Now That's Funny-- Part 2

While on the subject of playgrounds.

It is a wonder how anyone of us survived the playgrounds designed by adults back then. Like Bill Cosby said, no kid should ever have gone on anything they didn't see adults playing on.

Those old playgrounds could be, and were, dangerous.

First off, many were on asphalt or rocks, which made falling down so much more fun. A few of us were lucky enough to have sand.

I remember burning my butt on those red hot slides on more than one occasion. I also stupidly tried on many occasions to run up the slide. I also fell off the top of the slide while clowning around.

Then, there was that merry-go-round, which just begged for speed. The more speed, the better the centrifugal force. Too much fun trying to walk if you didn't get launched off. Then, there was the occasional throwing up.

Monkey bars were the worst. You just had to hang by your knees and do stupid stuff on these. A slip, and hitting the bottom was just as bad as hitting the bars on the way down.

And, see-saws. Wow!! Nothing like jumping off at the bottom and sending the other person plunging to their doom. That is, if you were able to clear your legs before the upward motion began. If too slow, that was some excruciating pain.

Boy, Those Old Playgrounds!! --RoadDog


EVER WONDER...Why the man investing your money is called a broker?

Now, That's Funny

From the May 22nd Chicago Tribune Comics.

Thatababy by Paul Trip.

On hitting 60, this strip kind of hit home, to an extent.


FIRST FRAME: Man and his kid at a playground. Man does all the talking in all frames.

"I feel bad for your ilk and your plastic play structures."

FRAME 2: Kids playing on monkey bars. "Our playgrounds were made out of cold hard steel. It wasn't officially summer 'til someone broke their arm on the monkey bars."

FRAME 3: Merry-go-round. "And each year the fifth graders used the merry-go-round to teach the first graders all about centrifugal force!"

FRAME 4: On the slide. "And the slide wasn't enclosed in a safety tube! Your coordination alone kept you from flying off into space!"

FRAME 5: Still on the slide. "The brave would run up the slide, and the bold would scale the underbelly."

FRAME 6: Still at the slide, only now it's red hot. "And those slides would get RED HOT baking in the sun."

FRAME 7: "You can have your crummy Internet! I want a metal slide!!"

Maybe the good ol' days weren't so good after all. AND, I LIKE MY INTERNET!!!

Right now, I am not happy that I can't get back onto my other two blogs, Saw the Elephant and RoadDog's Roadlog.


EVER WONDER...Why lemon juice is made with artificial flavor, and dishwashing liquid is made with real lemons?

Now, That's REALLY Gettin' Down Da Road

Today I turn 59.

I plan on spending it doing stuff I really like to do.

I've already sat out on the front porch and listened to the birds, drinking my coffee and looking at the yard, and, in keeping with my age, had that old rockin' chair going.

I'm on the 'ol 'pute right now doing research and writin' away. I've found out about a Confederate ironclad that was being built in Tarboro, NC, before being destroyed by Union forces in 1863 and the Cook and Brother Armory in Athens, Ga., that had originally been in New Orleans before the fall of that city caused them to move to Georgia. I never knew about either of these.

Now, I am going to 4-blog to my four blogs starting here.

Later, it's yardwork then NTN at Hello Folks and then back home to enjoy the arboretum, gazebo and deck before watching the CBS Monday night lineup.

That's my idea of a good birthday, but, hey, I do this most days. What's so special about it? Living the Good Old Days.

Oh yes, thanks Mom!!!

The Next One is the B-I-G One!! --RoadDog

I Can Relate to Peggy Hill

Recorded "King of the Hill" last night and watched it tonight.

Can I ever relate to the plight of Peggy Hill who went to a record store and asked about a Michael Bublet? album. The clerk got her a CD and she then asked for it on a cassette. This drew a puzzled look from the clerk.

She then realized she was not "plugged in" anymore.

She went home and was listening to a cassette on a cassette recorder, and, after looking at the cassette's date, realized she had lost track 13 years ago.

Can I ever relate to that.

I am so far out of the loop, catching up is going to be difficult, if even possible.

Here I Go, Being Dragged Kicking and Screaming into the 21st Century. --RoadDog

Let's Go Out to the Ballpark--Wrigley Field, That Is

Gone are the days when Liz and I, back in the 70s and early 80s would, on a great summer day, get up and say, "What do we want to do today? Hey, why not go see the Cubs play." We'd drive over to Evanston, park in the General Finance Corporation lots by Dyche Stadium (now Ryan Field), home of Northwestern University's football games. (You remember GFC's Friendly Bob Adams who was anxious to give you a loan.)

Liz worked at GFC for awhile before becoming a teacher. Her dad, Amby, worked there from 1964 to 1981.

We'd then catch the El at Central Avenue and take it to the "Friendly Confines" which were truly friendly back then. You never had a problem getting a ticket, even on the day of the game (except, as we found out once, when the dastardly Cardinals were in town). Other than the Cardinals, there was rarely a sell-out. And, we could get a good seat for around $5 and drink reasonably-priced beer. Food was also reasonable. Now those were the days. We thought they'd never end. We'd sing and dance...Oops, sorry Thelma Hopkins, that's your song.

I've been keeping a written journal since 1978, and found an entry from May of 1981 saying that they'd raised the price of a cup of beer to the astronomical high of $1.50. My comment was, "I can't drink here anymore."  Too expensive,

I doubt that we had too many beautiful people in the park as people liked the Cubs in Chicago, but it wasn't the place to go to see and be seen. Of course, not cell phones either, and you never saw people get a phone call and start waving madly at the camera.

Sitting in the bleachers was around $3. And they were crazy back then as well.

Those Were the Days, My Friend. We Thought They'd Never End. --RoadDog