When We Were Young.
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The marriage.
When we were young and just married. I would take anything anyone would give us to set up our home. We had absolutely nothing. Our families were not rich. My family was military. I was only 17 and he was 20. He was getting out of the military and we were heading to his home in Wisconsin from El Paso, Texas, a few months after a small military wedding in a small chapel on base we hit the road. It was just the two of us and our little puppy, Lindy. His mom was so kind to put up with a new puppy in her house.
Our stripe photos. Remember those?
We were also married just before the Cuban Missile Crisis. It was a very scary time. My Dad and my husband both on alert. My husband's unit getting ready to ship out to Florida.
We were lucky it ended and everyone was as safe as they could be in those times. The cold war continued.
Our stop in Arkansas.
Our first stop was at my grandmother’s home in Arkansas. She loaded me up with whatever items she could give us and gave me some family pictures too. The morning we left her home she made fried chicken for us to take along so that we wouldn't have to spend money on lots of food.
There were not lots of fast food places around than. If we stopped it would have to be in a restaurant and spend money we didn't have.
We even picked up a hitchhiker on the way. A soldier that was going not to far up the highway. We wouldn't do that now.
Our arrivl in Wisconsin
We arrived at my husband’s hometown a few days later. First we stopped in St. Louis to see an aunt and uncle.
I was welcomed into his big family with big bear hugs. I still think about how they all tried to welcome me by making fried chicken because I was from the south. It was good, but they fried it and then cooked it in the oven for a while.
We tried to stay, but as a few months went on we knew there was not enough work . We decided to head for California. My mother-in-law gave me extra linen or anything she could find to add to our home goods.
Our drive to California.
It was a fun trip. We did run into snow in the mountains, South of Amarillo, Texas in New Mexico. There was a semi in front of us and we stayed close to him so we could get through safely. Finally, we had to stop and we could only stay at cheap motel. That place was creepy, I thought for sure any minute someone was going to come through the door. It was like the Psycho motel. We came out alive and laughed about it later.
We stopped in Texas to see my parents . My mother added to our goods. Than down route 66 heading for California driving a pink 1957 Ford Fairlane. My photo may not be exactly right, but it gives you an idea of what we were driving.
Arrived in California,
We arrived to stay with his brother and his family. My sister-in-law also gave what she could. I'm sure hoping all along we wouldn't be staying with them long. She also showed me what I needed to buy in food and how to set up my household. We also hit rummage sales. She was a big help to me. I will always remember her for that.
My grandparents were there.
My grandparents lived in California and we went to visit them at least once a month. They were my grandparets on my dad's side. Grandma also gave me whatever she could and they had very little to give. I still have the little teapot she gave me. I never ask for anything, but they just handed over to us. They all seem to think we needed the help. I was thankful for everything I got. She made real fried chicken every time we came.
I never forgot how she swatted black widows with her hand. She wasn't afraid of those little monsters. Grandpa sat in the garden under a tree and told my husband about the old days. Sometimes my cousins would be there. It was always fun to visit.
My old cookbook.
My husband’s aunt and uncle, also lived in California. They added a new cookbook to our stash. I still use the cookbook to this day. My husband says I didn't know how to boil water when we got married. I did, really I did.
With all the items we setup our apartment. It wasn't that I didn't want new, I did, but in the early days we were grateful for all the items we got that were free.
I remember how we would dig through he cushions looking for a dime to buy an ice cream cone when we heard the ice cream truck coming. Do they have ice cream trucks anymore?
Back to Wisconsin.
We ended up moving back to Wisconsin three years later and this is where we stayed.
My husband learned a trade while in California and we raised our family on that trade for many years. It wasn't a wasted trip for us. We also brought home a cute little baby boy.
Young adults nowadays do not want anything old. Offer to give them something and see how fast they turn it down. At least that is what I have found out in our family. They want to start out with everything new. Including new cars. Better to start out with old then add new as you can, at least for a while in a new marriage. I think the economy is going to be hard on the kids nowadays they are all so use to getting everything new. They want so much so fast and maybe that is what our parents said about us. We weren't perfect and sure didn't always handle money well.
Remember how our parents hated Elvis and mini-skirts?
We will be married 50 years.
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writer20, thanks for stopping by. I still have my 45 Elvis records. Thanks for the vote.
So true, and then they throw it away if it gets scratched and buy another new one. A little bit of hardship did people good back in the mid 1900's. They are much less happy today with all the materialism, junk food and alcohol. I still buy things in charity shops and flea markets and get much more pleasure from this than wasting money on the cheap rubbish they make today. May you have many more moons! Bob
diogenes (Bob) Thanks for stopping by and leaving comment. I still also buy in charity shops and flea markets but not so much now we are starting to try and get rid of things. Our refrigerator and our washer and dryer are 20 years old. I love the look of the new front load washers but I will not go to one until our washer and dryer are without hope.
Thes young people don't know what it's like to live on little or nothing. They wouldn't last a day the way the way you did in those days.
Cardisa, Your right they never had to live that way. They seem to always have parents who take care of them. Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving comment.
I think it's funny how people say "They never had to live this way." Times change. Cost of living changes, People making 60K per year and spending 55K of that for essential necessities today are no different from the days when people made 25K per year and spent 20K or more for things that needed. Young people today are NO different than young people decades ago; they are all just trying to make a living. Unless they have a trust fund. :-)
BTW, I'm 34 years old. Cannot come close to claiming I came from money, served 10 years in the military, starting at the very bottom, and made my own way. Just in case anyone wants to question my agenda.
thejeffriestube, Thanks for stopping by and leaving comment. I agree with you not all young people are the way I describe. I said "At least that is what I have found out in our family." I actually don't know why their that way their Dad worked 3 jobs most of their growing up years. They had nice things but not everything they wanted. When their friends had their own snowmobiles our kids didn't have that.
Our oldest son tells everyone he had nothing but hand-me- downs which is completely not true. He never wore a hand-me-down in his life.
Our granddaughters and their friends wear $100.00 shoes. I hope the day never comes when they aren't going to get those $100.00 shoes. I worry about how they will handle it.
This is a beautiful hub and beautiful memories of a time that may have passed forever. And yes some of the kids nowadays want it all new, expensive and yesterday! It's sad how many of them end up with so much debt before the marriage has even had a chance to start, and adds another stressor onto their relationship. And I have seen kids making all sorts of excuses not to take something because it is used!
Having said all that, there are the kids who seem to realise that building up from borrowed and given is not such a bad idea. There are a few furniture sales around here from time to time - with very good pieces of second hand furniture - and it's interesting to see that there are a few kids who browse around these places to buy things to set up home with, while alas, the not so bright ones, walk on by to the nearest big store to add more HP onto their monthly payments.
I loved this wonderful hub of yours! Here's hoping a few kids will read it and take excellent advice. Voted up + awesome!
Hi moonlake, thank you for sharing this part of your life with us, it's simply lovely.
I remember when I was first married we had no money and everything we had was second hand, we never expected anything different.
thank you for sharing and voting up.
Seeker7, thank you for stopping by and for the vote.
Our oldest granddaughter stopped by today and she said when they remodeled their bathroom she got the cabinet for the bathroom from the paper. Someone was selling it cheap then she painted it to make it have that modern look. I was so proud of her.
I guess it shows she is growing up.
Movie Master,
Thanks for stopping by and for the vote.
I know just what you mean about no money. I can remember my first set of dishes were melamine. I got them on sale and I thought they were so pretty. Now their very expensive to buy. Rachael Ray uses the big bowl on her show to toss her scraps in.
I also got some things from my family and relatives when I started a new home. Since I love old things I have many of the things still with me even if I don't need them anymore. Things from special givers is and should be of great value. Thanks for sharing your story that became so vivid with the wonderful photos. Voted up,
Tina
thoughforce, Thanks for stopping by. I also love old things.
I hate the clean house shows where they make people give away their treasures.
Thank you, for the up vote.
A beautiful story, moonlake. What a wonderful trip down memory lane!
Thank you,Cloverleaf and thanks for stopping by my hub and leaving a comment.
Thanks for sharing! Sigh.........Memories you made me nostalgic.
Gypsy Rose Lee, Thanks for stopping by. Glad you enjoyed the hub.
Such a young start and still married. congratulations. a beaufiful memory
Thank you, and thanks for stopping by. 50 years next year.
Hiya Moonlake, thanks so much for sharing your sweet memories and priceless family photos. We still have those strip photo booths, but I think they are now in colour. I also have some black and white strip photos.. very nostalgic. I also started with second-hand stuffs, but went ballistic with new stuffs a couple of years after using credit cards. lol Great job! Voted up and beautiful. Cheers!
Have a nice day,
Rosie
Rosie2010, Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving comment. Didn't we all go ballistic with credit cards at one time or another?
moonlake,
This is a beautiful reminder of traditional values and I love hearing about your life. Thank you for sharing this uplifting message and voted UP & ABI. All my best, mar.
marcoujor, Thank you for stopping by and leaving a comment. Thanks for the up vote.
Beautiful memories and writing.
Phoebe Pike, Thank you and thanks for stopping by.
Congratulations on your 49 years of marriage. We just celebrated our 41st but got married when we were a little older than you. We were also given things from our families and still have some of them today. Never bought anything on credit except for financing our homes and cars. Good old fashioned values never go out of style! Voted up and useful!
Peggy W,
Congratulations on 41 years. We still also have items we were given years ago.
Thanks so much for stopping by and for the vote.
Moonlake,
This is a wonderful story of your first years of marriage, and I relate to it so vividly. I may be 20 years behind you in marriage, but like you and your husband, we were very young and appreciated any little thing someone in the family was willing to share. His parents gave us an old pea green vinyl couch and chair and my mother earned points at the grocery store to get a set of dishes for me - and these things made us feel like we really had a lot. There are so many other treasures we received, too. I still have some of those things. I am glad we were poor and earned our way in the world by saving for years for the things we got. Maybe our parents thought we were an "entitled" generation too, but I think it is worse today. I gave my son a two year old oak table and chairs for their new house. A month later, his wife, whom I do adore, sold it in a yard sale and bought a brand new table and chairs. My feelings were hurt, but I didn't say anything. I thought the table and chairs we gave them was a lovely gift for a first home even if it was used, but it wasn't their style. Oh well... Thanks for the story! Voted up, beautiful, awesome, interesting, and useful for the lesson within it. :-)
sholland10,
Thanks so much for leaving a comment and a votes on my hub.
I know how you feel about the table we have also gave our kids things we thought they would cherish but they didn't.
I spent one winter putting all the old photos together for each of the kids and a granddaughter in their own album. Our daughter took hers apart and redid the whole thing in her own album. I have to say I was a little hurt.
Our granddaughter said to me yesterday she wants everything in her house to matchy match.
HA - I still don't have matching furniture. My mother made albums for all of us, too. I wouldn't dream of touching her hard work. It is a new generation, though. I guess we allowed them to back-talk and to "make their own choices" and now we are paying for it. Gotta love 'em. :-)
sholland10,
Thanks for leaving comment.
The thing is our kids weren't allowed to talk back and they had to watch their language. They were grounded if they were late. We ate dinner together every night. We ran what kids would call a prison now days. Our kids were happy and they had their share of freedom.
I think it's from them wanting everything to look a certain way. I guess my album didn't fit into that look.
I raised my kids the same way. I guess I should clarify and say a generalized "we," as in what I see allowed by other parents. I raised my kids the way I was raised (all of the things you listed above), but society interferes and our kids do follow peers and their behavior sometimes. They are a visual group. We were the group to be happy with what we got. :-)
sholland10,
That is true they are visual I guess it comes from so much tv. Watching what celebrities do.
We also raised our kids the way our parents did except for more hugs and kisses.
They sure do follow their peers. No matter how hard you try and all that you do for your kids they can still do their own thing and get into trouble.
writer20 Level 8 Commenter 7 months ago
I love this great read. My Mom bought me an Elvis Presley double record because I pleaded with her.
up/awesome