The Good 'Ole Days

What did they do back then? You know before there were the technological convenience that we take for granted today. I now fully understand why families consisted of 8 or more children! The reason I bring this up is that up until about 20 minutes ago we had no electricity. Thanks to our former landlord (who had an outstanding bill on the electric) our electric was shut off sometime today. Once DJ got home and contacted the electric company and took care of the problem they put us on a waiting list to restore the power to our building. So when we got home we did nothing. We sat under candlelight. DJ is a very avid reader so he read. I read, but have to be in the mood to read, and in order to read I need light. My eyesight is not what it used to be. This made me think. What did they do before the electric light bulbs? It wasn't really that long ago if you think about it. In 1882 the first electric and gas power plant went into operation providing electric to only a one square mile area. That was only 122 years ago. How did they get by? No wonder it was early to bed early to rise...You couldn't see anything any other time.

Then I realized not only did we not have lights, we had no fridge or cooking stove. Not to mention that we had no heat either!! Thank goodness we had a car. So we went out for dinner, hoping when we returned we would have power. On the way there I began to think about the automobile. It was less than a 100 years ago before automobiles were a common mode of transportation. The first automobile was not even thought of until 1887. Then until Henry Ford set up the first assembly lines, were the common man able to afford them. Think about not having a car. And only being able to depend on your horse to get you from one place to the other!!

So, when we returned from dinner, still no power. Re-light the candles. I took a bath, and a little nap. Finally DJ and I decided to play some poker. Using pennies as our chips. (Why didn't we think of strip poker??) My whole nightly routine was diverted because of no electrical power. When things finally came back on I came to the computer (of course!) and then I realized that I remember the day when computers were as large as buildings, and a home computer was a thing of the future. The first Home computer was released by Apple in 1976. Only 28 years ago. Amazing really. Can you imagine our daily lives without the computer? What would we do? How would we communicate? How would we entertain ourselves!?? Not to mention not having any TV, Silver Fox would have to be put into rehab due to Reality TV withdrawals!! What would I do without my SIMS!! Oh this is just too depressing to think about any longer...

We are really spoiled aren't we? So the next time someone says how they miss the good 'ole days...Turn off your electric for about 5 hours. Good 'ole days my ass!!