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Re: Oddities

Ahhh, Walkers! So many awesome flavors! We used to ride bikes from Woburn to check flavor of the week. My dad used to go get water from the spring weekly. Wasn’t Jerry Jingles near there? Also wasn’t there a road off the Fellsway, maybe in Ssugus, that all the houses participated in best Xmas lighting displays? We used to take my 1969 Ford Torino Cobra there late at night. After smoking a couple of joints, we went down the road really fast, enjoying the light show. Thought it reminded us of toward the end of 2001 Space Odyssey. Only could do it 2-3 times before the people woke up and call cops. Time to boogie outta there!

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Geezer
Yaknow.........you're right! [:)]


It refers to the way you sort of trap the tree or pole between your shins and push to scootch yourself up.

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I grew up in Somerville and we had "collegiate kids or rats". Now your cool or not. I played the baseball card game for hours trying to win and getting a leaner was cool. Saturday was confession and beans and franks for supper. We ice skated all winter on ice made from the city flooding the park, no coaches just a bunch of kids having fun. In the summer it was "to the park" the recreation dept. would keep us busy all day and we loved it. My favorite was kick ball. Those days are gone forever except in memories.....

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Wow, that brought back one too. I remember always being baffled on Saturday afternoons when my Catholic friends had to leave whatever fun we were having to go to church. When I was old enough to 'sort of understand' what confession was all about, I couldn't figure out what sins they could possibly have committed, and be confessing to, at that age.

And OF COURSE franks and beans on Saturday!

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Geezer
I remember always being baffled on Saturday afternoons when my Catholic friends had to leave whatever fun we were having to go to church.

I ran into the same thing Geezer. Every Saturday, off they went, walking up the rail road tracks towards that church in Greenwood. One week, they talked me into going with them. Boy was that scary.... what if I got caught?

Anyway, the Service was very confusing. Bells ringing and every jumps on the floor, bells ring and everyone gets up, some guy up from speaking some language nobody appeared to know, and then... half the people get up and go have a cookie in the front of the room. I didn't dare try that one, though I have to admit, I thought about it.

Re: Oddities

Geezer
All right OG, et all, here’s a string that may go nowhere, but that’s ok, hopefully it will at least answer my question(s)! It’s called “oddities” because I didn’t know what else to call it.

I just noticed that Geezer deserves some recognition.

His "little string that may go nowhere" appears to have broken the record for "Most Replies" in the "Seniors" group. That's right folks, 84 replies (after I click "post" on this message).

Let's all give Geezer a great big " Attaboy! "

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[8-)][8-)][8-)][8-)][8-)][8-)][8-)] Whoo Hooo Geezer! Off to Whip Hill!

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Although I will gladly accept the recognition, it is undeserved, as the success of this, or any of ‘our strings’ is of course due to ALL of you, who, like myself, are not trying to bury our heads in the sand about current issues, but instead understand and enjoy the value of (and often the humor in) once in a while looking back. I have obviously (and I’m sure will continue to) learned a lot here, and although it’s often about people, places, and things that we will never see again, there’s nuttin wrong with that! It’s fun, and I thank you all!

Yikes, got a little too serious there. Remember the rope ski tow at Mt. Hood? I give the children (and parents) a lot of credit now for walking all the way back to the top of the hill after their sledding run!

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Oh yes. The old rope tow. I think I got real ski's for Christmas because of that rope tow and I became quite good at using it. The only problem was... that didn't matter!

If you were behind, or in front of someone (like my sister) who didn't know what they were doing then when she fell, everybody fell. That's right, you could NOT train her to let go of the rope and get out of the way. I have to admit though, it was kind of fun and a pain in the Butt at the same time.

Hey Geezer, I bet you and I could make a few bucks by showing up at Mt Hood with a snowmobile, an attached Ski Rack, and a couple of sleds to seat people in attached to the back.

You want "in" on this? It's not very often I come up with brilliant money making ideas!

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Not a bad idea at all OG, you're always thinking!
Unfortunately, since the first fairway is not a designated area on which dogs are allowed, we would not be able to ride along, but would be more than happy to supply half of the required capital. I fear, however, that City insurance and permitting issues would put us out of business before we start.
Don't stop thinkin' though!

PS It's late, I hope Patty isn't still wandering around in the woods at Whip Hill!

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Thanks Geezer. No I never made it on Sunday. I ended up having to go into work and didn't get out till dusk. I'm going to see if I can get up there tonight.

I like the snowmobile idea! I could form a LLC for you guys...limit your liability. Unfortunately I'm not connected enough with the permitting thing. Well I am ...but not in a way that would help. Hey! maybe Myron could help!

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As Maynard G. Krebbs would say................................WORK!

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I can't argue with logic like that, Geezer

But then again, I wonder if we could make this work by adding a REAL dog sled to the process. How many kids do you think your dog can drag up a hill in one run Geezer?

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about a half [:D]

I still think my idea of screen windows for cars, for drive-in theaters is a good idea. Wait, there aren't any more of those, are there? Rats, always too little too late!

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But wouldn't the screen prevent the windows from getting "all steamed up", which in turn presents .......um...... let's call it an ..... "outside to inside visibility issue"..... that defeats one of the major reasons for taking your date to the Drive In, in the first place?

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Perhaps you are all aware of it already....but snowmobiles are definitely not permitted at Mount Hood Park & Golf Course. But there are so many other recreational things to do up there when there is sufficient snow. Examples include snowshoeing which I love to do for exercise when snow levels are appropriate on the fairways. Because snow shoes usually have metal cleats on them, I would wait until there are at least 3-4 inches of snow before enjoying this activity on the course. Also just hiking around the course is fun and cross-country skiing is a terrific activity up there with the many hills and paths throughout the golf course and the views up at Slayton Tower are breathtaking! And who wouldn't enjoy sledding down the many hills and especially that great one at the first tee! We are truly blessed in Melrose to have such a wonderful Park and Golf Course which can be used and enjoyed in all seasons!

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Geesch, we can't even talk about things 'in jest', without getting "rules".

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Dear Mr. *********,

Sorry it has taken so long to get back to you. I sent your question out to our volunteers and it took some time to find somebody who knew what you were asking about. This is what she wrote to me:

What I remember about "bicycle Annie" : Her name was Dorothy Crocker and she lived
on Bow St. Ct. here in town. She traveled everywhere on her bike and sold spices that she kept in the basket. She sang patriotic songs at town meeting. She must have passed away at least 20 years ago. Had no connection to Whip Hill.

I hope that helps answer your question!

Sincerely,
Marina Memmo
Stoneham Historical Society


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Geezer
Geesch, we can't even talk about things 'in jest', without getting "rules".

Shouldn't that be "Jeesch" ?

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You are absolutely right, Professor Correctipantalones! [:-)]

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Hey Geezer. I was wandering around on the Internets the other day and I found this two volume book on Amazon (don't worry, it's not thick) of historical pictures of Melrose along with brief descriptions of the pictures.

If you haven't already picked it up, I highly recommend it! My order just arrived. Volume II even has the cannon I was blabbering about on this string above (vol. II, page 33). It was located on Crystal Street where the Veterans Building once stood and across the street from the Marshmallow factory.

Here's the link to both volumes, but I bet you can read it for free at the Library.

http://www.amazon.com/MELROSE-Images-America-Arcadia-Publishing/dp/0738564486/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1380472870&sr=1-1&keywords=Melrose%2C+Ma

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Those look great Old Guy, thanks! I think I'll 'leak' my desire to purchase those to the relatives, and maybe this Christmas I'll get something different than gloves or gift cards to stores in which I never shop.

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While growing up, did anyone else have that one family on your street that turned their lights out every Halloween evening, but you knew they were home?

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Yeah. We rang their bell (extra times) even so.

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I must of lived on a privileged Block or something because I remember the porch lights going out as it got late but can't recall being turned away entirely.

But I'll tell you what was really cool. When you finally got old enough to eject the Parental Units and really hustle through "never before Trick or Treated Territory" (houses more than a block away) and you were so successful you actually had to run back home, drop off your full pillowcase, grab another one (usually your older brother's) and catch back up with your friends.

Now those were the days. But come to think of it... I think it was around that time that the Parental candy rationing program was put into effect at my house.


Re: Oddities

Did the same in Woburn