Musings in the dentist chair

When you're sitting in the dentist chair, getting your teeth cleaned, there isn't much to do but close your eyes and think.  My first thought (while being scraped and poked) was being thankful that I no longer had to "rinse and spit" into a porcelain bowl next to the dentist chair.  That was the most dreaded part of going to the dentist as a child.  I was always afraid of missing the bowl or drooling.

This is my daughter (not me) but she doesn't have to "rinse and spit"!  Lucky girl!

That memory caused a chain reaction to thinking about all the ways life has changed over the years.  Who would have thought there'd be so many changes in such a relatively short time.  Maybe this is what being a grandmother is all about..."I remember when..."

So, here goes...I remember...
Cars that weren't equipped with seat belts.
Clunky black telephones that had rotary dials and if you wanted information, you'd dial "O" for Operator and you'd get a real human on the other end of the line who would answer your question.
The "Five and Dime" was a variety store that sold a little of everything.  Sometimes they had a soda fountain and my mom would treat me to a soda.
Typewriters and correction tape and fluid. 
Looking up at the moon (with all the neighbors) the night of the first moon landing, and trying to see the lunar landing module.
Life without cell phones and computers...oh, and cable.
The milk man.  He'd come by the neighborhood twice a week, delivering dairy products to homes.
The Hostess man.  Similar to above only he brought bread products and baked goodies to neighborhoods.
Airlines that provided real meals on their flights.
Renting a VHS movie player and movie from the local movie store.
All sorts of cameras, from the boxy brownie camera to the Instamatic camera, to the instant Polaroids, to the 35mm film camera.
Kitchens without microwave ovens, crock pots, and dishwashers.
Black and white TV's.
Real candles on Christmas trees.
Riding a bicycle without a helmet.
Metal lunchboxes and sandwiches wrapped in wax paper.
Cloth diapers and the introduction of disposable diapers.

There are so many more things that I remember -  TV shows, movies, music, political and historical events, church events, local events, long-dead customs and traditions. 


I guess I'm just a walking fossil  :)  That's ok.  I'm really thankful that dentist offices now have high-tech suctioning tools so I no longer have to "rinse and spit".