a Christmas gift...that ended up in my dads office so he could limit the use of it. Funny thing was after that every time I went into his office he was playing it. I have no idea how many of those controllers we went through,but it was quite a few. It was also when dad taught me to solder(trying to fix that pad that would come loose on the controllers).

Good times.