Throwback Thursday - The Notebooks

Other things that I remember was my mother in my early years was a happy woman. She would sing while dusting or cleaning, doing other chores.

I remember we used to have company. Uncle Joe, Uncle Alfred, Uncle Louie, Uncle Vincent, cousins, etc.

I remember one Christmas when Aunt Philomena and her husband, Uncle Mike, spent that Christmas with us.

Uncle Mike brought me a gift, a wind-up, toy car. I played and played with it that Christmas Eve until I over-wound it and that was the end of that.

I remember that my father made wine and my mother put up vinegar peppers. Which was a community custom.

This period [ed: 1920s] was a happy one. And on certain months attention was paid to Christmas, Easter, birthdays, holidays.

The men worked long hours. The women stayed home. As young ladies, they worked as secretaries, garment industry, chocolate or candy factories. Schools up to 14 years old and work. Not many attended high schools. The cities and states encouraged education. And it was not unusual to have many to sent to work at 14 years.

The days of the supermarkets was still off. One went to the local family run store for food, fruits, cold cuts and canned goods.

A lot of fruits, fish, and vegetables were purchased from vendors who would come with their horse and wagon or push cards and hollering of their wares to attract the attention of the women. It would be quite a bargaining event as they bargained to bring the price down. Usually, it did [ed: work] because one woman in the crowd would say forget it. Wait for so and so, he'll be along soon, he's at such a street and should be here in a short while. And he's selling at giving the price. Usually a penny or two less. The price would go down.

Fruits were bought by the dozen starting at ten cents a dozen and 15 cents for larger sizes. Canned goods were sold by the ounces at 16 ounces or tonic [ed: soda pop] bottles which came at 10 cents for the quart plus two cents to insure return of the bottles. All glass and the legend printed thereon "made from all natural products" Our food in those days tasted a lot better.

Just First National, and coffee and butter and local grocery stores, pushcarts and wagons.The men who earned their living in this manner awoke at 5 am to go to the distribution centers to buy their products for resale. Meat, veggies, fruits, etc. And some delivery.

In Winter it was rain and snow for those with pushcarts, would stop. The horse and wagon vendors would return to the barn, unhook the horse from the cart and hook up to the sled and back where they left off.

Not many vehicles. But lots of carts and wagons and it continued right after WWII when things began to change. Even pies and baked goodies were sold in this manner.