One of the interesting things that have changed over the years is how we send the written word to each other. During the Second World War, there was regular mail, airmail, which was suppose to go faster, then there was V-Mail. It was form that had wings that folded in and then you folded it into thirds with a flap that had glue on it so it could be sealed. It was light blue in color and had red and blue strips down each side. It was the common way to send letters to the service men. They didn't have to open an envelope and pull out the papers inside to read their mail. I suppose in a 'foxhole' it was even more appreciated. I wrote hundreds of them, and wish I had kept one of them as a reminder of how we use to keep in touch.
Amazing how many of those kinds of items have come and gone in and out of our lives. We had Savings Bonds, and Savings Stamps that helped with the War Effort. Keeping money available for funding the various things that was needed for those who were away fighting for our Freedom. In fact,
as I think of it there are some such things left over from the First World War in the Safe in the Office. Once we had such things, it is sad we don't have a little of it left around. We use to have stickers on the windshield of the car that told what class the car was to make it O.K. for gas. We even had that limited. Dad use to save his gas stamps so we could take our trips up to the Cabin we had in the mountains for a vacation. Back then we only used the car for such things. We walked most everywhere. If it ment a further amount to get where we had to go we rode a bus or the "J" car. There was a bus that got us around town, and of course the Red Bus that would take us all the way to Long Beach. Once we got there we had to walk down to the Shore to enjoy the sand. The trip with a transfer to get back was .50 cents.
Back in those days there was mail delivered twice a day. We watched for the mailman to gather in whatever we were lucky to receive. With both my bothers away in the South Pacific and our cousin in the Airforce, we had plenty of mail going, and prayed we would get some coming in. It was slow, and far between, but every letter was priceless.
I remember going to the market and hoping there had been meat delivered. We had coupons for that as well. A lot of mock this or that showed up. I remember mock chicken legs. Haven't seen them since. They were some kind of veal I believe that was mixed with filler of some kind and formed around a stick. Mom fried them and made gravy. They were pretty good,
I think? To make chicken stretch when Dad would invite the single guys who were 4-F home to dinner Mom would ask for a piece of veal and stew it with the Chicken to make it go further. Once it was in with the chicken, it took on the flavor of the chicken and it was good. That was when veal was cheap. Today I don't believe they sell it the same way. Times change!
I guess going into the Super Markets of today and taking a look around we feel a little safe with so much on the shelves, but it would only take one day of a road shut down when the trucks couldn't get into an area until all the shelves would be bear, and it would look like it did during the days of the Second World War. It wouldn't take much to bring our normal daily life to a screaching halt. Something to think about. One major disaster, one terrible crash on a major highway, one, just one, and our whole lives could take a sudden turn. One never should feel safe if they haven't made some preparation for a back-up to carry them over in case of a sudden change in daily living. It may not be within our control, but it is in our control to prepare and be covered at least for three or four days. If everyone had to depend on the stores in their areas, they would learn quite quickly that there is no supply adequate to take care of everyones needs over a limited amound of time. That is not only in food, but in water as well.
Well - V-Mail is gone, regular mail is now expensive and Airmail is a thing of the past. There is Priority and Plus, which still wouldn't compete with the Airmail of yesteryear. Some changes haven't improved some things, but we can certainly tell that the prices have advanced with the quality of the service going down hill. How pleased I am to know that we are able to look back and remember how great some things were and how far we have come, but with some things still not as good as they once were. Old Age has some good things thrown in the mix. I guess our Memories are one of those things.
Written this 28th day of September 2013
by: Eileen Rosenberg
Saturday, September 28, 2013
My Chair!
When I was about 4 years old, Santa Claus delivered a table and chair set. I had so wanted one to play 'tea party' with the lovely tea set my grand parents who lived in California had sent me. When I came down the stairs and saw that table and chair set, I was thrilled. I don't think I let the chairs be empty from that day until we put them in the trailer to bring them to California - that was in 1935. Those same grand parents had sent me a knife, fork and spoon set they had bought while visiting Long Beach, or at least I believe that was where they had found it. They were a childs set and had abalone shell handles. I have no idea what happened to each piece, but just the other day I found one of the shell coverings. May have been off the knife. So many such things seem to get lost over the years, by one means or another.
However, I wanted to talk about "my chair". That set was around for so many years. Only one chair survived. The table I remember lost a leg and Dad put a branch from tree in its' place. The sad little table was left in the yard, under the bathroom window where the eves gave it some protection and it was loaded regularly with newpapers that were periodically bundled and taken to school for a "paper drive". The final where about of that table is lost to me, but that one chair has been kept over all these years. It at one
time was hung in the rafters of the garage, so it wouldn't be in the way. then it was put up in first one garage then another. Needed to have some "TLC"
but never seemed to get any attention to receive what it needed.
Each time we moved, I think Jay wondered why in the heck we hung on to the poor thing, but I wouldn't part with it, just had it put some where safe until the time I could "get around to it". With all the furniture Jay worked on over the years it is surprising he didn't get around to it himself, but he never did. It wasn't until my Son-in-law got envolved - how that came about I am not sure - the chair was secretly spirited away, never missed, and given the "TLC" it had so sadly lacked over all the years.
I was in the last stages of getting Christmas Dinner ready to serve when the
Slane family came in the front door. I hollered a "hello" and went right on with what I was doing. When I looked up a short time later I spied Greg with "MY CHAIR" in his hands, trying to sneak it in the house. One glance, and those words came very loudly out of my mouth, and tears came
into my eyes. I didn't need to guess, I just knew it was "MY CHAIR". I
was thrilled and if I hadn't of had my hands full of what ever it was I was doing, I am sure I would have sprinted to take a closer look. It was so wonderful to see it - all solid, freshly stained and varnished. Well it is such a prize, it is in my "reading room". Any child would love to set in it, but at
present it has a doll bent over it in prayer. Just a very special edition to the
room. The doll was a gift to me from a very dear friend I served my second
mission with in Salt Lake City.
I guess there are somethings in life that take a special spot in ones heart and never loses the value it gained when it was first introduced. The chair is no longer the same color it was when it was new, it may have weathered over the years, but it will ever be a very special thing in my life, and whoever ends up with it in their home when I no longer can care for it, I hope they will ever remember that it was something a little girl once cherished, and used to fill many happy hours of childhood games and play. I'm sure I sat in it by the hours learning to write, play paper dolls, color, have tea parties with my dolls and friends. There was only the table that had two leaves that folded up to make the table bigger and two matching chairs. The table and one chair lost forever, but this one loan chair remains to be loved and charished like nothing else in my house. Lets see, it would be an antique as it was made pre-1935. I believe I received it for our last Christmas in Pennsylvania. Could have been as early as 1933. Which would make it at this writing 80 years old. Yes, it would be an antique. Remember that when you see it. Old, loved and very special! "MY CHAIR!"
Written this 28th day of September 2013
by: Eileen C. Rosenberg
However, I wanted to talk about "my chair". That set was around for so many years. Only one chair survived. The table I remember lost a leg and Dad put a branch from tree in its' place. The sad little table was left in the yard, under the bathroom window where the eves gave it some protection and it was loaded regularly with newpapers that were periodically bundled and taken to school for a "paper drive". The final where about of that table is lost to me, but that one chair has been kept over all these years. It at one
time was hung in the rafters of the garage, so it wouldn't be in the way. then it was put up in first one garage then another. Needed to have some "TLC"
but never seemed to get any attention to receive what it needed.
Each time we moved, I think Jay wondered why in the heck we hung on to the poor thing, but I wouldn't part with it, just had it put some where safe until the time I could "get around to it". With all the furniture Jay worked on over the years it is surprising he didn't get around to it himself, but he never did. It wasn't until my Son-in-law got envolved - how that came about I am not sure - the chair was secretly spirited away, never missed, and given the "TLC" it had so sadly lacked over all the years.
I was in the last stages of getting Christmas Dinner ready to serve when the
Slane family came in the front door. I hollered a "hello" and went right on with what I was doing. When I looked up a short time later I spied Greg with "MY CHAIR" in his hands, trying to sneak it in the house. One glance, and those words came very loudly out of my mouth, and tears came
into my eyes. I didn't need to guess, I just knew it was "MY CHAIR". I
was thrilled and if I hadn't of had my hands full of what ever it was I was doing, I am sure I would have sprinted to take a closer look. It was so wonderful to see it - all solid, freshly stained and varnished. Well it is such a prize, it is in my "reading room". Any child would love to set in it, but at
present it has a doll bent over it in prayer. Just a very special edition to the
room. The doll was a gift to me from a very dear friend I served my second
mission with in Salt Lake City.
I guess there are somethings in life that take a special spot in ones heart and never loses the value it gained when it was first introduced. The chair is no longer the same color it was when it was new, it may have weathered over the years, but it will ever be a very special thing in my life, and whoever ends up with it in their home when I no longer can care for it, I hope they will ever remember that it was something a little girl once cherished, and used to fill many happy hours of childhood games and play. I'm sure I sat in it by the hours learning to write, play paper dolls, color, have tea parties with my dolls and friends. There was only the table that had two leaves that folded up to make the table bigger and two matching chairs. The table and one chair lost forever, but this one loan chair remains to be loved and charished like nothing else in my house. Lets see, it would be an antique as it was made pre-1935. I believe I received it for our last Christmas in Pennsylvania. Could have been as early as 1933. Which would make it at this writing 80 years old. Yes, it would be an antique. Remember that when you see it. Old, loved and very special! "MY CHAIR!"
Written this 28th day of September 2013
by: Eileen C. Rosenberg
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