Listen to your Elders!

(pic of downtown Williamsport, PA infront of courthouse, June 1933) I was sitting and chatting away with an older gentleman yesterday, he will be 76 in April. Our conversation touched on old Theaters that use to be here in Williamsport. He was telling me how back in 1941 or 42, his mother would give him 50 cents to go to the movies for the evening with his friends, and living at home where he did, he'd walk about a mile to the City Bus Stop (the bus went no further than the High Street bridge in those days) and ride it into downtown, the bus ride cost 7 c. He would go to the theatre across from the old jailhouse, cost 12c, afterwards he and his friends would go to "Coney Island" next door for a pepsi and hot dog, cost 15c...with his remaining money they would go to the old Kresgie's 5 and dime and buy bags of penny candy! We talked about the old LL Stearns Department store that use to be downtown (now the new Transit Center where all the City Buses depart from), he worked there in 1956 when he first got married. He worked in the toy department for 85c per hour!

I found it fascinating to hear of the price of things back then, and the experiences he had in my same hometown...I do long for the "Downtown" that use to be when I was growing up! It would be such an experience for our children of today, to be able to walk the downtown area, and not have to go so far out to the only Mall around with the only theatre around, which is over 10 miles away and about a 45 minute bus excursion!

I spent my day yesterday moving rooms and furniture around. I felt safe enough, with the weather SLOWLY changing to open up a third room downstairs...so back went the LR furniture into the LR, and the kitchen table into the Dining Room. Moved my hutch back out to the Kitchen and repositioned my fridge and "coffee cart" for easier access. I also brought my computer down out of my BR and set up my L-shaped workspace infront of the DR windows...such a beautiful morning to look out on to! Now my son can entertain his friends here in the DR instead of bringing them into my BR to use the comp at night when I'm tucked in bed watching L&O feeding my face with chips or such! (yes...he REALLY did that!) After all the lugging and heavy lifting, my son came home and gave me a real hard time about the computer. My son has some "anger issues" that are very inappropriate, fortunately I snuck down to the basement away from him and called his "Big Brother" (which is a very good friend to him); explained to BB that Dakota was really pushing my buttons and could he come retrieve him earlier than planned! He said he'd be right down in 20 seconds, and he was, and he apparently talked some sense into Dakota because I got a very nice apology and a confession that he should not have acted in the manner that he had!

I began my "Daily Walks" again today...the weather was calling for snow, but it is nothing but beautiful blue skies and sunshine, temp 24! I found myself taking pics of "High" objects reaching into the blue sky...take a look...Daily Walk 3.16.06