We only buy for our two sons, and they are older.
Posted By: Lllls on 2008-11-19
In Reply to: How much do you spend on Christmas gifts? - sm
The youngest (18) wants a decent digital camera, so I think about $250 to $300 range plus some stocking stuffers. Oldest son is easily pleased. He's big into hats, and I bought him a leather "Indiana Jones" style hat, and a book so far. We may round out his gifts with cash, since he's a starving college student. Husband and I do not exchange gifts. My birthday is the day after Christmas, and that is just dinner out for the two of us. Our 24th anniversary is in January, and I already know that I want to get him an iPod. His 50th birthday is in April, and I would love to have a party for him. I'm definitely saving up for that, but it will be a relaxed party.
While are Christmas will be fairly simple, looking ahead, I'm trying to budget for some other things.
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My sons are 18 and 20.
One lives at college and the other is living at home while attending college. When they were both at home and under 18 I had the same rules as you, basically. During the week, except for their activity obligations of school, sports, scouts, they didn't do any "hang out" time. It did help that their high school was in the next county, and most of their school friends lived some distance away. When girlfriends came along, life was a little different. My oldest dated a girl who lived down the street. My youngest dated a girl who lived a good 30-minute drive away. Lucky for me, their parents had the same rules for hanging out. It was pretty much weekends only. My boys accepted it all in stride. But I have to say that I've been pretty strict about their attitude all of their lives. Since they first began to speak, they learned not to give attitude to their parents. In return, we always treated them with respect. The few times that they did raise their voices as teenagers, our conversation came to an end, and their requests were denied with no chance for a reversal of that decision. Worked nicely. But, again, I have to say we were very lucky in that most of their friends weren't right in our neighborhood and their girlfriends had the same rules.
The payoff is that now as responsible young adults, they've developed a good work ethic. Even my son living at college does well managing his free time, and will be an RA in his dorm next year, partly because he's shown maturity and isn't goofing off at college. (And I'm glad not to have to pay all of the room and board! Hooray!)
Sons
Boy this is sounding real familiar. I have a son who is a lot like yours. He is 16, very smart, but no motivation or willingness to work for good grades. I have wondered if part of his problem was that school came too easy for him in the early grades. He never had to study for spelling tests, etc. Now that he is in high school, he doesn't have the habit of studying. It is almost as though he doesn't even think about it. When I remind him that he has a test, he will study for a few minutes and get an A or B. If he really works at it, he can Ace the test. He doesn't really think grades are all that important. (I was used to my daughter's straight As and am trying to refrain from comparing the two kids.) I'm looking for ways to motivate him, and so far a lot of positive reinforcement is starting to help. Maybe visiting with the school counselor would help. My son is also looking for a job--I think he has too much time on his hands! The more time they have, the less they get done. Good luck.
Sons in Military - Thank You
Thanks, next time I hear from either one of my children, I'll ask them about this. I wonder why the military just doesn't supply them with it ????? Thanks so much.
Both of my sons are in college now.
It's very easy to become overwhelmed quickly during the search. My husband and I approached the process a little differently. We didn't do anything like the other parents and high school juniors/seniors were doing. We did pretty much... well nothing. We let our kids lead in the process. We didn't even look at the applications unless our sons asked us to. We felt that our job was to guide them and to keep them from getting caught up in the college search mania that seems to grip everyone during those last two years in high school.
My husband and I went to the same, very large university (Temple U). Back all those years ago, it just seemed that there wasn't quite so much pressure on kids and parents when it came to college searches. We both chose Temple because it offered degree programs that we wanted and that we could afford. The campus wasn't pretty and it was a commuter school then, which meant that the "college experience" for us was living at home and going to school. College was more of a practical work-and-study experience for us. And we received very good educations.
Fast forward to our own children. We told both of our sons that they should think of their college experience as the preliminary work for their careers. They didn't look at it as a means to move away from home or be on their own. (No college student is really on their own when living in a dorm, anyway.) They needed to determine what area they were interested in studying and then choose a school that offered a good program and that we could afford. The affordability factor was a big one for us. No one wants to have huge loans at the end of this "experience".
Our oldest son was not quite sure what he wanted to do, so he wisely chose to spend a year at the local community college. We were thrilled! It cost us less than his high school tuition! He checked out different options and settled on a meteorology major. With that decided, he discovered that there was only one school that we could afford and that had a great program. He applied, was accepted, and his community college credits transferred. He is now a junior.
Our younger son wants to be an engineer, though he's not sure what kind of an engineer. He is leaning towards civil engineering. He decided to live at home to save money. That narrowed his decision down to just two schools, Drexel and Temple, both a short train ride from our home. He applied to only those two schools, was accepted at both, and received decent scholarship offers from both. In the end, Temple was far more affordable, and so now our youngest walks the campus of our alma mater. Our friends and neighbors were shocked that our oldest applied to just one school, and our youngest applied to just two. They were amazed that we weren't on constant campus tours or worried about "options" and "fits".
Why such a long post that seems a bit off-topic? Well, because I see so many people stress over this decision. It really isn't the end of the world. It's four short years of a person's life. They're important years, to be sure. But they don't have to be make or break years. Most college students will change majors at some point, many will transfer to other schools. These decisions can be re-made later on. You are in the market for a product, just as if you were shopping for a car or other big ticket item. Try to keep calm about it so that your student doesn't pick up on the stress. It is stressful, but if you keep it all in perspective, the stress doesn't have to feel so overwhelming.
And for the short answer: We liked visiting the schools at open house to get a general feel for the place. At that point you can usually tell if the school is a viable option or not. If not, no reason to revisit. If yes, then visit again and make an appointment for a personal tour and/or interview.
Don't worry! You'll survive!
Trained my sons to help sm
Since I was a working mom, I always told my sons to expect to help around the house. They didn't do it for me that often, but now that they're married, they cook, iron, babysit and go to the market without complaining. I think I did a good job. My husband also helped around the house, so they had a good example of what it takes to make it work when mom has to work. Whether you pay someone to help or ask for help around the house, it doesn't matter. I could not have offered my kids a college education if I did not work and save for it. Some men think it demasculinizes them and that's sad. I also shoveled snow,did what I could to help without gender bias if no one else was home. I did not feel strange doing what I could to help my husband either, as long as I could lift it, I did it. It takes a village. I used to sew, but I was lousy at it and that's why I quit. I never felt like what I did was good enough and wouldn't wear it. Curtains and drapes were okay but now you can buy them cheaper than what the material costs. Just IMHO.
I understand your fear! I have three sons between
17 and 20 years old. Now and then they talk about enlisting, and of course I worry about the draft. For selfish reasons, I want them always to stay close to home, where it seems to be safe. But it's a very high calling to serve one's country, and I would support that decision if my sons decided upon it. If the draft were brought back, I'd be terrified. I do not support this war. I don't think it was the right thing to do. But I do support the people who serve and respect their decisions and am incredibly grateful to them for their sacrifices. I will also continue to support them by doing whatever I can, small though it may be, to help bring them home AND keep peace for us all. I wish it were a simple thing.
As for our children, the fact is, once they are 18, they can make the decision to join without our consent. Talk to each other, love her and appreciate her. If she decides to serve her country, you do not want to part in anger, and trust me, you will want to support her in any way you can.
Prayers for your sons and all our soldiers! nm
!
LOL! Love it! Thanks. I'll be using this on my 3 sons! nm
///
My sons have been in Scouts for some time now...sm
My youngest (11 years old) was in Cub Scouts for about 3 years and crossed over into a newly chartered troop. My oldest son (17 years old) joined the troop also, mostly out of necessity (we needed his warm body in order to have enough boys to charter). My youngest loves it and my oldest is kind of lukewarm about it. I have also been a leader at the pack, troop, district and council level for over 4 years now. We are basically a scouting family and love it.
With that said, however, I will say that scouting is not for everyone, and everyone does not get out of scouting what is there for them to learn simply because everyone is not interested in learning those things or because of poor leadership within the scouting unit. In your case, it sounds to me as if the latter may be true.
You didn't say how old your son is or how long he has been in scouting, but it sounds to me like he has a very poor leader if he makes them camp this way. Some overly self-glorified scout leaders try to turn scouting into junior Army training which is not what it is meant to be. If there is another pack or troop in the area, you might consider changing and see if that improves his scouting experience by a new leader and better camping conditions. When we camp, each boy has his own tent (can be bought at Walmart for about $15) and we always have a campfire in a designated fire ring that burns pretty much all night. Each boy is safely enclosed in his own tent that zips up which greatly reduces the chances of spiders, snakes, bugs, etc. Of course the boys have to be trained to keep their tent flaps zipped closed at all times so that nothing gets in.
My advice from a scouter's viewpoint is to talk to your son and then you and your son and husband talk to the scout leader and see what can be done to improve the scouting experience for your son as well as the other boys in the unit. If the leader does not want to chanage his ways to more closely follow the scouting ideals, then find another troop or pack to join. Sounds like there is a LOT of room for improvement here.
Here is a link that may help, too. http://netcommish.com/askandy.asp
Those total sons of you-know-whats.
My situation was not QUITE the same.... It turned out I was the other woman; the guy I was dating and thought I was exclusive with turned out to have a fiance he didn't bother to tell me about. Looking back, there were a few hinky things I should have noticed, but they weren't the usual things, so I was thrown off my guard.
I do have a very good male friend whom I call my adopted big brother. (He's married, has been for decades, and his wife is aware that we are friends/business associates.) I asked him flat-out why men cheat, and he said (a) because they can, and (b) the thrill of the chase, or some bullhockey like that, that we testosterone-deficient females can't seem to understand, I guess. He also bluntly told me that I probably was not the only one, i.e. the only "other woman." I would not be surprised if that were true, but I never actually found out, since the SOB (and I do NOT mean 'short of breath') married the fiance and left town.
My best friend put it rather succinctly, when we were discussing another topic:
Men don't change, and women just learn to be abused gracefully. (Because this too is a form of abuse.)
My sons both learned that lesson the hard way
One had 1200 text messages in a month (I pay for 300) and the other did the same download thing. I wish there was some way you could block their phones after a certain amount of $$. Needless to say, both had a nice chunk of money to pay mom back.
Mary, I offer my prayers for the safety of your sons. SM
I thought brothers could not be in battle zones at the same time. Did they choose to?
I'm older than dirt, too, and older
than the 2 posters below me.
I remember when gas was $.25 a gallon when I got my driver's license and first car.
The first car my dad had was a LaSalle with running boards. After that, he bought all Hudsons and then Ramblers. He never owned a Chevy.
My first car was a ི Chevy, green and White, that my dad paid $12 for (cost of the tag). My uncle gave it to him and was a stick shift. I never drove an automatic until I was 20 and bought my own car with my own money. I paid $1500 for a ྀ Rambler Classic, 4 door (my first 4 door, too) in turquoise blue. My dad was mad because I didn't pick the Navy blue and white stick shift Rambler because it was cheaper.
My allowance was $1.50 a week and to make money, I chauffered all my friends around plus to school and back for $.25 a week.
And, I just turned another year older on Monday. Ugh! Thank heavens, no one in my family wished me HB. I quit counting 20 years ago. 
Deeni, I respect your opinion, but I held both my sons during circumcision......sm
my dirtly little secret, I used to be an LPN and CMA, used to surgical technology. It takes seconds, and while I had silent tears and I worried and fretted, but they were fine, and Nola is not misinformed here, being in clinical practice for years, and working for general surgeons, I saw many men, some in their 40s, 50s, and 60s, who had infection after infection because they could not retract the foreskin the right way, phimosis is painful and can become precancerous, and yes, we had some gentlemen with penile cancer. As I said, I was able to snuggle and nurse my baby boys both times right after circumcision, no problems. Men's anatomy is so different (!!!!) from female's (duh), so you cannot compare the unsterile, crude labial circimcisions done in third world countries with what is done in hospital for our baby boys. Anatomy just dictates this. I was so glad when my daughter was born, it was not even anything to worry about!
If you are 30 or older.
If you are 30 or older you will think this is hilarious!!!!
When I was a kid, adults used to bore me to tears with their tedious diatribes about how hard things were when they were growing up; what with walking twenty-five miles to school every morning ... uphill BOTH ways.. yadda, yadda, yadda.
And I remember promising myself that when I grew up, there was no way in he*ll I was going to lay a bunch of crap like that on kids about how hard I had it and how easy they've got it!
But now that I'm over the ripe old age of thirty, I can't help but look around and notice the youth of today. You've got it so easy! I mean, compared to my childhood, you live in a dam n Utopia! And I hate to say it but you kids today you don't know how good you've got it!
I mean, when I was a kid we didn't have The Internet. If we wanted to know something, we had to go to the dam n library and look it up ourselves, in the card catalog!!
There was no email!! We had to actually write somebody a letter with a pen! Then you had to walk all the way across the street and put it in the mailbox and it would take like a week to get there!
There were no MP3's or Napsters! You wanted to steal music, you had to hitchhike to the dam n record store and shoplift it yourself!
Or you had to wait around all day to tape it off the radio and the DJ'd usually talk over the beginning and @#*% it all up!
And talk of about hardship? You couldn't just download porn! You had to steal it from your brother or bribe some homeless dude to buy you a copy of "Hustler" at the 7-11! Those were your options!
We didn't have fancy c rap like Call Waiting! If you were on the phone and somebody else called they got a busy signal, that's it!
And we didn't have fancy Caller ID Boxes either! When the phone rang, you had no idea who it was! It could be your school, your mom, your boss, your bookie, a collections agent, you just didn't know!!! You had to pick it up and take your chances, mister!
We didn't have any fancy Sony Play Station video games with high-resolution 3-D graphics! We had the Atari 2600! With games like "Space Invaders" and "asteroids" and the graphics sucked a$$! Your guy was a little square! You actually had to use your imagination! And there were no multiple levels or screens, it was just one screen forever! And you could never win. The game just kept getting harder and harder and faster and faster until you died! Just like LIFE!
When you went to the movie theater there no such thing as stadium seating! All the seats were the same height! If a tall guy or some old broad with a hat sat in front of you and you couldn't see, you were just SC rewed!
Sure, we had cable television, but back then that was only like 15 channels and there was no onscreen menu and no remote control! You had to use a little book called a TV Guide to find out what was on!
You were sc rewed when it came to channel surfing! You had to get off your a$$ and walk over to the TV to change the channel and there was no Cartoon Network either! You could only get cartoons on Saturday Morning. Do you hear what I'm saying!?! W e had to wait ALL WEEK for cartoons, you spoiled little rat-s!
And we didn't have microwaves, if we wanted to heat something up. We had to use the stove or go build a frigging fire ... Imagine that! If we wanted popcorn, we had to use that stupi*d JiffyPop thing and shake it over the stove forever like an idio*t.
That's exactly what I'm talking about! You kids today have got it too easy. You're spoiled.
You guys wouldn't have lasted five minutes back in 1980!
Regards,
The over 30 Crowd
I am older than most and what I would do
is I probably would not like the idea 1 bit about his growing hay, I believe you said, on her property. Surely there would be another place besides her's that he could do this. In my last marriage, 2 women (1 was my boss at that time) had affairs with my husband. Both women were welcomed into my home, big mistake and 1 a neighbor, 1 an ex-boss. This just does not smell like a good situation to me at all because first of all you have concerns up front. You should basically listen to your inner self. If it seems wrong, usually is. I would not befriend. Remember doing that for my new boss in town, visited in her home, shared my hubby's knowledge of things to fix around the home with her and pretty soon even the husband.
Older than you and what I think
I have been married now for close to 10 years and still honeymooning so I just do not get 2 years and already looking but having said that, he probably will continue to do this. I would not mind so much his looking but probably might take it further with maybe meeting up with someone? Your spending a night away would do nothing for the relationship- this would just give him more time to spend on the computer and he would. There are a lot of men who like porn but if it is something that would bother you, cut your losses while you can because he probably would not change- after 2 years of marriage and already looking?
Probably older. LOL s/m
We have "Grapes of Wrath" in our movie library. When I'm feeling down about the economy, I get it out and watch it. I pray to God we don't see anything like that again but I fear we are headed in that direction.
LOL! i know i'm getting older! sm
usually i'm right on time. i know exactly when i'm going to start. i know exactly when i'm ovulating. sometimes i think i'll be glad to go through the change and not deal with this any more. but i know going through the change isn't fun either.
i did start, finally. figures, once i buy the test, i start! haha!
merry christmas everyone
I am and I'm a little older than you.
I am just finishing my first semester back to college after 20 years! OMG, what a shock. But I'm glad I did it and I really like being back in school. Go for it!
or it could be that he was older than God...nm
x
Older than dirt...
No, I just turned 64 in March. My ex said his Lasik did not last and my eyesight was in the 20/400 range, really bad so really glad when I got the Lasik as glasses and contacts just was not doing the job anymore. I know according to the patient cataracts grow at different growths so maybe that is the problem now, at least if that were the case insurance would pay for it and Lasik not.
my older kittie--sm
is a big sissy, named Spike. When the doorbell rings, he climbs under the covers on my bed and stays there long after whoever rang the bell leaves. He is such a scaredy cat!!!
Bet you're not much older than me
I remember all those commercials. Ipana toothpaste. And which toothpaste had Gardol that would bounce baseballs off its force field? LOL And the whiny voice of the little girl in the Shake & Bake commercial - "And Ah heyulped!"  That one drove me crazy!
Remember the Clairol commercials with the beautiful hair? And all the people gathered on the hillside singing "I'd like to buy the world a Coke...." And Herbal Essence shampoo commercials? And what was that shampoo that was in a bottle like a green stem and had a top like a yellow flower? I don't think it was Herbal Essence.
See? You're not the only one!
He probably will understand when he is older.....
maybe you can plan something special for him this weekend to make him (and you) feel a little better. I'm sure you've made the right decision. I have 2 boys and would have decided against the trip, too. Especially with drinking and water. Have a good weekend.
getting older? *ROFL*
You know, the older I get, the more intolerant I become of sm
ignorant people. I don't know why. There just doesn't seem to be much grace in the world anymore. I have a few friends mad at me because I'm "too busy for them." It hurts. I think people just want to be loved and forgiven and understood.
It's so hard to find those traits in people nowadays. Where's the compassion??
Yes, older and wiser, much so
and what you are doing is settling for less, but if that is the life you desire to live, that is your choice. Having a roof over my head means nothing if I am unhappy. I can get my own roof. You may not believe this, but I have the best possible life now at my age and do not mind a moment of my older age, would never ever want to have to relive the years gone by and that is why so many women writing in about their lives. Staying with a man because of children is idiotic to say the least. The kids grow up and leave and you still are in a loveless life? My husband has not changed since marriage and thank God for that. If you think change is coming, hmmm, doubt that. I have the love of my life and the time of my life. My sympathy goes out to all in these unhappy relationships.
Older cats -
I have had a cat start doing this at 14 years of age and another at 16. The vets tended to think they were losing their hearing and also becoming somewhat demented and confused, but that as long as they were happy to let them do their thing. I did just that...You might also feed her any kind of meat baby food or a good canned food to get her interested in eating. If her sense of smell is going it is hard for them to want to eat. You might also add Pedialyte (plain) to her water to make sure she is getting a good amount of electrolytes. Just love her and cherish all the special moments. :-)
VERY interesting! I had an older get get the same - sm
symptoms you describe after a minor procedure under anesthesia (teeth-cleaning). She wobbled around for 2 days, then I took her back. She was very dehydrated, so they gave her a shot of water under the skin. Don't know if that's what helped her, but by the next day she was better, and the day after that she was fine.
LOL! Now that I'm older and more tolerant -sm
I'm not above liking some sweet yellow cornbread with some corn in it. Or even a corn pudding - gasp! ;)
Older here, going around block again
You, I think, have the ability to get him checked into the hospital for an examination psychiatrically for 72 hours even if he does not want to go. This is very abnormal behavior- you are right in there being something wrong. It is not just with aging- I am in mid 60s and although forgetful sometimes, say with where I put the keys or putting things around the house, the cutting of one's hair such as your husband is doing is 1 prime example of behavioral problems such as in mental disorders and to not even know you are doing, well if I were you I definitely would have him committed for the time you can and as his wife, you can. Check out a mental facility and find out. You or he both could be in danger of bodily harm- a person who is unaware as he is (such as not knowing he is multilating himself with the hair cutting) could be very dangerous. I hope you will seek help and keep us advised.
I just had a birthday, I bet I'm older than
U.R. La te dah....
I would say possibly a little older
I don't have a son, but I would say I would wait until he was maybe a little bit older. I don't see anything wrong with boys wearing earrings. Like I told my husband who said he'd kick my daughter out of the house if she ever got a tattoo (she's 14 now and would be too young now and doesn't want one anyway), and I told him as long as she wasn't doing drugs or being promiscious, a tattoo would be the least of our worries. By the way, to the other posters, to each his own, but I don't see why you feel the need to criticize. My old boyfriend had an earring and my almost 60 year old neighbor has one too and he is very successful. If in time he doesn't want one he can let the hole close up. What's the big deal?
As a mom of 2 boys, now older,
who played baseball and hockey, do your son a favor and refrain from making a scene. It's embarrassing for him and puts such a negative tone on the game for all the kids. Be the better person, take the higher ground, keep your mouth closed and realize this should be fun for the KIDS.
keep away from older people who
had chicken pox when they were young as they will now get shingles. They itch, redden, but if you touch them they burn like the devil. They used to give Zovirax, but all my info is 20 years old, probably should go see MD.
I'm older than dirt
'Someone asked the other day, 'What was your favorite fast food when you were growing up?'
'We didn't have fast food when I was growing up,' I informed him. 'All the food was slow.' 'C'mon, seriously. Where did you eat?'
'It was a place called 'at home,'' I explained. ! 'Mom cooked every day and when Dad got home from work, we sat down together at the dining room table, and if I didn't like what she put on my plate I was allowed to sit there until I did like it.'
By this time, the kid was laughing so hard I was afraid he was going to suffer serious internal damage, so I didn't tell him the part about how I had to have permission to leave the table. But here are some other things I would have told him about my childhood if I figured his system could have handled it :
Some parents NEVER! owned their own house, wore Levis, set foot on a golf course, traveled out of the country or had a credit card. In their later years they had something called a revolving charge card. The card was good only at Sears Roebuck. Or maybe it was Sears & Roebuck. Either way, there is no Roebuck anymore. Maybe he died.
My parents never drove me to soccer practice. This was mostly because we never had heard of soccer. I had a bicycle that weighed probably 50 pounds, and only had one speed, (slow). We didn't have a television in our house until I was 5. It was, of course, black and white,
I was 13 before I tasted my first pizza, it was called 'pizza pie.' When I bit into it, I burned the roof of my mouth and the cheese slid off, swung down, plastered itself against my chin and burned that, too. It's still the best pizza I ever had.
We didn't have a car until I was 4. It was an old black Dodge.
I never had a telephone in my room. The only phone in the house was in the living room and it was on a party line. Before you could dial, you had to listen and make sure some people you didn't know weren't already using the line.
Pizzas were not delivered to our home. But milk was.
All newspapers were delivered by boys and all boys delivered newspapers my brother delivered a newspaper, six days a week. It cost 7 cents a paper, of which he got to keep 2 cents. He had to get up at
6AM
every morning. On Saturday, he had to collect the 42 cents from his customers. His favorite customers were the ones who gave him 50 cents and told him to keep the change. His least favorite customers were the ones who seemed to never be home on collection day.
Movie stars kissed with their mouths shut. At least, they did in the movies. Touching someone else's tongue with yours was called French kissing and they didn't do that in movies. I don't know what they did in French movies. French movies were dirty and we weren't allowed to see them
If you grew up in a generation before there was fast food, you may want to share some of these memories with your children or grandchildren. Just don't blame me if they bust a gut laughing.
Growing up isn't what it used to be, is it?
MEMORIES from a friend :
My Dad is cleaning out my grandmother's house (she died in December) and he brought me an old Royal Crown Cola bottle. In the bottle top was a stopper with a bunch of holes in it. I knew immediately what it was, but my daughter had no idea. She thought they had tried to make it a salt shaker or something. I knew it as the bottle that sat on the end of the ironing board to 'sprinkle' clothes with because we didn't have steam irons. Man, I am old.
How many do you remember?
Head lights dimmer switches on the floor.
Ignition switches on the dashboard.
Heaters mounted on the inside of the fire wall.
Real ice boxes.
Pant leg clips for bicycles without chain guards.
Soldering irons you heat on a gas burner.
Using hand signals for cars without turn signals.
Older Than Dirt Quiz :
Count all the ones that you remember not the ones you were told about
Ratings at the bottom.
1 Blackjack chewing gum
2. Wax Coke-shaped bottles with colored sugar water
3. Candy cigarettes
4. Soda pop machines that dispensed glass bottles
5. Coffee shops or diners with tableside juke boxes
6. Home milk delivery in glass bottles with cardboard stoppers
7. Party lines
8. Newsreels before the movie
9. P.F. Flyers
10. Butch wax
11. TV test patterns that came on at night after the last show and were there until TV shows started again in the morning. (there were only 3 channels)
12. Peashooters
13. Howdy Doody
14. 45 RPM records
15. S&H greenstamps
16 Hi-fi's
17. Metal ice trays with lever
18. Mimeograph paper
19 Blue flashbulb
20. Packards
21. Roller skate keys
22. Cork popguns
23. Drive-ins
24. Studebakers
25. Wash tub wringers
If you remembered 0-5 = You're still young
If you remembered 6-10 = You are getting older
If you remembered 11-15 = Don't tell your age,
If you remembered 16-25 = You're older than dirt!
I might be older than dirt but those memories are thebest part of my life.
Older than dirt here, too......... sm
I can also remember:
1. Licking and sticking S&H Green Stamps into a saver book and taking them to the redemption center with my mother. That's how I got my first luggage set.
2. Raleigh coupons that came in the cigarettes that Dad smoked. These were also good for redemption for merchandise, but mom had to package them up in bundles of 100 with rubber bands, pack them in a box, wrap the box with a brown paper grocery sack cut to fit and tie it with string. We then mailed it and waited the customary 6 - 8 weeks for our merchandise to arrive. I believe she got a set of dishes with this once and who knows what else. It, like the Green Stamps, was so common place in our home that we didn't really pay attention to what was purchased with them.
3. Going to the soda fountain at the drug store downtown and ordering a Coke float.
4. We lived on a farm and sometimes processed our own meat. I can remember helping to package and label package after package of beef or pork.
5. Related to the above, I can remember my mother straining milk that our milk cow produced twice a day. For each gallon of milk, about a third of it was pure yellow cream. My dad would drink the cream off the top of the milk with supper at night. That kid doctor in the original post probably would have had a stroke over that. Surprisingly though, Dad never did and lived to be the ripe old age of 83. Mother also made and sold fresh-churned butter and buttermilk. That buttermilk made the BEST cornbread to go with the peas that Dad grew in the garden and Mom canned for us to eat through the winter. Sometimes peas and cornbread WAS supper.
6. I can remember getting a special dress twice a year....once on Easter and once on Christmas.....and wearing it to church with my family. Of course, these dresses were designed and crafted and sewn by my mother. All of my clothes were, in fact, and I always got so many compliments on my clothes and from people with money at that!
7. I can remember going into town with Daddy on Saturday mornings and getting 25 cents worth of candy. It was enough to last a whole week but it seldom did. We didn't get candy or soft drinks every day and they were a special treat.
8. I didn't eat a "store bought" cookie until I was at least 13 years old.
9. I didn't have a "store bought" dress until I was at least 9 years old and only then because I was attending a wedding and mother did have time to make me a new dress (which she thought I had to have a new dress for any "occasion"). I think it cost $12 and my daddy had to work for about 6 hours to pay for that dress!
10. I can remember segregation and the first year our little school integrated.
11. I can remember watching the evening news and seeing the casualty lists from the Vietnam War being scrolled across the screen.
12. I can remember JFK's assasination and funeral and my mother crying as she watched the news coverage on our black and white TV while ironing. She was using one of those bottles described in the original post.
13. I remember our class being taken to the auditorium and watching the first man walk on the moon.
14. I remember daily assemblies that included Scripture reading and prayer at school and these were lead by a teacher.
15. I didn't see a color TV until I was about 12 or 13 and that was at a friend's house. I didn't know they even existed until then.
16. I remember the first attempt at movies on disks. They were huge plastic things in huge plastic boxes and the picture quality was abysmal. Of course, we thought it was great.
17. I remember Hi-FI stereos with automatic record changers that played 33s and 45s and what an improvement it was to be able to stack records and not have to change them after each one was finished. At least I'm not quite old enough to remember using a Victrola! 
When I think about all the innovations and inventions I have seen in my lifetime, it amazes me. There are microwaves, color tv, personal computers, cell phones, MP3 players, CDs, VCRs, DVDs, and the list goes on. Boy, do I feel old now!
Another older than dirt
How about when gas was 28 cents a gallon and you also got a free drinking glass with each gasoline fillup?!! Them's the good ole days,..
Older than dirt
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I fit into that older category but I will get others to do
things that I perhaps don’t have the time to do, don’t want to do, am not interested in doing- you see when I hire others on it gives me the opportunity to do things I love doing such as spoiling my furkids, rescuing animals, reading, movies, traveling and having lunch out with my friends. I can do things if I had to, as in cooking, sewing on a button, but I just do not care about taking the time away from other interests in my life. When I can afford to have others do the mundane things that need doing and I can afford it that is what I do. If the time came when I was down and out, well might fix myself a pot of stew or something.
I am older, have been through a lot and guess what
Right now with all the work I have done in the past will pay off to my getting benefits of social security and retirement from previous employer of 2700.00 a month. That is not counting what I have in the bank, home paid for, etc. etc. I have worked and worked hard and made my own way, never counted on others because others are not always there for you. I have probably been through more than most on this board and I can thank myself for raising my kids sans living off others like many do here. When I get notice from IRS asking about children I have fed, housed and raised in my home for over 2 years and someone else taking the credit for them, yes the govn needs to look more into that. I was the only 1 working for the household (their grandfather sick) and I took care of it all so yes it ticked me off that welfare did not look into the abuse and the IRS did not look into cheats. Your sentence was entirely correct about checking with me because I did and still have the information regarding all this even though this was over 10 years ago. I keep good records.
older husband
I met my husband in 1974 when I was 21 and he was 48. We worked in the same building and I walked by his office everyday. After about 4 years of talking on a regular basis, we finally went out in June 1978. We casually dated for a few years, then I was spending weekends at this place, and we moved in together in 1984. In 1987 he retired and wanted to move to CA (we were from MN) so that he could play golf for the rest of his life. He moved and I commuted back and forth for visits until 1989 when I decided enough was enough and moved to CA.
We lived there until 2001 when we finally decided to get married. There were no children together, although he had 2 daughers older than me, that he never saw. In 2003 he was diagnosed with cancer of unknown origin with spread to the liver which only compounded the fact that he had congestive heart failure and emphysema from smoking for 50 years. At that point he said we were moving back to my home town so that I would be close to my family after he passed away, as he was getting progressively worse with his heart problems and lung problems since 2000 with ambulance calls every couple months, and breathing treatments, etc, open heart surgery, the whole 9 yards.
We flew to MN on April 22, 2003 which was the only way he could travel across country as he was so oxygen dependent, etc he could not go by car. He sent my SIL and I out house shopping and furniture shopping. I found a house in a few days, put on offer on it and it was ours. He went to the hospital on April 25 with a bad attack. After telling him about the house and having to explain what it looked like about 450 times, he told me on May 1, 2003 that I was in good hands and so was he, and his work was done and he passed away in his sleep later that day.
Have to also say that my parents were against him for MANY years (not so much his age, although they really did not know it until they saw it in the obituary), but the fact he was African-American. 20 years it took for them to meet and then it was only few short years after that he died. they actually ended up loving it each other greatly. Too bad we waited so long.
He passed away when I was 50, living in a home that should have been for the 2 of us (3 actually, our dog) but that never happened. The only thing is that I was a widow at 50 and still alone at 55, and that is sad. Of course I guess one could be a widow at any time, but it is more likely with having an older husband like that, it will happen sooner.
Would I do it again if I had to start over at 21 with someone 27 years older. I really do not think so. People did try to tell me about the age difference and what the consequnces might be with him passing away much earlier than me, but that did not make any difference. But it is really difficult for me to be alone, and in my home town of 2500 people there really is not a possibility of a husband here; and I will probably not leave now as I have all my family here. But really that is not enough.
Sorry this was so long, but for the young ones with an older spouse, just think about the future. I do have a friend that is married to an older man also (about 20 years) and I know that she is not truly happy with him either as he is at the age where he does not want to be doing things like he used to and she is in her early 50s and still quite active, as am I. that is another thing to consider also.
I am 7 years older than he - nm
x
Floaters in older age groups
are not uncommon. I have had these over a year but they have been having little babies today it seems like.
I'm dating a man 18 years older. If you like him, go for it! :)
x
LOL. What a shame, she looks 20 years older
My husband says she looks just like Dolly Parton - and that was NOT a compliment. LOL
The older I get, the higher *middle age* becomes. lol. nm
nm
Older dogs go get epilepsy
We have three in the neighborhood that range from 5 to 8 that have developed epilepsy in the past year. Also my chow/lab mix started with major major seizures after being put on steroids for an infection/hot spot after age of 5. Went to a neurologist put her on medication for about a year, not dilantin, and slowly withdrew her off after a year. She has had some minor ones -- is now 16+ years, but never the major ones. It is becoming more common now a days for dogs to develope epilepsy. When I worked for a vet 25 years ago it was uncommon but is becoming very common and more prevelant in certain breeds - ie chows. And often when dogs get 10+ years the will sudden develop epilepsy. So each case is separate and I don't think that one can generalize as to what age epilepsy can start. Again, the trip to the neurologist was less expensive than our regular vet, he spent 30 minutes with us, did a general neurologic work-up, etc. I strongly recommend a specialist when having skin, neurologic or other specific troubles when your general vet is unable to help as it is lots of times cheaper. Sorry about your loss, I am anticipating that soon with Tasha 16+ years but she was given a pretty good clean bill of health just a month ago except for deafness and arthritis in the back legs but we still walk 1/2 to 3/4 mile a day.
Older lady here, some insight maybe
I have a friend whose situation is 100% like yours. She does not care for her husband, tells others she doesn’t and is so turned off by any actions he takes such as the dirty talking, the fondling (which she says gropping), etc. I have heard this before from her as you are talking about. My friend also wants to withhold sex like you, tells me her hubby is complete turnoff. On the other hand, I am so much in love with my husband and he talks dirty and loving at the same time and I love it. If he wants to hug, kiss, whatever, I am right on the same page with him. He is probably the dirtist talking man I have ever met and love that also. No one else would ever believe me because he is very shy and quiet around others. I feel your situation is a direct result of how you are feeling towards your husband in the first place. If you truly loved him, I do not think his actions would be that repulsive to you. Probably if you could and wanted to salvage this relationship, starting with marital therapy might work but do you really want this? I see you and he as being in a standoff and that is not a good thing for any marriage.
I hate to say this, but you must be older. I am in my late 30s. We have 3 sm
kids together. They love him. Living away from their dad right now would tear all 3 boys apart. I am not staying because of "the kids." I am staying because I have hope of seeing change. I already "threw one man away" in my mid 20s because he "didn't make me happy." I'm starting to think it was the biggest mistake of my life. Heard he was a doll and completely romantic which my husband is not.
Anyway, I do think to my future - when the kids are 18 and older - then maybe, just maybe, I will be able to say,"okay, I've tried. You are a jerk, never changed, never will, I'm outta here." But I can't do that right now.
Right now I work PT. He works FT+. He keeps a roof over our head and we live a very comfortable lifestyle. I've already listed all the pros and cons and right now staying just makes more sense for everyone involved.
Besides, I'm no quitter. Yeah, he has issues. Yeah, I know there is a man out there who can make me completely happy. But then again if you were to ask my husband, he'd probably say I ain't no saint either! (forgive the grammar please).
I'll talk to you in 25 years and let you know where I am....
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