Do you remember when drug stores sold TV tubes and had a tube tester?
I remember tube testers and tubes for sure. My old bosses and I argued about the merits of tubes VS transistors many times. Although I did repair tube based equipment, and even built a few kits, I didn't design anything using tubes - not that I remember anyway.
But I don't remember them being in drug stores. I remember a big cabinet with test sockets on top and shelves filled with different tubes under that. However, I can't remember where it was..... Maybe at a hardware store?
Some things I do remember though:
The day we got electricity on the home farm. Just one bulb in the front room and one in the kitchen. Oil lamps everywhere else that were not used much. I inherited my great grandparents fancy oil lamp. We still have it in the corner of our dining room.
The old party-line telephone on the wall beside the table with a crank for dialing. The women used to gather around and listen in on all the neighbour's conversations. I have that old phone now too.
Going to school in a horse drawn caboose.
The ice hut, and the root celler.
Cooking and heating on a stove fueled with dried cow pies.
Two hole outhouse.
The new well, the old well, the first well, and the barn well - all dug by hand by my grandparents. You had to prime the hand pump to get it going and lord help you if you forgot to fill the priming bucket when you were done pumping.
Weekly baths in water shared by everyone else - great grandparents first.
Fresh home made bread. Milking the cows, cream separating, and butter we churned ourselves.
Blood on my uncle's knife that meant we would be eating fresh venison.
The bread man, the milk man, and the coal man when my dad left the farm and moved us east.
Our first black and white tv.
My crystal radio.
And the list goes on.
They are great memories for sure, but let's be serious..... Nothing beats a nice knee mill or a cold toilet seat.......
