Without going into a lot of detail,
I have been a little "Under the Weather"
the last couple of days.
When I lie in bed for any time I start
to reminisce.
I was also thinking about this post!
I had been wanting to do this for sometime.
~~~~~~~~~~
DO YOU REMEMBER?
1. Do you remember... how much did your first child's delivery cost?
Robby, my first child was born in the spring of 1958. There were many mores at that time that I disliked but that would take an entire post. I was under the care of Dr. Weinberg who was a well respected OBGYN in Atlanta. For the seven months of great care and the delivery of my first born he charged a whopping $150.00
We were very excited that our firstborn was a beautiful and healthy boy. However, as a boy the expectation was, to have him circumcised. For that torture we were billed an additional $15.00. I was glad that Dr. Greenberg was Jewish and probably had lots of experience.
The customary four day in the hospital was an additional $150.00
I think we got a bargain.
Grand Total
$315.00
Grand Total
$315.00
bouncing baby boy
8 lb 2 oz
19 inches long
2. Do you remember...June bugs and Lightning Bugs?
I know, now days, I would be subject to investigation by the EPA, FBI, CIA, KGB. A Special Prosecutor will surely be appointed after this post.
We tormented poor insects both day and night.
During the day, we looked for the largest and most perfect June Bug we could find. The stronger and more perfect he was, the longer he would hold up.
We would get a length of heavy string from mama and tie the string to one hind leg of the big bug. What fun we had twirling that length of twine round and round our head. We were rewarded with the neatest humming sound. When that hind leg would break, we would tie it to the other and continue our childish dance.
Come nightfall the torture moved on to those wonderful and mysterious lightning bugs. First you get the jar. It would have to be from a "store bought" item. Mama's wouldn't give us a canning jar. After the holes were put in the top, mama did the hole punching, we were out our respective doors. We ran, we chased, we fell down, we got up and caught the awesome creatures, in flight, placing them in our jars. We felt like we had captured the moon.
We were just children having fun as we knew.
I would use my jar of magic as a night light. I always expected the magic to still be there at dawn. Alas, the magic had dies and I wondered why. I, now, know one cannot hold magic captive.
We were just children having fun as we knew.
3. Do you remember telephone "Party Lines"?
You could have a four party-line or a two party-line. We had a two party-line. You would be assigned a ring tone. Not like todays musical menagerie. You would had a long ☎☎☎☎☎ ring or a short ☎.. ☎ .. ☎ ring. It was easy to distinguish the difference.
Party lines were fun! Being an only child, I had to create fun and games. I can remember the fun I had, easing up the receiver as quietly as I could. You had to be careful and not breath into the microphone. That wasn't a problem, after all you were listening not talking.
Yes, it was fun! Until mama caught you! I remember her taking the phone, she put it on the cradle too hard. Now they would definitely know someone was listening. I would get a swat on the backside. I never felt a thing through the dress and petticoat (yes I wore dresses with dreadful sashes).
Then I would hear "Ginger, that's not ladylike, and besides Mrs. XXXX will think that was me". I thought, "Well now she will, you put the receiver down too hard".
Funny, I never heard any neighborhood gossip, nor anything racy or even interesting. I think it was mostly the intrigue of the technology and the fact that I could hear strangers talking to one another, in another location on a machine.
And yes, they usually knew someone else was on the phone!
4. Do you remember the first time your noticed the price of gasoline and how much it was?
I remember my daddy pumping gas at a little station with two pumps, a tiny building and a narrow gravel drive. It was in Atlanta at the intersection of Gordon Road and Hightower Road. I don't know if those roads even exist now. The price was 15¢ per gallon. Yes, I said 15¢ per gallon.
I don't know why I remembered that. I have related that memory to my children several times. I do know, I never had an inkling that on this day I would pay $3.79 per gallon at Sam's and think I got a bargain.
I hope my journey down memory lane was interesting. I fear, I let you know more about me than I should. Yep! I was an only child, spoiled, precocious, inquisitive. As we would say in the day, a "Smarty Pants".
~~~~~~~~~~
Please leave a comment. Share something you remember from the past. I plan to do this again next week and I would like to feature some of your memories. No Linky, just sharing your memories.
Have fun!
Blessings, Ginger
43 comments:
I wasn't born until three years after your first child, but I still remember so many of these. My grandmother had a party line. We didn't. (I laughed right out loud at the "Now she will. You put the phone down too hard" comment. )
I can't remember how much my daughters cost to deliver. I do remember that it didn't break the bank. My mom had twins in '61 and said that they only charged for one of them. The doctor called my brother the freebie baby so they didn't have to pay for the circumcision.
Oh yes, I do remember all of this. My first child was born in 59, and I don't remember how much she cost, but she didn't break the bank either. Fun memories. Hugs, Marty
My child was born in 76 and it wasn't quite $1000 for EVERYTHING! And I remember the ladies I worked with telling me about their $100 or $200 babies! And I thought, WOW, how expenive babies are now!
Of course, gas back then was under 30 cents a gallon!
So I guess everything is relative!
Hi Ginger- I am sorry you are not feeling well. I hope it is just temporary and you will soon be feeling better.
I can remember when gas was 21 cents a gallon and we all drove big old tanks for cars. Our first daughter cost us $800 out of pocket. We had a 4 party line and it was ring coded, too. I always listened in whenever I could. That was always fun!
I hope you have a great Thursday- xo Diana
Hope you are feeling better soon!
My husband was in the Navy, our first child born in Shreveport, LA cost a whopping $5.00...and I was in the hospital for a week. Those were the days.
We used to catch bumble bees as well as lightening bugs. WHAT were we thinking???? Sadly,I haven't seen a lightening bug in years.
Cute post Ginger. I remember some of these things. The lighting bugs are my favorite memory, well my boys being delivered is tops too LOL...however I do not remember the cost.
It was lovely to read about some of your experiences so very different than life lived in England during the '50's & '60's.
OMG! on many levels and yes I do remember all of these things. Fortunately/unfortunately!! LOL, but most of all, I just realized we have the same name! I'm so bad about referring everyone by their blog name I did not realize your real name is Ginger! Were you named after Ginger Rogers?? I was. Which is another memory lane topic. Love those lightening bugs.
You're not feeling well? SNAP OUT OF IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :-) And, no...I'm too young to remember ANY of this! ;-)
You definitely brought back thoughts that I had put aside for much too long. Some of them have been so far back, it is hard to recall.
Dearest Ginger,
What an interesting post! If you compare those things with nowadays it is scary at times. But certain things always will have a high price tag.
Love to you and hope you bounce back soon to good health.
Mariette
Ginger what a fun post! I don't remember how much the birth of my first child was but I know we paid it without having insurance. It was 1979....gosh the time flies. I never remember having a party line but my Mother In Law did and it was funny to me. She hated giving up her rotary dial phone also. Fun memories! Hope you are feeling better soon. Hugs, Linda
I remember !
We must be the same age!!!
I loved watching Roy Rogers
and the sock hops in the high school gym .
Smiles,Dottie
Ginger I am so sorry that you are not feeling well. I am sick too today. My first child born in 1988 cost $60,000, but I had some problems, my son born 2 years later cost $120,000. Thank goodness for insurance.
I was 18 when I started to drive in 1979 and gas in CA was .64 a gallon. My dad owned a gas station and he was concerned about the high price of gas.
I hope you are feeling better soon.
Traci
cost of first born? before insurance paid their part $5000, total $12,000.
Messing with June/lightning bugs? check!
Party lines? Way to young for those, sorry! My Grandma was an operator for the phone company back then, and she can remember when you called using an address. She also has told us that she used to get calls comeing through from famous movie stars, like Betty Graeble. When that happened all the operators who were not busy gathered around to listen!! It was fun listening to your memories! HOpe you are feeling better!
I don't remember what my son cost or gas cost. I do remember buying my first VCR, it was $200 that was a lot of money 25 years ago, oh it was so exciting! I don't even know if they make tape players any more, I know I bought the last one for $25....I hope you are feeling better
Carol
Hi Ginger, I hope you are feeling better! I remember the telephone party lines. There were 8 families on our line. I also used to call some of them and ask, "Do you have Prince Albert in a can?" and if they said yes, I would say, "Well, you'd better let him out!" Today I don't know why that was so funny to me then, but I'd laugh hysterically! I'm sure my neighbors knew that it was me. I don't know how they tolerated me. And I'm sure I'm partly responsible for the demise of June bugs. Ah, life used to be so simple.
Hi Ginger, I hope you are feeling better. I remember catching lightning bugs with a jar, nowadays we don't even see them around here! I don't know how much I "cost" in 1954,but I am an only also. I don't believe I was overly spoiled, maybe just a smidgen :) I got spanked and had time-outs and had chores and learned to share with my cousins and friends. When I first started driving in 1973, I think gas was around 39 cents a gallon? xo
OH, lightening bugs...that was a childhood memory that I cherish. My grandma always gave us a mason jar to put them in. I do not know the last time I saw one....much too long I am afraid. Happy VTT
Yes, I remember...I remember having a "party line" on my parent's phone...didn't last long...As for my Dr. bill for my having my child...$225...Hospital $500...his birth..priceless!...
Soon after his birth, the rates of Gyn's skyrocketed...
Oh I have enjoyed this post! Do hope and pray you are feeling better. Yes I remember some of these things as well. Something that has really just UNNERVED me is, I remember when you had a surgery or even a baby you stayed inthe hospital for at least 3 day....NOW....because of Insurance...you can have two breasts removed and come home that same afternoon! Okay, well maybe this isn't the memory lane we are suppose to take here! Ha! I remember when I could buy a full 12 oz. glass bottle coke out of the machine at school for 10 cents. The fondest memory was my papa taking mem to the Five and Dime store and I could actually buy penny candy for aa PENNY! Wow, the memories are flooding back. Love this post Ginger. Oh, just got from vacation and my PRIZE was waiting on me. Love what I won and can't wait to use it! Hugs and blessings, Cindy
What a fun post. I don't remember having a party line, but we only had to dial the last four digits of the phone number to call people in town. It was well after I had left home that they finally changed it so that you had to dial all 7 numbers for local calls.
I thoroughly enjoyed this little trip down memory lane, Ginger! I was born in 1954. The lowest gas price I remember was $.24. My grandma and grandpa lived in what was then the tiny town of Madison, Ga - right on Main St. I remember their bakelite phone and party line. You only had to dial 3 or 4 digits to call someone else. I remember the dreaded tinsel that we used to hang on our Christmas tree. I can still hear my mother fussing at me about hanging it one strand at a time! I remember getting my first Barbie around '59. Do you remember the one that had a black and white bathing suit and all those curly bangs? I remember NOT wearing a seatbelt, riding in the back of a pickup truck, having the run of the the whole neighborhood without my mother worrying that I would be snatched - and oh, yes I sure do remember catching lightening bugs and June bugs!
That was a great walk down memory lane, Ginger! If one could time travel to that those prices with today's wages, wouldn't life be grand? My brother and his wife are expecting a baby boy this coming June and, on the basis of their experience when their daughter was born two years ago, expect their co-pays to total more than $15,000 though they have insurance. They can afford to pay whatever it takes. It makes me wonder, though, how young couples just starting out can afford the cost of a baby! (Loved the pictures of Robby!)
Hi Ginger, I can so relate to this post. I have my baby book with the hospital bill from my birth in it. Mom wrote in the book "You cost your daddy $89 which is a lot of money. You are worth every cent". I can remember my parents complaining about a $19.00 electric bill. I wonder if our grand children will be saying " I remember when gas was just $3.50 a gallon" Thanks for sharing this at my party. Hugs, Sherry
my daughter was born in a military hospital in 1980. But we had to pay $ 50.Something I remember from my childhood in about 1965 ( we were living in France) I would walk alone( usually with my dolly tucked under my arm) to the bakery at the end of the street. I would purchase a loaf of hot bread ( for what would probably be about 25 cents US)and eat a big chunk of it on the walk back ( that was expected).
xo P.S.Thank you for linking this to the Thursday Favorite Things hop.P.P.S. hoping you are feel well soon.
Oh, Ginger! Those were the good old days. :) I put a thread on the leg of a June bug to let it fly and caught lightning bugs. I also remember way back in the 60s, going to the gas station, buying 50 cents worth of gas and getting two gallons! I was telling someone the other day that when I was growing up, I remember our neighbor butchering a hog in their front yard! Can you imagine that happening today? Thanks for the memories and I like your St. Pat's header.
Good morning Miss Ginger I hope you are feeling better and maybe down at Tybee for the big community yard sale this morning or doing something else fun.. I enjoyed this post...
I still look for lightning bugs and remember that June bug hummmmm...
hugs dear friend, Cherry
I remember playing outside on Saturday afternoons in the neighborhood with all the kids. Playing hide and seek, and climbing trees. Our favorite was picking pomegranates and eating those little sweet, bitter bites. What fun! Our parents weren't with us either and we were mostly unsupervised...No danger except the occasional scraped knee.
What great memories! This post is perfect timing. My sis was over today and we started talking about ... Paper Dolls! When I was little I used to have quite a few of them. Do they even make these anymore? Anyhoo ... thanks for stopping by my blog. I'm following you back!
Hope you're feeling better. You certainly put together an amazing post while laying in bed. You sure did dip into the memories. Thanks for being such a wonderful contributor to Seasonal Sundays.
- The Tablescaper
Hi Ginger, I hope you will be feeling better soon. Loved your post! My mother always tells us about catching the fireflies and pulling off the light to use as a "diamond" ring! I can't even imagine her doing this! I was born close to the same time as your son. I remember traveling everywhere in the "way back" of the family station wagon, all the kids (and dog) piled together--no seats, no seat belts. Now I won't let anyone even ride in my car without a seat belt. We also rode in the back of my dad's pickup truck! I also remember getting an Easter dress, hat, white patent leather shoes, and little white gloves. I thought I was beautiful, especially with the hat and gloves. I heard long gloves are coming back for this fall! I may have to try some. Thanks for bringing back these memories for me. Linda
Oh my - yes, I remember all these things! We, too, played with June bugs on a string and caught lightening bugs! And yes, I remember party lines! Let's see...what else? Well, remember getting dish towels in boxes of detergent? I also remember as a child, the "bread man" coming around to the house (I don't remember the milk man, though...lol) Great post! I'm your newest follower. I hope you feel better soon!
Hugs, Cindy @ Art,Books, Tea
Sorry to hear you aren't feeling well, but thanks for sharing this fun post. Yes, I do remember those big black phones and party lines.
Let's see: I remember that my tuition at University of Texas was $150 a semester. How's that for a bargain?
I remember well the cost of my first child. My husband and I didn't have insurance and we had to pay $3200!!!!
Because of that they "let" me go home the following day. Let's just say I remember the flight of stairs, was too soon to be climbing stairs, and that's the truth of it.
Lightening bugs? Loved them, grew up in the country and they're still there. We have a "few" here in my home now in Suburbia in a thriving capital city, but nothing like the hoardes of them as a child. I didn't catch them, but my little bro and sis did. I never - to this day- ever touch bugs.
June bugs? Nope. We didn't have them or we didn't play with them. I was on an island, our June bugs were May Flies, that had no mouths and only lived 24 hours. Still up there on the island, too, feeds the lake fishes like crazy.
First gas I had to buy myself was $1.28 a gallon, when I was a senior. I couldn't believe how expensive it was. Little did I know.....
We had a milk man when I was REALLY little because my Mamma was sick and had 5 young children and my father travelled a great deal. But he was long gone by the time I was in elementary school.
We didn't have party lines but some of my friends had them when we were little. We had a private line b/c my father was a salesman and did business at home when he wasn't travelling and couldn't have a party line. We actually had TWO seperate lines, which was unheard of back then. His number and one listed in the phone book as Children's Telephone, haha.
Fun post.
Ginger, I hope you're feeling better. I love this! I did listen to our neighbor Mrs. White on the party line, I'd hold my breath so she wouldn't hear me, she had very good ears and a potty mouth! Fun, stuff!
Debbie
ps. I didn't torture any bugs, really ;)
You have been tagged...have fun!
http://www.bleak2unique.com/2012/02/blog-tag.html
love the post even xoxo
Hi Ginger ~ I hope you are feeling better! I loved catching lightening bugs when I was little. My husband and I still get excited when we see the first lightening bug of the summer. It always brings back memories for us.
Hi lovely lady
I hope you're feeling better. I did call you but you must have been out.
I do miss your sweet comments on my blog. Im one of your new Linky follows I hope you come see me if you can.
I hope you have a wonderful week with your family.
XXOO Diane
Hi Ginger, thank you for following me. I appreciate it so much.
I do remember when my first was born in 1959. She cost $125. for delivery but I don't remember the hospital cost. I had to stay for five days because our baby girl wreaked havoc when she was born. I was told women died having babies like I did. I have to tell you I had four more healthy babies and each birth was harder then the next. I'm still alive and kicking. HA!
I do remember the many things in your post. I guess we have aged. Smile. My heart is still young and I am betting yours is too.
I hope you are feeling better.
Hugs, Jeanne
What a great memory you have!!! That baby picture is so precious...made my eyes water. Feel better, Ginger.
Hi Ginger. It was so nice to see a comment from you yesterday. You're too sweet. By the way do you have 2 more blogs? When I clicked on your name from my email that's what came up in your profile. Did I miss something? Who is Suzy and Grace? I'm guessing Suzy is your daughter?
Hope ya'll have a blessed Sunday.
OOO's...Tracy @ Cotton Pickin Cute
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