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Enjoy A Day Of Rest

Do you remember when stores were not open on Sundays? Well, since that all changed decades ago, only a few businesses hold on to the tradition of closing on Sundays for various reasons. Lately, however, Mondays and Tuesdays have become the Sundays of years past. I have noticed more and more businesses have limited their operating hours. It’s no secret that retailers, restaurant owners and other business owners are desperate to hire workers. The help wanted signs are on business doors and signposts everywhere you look. I won’t get into the politics behind this need for ...

Match Safes Are a Hot Collectible

Before safety matches were invented, stick matches had to be stored carefully and conveniently. Because they had tips that were highly flammable, matches were kept in fireproof containers. Some were small, often sterling silver, pocket size cases that looked a lot like today’s fancy lighters. Others were wall mounted boxes in various designs that kept wooden matches handy and safe. Today, collectors enjoy collecting these match safes from yesterday. Made from various metals and glass, match safes and match holders are an attractive small collectible to enjoy and search for at ...

Read Me A Story, John Boy

I recently watched an old episode of “The Waltons” in which Olivia, the mom, decided to spend good money on a set of books for her seven children. A traveling salesman had enticed her with the promise of books that would open a whole new world to the somewhat isolated country family. This episode was set during the Great Depression when work and money were equally scarce. So when Olivia gave up hard-earned money for the books, it was a big deal. The story goes on to show that she was flimflammed by the salesman. But there was a positive outcome by the end of the story. What ...

Curious Collectibles Offer a Look at Yesteryear

We live in a visual age where photos are so numerous that we don't even bother to print them off our cell phones and videos are viewed many times a day thanks to news alerts, YouTube and other digital applications. But movies got their start in the 19th century as photography developed on a much smaller scale. Back then, film stories were told with still images that amazingly to today's viewer, moved manually. The “special” effects then still seemed like magic to viewers who may have never even seen a camera, let alone used one. These early movie projectors are today’s ...

September’s Burden Not Forgotten

When we weren’t looking, September crept in on a cool, foggy morning. The month of September kicked August to the curb and is here to remind us of things past and things to come. This month used to signal an unofficial start to fall. The kids go back to school. The swimming pools are emptying out. The swings at the playground are swaying if only by an errant breeze. Leaves are beginning to swirl in a downward spin as the wind picks up. The trees will soon take on colors to paint the landscape in a wondrous beauty. Yet as much as I love fall, I stand looking out the kitchen window ...

More Than Just Numbers

I have never been a whiz at figures. As early as first grade I realized my strong points were geared more toward words and vocabulary. That does not mean that numbers, especially dates, have not been important in the greater scheme of my life. I often wondered why we were made to memorize “important” dates in history in lieu of simply knowing why certain dates were worth remembering. If you ask anyone in the baby boomer crowd what he or she remembers about Nov. 22, 1963, they will immediately tell you where they were and what they were doing when they heard the news that ...