Greenheron

We're getting away from the original question but this all makes me think.

There was a book published in the 1960's titled The Good Old Days, They Were Rotten. We remember the bright spots in the past and push the rest into a corner. Wash on the line? Yeah, the romance of cinders from the steam engines spotting the linens cleaned by wringer washer and rinsed in tubs and wringered again. Gathering heavy work clothes frozen stiff and hard in February and hung on lines in the kitchen to finish drying. And most of a day to iron for a big family. An hour for lunch at school to walk home, eat and return. Families still living close to factories and other jobs because transportation cost time and money and most did not have a car, as yet.

The odious job of taking care of the garbage without plastic bags--trying to wrap wet stuff in newspapers or brown bags and depositing in galvanized cans and be sure to put some bricks on the lid to discourage neighborhood pets allowed to roam at large. Remember the odor after it fermented a week and the poor garbage men who had to tote and empty the nasty cans and then take it to an open dump. What a blessing providing sport for marksmen: go to the dump to shoot rats.

Another great thing about the good old days: not having read stories about abused women. Oh, they were there but no one made much ado. Civil rights? Keep the (fill in the group of choice) in their place. One of the blinding moments of revelation when I saw a newscast of a state governor refusing to let a little girl just my age enter a public school. I didn't see or understand race thing.

Children who played with neighbor children were probably safer than today but mothers cautioned about public restrooms and places like the vicinity of taverns and bus stations and railroad tracks and bums.

I do not recall either of my parents having much leisure time, just being glad to sit down after supper dishes, outside in good weather, go to a school ball game or to take us to a movie on the weekend. After we got a car we were taken for 'a ride' or to a lake or municipal park to swim or play. Excursions to county/state fair, neighborhood street fairs, historic sites were a weekend event. Mother even drove us to the river to ride the car ferry across and back and to a local creek to enjoy a paddle. We were all in the Scouts and the boys played in athletics but these activities were not a burden.

I think we have less time now because of distances. Old time neighborhoods are broken up and families live far-and-wide. Popping in for a cup of coffee and a friendly chat was a delightful, if very short, break in the day. Sitting down with a neighbor on the porch in the evening was great. Extended families gathering for a Sunday diner.....I don't have time because I have "mañana" syndrome and far less energy than ten years ago and a family member with failing vision, hearing and mobility.