Some of the things mentioned in the above post were invented, but not commonly available when Grandma was born. Here are my thoughts on how things have changed in my *short* life!
Until I was six I thought only the "rich" people had indoor plumbing, toilet,and gas central heating. We carried water from a town well near my grandma's house and heated it on the wood burning stove. We took our baths Saturday night in a big round tin tub on her screened porch (even in winter), oldest girls first 'cause they were the least dirty, then down the list of boys. Since I was the youngest, I learned at an early age what gray water was. I also learned how lye soap was made and used to clean a grubby faced porch monkey, and what it tasted like when used to wash out your mouth if you were so disposessed as to use dirty words in earshot of granny.
Saturday night was popcorn and "The Lone Ranger" on AM radio. After the kids were put to bed we could hear the adults listening to "The Shadow" but it was on too late and deemed too scary for us kids. Sunday was always Church service, then kill a chicken, and we each got one piece so you cleaned the bones pretty good. I even learned to suck out the marrow like a true Injun'.
We slept two to a bed for space conservation and warmth. None of the bedrooms had stoves so we heated soap stone bricks on the wood burner to warm up the feather tic bed linen before climbing in for the night. If it was too cold to use the outdoor privy in the night we had a chamber pot in each bedroom but I hated dumping and cleaning the darn thing in the morning so much I always braved the cold walk and colder two holer plank. I preferred Sears to "Monkey" Wards catalog for the soft quality, and tear resistance of paper, and no, they were never in color.
We walked most everywhere so as not to "waste" gas. It's amazing how many places you really never need to go to, and I do not remember anyone at all in my mom's family ever being fat.....Ever.
Castor oil was a cure all, internally and externally. Just the thought of a big wooden spoonfull being pried through clenched jaws was enough to prevent whining about any illness, real or imaginary. Nobody ever went to THE HOSPITAL unless they were gonna be born or gonna die. Back then clean living, exercise (in the form of hard work) clean food, clean water, clean air and occasional clean bandages seemed to take care of most everthing. It is incredible that I survived to my ripe old age of 53. That's right, I was born on a beautiful Fall morning way back in 1953.
Now I'm the grandpa and the world is so different. I'm sure a lot of it is more convenient but I'm not so sure it is all for the better. It seems too fast, too complicated, too unnecessary, and the cost I fear is far too great. I still find myself walking wherever I can, so as not to "waste" gas, but more so because I learned to love to do it. I get to eat more than one piece of chicken, but I still clean the bones pretty darn well, and sometimes suck out the marrow. I still believe clean living, good diet, and exercise is the best way to stay healthy. Castor oil is still good for many ills, and doesn't require insurance coverage. I don't know that I will see another 53 years, but if it goes the same route as the last half century, I'm not so sure I want to. I may have forgotten a lot of the bad things from way back then, but it is not like we have any shortage of them now.
Grandpa Rogue
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