Wondering about wild grapes

Saturday, August 17, 2013

Wondering about living through history.

We all have lived through times that made or will make the history books.  Actually, just a second ago was past history, but that is not what I am going to talk about.  I am old enough to have seen the transition from radio as our chief source of news and entertaining to television.  I remember listening to "Straight Arrow" on the radio every weekday.  But, then I think about my grandad who retired from the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) as a steam locomotive engineer.  Yep, he even got to blow the whistle (grin).  Here is a picture on the day he retired with his engine behind him:


He lived through so many amazing changes and two World Wars.  He saw the change in the railroad from steam to diesel.  The diesel engines were a lot cleaner but could not come close to the mystique of the steam engines.  When he was born there still were horse and buggies being used in some places although the automobile was taking over quickly.  I remember standing in his kitchen listening to the radio when Sputnik flew overhead.  We were all in awe at there being a man-made satellite up there in space.  (Actually, I wouldn't say that it was in "space".  That is a question for another day; where does "space" begin.)

So, my grandad lived from the horse and buggy days up and into the space age.  I wish he had kept a diary of all those years.  I, for one, would love to read about it.  I am 70 and have seen a lot of changes but none so great as my Grandpa.  Now, I wish you all have just very good changes and also, have a great day, you hear?

11 comments:

  1. I don't want to live old enough to have lived through history. I want to live old enough to live though mythology. :)

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  2. I loved hearing my Grandmother tell me about her courting days in a surrey with a fringe on top. wow.

    We have seen much history in our 70 years... my brother running in when I was about 6 or 7 yelling.. Daddy got us a radio with pictures!

    From a computer that took up a city block to one I hold in my hand. absolutely amazing.

    One of the things about having been an 'old' Mother... I had my one and only son at 42 ... was sitting with the other Moms ... I'd say a this or that ... and they would respond .. Oh, yeah... that was in my history book.

    man oh man ... seemed like yesterday that all the stuff that happened from the Korean War to Vietnam to Cuban missile Crisis to the assassinations to Haight Ashbury~ Janice Joplin and Jimi Hendrix and landing on the MOON

    We lived through a whole bunch of history ... mind boggling

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  3. Sixbears, that should be enough time to see every place you want to see and do every thing you want to do.

    Carolyn, You are right, I guess both my grandfather's generation and our generation have lived through a lot of exciting times. I am glad I was born when I was. I grew up in a time when a small boy could take off in the woods and spend the day and no one would have to worry.

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    1. yes, and a small girl could do the same. My Mother insisted that my dog Dusty went with me though. Dusty would rid the woods of snakes and such...

      sigh ...

      I think I'm ready to get out in this cool August day ... been sitting here drinking coffee and reading blogs and ... well, let's have a wonderful weekend.. why not... out in the fresh air... ;)

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    2. Maybe I should get out, too. I just may walk around my property. I haven't done that in quite a long time.

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  4. So many changes have come since I was a tot. Born in '44, many things I saw or heard about seemed almost like fiction.

    Wonder what the next 10 years will bring?

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    1. Since I am only a year older than you (born 2-14-43) we grew up in the same time period. Great, wan't it?

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  5. I too think of all the things my grandparents lived through. Heck all the things I have lived through specially in the communications arena.

    Who knew we could go online and see as well as talk to our friends and relatives no matter where in the world they were located?

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    1. Now MsB, don't you remember that Dick Tracy had a wrist-watch two way radio? Way befor his time. And when I was kid, after we got our first TV, I watched Captain Video and the robot Tobar. Tobor was put together backwards and thus turned out to be evil. Tobor is robot spelled backwards.

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  6. Gosh, just told my family about being at the dawn of the rock and roll beginning,,, I WAS THERE! Even remember hearing my first R&R song, Rock Around the Clock. That's all it took. I watched the beginning of R&R, the 50s decade, on Youtube not 2 weeks ago. I WAS THERE,,,LOL.

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    1. Did you watch Dick Clark's American Bandstand?

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