| 4/9/2009 11:13:03 AM | Fw: How old is Grandpa??? | | 
janie46
Manassas, VA
age: 63
| Stay with this -- the answer is at the end. It will blow you away.
One evening a grandson was talking to his grandfather about current events.
The grandson asked his grandfather what he thought about the shootings at schools, the computer age, and just things in general.
The Grandfather replied, "Well, let me think a minute, I was born before:
' television
' penicillin
' polio shots
' frozen foods
' Xerox
' contact lenses
' Frisbees and the pill
There were no:
' credit cards
' laser beams or
' ball-point pens
Man had not invented:
' pantyhose
' air conditioners
' dishwashers
' clothes dryers< /B>
' and the clothes were hung out to dry in the fresh air and
' man hadn't yet walked on the moon
Your Grandmother and I got married first, . . . and then lived together.
Every family had a father and a mother.
Until I was 25, I called every man older than me, "Sir".
And after I turned 25, I still called policemen a nd every man with a title, "Sir.."
We were before gay-rights, computer- dating, dual careers, daycare centers, and group therapy.
Our lives were governed by the Ten Commandments, good judgment, and common sense.
We were taught to know the difference between right and wrong and to stand up and take responsibility for our actions.
Serving your country was a privilege; living in this country was a bigger privilege.
We thought fast food was what people ate during Lent.
Having a meaningful relationship meant getting along with your cousins.
Draft dodgers were those who closed front doors as the evening breeze started.
Time-sharing meant time the family spent together in the evenings and weekends -not purchasing condominiums.
We never heard of FM radios, tape decks, CDs, electric typewriters, yogurt, or guys wearing earrings.
We listened to Big Bands, Jack Benny, and the President's speeches on our radios.
And I don't ever remember any kid blowing his brains out listening to Tommy Dorsey.
If you saw anything with 'Made in Japan ' on it, it was junk
The term 'making out' referred to how you did on your school exam.
Pizza Hut, McDonald's, and instant coffee were unheard of.
We had 5 &10-cent stores where you could actually buy things for 5 and 10 cents.
Ice-cream cones, phone calls, rides on a streetcar, and a Pepsi were all a nickel.
And if you didn't want to splurge, you could spend your nickel on enough stamps to mail 1 letter and 2 postcards.
You could buy a new Chevy Coupe for $600, . . . but who could afford one?
Too bad, because gas was 11 cents a gallon.
In my day:
' "grass" was mowed,
' "coke" was a cold drink,
' "pot" was something your mothe r cooked in and
' "rock music" was your grandmother's lullaby.
' "Aids" were helpers in the Principal's office,
' " chip" meant a piece of wood,
' "hardware" was found in a hardware store and
' "software" wasn't even a word.
And we were the last generation to actually believe that a lady needed a husband to have a baby.
No wonder people call us "old and confused" and say there is a generation gap. and how old do you think I am?
I bet you have this old man in mind...you are in for a shock!
Read on to see -- pretty scary if you think about it and pretty sad at the same time.
Are you ready ?????
This man would be only 59 years old. 
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| 4/9/2009 11:55:47 AM | Fw: How old is Grandpa??? | |
jennyann68
Clarksville, AR
age: 69
| Loved reading and remembering How it could be and was and is no more, smiles Thanks for caring and sharing
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| 4/9/2009 12:42:17 PM | Fw: How old is Grandpa??? | |
spinningtop
Lancaster, PA
age: 69
| OP.....I am only 10yrs older than grandpa.....Isnt it amazing how much the world has changed?????........I enjoyed reading it & after every line I was saying "right on"...Again, thanks for sharing... 
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| 4/9/2009 12:59:46 PM | Fw: How old is Grandpa??? | |
bworme
Springfield, IL
age: 67
| I can relate totally to this post, thanks for sharing. . .
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| 4/9/2009 1:04:22 PM | Fw: How old is Grandpa??? | |
rof1944
Marshville, NC
age: 65
| And those actually were the "good ole days".....as best I can remember em. 
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| 4/9/2009 1:12:06 PM | Fw: How old is Grandpa??? | |
vera_is_back
Fairfield, IL
age: 61
| cigarettes were 27 cents a pack. My dad would give me 35 cents for lucky strikes for him and a bag of candy for me and my brothers.
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| 4/9/2009 2:11:01 PM | Fw: How old is Grandpa??? | |
i_m4you
Stanley, WI
age: 71
| Do you remember when there were two pennies in the side of a pack of Camels? These came from a vending machine so you could put a quarter in and get your change right in the pack. My dad smoked them and I got the pennies from the pack. Boy was I rich!!
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| 4/9/2009 2:33:25 PM | Fw: How old is Grandpa??? | |
kitty2u
Clay City, IN
age: 68
| 
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| 4/9/2009 3:19:53 PM | Fw: How old is Grandpa??? | |
newlady2
Goldsboro, NC
age: 72
| Interesting....
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| 4/9/2009 3:38:28 PM | Fw: How old is Grandpa??? | |
jacel
McLoud, OK
age: 64
| It took some doing; -- I'm, 63-- But, I remembered; WOW; I had forgot; Thanks;---jacel---
[Edited 4/9/2009 3:38:51 PM PST]
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| 4/9/2009 4:39:01 PM | Fw: How old is Grandpa??? | |
gentlebear1949
Wooster, OH
age: 60
| Interesting,but kind of depressing to realize how old that make me feel.......
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| 4/9/2009 4:47:47 PM | Fw: How old is Grandpa??? | |
nenebubbles
Naperville, IL
age: 68
| Yep, recognized all on the list! It was a great time .. but I had the security of family and small town then.
I always thought my parents had lived thru great changes but I guess we have too.
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| 4/9/2009 5:39:08 PM | Fw: How old is Grandpa??? | |
alicekathleen
Sacramento, CA
age: 64
| My mom was born in 1910 and passed away in 2002. She remembered the troops on trains going to World War One,
the 20s, the Depression, the Second War, the Cold War, and lived to see men walk on the moon. When she was
a girl, they rented on Sundays a horse and buggy to go out for a drive. She saw so many changes.
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| 4/9/2009 5:42:33 PM | Fw: How old is Grandpa??? | |
morles
San Antonio, TX
age: 65
| Now we have to worry about Dementia losing all those memories....Dang it.....
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| 4/9/2009 5:45:39 PM | Fw: How old is Grandpa??? | |
kerryone
Newtown Square, PA
age: 65
| My mom was born in 1910 and passed away in 2002. She remembered the troops on trains going to World War One,
the 20s, the Depression, the Second War, the Cold War, and lived to see men walk on the moon. When she was
a girl, they rented on Sundays a horse and buggy to go out for a drive. She saw so many changes.
I often have conversations with my mother about the things she's seen change at the age of 94. Some of what you mention we've talked about.
As for me, in Ireland we didn't have electricity or running water. No bathroom and all our food was home grown on the farm.
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| 4/9/2009 5:47:24 PM | Fw: How old is Grandpa??? | |
shm18013
Bangor, PA
age: 63
| Thank you, Janie, brings back many memories.
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| 4/10/2009 4:57:34 PM | Fw: How old is Grandpa??? | |
jacel
McLoud, OK
age: 64
| I often have conversations with my mother about the things she's seen change at the age of 94. Some of what you mention we've talked about.
As for me, in Ireland we didn't have electricity or running water. No bathroom and all our food was home grown on the farm.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If, for prosperity sake; You should get a recorder like I wanted my aunt to do, and RECORD ALL the stories; You could write a book; IF my aunt had done that; That's what I would have done; Think about that; It's your life too;
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| 4/10/2009 5:02:39 PM | Fw: How old is Grandpa??? | |
newlady2
Goldsboro, NC
age: 72
| Whoaaaa In Ireland you didnt have running water or electricity ????
Since I was only a very few hundred miles away------ this blows my mind!!We had it!!
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| 4/10/2009 5:13:37 PM | Fw: How old is Grandpa??? | |
opticaljl
Staples, MN
age: 68
| My 11 year old daughters grandfather rode in the calvery during the 1st world war, some things just keep repeating in life.
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| 4/10/2009 6:38:01 PM | Fw: How old is Grandpa??? | |
kerryone
Newtown Square, PA
age: 65
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If, for prosperity sake; You should get a recorder like I wanted my aunt to do, and RECORD ALL the stories; You could write a book; IF my aunt had done that; That's what I would have done; Think about that; It's your life too;
You're right. Frank McCourt did it and made a fortune with Angela's Ashes.
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| 4/10/2009 6:39:16 PM | Fw: How old is Grandpa??? | |
kerryone
Newtown Square, PA
age: 65
| Whoaaaa In Ireland you didnt have running water or electricity ????
Since I was only a very few hundred miles away------ this blows my mind!!We had it!!
It's the truth. Lived on a farm in Donegal that went down to the Atlantic Ocean. Went to the well for water, the light came from the kerosene lanterns.
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| 4/10/2009 7:02:10 PM | Fw: How old is Grandpa??? | |
earldirt
Tulsa, OK
age: 62
| In 1957,my Grandparents lived in a small Okla. town,they chose to not have electric,gas or running water,I remember going to get wood for Grandma for the cook stove,wow!,did that food taste good!! LOL
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| 4/10/2009 7:21:41 PM | Fw: How old is Grandpa??? | |
kerryone
Newtown Square, PA
age: 65
| In 1957,my Grandparents lived in a small Okla. town,they chose to not have electric,gas or running water,I remember going to get wood for Grandma for the cook stove,wow!,did that food taste good!! LOL
I'm sure it did. We used peat from the bog on the fire where all the cooking was done. The food tasted great.
[Edited 4/10/2009 7:22:09 PM PST]
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| 4/10/2009 7:30:42 PM | Fw: How old is Grandpa??? | |
earldirt
Tulsa, OK
age: 62
| Kerryone,coincidentaly,I read an article in national Geographic years ago about the peat bogs,they found people in them from hundreds of years ago and they looked like they were just put in,it was amazing how they looked.
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| 4/10/2009 9:01:49 PM | Fw: How old is Grandpa??? | |
alicekathleen
Sacramento, CA
age: 64
| I can recall when we had a hand pump at the sink and an outhouse, and no telephone. And this was in late 40's.
But it was my mom (dad passed away at age 48) who saw the most changes. I often think of her and wish
I could show her the "talking buses" I now ride that flash the time, date, and intersection. She would have
gotten a kick out of that!
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| 4/10/2009 9:33:30 PM | Fw: How old is Grandpa??? | |
kerryone
Newtown Square, PA
age: 65
| Kerryone,coincidentaly,I read an article in national Geographic years ago about the peat bogs,they found people in them from hundreds of years ago and they looked like they were just put in,it was amazing how they looked.
Missed that. I'll have to see if I can find it. Not so sure some of them weren't put there due to the previous "troubles" in Northern Ireland which is just across the border.
Thanks for the information.
[Edited 4/10/2009 9:33:55 PM PST]
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| 4/11/2009 4:27:13 AM | Fw: How old is Grandpa??? | |
nyny09
Mohawk, NY
age: 66
| when my husband was stationed in UK,,his row house was the only one with inside toilet,,,they were working on conversions.
If you think about it, a lot has happened in our times, but seems when gathered together it does in many generations.
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| 4/11/2009 8:22:19 AM | Fw: How old is Grandpa??? | |
foreveralady
Tioga, PA
age: 68
| I can remember a pump out front to get our water.....an outside toilet......no refrigerator.......these kids today would never make it--they have way too much----fal
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| 4/11/2009 11:16:58 AM | Fw: How old is Grandpa??? | |
nyny09
Mohawk, NY
age: 66
| heavens all the campsites have electric today...and the showers are heated!
|