We're back from six days in Arizona. First, Flagstaff, where we helped a cousin celebrate an 80th birthday, then sightseeing in two of the most spectacular places in the country...Sedona and the Grand Canyon.
Birthdays for kids are fun, but birthdays for older folks have an added dimension: history.
In this case, the history came as George's cousin Hal remembered his days as a newsboy in Eugene, Oregon. He recalled one extra special day when he delivered a memorable "Extra." Explanatory note for younger readers: there was a time when newsboys did more than deliver the daily paper. When a particularly big news event occurred, newsboys stood on street corners and hollered "EXTRA! EXTRA!" and sold copies of a special edition of the newspaper, printed because of a particularly important story.
In this case, the phone call at Hal's home, asking him to come down and pick up "extra" editions to hawk, came on a December day in 1941. When the newsboys gathered for their assignments, they learned about the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the start of World War II. Hal recalled that he earned $3.50 selling "extras" that day. Economic background note: He bought the newspapers for a penny and sold them for two cents. But, most people paid with a nickle and said, "keep the change."
If you're thinking that $3.50 isn't very much, remember that those were the days when a kid paid 10 cents to get into the movies...and that included a double feature, coming attractions, a newsreel and sometimes a cartoon or comedy short. A dime bought a full Saturday afternoon at the movies.
An awful lot has changed since 1941.
Anyway, we're back with tons of photos to sort through, and a great deal of backed up email. Some of the emails contain rumors and speculation about events in The Bend. We don't like to print rumors, so we're trying to establish facts for our readers.
However, please mark your calendars for Monday's board meeting at Ladera Linda. It promises to be especially interesting, even though there is no agenda posted.
By the way: If you're planning a vacation and wondering what to do with your pets, call Susie Eastman, (310) 377-1317. She is the most fantastic house and pet sitter in the world. Our dogs and cat love her and our house is always neat and tidy when we get home. We never worry when she's in charge.
By the way: If you're planning a vacation and wondering what to do with your pets, call Susie Eastman, (310) 377-1317. She is the most fantastic house and pet sitter in the world. Our dogs and cat love her and our house is always neat and tidy when we get home. We never worry when she's in charge.
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