Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion The Water Cooler More artifact sightings..

Ah yeah, Grandma doing laundry! She used to use only water from the rain barrel unless it were an emergency-like no rain. And yup, the long poles were an absolute requirement!

I think I mentioned, but my Aunt had a farm and we used to visit quite often for months at a time in the summer when I was a wee little guy(I used to sleep on the floor in the back seat of the car going down, my little brother got the rear seat deck cause he was just a little smaller than I and if he fell off would do the lesser damage)but my aunt asked me one morning which chicken I thought was the best, I answered, and still feel guilty for causing the early demise of that poor little foul. When the ax, the stump and that chicken neck got together at the same time, it was the darndest thing I ever saw. I thought it was chasing me even if it could no longer see. It ran in my direction for just an instant, and I ran in the other just as fast as I could and never picked out another chicken dinnerever!

Speaking of coal shutes, yup, we had one. We only had a coal furnace for a few years after I was born, so I thankfully don't have any unpleasant memories-other than hearing one of the neighbors telling my Mom that the new gas furnace, while requiring no trips to the bunker in the middle of the night; may well be the end of the entire neighborhood when the gas furnace, new technology that it was, blows up some cold winters night. It, thankfully, never did.

But, oh yeah......the stars you could see from that farm in the 40s

Rich.

Hey bray! Actually were just kids too......I'm not even 61 yet!








Well......not for another two weeks yet, that is!

Heh Heh. The coal chute reminds me of the coal burning furnace that had the habit of going out at the worst times. And that reminds me of the movie "A Christmas Story" where the father (played by Darren McGavin) could be heard in the basement enthusiastically cursing the coal burning furnace. I have vivid memories of my father, a very gentlemanly man who could curse a blue streak, doing the very same thing.

In fact, that movie has a ton of things that echo my childhood.

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In fact, that movie has a ton of things that echo my childhood

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Does that mean you almost shot your eye out with a Red Ryder or that you stuck your tongue to a metal pole in the winter?

I don't know how close I came to shooting my eye out with the Red Ryder BB gun I inherited from my older brother, but I have distinctly painful, memories of my lower lip sticking to the metal railing of a bridge over the creek near my home. I just ripped that sucker right off that railing................and regretted it for days!

LOL, Jack your avatar fit's you to a 'T' and 'A Christmas Story' what a classic!

LOL! Old guy; old sound system!

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old sound system!

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Naaahhh... I'll bet vinyl on that thing sounds better than CDs, with their cold, sterile....oh, never mind. I'm just gonna get myself in trouble and take things further OT....!

Oh man, my BB gun ! My dad gave me a 'used' Red Ryder for my 11 birthday.. Prob got it from a friend of his, who's own kid had shot himself in the eye !?! Haaaa
Never shot myself, but nailed my sister, my brother, their friends, my friends, and countless neighborhood dogs and cats ! We even had small scale wars, with every kind of bb gun you can imagine.. Handing out 'ribbons' made of painted up clothes pins for those that didn't duck fast enough ! hahah.. Remember, we were all military brats by then.. With tons of surplus gear.. Sweeeeet.. We even had our own medic..
O'side was different back then.. No one would give two looks to a bunch of kids walking down the sreet loaded to the teeth with bb guns, back packs, canteens, flags, etc..
That movie is one of my ALL TIME fav's.. And yes, I still have my Red Ryder.. It's hanging on the wall, in the big room, just off the home theater room.. I love seeing the looks on the faces of folks our age when they come over for a visit the 1st time.. Talk bout a conversation starter..
Oh, and yeah, I was one of those that learns by doin.. Like sticking MY tounge to the icetray ? Gotta luv it.. My sister had to pour water over it to get me unstuck.. (She was 2 yrs older, so she knew bout those kinda things).. Funny, now that I think about it, she managed to pour the whole pitcher on my head ? Hmmmmmmm.. I think it's time to pay a little visit to my dear sweet sis...

Phooie!!.......

.....I no longer have either my Red Ryder, OR my Daisy Eagle(With real 2X Scope) They were both at my parents house in the garage.....and then they weren't.....RATS

Or my Crossman B-B pistol that I shot the lamp above the TV during "Shock Theater" on TV, one Saterday night!

Yup, times were different! I used to take my Red Ryder into the local grocery store and stand it up on the counter like I saw the "Rifleman" do in the saloon in his TV show, and nothing was ever said about it, it was perfectly "normal"