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In the last few days, I have read blogs and threads pointing out that I am a senior member and that some of the things I played with are now artefacts in a museum. Boy do I feel old!!
Rather than fight the onset of my senility though, I decided it might be a good idea to blog a bit about some of the stuff that I remember, some of which I'm sure our younger members (in age) might not even have heard about.
To start with, let's look at Television. TV sets these days are huge, multi- channeled, flat screened, remote controlled, technological marvels - with colour!
The first TV I remember my parents having was maybe a 10 inch black and white box that had to 'warm up' before the picture appeared. To get any sort of picture at all, you had to find the best position for the ariel - usually hanging halfway out of the window, balanced on one leg with a carrot up your nose!!
To change to any of the THREE channels that were available, you had to actually stand up and walk over to it and twist a knob to tune it in to the next station. If you went around the back, you could look in through the slats and see the brightly lit bulb-like 'valves'. If a valve blew, like a light bulb does, it basically meant it was time for a new television set.
There were Horizontal and Vertical Hold buttons to stop the picture suddenly spinning like a washing machine on spin cycle nowadays. Usually a swift slap to the side or top of the set did the trick just as well though.
Then, at the end of the night, the station went 'off air ', the studio staff went home and all you had to stare at was a 'test card'. If you decided it was time for bed, it was almost a tradition, (in our house anywyay), to wait until the small white dot disappeared from the screen.
Then there was the radio. No pre-set buttons to push but yet another big knob to twist until you got the station you wanted. That's IF you could hear it well enough among all the static and other stations trying to broadcast over the top. Sometimes, you could even pick up the police and taxi-cab radio bands too.
Going back to the washing machines - there weren't any when I was a kid. Well there were, but no one actually owned one!
They were in what was called the "Wash house" or the "Steamie" (In Scotland). These were large warehouse like places where women gathered on 'wash day' to gossip and get their childrens and husbands good clothes laundered for the coming week. Some had big industrial strength machines but most only had rows of two deep sinks next to each other. One for washing and one for rinsing. Between the sinks there was a 'mangle' - a device that squeezed the last drops of moisture out of the clothes before they were hung up to dry. No throwing in the clothes with a cup full of powder and settling down to watch Oprah etc., at that time.
I could go on but my memory fails me...........! ;p
I'm joking of course, but it just brings home to me, maybe to you too, just how much we've progressed in such a short time. It's not all been beneficial progress of course but a lot of it has been. Just a pity that so much is taken for granted in these days.
Or am I just turning into one of those old folks who say, "In my young day......?" 
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Posted by scotslad60 on 2007-11-16 12:38:18 | Rating: | Views: 128
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you make us all feel young at heart
I just wrote about the tv, we are on the same wavelength or cable access
or wireles whatever
I get go vibes from you and your wife and I dont need bunny ears or tin foil
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Posted by roe
on 2007-11-16 23:14:06
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good vibes that is
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Posted by roe
on 2007-11-16 23:14:49
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Todays kids missed out on so much...no wonder they get so frustrated so quickly..And Imagination was my best toy..
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Posted by Wayne
on 2007-11-17 05:42:30
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Thanks Roe. I think we share the same channel. Maybe we should have our own daytime TV show? ;p
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Posted by scotslad60
on 2007-11-17 06:54:51
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Exactly Wayne. Imagination is the best gift that we all got as kids. Just a pity adults felt or feel the need to take it away from kids these days.
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Posted by scotslad60
on 2007-11-17 06:55:45
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imagination was my best toy also. how good is making stuff up. i had all sorts of advetures by myself cos of my imagination.
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Posted by shell47
on 2007-11-18 21:04:53
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Yup without imagination the other toys are just so much plastic shell. Thanks for your comment add.
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Posted by scotslad60
on 2007-11-19 06:53:25
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