I remember the milkman, but in pre war Europe we added some others, the gypsies would come and repair the aluminum pots by putting a washer in them. I know my mother had a pot that was worn and she kept waiting for them to come and fix it. We had a rag man , he would pick up your rags or clothing no longer able to be salvaged. He had a bag over his shoulder, he would weigh the clothes with one the of the long hand scales now considered "antique".

 We lived in a small village and we also had the butcher deliver every morning if you needed him and the baker too. That stopped during the war when we had rations.

Our coal was delivered in push cart by an old man getting more and more bent over.

Worse yet was not in delivery but in pick up. When one died you did stay in the house until the funeral wagon came to get you and bring you to the cemetery.

We did not have an ice wagon perhaps in the big city but we Had every thing done fresh every day or was pickled in large vessels (such as eggs , herring and butter with a layer of salt on top).

My first refrigerator came when I lived in Montreal for 2 years waiting for my USA visa. I did not know what to put in or out of it. I decided to just pack it with everything included canned goods until I knew better,

Who knows how far we will go with this technology? I never thought I would buy a computer let alone sit almost on top of it for hours every day.

Right now it brings me closer to my family, what they don’t email I find in Facebook.

12 years ago I started with a Web TV never believing that this would bring me more knowledge, more friends, more  recipes for life and cooking. What will be for me in the next 12 years-if I live that long- is something I look forward to.

Similar to Joan’s story , I was in Belgium with my grandsons, ages 9 and 10 , daughter was out dancing, it was a big festival week. I promised to take the kids to our hotel and put them in bed. The crowd was thick as we got on the streetcar I turned around and saw Jimmy standing on the sidewalk. Doors closing. I panicked as we drove off and then pulled the alarm , streetcar came to a screeching halt and a lot of commotion , my face beet red but I retrieved the child and went home with a taxi.

I did not offer to baby sit again during that trip.

Thank you Joan for your answer. Thank you Cynthia for bringing this piece to us. Thank you Hillary for being able to handle this job,

as Joan stated a very difficult job indeed. 

Contentment? In the autumn of my years ( I refuse to go into winter ) I am content, I am very sad about my husband’s illness but I can’t change that. When I am just myself and do not pay attention to that part of my life (not too often possible) then I am very comfortable and content on where I am.

I tell myself every day that after Alzheimer there is a life completely full of contentment. That thought keeps me going. 

When I was in business and much younger (of course) I was not in that contentment stage, I was forever trying to work harder and harder and assume the responsability of being the wheel in the family wagon. If spokes fell I repaired them. Now , I gave that job to one of my responsible children. I just follow the wagon and when tired I sit in it and just see where it will take me.

Donna, every one in our family thought it impossible that we looked so much alike, she was born in Feb 1932 and I in March same year.

I had to see the movie twice which was a luxury for us. 

The title would be " Do Not need to Return, Ever"

the young me would be Peggy Ann Garner, I know no one remembers her.She was in a "Tree grows in Brooklyn" , we were like twins at that age. (She is now gone)

Adult me Bea Arthur, she was a bit taller than I but sturdy stock such as I. In my good days I can also be full of humour. ( I surely know how to pick the stars, both are gone!)

Morning Phyllis. Sadder with age? No, I am not. I am comfortable in my stretch mark skin.

Sad over circumstances , at time, yes. Otherwise I feel damn lucky. Doctors told me at 36 when I had bad bouts with arthritis that I would be in a wheel chair by age 50.

Lucky that  I did not buy into it and I still walk 2 miles back and forth into town without pain.

I am not a fan of the new vaccine, if it is my time to go then so be it.

Too much junk already in my system.