Something else kids today probably have never done; play in the yard. I remember riding 50 miles or more on my bicycle many times and never see a kid playing in a yard on a beautiful sunny summer day. And of course, that reminds me; mowing grass. Seems people spend more and more on machines so it does not take so long to mow the grass; then go indoors and rarely even look at their lawns.
We had an A&W. If I remember right you could get a dozen of Coney Dogs for $2. Dad often times stopped after work and get a bag to bring home. We also had another root beer stand, B&K I believe. I believe it has already been said but you use to get return deposits on pop bottles. $.02 for the little ones and $.05 for the big ones. Those big ones were real treasures. There was a small grocery store just up the road from the B&K. Us kids would raid our parents bottle supply ad put them in a wagon. We would then pull the wagon up the road through the field and woods to the grocery store about a 1/2 mile away. Trade in the bottles and take the money down to the B&K. We could get a Hot Dog and small root beer for $.20. Back in the '80s you still paid a deposit on bottles. Our girls, perhaps 12 & 8 at the time, want me to drive them 3 blocks to get an ice cream. "Round up the bottles and take them down to the store (2 blocks away) and trade them in and then you will have money for the ice cream." "We can't carry all them." "Use your brother's wagon to tote the bottles." "We will look like dorks pulling the wagon" "Well. If you want ice cream that is your choice, because I am not driving you." The 2 girls got their heads together . Loaded the bottles and invited their 5 year old brother to come along. He had to pull the wagon.
I have noticed the same thing. When I grew up there was always a ball game, kick the can or some other game going on or the creek to fish in. We would leave the house in the morning and maybe show up for lunch if we got hungry. Listen to be called for supper, usually Dad's whistle. Back outside until the street lights came on.
I am proud to say kiddo plays in our back yard even in way colder temps and much higher winds and whiteouts than I saw as a kid. Only child but she is great at entertaining herself. That said I have mixed feelings about telling her no when she wants to play out front by herself (we all know I cannot go out there in cold), we just have too many passer's by out here for fishing of hunting I say no. Absolute contrast from my childhood, rode my bike all over town and knew to get home either by dinner most nights or after the street lights came on. Sad she can not ride around loose by herself
We played football-tackle at that-every Sunday at noon, from September until the ground froze solid. Started when I was about 14, with guys ranging up to their early 20's. Toughest games I ever played in. A few guys younger than me joined us, and the older guys drifted away. Stopped playing in my early 20's, and the games just stopped. When the ground got frozen too hard, we played basketball in a driveway for the rest of the winter, stopping when the thaw made the ground too wet when the ball went off from the driveway. When the ground formed up, it was softball in front of the old creamery until late summer. Haven't seen any games like that since the late 1980's. No parents, coaches-just getting together and playing.
When I grew up, we didn't have any street lights. Didn't even have a street sign. We looked forward to the traffic. First was the milkman coming to pick up the day's milk. Second was the mailman and third was that milkman delivering the empty cans. Rarely were there others passing by but that was okay with us.
Tune in station, pull selector button out and push back in is the proper order, I think. Been a day or two since then.
