Tuesday, November 7, 2023

It’s The small things …

  Photo of the day:

 


So for today, I miss ‘em:

Mom and pop’s Grocery stores. Most families kept an account (called a Bill, I can hear dad say, ‘put this on my bill’). The bill was paid in full on paydays. No interest, just the amount. Most of the time mama would call in her order and a boy would bring it out in paper bags or used boxes and put it on the kitchen table.  We didn’t have to be there if nothing needed cooled.

The Ice man:  There was an Ice ordering card that mama put in the window.  The size to be delivered was on the top of the card.

The above card in the house window said, Please deli er me 25 pound block of ice.  If 75 pounds were wanted the 75 would be on top.

From big 100lb blocks the ice man used an ice pick to cut the amount ordered. As he chipped the chips hit the floor of the truck. In the summer he allowed kids to rake them up and sorta make a snow ball of ice to eat on. Great on a hot day.

He carried that block to the ice box, whether mom was home or not.

 I miss seeing kites being flown.

Oh watching kids catching lightening bugs (fire flies) in jars, I miss that. Reminded of that days ago by Susie at 'Shejunks',

Not a small thing but you know something? I loved my job I miss it, but now I can’t see how I had time to work. LOL, I look back and  I enjoyed every job I had, wait, there was one.  LOL  I did like the job, however I had an IDIOT for a boss. ....., Oh sorry, I already said that.

But my last occupation was speculative building. I picked the lots, plans and everything about the house, and put it up for sale as I was building it. Innovations and mistakes were mine.

Something keys blog entries yours or mine.  Well this one came from buying a car battery.  When buying a battery you must pay a ‘core charge’ usually $20.  When you bring your old battery back in they return the $20.

I bought mine at the Farm Supply yesterday. I told the cashier I was going to change the battery in the parking lot and bring the old one back in.

She said, “Go ahead take the battery and bring me the old one, I TRUST you.” She showed me exactly where to put it.  Mind you, I had never been to the store and she had never seen me before. It reminded me of the trust shown in mom and pop stores.

She smiled and gave me the thumbs up when I brought it back 20 minutes later.

Nite Shipslog

PS: Thanks for visiting, I hope you return…

 

7 comments:

Victor S E Moubarak said...

This brought back memories. Yes, I remember those little stores where you said how much you wanted and they cut the cheese, ham or whatever according to how much you want. Also same for rice, lentils and other goods they'd weigh them up for you in paper bags. Also I remember the deliveries of ice. And we used to return empty beer and lemonade bottles and get a penny back.

Times have changed. You could trust people back then. Now it's different. Standing at the bus stop with a crowd the other day I felt a hand slip into my jacket pocket. I thought someone was stealing my wallet. I grabbed the hand hard and discovered it was my own hand looking for my cell-phone. I can't even trust myself now.

God bless.

Mevely317 said...

I remember a 'mom and pop' grocery near where I lived while in school. Many a day I'd take baby Troy and weigh him on the produce scale.

I'm going to have to ask Tom about those battery cores; I never heard of such a thing!

Those ice deliveries? Wow, just imagine allowing someone to waltz right into your home nowadays!

Mevely317 said...

Should'a said, "While in college."

happyone said...

Kites, you're right I never see kids flying them anymore.
I just might have to get a kite and go fly it. :)

I'm mostly known as 'MA' said...

IT'S Definitely the small things that matter. I miss a lot of things but mostly a hot supper on the table made by mom and eaten with family. Now I'm the only one who cooks here and I eat by myself and a book.It is a cold day in Ohio. We're in the 40's and the wind is blowing. Enjoy Florida!

salemslot9 said...

Hiya Jack
My John & I were just talking
about battery core refunds
out on the back porch
For real 🚙

Sheila Y said...

Our town had a small grocery store, Sunny Slope, where you could put things ‘on my bill’. I saw a little plastic Native American doll I wanted and told them to put it on mama’s bill. 😂 I don’t even know if they really used it anymore. Yeah, I got in a little bit of trouble. 😄 There were probably other grocery’s like that at one point or another but that’s the only one I knew about. Take care, Sheila