From No-Tech to Hi-Tech -ish

 Growing up in England we didn't have a telephone, and the first television set we had was a 9inch black and white. My Dad's favorite program was Amos and Andy, other than that we didn't have much to watch. I loved tennis and I think we got some sports programs.
My first job in Canada in 1956 was with a division of Addressograph Multigraph. We typed names and addresses on to a metal plate, they were then put into a metal frame and into a press to address envelopes. It was time consuming to say the least. Credit cards were just coming into use, and I remember we had to wear white cotton gloves to handle the white plastic cards to avoid finger prints. It doesn't make much sense looking back, all I know is, it was really hard trying to pick them up.

 My next job was with an international company and I was a clerk but also relief switchboard operator. Remember on Laugh In when Lily Tomlin used to say. "one ringy dingy." That always reminded me of the old timey switchboards. My eldest daughter Cher still remembers party lines. Imagine today's kids if they had to wait while someone finished their call. I remember the wall phones with the very long cords, so when the kids were teenagers they could hide in the closet to chat in private.

The first job I had using a computer was in 1971 in Pennsylvania, the computer was so big, it had a room of it's own. Data input was on punch cards. We used to feed a stack of cards into the printer and it would print on paper that was about 20 inches wide and went on for what seemed like miles. I remember my boss, who was Cuban and quite volatile, told me that if I messed up, I would be spending time there in my pajamas until it was fixed. So of course I was a nervous wreck until I learned, if the report was going wrong, just put a punch card in that was out of sequence and it would abort. I also knew where the shredder was.

When we moved to Jamestown, NC in 1977 I worked at an office equipment and supply store. I couldn't understand why such an establishment was still expecting me to use a manual typewriter? My fingers would get stuck between the keys, after much complaining they finally provided me with an electric typewriter, it was used, but restored. I still didn't have a computer, but I did get an electronic posting machine, that I used  for printing statements. (I was the book keeper.) It was forever breaking down, and one day the phone system went out. The service man came from North State to check the lines. After he was done he came into my office, and asked me if my posting machine broke down much? I had to admit that it did. He told me I had too much static electricity and it was me that messed up the phone lines. My boss put down a plastic mat that covered the area around my desk, and it was plugged into an outlet so that I was grounded. I tried telling them I was too old to be grounded?  I wonder if my static is the cause of my car remote problems, my phone problems, and the reason I have to reboot all my electronics so often?

Manual typewriter

the Electric (Yea)

It wasn't until the 80s that I got my first PC, and I discovered the internet. My connection was dial up, as we called it. I would sit for long periods of time waiting to get connected, while all I got was the busy signal. I think I got addicted to the internet from then on. Social media in those days was basically chat rooms. Some of them were really not safe to venture into. We did have private rooms we had one called Seniors Only. Mostly people in their 40s and 50s, once in a while a kid would come thinking it was High School seniors. We could tell by their "chat" if the were teenagers, and they would be told to leave. Not always politely. I met a lot of good people, some of them I am still in touch with. We used to have get togethers, I remember I was going to travel to Wisconsin to meet some friends, Kim was beside herself, "Mummy you better get their phone number and call me when you get there, they could be axe murderers". We also had a group called the Britpack we mostly did group emails. We met up in several different states and had some really great times.

Gee I just thought I still have floppy discs, I wonder what's on them? and of course I should throw them out.


Now I have a tower with a flat screen monitor. I can scan photographs, on my printer. I have a cell phone, a Kindle Fire. However I still use VHS and have an analog TV. That's the ish part.

Alan and Jerry's picnic at Fancy Gap - 2014

When that classy invitation comes in the mail in June I start counting down. Second Saturday in July is a big event for me. It's so beautiful up in the Virginia mountains, and the I've grown to love the people that attend. This year was really special because after last year's picnic a lot of people from out of town became my facebook friends. Yvonne designs the invitations and helped set out the tables with lovely center pieces. There are so many people that work behind the scenes, and of course I don't have all the names. Led by Alan and Jerry they do a wonderful job.
I think one of the things I love most are the little children, some of them are so grown up now, and it's fun to see tiny babies grow from year to year. It's the perfect place for the kids to play, they collect green apples which they usually feed to the donkeys, I didn't see the donkeys this year. They also get balloons the ribbons get tied to an apple so they are anchored. Eden did lose two balloons which made her very sad, we watched them disappear. Here are some of the children.

I love this picture taken on Friday evening. Sydney, Eden. Shirleen and Becket the lone cowboy.

Sophie posing in her shades.

Sophie's baby brother Charlie.  

Sophie collecting apples.

Sydney demonstrating the hula hoop.

Loved this one, Eden doing surveillance on the cows?

Lauren and Eden with a balloon.

Allen and Jerry had loads of balloons and thankfully a helium tank. I hate to think how it would be to blow them up by mouth.The kids loved them. The big kids did too, they were the naughty ones that made water balloons. I will not name names in order to protect the innocent. I actually do remember their names.
While all of this was going on, we were entertained by 4 beautiful young ladies - The Loose Strings band. They played gospel and blue grass. I had a hard time not dancing to Rocky Top. Good old mountain music.

The grownups just had the best time visiting. There were at least a 120 people there so I may have missed a few. I'm sure Yvonne has more pictures than me. No I didn't run out of film, but my battery died.

Dwight, Amelia, Dacia and Mary Anne.

Gathering at the main house front porch.

Karen, Sophie and Martha..

Al and Yvonne my balloonist friends. Look Yvonne I actually got a good copy.

Dwight and Mary Anne. Yea! DRF

I'm embarrassed.....    may I just say Howard is on the right.
next year I am taking notes on names.  I could say two friends
with lovely legs!

Randall is such a sweet grandpa.

baby Charlie woke up for this one. Great pic of
Nina and Susan.

Nina with her great grand children. Sweet little Sophie kissing her baby brother Charlie.



           The Grand Finale - a balloon launch, I wonder if anyone reported UFOs.

                       Our favors by Yvonne, she really is a creative genius.

I will treasure mine forever.

Arizona 2000

I guess I'll start writing as usual I am having trouble with posting pictures. I know my scribbles are nothing without photos.
I retired in 1999 at what now seems the young age of 65. Karen was in AZ and I was about to embark on the longest drive of my life. If you read my last blog you will know that I detoured to NM to visit my dear friend Dee. Something about the West really gets me. I loved NM and Arizona. It was a wonderful 3 months

 Dee and I used to "hang out" in a chat room. We called it Seniors Only, just a bunch of us sharing friendship, and woe betide High School Seniors that thought it was a room for them. It was Senior Citizens. We had arranged to meet each other off line, and arranged a meeting in Mesa, Arizona. Dee came up from NM and we had a great time. It was really fun getting together with everyone for the first time, we felt like we already knew each other. I don't have any pictures from that time, I think what happened in Mesa stayed 

in Mesa.

Soon after that Dee and I anxious to see each other again, met in Tucson. We had a blast wandering around the university town. We passed one street corner and a student was smoking a joint. We walked past very slowly, and we are both proud to say, "We went to Tucson and we inhaled."  Now if I just tip my head back it has the same effect as inhaling. It's not something I enjoy, but at least it doesn't give me the munchies.

This was my handpainted rock a memento of Tucson. The figurine is one Dee told me the history  of the tribal legend of the storyteller. She would sit and tell stories and the children would gather all around her. 

Karen is always a great host, and will take guests to all the tourist spots, no matter how many times she has already been there. Our first excursion was to Sedona, the same beautiful red rock formations that I saw again when I went to visit Karen in Colorado. That reminds me of something my Mum once said to me, "Don't ever feel bad about moving away, if you hadn't, I wouldn't have seen all the places I've been to." I guess I could say the same to my kids.

Me with my Kokopelli he's everywhere!                                                  Not sure who Karen is with?

On the 18th of February Kim, Philip Michael and Elizabeth came to visit us in Chandler, AZ.

Liz and Philip Michael enjoying Sammi.

The big event for us was the renaissance fair. As we were driving there we went through a dust storm. Common event in AZ but kind of scary the first time you experience it. The kids loved all the excitement except the Indian fire dancers. Liz was scared so Nanny sat outside with her, it was noisy, but so colorful.

We went on a horse and carriage ride, and the kids must have been very naughty they ended up in the stocks.

this was the end of the day, the kids were so tired. Cher when I first looked at this I thought Kim was you?

One of the most interesting news events while I was there, was when they arrested Sammy the Bull Gravano. Sammy was partially responsible for putting away John Gotti in the 90s. In return he was later in the Witness Protection program. He got tired of that, it was too restrictive. He left the program and set his son up with a night club in Phoenix. Once again he was into drug dealing,  mainly Ecstasy. They were selling 30,000 tablets a week and raking in $500,000. In February 2000 he was brought down by informants, plus conversations that recorded his discussions about his drug profits. I was meeting friends for lunch, and when I walked in they were all wondering what all the helicopters were doing. I nonchalantly said, "They must be picking up Sammy the Bull."  It was a surprise that night to see the news and find out that's exactly what was happening. Sometimes I wonder if it's my over active imagination or ESP?

I had my car so I was able to travel around while Karen was working. One of my favorite hangouts was a bookstore/cafe that was called Changing Hands. That was the best bookstore name, until back in Greensboro I found the book store called, "Second Hand Prose."

The last excursion was in March a friend took me to Casa Grande. It was so much fun. I managed to steal a little piece of the rock. He also took pictures for me at Lake Havasu where our beloved London Bridge ended up.

                 

Lizzy looking so tiny in front of the giant Saguaro

New Mexico with Dee, Jim and me.

                                                                              

In 2000 my daughter was living in Arizona, she asked me if I'd like to spend the Winter with her. Who wouldn't? So early on a Wednesday morning in January I set out I was more excited than nervous. In the meantime Dee and I, who had only been friends online at that point, decided a detour to Las Cruces would be in order. I stopped for lunch and thought if I make it to the TN border that will be good. I just kept going and when I stopped around 6:30 pm to find a room for the night. I was in Little Rock AR. I was so tired but happy. I was too tired to check my mileage, the next morning I couldn't believe I'd driven 800 miles! My son was a little disturbed, told me to take it easy, or did I plan on getting my CDL? Called Dee and she said you'll be here by Friday. I told her I wasn't sure as I was going to take my time. On Thursday night, I called her and said, "I'm in New Mexico but I can't say the name of the town. She laughed and said, "It's Tucumcari." I thought it would "two cum carey" phonetically it's "Teh cum keree". What ev.

Dee told me I would be at her place by lunchtime tomorrow. She was right, now remember this was way before I had my GPS, I did have to call Dee to rescue me, I wasn't really lost. Someone told me I didn't get lost going to Arizona because I just had to stay on I-40. Well I should have told them about my detour. I spent a long weekend with Dee and Jim.
On Saturday Dee and I took off and I got to see the beautiful Organ mountains, we were on the way to White Sands National Park. That is a phenomenal place, it's not sand it's gypsum which is white and soft, and almost feels damp if you run your hands through it. The pictures look like we are on the moon. Way back in one of the photos you can see people on horse back.

this was on the road to White Sands - The Organ Mountains

Dee at White Sands.

Me at White Sands

This is so Beautiful, I felt like we were on the moon. In the background to the left - were people on horseback.

I have to confess some of our time together is hazy. I'll write what I remember most.

Someone had told me about a restaurant before I set out on the journey. He said, "Whatever you do go to La Posta restaurant."  I am so glad we did. La Posta dates back to 1800s. It was originally a hotel called The Corn Exchange hotel. After the Civil War, Mesilla emerged as the commercial, transportation and social center for the region. It attracted legends like Kit Carson and Pancho Villa, promoters like Albert Fountain, and gunfighters Sheriff Pat Garrett and outlaw Billy the Kid.

The Entrance to La Posta

Pat, Dee and Jim

Mesilla lost its place in the sun in 1881, when the railroad bypassed the village in favor of nearby Las Cruces. Mesilla became the perfect place for a community of ghosts. We didn't see any, but it was fascinating to know that Billy the Kid spent time in the Court House jail right across the street.

This was a painting of the original Corn Exchange hotel. In the days of Billy the Kid.

One evening Dee made Jambalaya from scratch. It was so good, it was the first time I'd had it, and I have to say the few times I've eaten since, no one else's has measured up.
Dee would give you the shirt off her back, and in my case the earrings out of her ears. She introduced me to the legendary Kokopelli, and when we were in a restaurant and I spotted her Kokopelli silver earrings. When I admired them she insisted I have them. I still treasure them.
When I left Dee to go on to Chandler, AZ. We decided we would get together again and meet in Tucson. We actually met there twice. I will write about that in my next blog that will be about my stay in Arizona. I can't believe I've not written about it before, after all it was my big retirement adventure.