Wednesday, June 5, 2019

Return to the iceman



Early interesting Cars:
 I think this is a '58 Buick
 
But for today:

A couple days ago I talked about the iceman. I enjoyed all the comments. One in particular from Tom, over Myra's way. Mentioning that the ice and coal was delivered by horse and wagon in Chicago in his youth.

He talked about the ice man chipping off the amount needed or requested by the ‘Ice Card’ that was always placed in the window on ice day. Yes Tom, it was the same down south. In the summer I enjoyed watching him use that ice pick and cutting off just the amount mama had requested. 
 (Side note: The shape of the coal bucket always fascinated me) We stopped getting coal in 1945. Daddy converted all the stoves to kerosine.)


Down south the Iceman would carry that hunk of ice thru the house and place it in the Ice Box. And in the summer there was always a bunch of kids following the truck or wagon to get the ice chips. Shucks, it was about as much of a thrill as a slushy or flavored snowball today

As a kid I was fortunate. It wasn’t far to the ice plant. The chute the huge blocks slid down on the way to the trucks had sections where the ice would shave off as it passed. There were piles of chips and shavings underneath for the taking. The men who worked there knew we were under the chute and talked to us. It was a fun time.

I thought of this again when I asked Sherry if she had put the left overs in the Ice Box. I still call the refrigerator an Ice Box much of the time.

I have now read pages of water to ice, yes it does involve heat to produce refrigeration, but I cannot find a simple to the point explanation.

The mind loses something as it turns 80. (Attn to all of you who haven't turned the page to 80 yet, especially Tom):::  
WARNING...
When you get 79 start counting backwards with the Birthdays!

Nite Shipslog

7 comments:

Mevely317 said...

That coal bucket looks so cool! I'll bet they go for a pretty penny at antique shops these days. I'll bet my DIL would love this for a planter.

"Ice Box" has a nice ring to it. What do you say, let's start a movement to bring that term back into vogue. (And confuse the kids!)

Woody said...

I like your comment about turning the Pages Back when you get 79, I am starting NOW!!!!! Next Birthday I will be 1 year YOUNGER !!! I remember putting in ICE into the Ice House and covering it with sawdust to keep it till almost winter of the next season ! 62 and raining "Cats and Dogs" up here an too wet for planting ! Feel sorry for the Farmers ! You 2 take care and send up some warmth ! Love you 2, Gary & Anna Mae

betty said...

I agree with you, Jack. I'm going to turn the pages back. Maybe start at 70 for good measure! That must have been fun to get the ice chips like that! A treat for a hot day! I won (not that it was a race LOL) but we had coal delivered until about 1963 when my mom then converted coal to an electric heater.

betty

Chatty Crone said...

My parents both had the ice man and the coal man. Funny I still call the fridge and icebox and I never had one.

TARYTERRE said...

enjoyed the story of the iceman and coal. my parents would remember those days for sure.

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

Your thoughts on the icemen certainly make me thankful for our modern conveniences of today. We have the luxury of ice anytime we want it. Now I'm not yet 80 but I don't have many years before I hit that magic number. Good thing we have folks like you to jog our memories. Thank you!

Dar said...

Mom remembers the ice truck going to her aunts grocery store. I have an antique icebox waiting to be a useful item in my house for storage. I love that old thing. I found it on the rock pile years ago at Ol'Ted's, long deceased, who gave it to me. He said whatever I could find on the rock pile was mine. They sure tossed a lot of antiques that now hold flowers, crocks for kraut, etc.
love n' hugs from up north where we stained the deck today.....looks new again.