SOLON & BEYOND, Week of August 25, 2016

by Marilyn Rogers-Bull & Percy
grams29@tds.net
Solon, Maine 04979

Good morning, dear friends. Don’t worry, be happy!

Another one of those Mondays when I don’t have very much news to share with you. Some times lately I have received news too late to get it in the column it should be in, my deadline now to receive news for the Thursday paper is Sunday night. My apologies if your news wasn’t printed, just don’t give up on me!     Keystone Chapter #78 O. E. S. in Solon will be meeting on Thursday, September 1, for their monthly meeting. The program is entitled “This is your life!”

The Embden Historical Society will meet on Monday, September 12, at 7 p.m. for their annual meeting, election of officers and committee reports. The program is Show & Tell (members to bring a favorite item.)

Would like to invite those of you who have been painting for awhile, in any medium, to join the fun at Adult Education in Skowhegan starting on Monday, September 12, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. The only cost is a $5 registration fee. Hope all of you who have been coming before are planning another session of fun and learning together, I’ve missed you this summer.

Lief and I traveled up to the “County” last weekend for the annual Washburn Days weekend. We attended the school banquet Friday night that was attended by many who had graduated from the Washburn High School in years past. It is fun to meet his friends and neighbors, and to visit with his family. People are so very friendly up there. The huge parade always follows on Saturday, which is great to watch, then more talking with friends.

Since I didn’t have much local news, I’ve been going through some of my stash to try to find something to give you a good laugh or two. Came across this old (so old that I can’t remember who might have given it to me) piece of paper with these words hand written across the top, “The Future As Seen in 1950. ” And this is their words: “I’ll tell you one thing….if things keep going the way they are, it’s going to be impossible to buy a week’s groceries for $20.’ …”If cigarettes keep going up in price , I’m going to quit. A quarter a pack is ridiculous.” (wonder if they quit!)… Did you hear the post office is thinking about charging a dime just to mail a letter?” …  “The Government is wanting to get its hands on everything. Pretty soon it’s going to be impossible to run a family business or farm.”…”If they raise the minimum wage to $1, nobody will be able to hire outside help at the store.” …  “When I first started driving, who would have thought gas would someday cost 30 cents a gallon. Guess we’d be better off leaving the car in the garage.”… “Kids today are impossible. Those duck tail hair cuts make it impossible to stay groomed. Next thing you know, boys will be wearing their hair as long as the girls.”   “Also, their music drives me wild. This ‘Rock Around The Clock’ thing is nothing but racket.”   “I’m afraid to send my kids to the movies anymore. Ever since they let Clark Gable get by with saying ‘damn’ in Gone With The Wind,’ it seems every movie has a ‘hell’ or ‘damn’ in it.’…”Also, it won’t be long until couples are sleeping in the same bed in the movies. What is this world coming to?”

Hope you enjoyed the above thoughts by someone 66 years ago! How our world has changed!

Must leave room for Percy’s memoir entitled, Keeping Young. A dear old Quaker lady, distinguished for her youthful appearance, was asked what she used to preserve her charms. She replied sweetly: “I use for the lips, truth; for the voice, prayer; for the eyes, pity; for the hands, charity; for the figure, uprightness; and for the heart, love. (This was taken from one of my old Trotty Veck Message booklet Happy Hours. Does anyone out there know if these little books are still published? If so, would you please let me know. Thanks!).