showing your age...

[pomtzu]

Yes, we had milk breaks, too. Milk was $.04 a bottle. And the savings bond program reminded me of S&H Green Stamps and later on Plaid Stamps. Remember those? They came in quite handy for trading in for household items to be given as wedding gifts. And do you recall being given glassware when you purchased gas? Some of it is selling at a premium now at antique stores.

My Mom used to shop where they gave Green Stamps. I still have a set of pyrex mixing bowls that she got with them, and a locket too.

I remember the gas station glasses too. We had a set of really tall green glass ones, and Dad made rootbeer floats in them! That was always a big Saturday afternoon treat.

[Willow Oak]

I remember the gas station glasses too. We had a set of really tall green glass ones, and Dad made rootbeer floats in them! That was always a big Saturday afternoon treat.

Shut up! Root beer floats! I believe they were called "black cows."

I always have a Texas gallon of ice cream in the fridge and a six pack of coke (in bottles only) so that I can make a coke float about every other day.

[Medusa]

Root beer floats make me think of my ex-husband. He LOVED those things!

[Willow Oak]

Root beer floats make me think of my ex-husband.

Good thoughts?

[Willow Oak]

And at the gas station you had two choices: regular or ethyl. All the poor ladies whose names were "Ethyl" really took a beating back then.

[Randi]

OK, when I was a child, I could make a local phonecall for 0,018 USD - that is if there was a telephone at all!

And when I was an au-pair in England, I could get a chocolade bar from a machine for 6 pence.

[Willow Oak]

OK, when I was a child, I could make a local phonecall for 0,018 USD - that is if there was a telephone at all!

And when I was an au-pair in England, I could get a chocolade bar from a machine for 6 pence.

We used to have something called a telephone. Now everyone uses a cell phone. I don't even have a land line.

Also, I have noticed that phone booths seemed to have disappeared.

And ..., phones used to ring. You know: Rrrriiiiiiinnnnnggggg!

Oh yeah -- we had party lines. I used to sit and listen to the old ladies gossip about their neighbors.

Okay. I'm done.

[kokopup]

Randi I remember a phone call at a public booth costing 10 cent. You would be hard pressed to find a phone booth today. The Hersey chocolate bar cost 5 cents when I was young.

For those discussing Gas stations, do you remember that they used to pump your gas ,clean the windshield, and checked you oil as a part of the service? Then they went to full service at a premium ,or self service if you wanted the best price. I don't recall seeing a full/self in years. They are all self only now.

[Edwina's Secretary]

When I went to university -- tuition for a semester (in state students) was $145.00. Out of state tuition was $675.00.

And the dorm did not have phones in the rooms. Communal phones in the hallway and a switchboard in the lobby. Phone calls and visitors were announced by a buzzer system.

[Willow Oak]

Randi I remember a phone call at a public booth costing 10 cent. You would be hard pressed to find a phone booth today. The Hersey chocolate bar cost 5 cents when I was young.

For those discussing Gas stations, do you remember that they used to pump your gas ,clean the windshield, and checked you oil as a part of the service? Then they went to full service at a premium ,or self service if you wanted the best price. I don't recall seeing a full/self in years. They are all self only now.

I helped out at a service station when I was about 12 or 13. My job was to sweep the driveway, fix flats, wash cars, etc. One day I decided to try my hand at pumping gas. On my very first customer I placed the nozzle into what I thought was the proper place located just behind the license plate.

Need I tell you?

Well, let's put it this way: I was never allowed to pump gas again.

Anyway, that little red rag hanging out of the back pocket was a real source of pride.

[pomtzu]

For those discussing Gas stations, do you remember that they used to pump your gas ,clean the windshield, and checked you oil as a part of the service? Then they went to full service at a premium ,or self service if you wanted the best price. I don't recall seeing a full/self in years. They are all self only now.

It's illegal to pump your own gas in NJ and OR. I believe they are the only 2 states that haven't caught up with the rest of the country.


And I remember the party line phones too. You were considered somewhat well off if you had a private line. I remember thinking we were really something when we went from a 2 party to a private line.
This is scary - but I remember the old phone number. That's when you had to talk to an operator - there were no dials or dial tones. Bayview1225W. Guess I must have spent more time on the phone than I remember, if I can remember the number after all these years.

[Taz_Zoee]

Randi I remember a phone call at a public booth costing 10 cent. You would be hard pressed to find a phone booth today. The Hersey chocolate bar cost 5 cents when I was young.

For those discussing Gas stations, do you remember that they used to pump your gas ,clean the windshield, and checked you oil as a part of the service? Then they went to full service at a premium ,or self service if you wanted the best price. I don't recall seeing a full/self in years. They are all self only now.

Hey, I actually remember these two things. A phone call being only a dime and the full service at gas stations.
Recently we stopped at a station on the motorcycle and someone came out and told us to move to another pump because we were at a full service pump (which you pay MORE for when they actually have them). Its very rare, but they are still out there.

[Medusa]

Good thoughts?

ALWAYS.

[pomtzu]

Shut up! Root beer floats! I believe they were called "black cows."

I was born and raised in New England, and they were just "floats" up there. I think you native southerners called them "cows".

[Kfamr]

Oh man, it scares me to think if prices have inflated this high since you lot were my age, how high will they be another 20-30 years from now? Scary.

My parents were telling me when they went to buy their first home (some 25+ years ago) it cost them $27,000ish. They were freaking out wondering how they were to afford it. Now, all the houses I look at under $100,000 are run down and need a ton of work, can't get a loan on them, etc.