Life in the 50's

I really loved everything in my teens. I loved the Cincinnati Reds, Opera, Classical Music, Rock-n-Roll, Easy Listening, Billy Graham, Eisenhower, and even some Hillbilly Music, as they called it then. My favorite author was and still is Edgar Allan Poe. I also like Stephen King and Sidney Sheldon. My favorite singer was and still is Johnny Mathis, with some Celine Dion, Pink Floyd, Barbra Streisand, and Steppenwolf thrown in.

I wasn't allowed to date until I was 16. When I was old enough, I had my share of dates and the Drive-In was the place to go. I loved the Drive-In! I still miss it and I really think I would still go if they had them now.

I had two very good friends in school. I wasn't really very popular all around but I felt very lucky to have such close friends. In fact I still keep in touch with one of them even though I moved to Florida 40 years ago! She still lives in that little town in Ohio.

�Fashion�

The clothes by today's standards were really funky. My Granny taught me how to sew and I once made a full gathered skirt with music notes all over the material and piano keys around the hem. (Liberace was popular then and I really loved him). Of course I had about 6 crennolins underneath to make it really stand out. Also when I was very young and lived with my Mother for a while she taught me embroidery. In the 9th grade I embroidered everyone of my class mates names on the back of my blouse. There were about 35 names and I was very popular that day with everyone trying to read my back to see if their name was there. It was a fun day. (I'm sorry now I didn't teach my two daughters to sew). I still remember the girdles, the garter belts, the seams on your nylons that were so hard to get straight, the high heels, hats, and gloves. When you went to church or went downtown shopping, you were quite dressed up!

�Music & Dance��

I loved the fifties! I especially loved the music: Little Richard, Bill Haley and The Comets, The Platters & Pat Boone. I suppose most people from that time would mention Elvis Presley. Although I liked some of his songs, he was not one of my favorites.

�Cars��

We lived in the country so every where you went was quite a drive. We use to play a game with my aunt and brother to see who could first identify the make and model of an approaching car. Back then you could spot a Buick by the holes on the side; a Pontiac by the stripes down the hood; Kaiser, Frazier, Edsel, Chevy, and Ford were all easy. Today, as far as I'm concerned, its hard to tell a Toyota from a Mercedes. They really ruined the Cadillac . . . I loved the fins.

�Family Life
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Although I loved the fifties, I would not want to go back. My home life was not good most of the time and at 16 I HAD to run away from home and move in with my Grandmother. The transition to a new school and new home life was just too hard and I dropped out and was married at 17. I don't regret any of my life except not being able to graduate. I had a good husband, (for 30 years anyway), 5 beautiful, intelligent, really nice kids, 8 of the cutest and smartest grandchildren in the world. I love my panty hose, my sneakers, my job at the doctor's office, my significant other and my little house, that will be paid for, hopefully, before I die. I am thankful that I got to be a part of the fifties, but wouldn't trade my life today for anything.