Daddy's Ashtray

Kelli from Kelli's House hosts Show and Tell Friday. If you have something special to share, this is the place to show it. It could be a trinket from grade school, a piece of jewelry, or a treasured collection. Go to her place to join in the fun!

My father smoked. At the time, almost everyone did. He preferred over-sized ashtrays and had one beside his easy chair. However, he was intrigued with little ashtrays, and this is a special brass one of his. It's only 3½ inches long--certainly not very functional, although I do remember him using it once or twice. It's beautifully engraved and special to me because my father loved it and gave it to me.


The marking on the back says, "INDIA" with a number underneath. It's hard to make out. If you can provide any information, I'd love to hear it. These are the best shots I could get.

Maybe you can see the number. To me it looks like "77." That would not be 1977 because he gave it to me in the 1950s.



See the little cigarette impression at the end?

Childhood Memories - Do You Remember?

45 rpm spindles - I look at this and think music.



Green Stamps - I saved enough books to get an iron and a camera!



Metal ice cubes trays with levers - Remember how hard you had to pull to get the ice out?



Beanie and Cecil, the Seasick Sea Serpent.



Roller-skate keys - Make it too tight, and you'll dent your shoes--too loose, and the skate falls off!



Marlin Perkins, host of the television program, Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom.



Drive in Movies - One night, I got out of one guy's car and began walking home!



A & W Drive-in restaurants - Remember the frosty root beer?



Car Hops brought your order on roller skates to the driver's window, which was rolled down halfway.



Turquoise Studebakers



Topo Gigio on The Ed Sullivan Show (a reel-ly big shoe)



Washtub wringers - I got my arm caught in the ringer once! Mama turned the machine off and rescued me.



The Fuller Brush Man played by Red Skelton, comedian.



Fifteen cent McDonald hamburgers!



Five cent pack of baseball cards and you got gum too!



Penny candy - how much does it sell for now?



Twenty-five cents a gallon gasoline, and you got clean windshields!



Gum wrapper chains - use it as a bracelet or necklace.



Cigarettes for Christmas - Great gift idea! (cough, cough)



Burma Shave signs helped to make the car trip interesting.



Brownie camera - Mama made us face the sun to get a clear picture with this. Therefore, all my childhood pictures are of me squinting!



Flash bulbs - Remember how long you saw spots?



TV Test patterns - what we watched when no Television programs were on.




Do you remember most or all of these?


Barbara at Stray Thoughts shared this new award with me. It came with this message:

I thank you for being a faithful servant and being obedient to the upward calling every time you share a piece of His heart living out in you! I pray that you will share this award with others who have touched your heart by sowing seeds of love into your life! They will know we are His by how we love one another!

I will place it on my sidebar with appreciation. I would like to pass it on to you if you comment here and are someone who shares His love.

Chicken Childhood Memory

When I was a child living in Washington, D.C., my father came home with two chickens that he won in a card game. Yes, he had been drinking! Chickens are not allowed in the city--after all, this is the nation's capitol! We could not keep them. We didn't have much money for food...well, you get the picture.

Not too many days later, my mother, a city gal, who had no previous experience with farm animals, wrung one of the chicken's neck. I stood and watched. I am still traumatized by the memory of that headless thing flopping around the backyard.

Next, using scalding hot water, she removed the feathers. Whew! What a smell! I don't think that thing EVER took a bath!

Chicken dinner was served that night, but I ate none of it.

All childhood memories are not pleasant, are they?

My Rich Heritage

I had the greatest mom; she tried to gave my twin brother, our younger sister, and me a variety of experiences. We lived in Washington, D.C. and did not have much money; we had no car, but I have a rich heritage.

I saw at least two presidents drive by our rental house! Mama would call out, "Look, the president!" and I'd see a line of long, shiny, black cars driving by. The men inside could scarcely be seen with the darkened windows. However, she'd have all three of us stand on the front porch and wave! "Did you see him?" she'd ask, knowing we couldn't possibly have. That moment would make our day exciting. She'd give us a brief history lesson.

Many times, Mama took us on streetcars to see the capitol building, while in session. I remember sitting in the balcony having to be ever so quiet while the men below talked. (There were no women then.) Those would be the times we'd learn about how bills became laws.

I walked UP the 555 feet tall Washington monument three times and down only once; I took the elevator down the other times! It was free to walk up and ride down; it cost a dime to ride up. Mama would give us the history of George Washington and how the monument came to be. Authorities won't let anyone walk to the top now. This obelisk has a beautiful reflecting pool, as seen in this picture.

Every Christmas and Easter, my mother took us to visit the Botanical Gardens, an aluminum-and-glass conservatory. We all would gasp at the beauty of the blooms and learn some of the names of the many growing things. Once again, the only cost was the price of a streetcar ride.

Other sights we experienced were: the Japanese Cherry Blossoms that surround the Jefferson Memorial, the Smithsonian Institution (a collection of free museums), the Lincoln Memorial, the White House, the National Zoo in Rock Creek, and the fireworks while listening to the Marine band on the 4th of July--all free, and all came with fun lessons.

Everyone can't grow up in the nation's capitol, but all parents can give their children a rich heritage by exposing them to inexpensive sights close to home.

What childhood excursions do you remember? Where have you taken your children lately?

Made it: One Half A Century!

A wedding is an event, but a marriage is an achievement. - Unknown

At 1:20 pm, Monday, July 7, 1958, a scared young couple took blood tests and said "I do," never realizing how quickly the years would pass. They had only known each other for two months and four days! Everyone said that it'd never last! But they were in love, and they knew better.

Now, fifty years later, some still have a hard time understanding why this marriage has lasted. Here are several reasons:

1. Their home is Christ-centered. At age twenty-seven, the husband accepted Jesus as his savior, and two years later, at age twenty-six, the wife made that same commitment. They brought their two children up in the ways of God; they attended church. Grace before meals was a given--still is. Family devotions were held each evening at 7:00. The Bible became the book of guidance.

2. The couple are best friends. Every Friday night was Date Night. There were lean years when they couldn't afford a night out, so they would simply walk the mall. They'd get a babysitter or pay the oldest child a small amount. They know one another. You can ask one an opinion question, and the other will know the answer. However, they are not carbon copies! There is an occasional squabble. But underneath, the foundation of love exists.

3. They respect each other. Years ago, they made a promise to not make jokes at the other's expense or speak badly about the other in public.

4. There is trust. Neither have ever played the jealousy game.

5. They laughed. They sang. They even used to dance! They enjoyed their life together.

6. They believe in the word, "commitment." They made a deal. They said, "I do," and when things got tough, they still DID.

Today, fifty years later, they celebrate their Golden Wedding Anniversary!

Florida Rain

We're experiencing thunder storms most every afternoon. It's the Florida way of keeping tropical. The morning skies are brilliantly blue with a few white, fluffy clouds, but by mid-afternoon, that sky gets pretty dark, the thunder begins, and the rain pours--for an hour or two. Then, it's all clear and dry again. Sometimes, it rains at night. With the rain comes booming thunderstorms.

The thunder gets quite loud and scary; windows rattle! When my children were small, to allay their fears, I taught them that God made the thunder, the lightning, and the rain. We would always be thankful for the rain that made such pretty flowers and washed the beautiful green grass.

One night, my two-year-old boy awoke and climbed into bed with his father and me. We heard a few drops of rain begin to hit our metal awnings. Ping. Ping. Ping.

Allen said in a hushed voice, "Rain!"

"Yes," I whispered.

"God makes rain. Fank you God for the rain."

"Shh. Yes, God makes rain." I kissed his little head.

"No make funder, God! he growled."

Sweet memory.

What do you think about when you hear thunder?

The Power Of Laughter

In the July issue of Ladies Home Journal an article declares that a person can laugh his/her way to better health, to more energy, to less stress, and to stronger relationships.

I fell in love with and married a hot-tempered Italian who was in the Navy. One day, newly married, Johnny and I had a BIG blow-out fight (words, never fists!). He yelled, "That's it! I'm leaving! Send my mail to the base!" and he stomped out the front door.

I flung myself across the bed and sobbed and sobbed. I would crawl home in shame. Seventeen and already a failure at life, with a broken marriage!

However, an hour later, Johnny returned, licking a chocolate ice cream cone! He had walked around the corner, found an ice cream shop, and cooled off. That's the way his temper works--white hot, then cool.

The next time we had a big fight, and he screamed, "That's it! I'm leaving! Send my mail to the base!" And he stormed toward the door.

I hollered, "Make mine vanilla!"

He fell to the floor laughing, we looked at each other laughing even harder, and from that moment on, I knew the power of laughter.

Does humor make you forget to be mad?