Did we all see the steam train era? the first diesel engine takeover
The school desk seating two, inkwells and nibbed pens
73 years old my memory still works wonder what others remember
Those my age also saw, nearly over night, film developing businesses close after digital took over, but long before we saw the box brownie as some thing bright and new
How about the Saturday nights in the picture theater followed in our teens by the drive in movie We [my age] in fact saw the first Australian TV broadcasts, some, not everyone could afford it, saw it in a neighbor's lounge room sharing their TV
Brought about by the 50 years celebration of the moon landing I think maybe others memories are worth hearing

Dear Belly,

Ah yes, memories - we all have them.

I'll start mine with a few thoughts I wrote on
my seventeenth birthday:

"A kaleidoscope of many pieces
A puzzle not yet completed
A child still,
And yet, tomorrow's woman you are.

Full of promise, tanned by the sun
Athletic and proud
Of flame-coloured hair
Glowing, rich and natural
Like baroque splendour that dreams are made of.

Perceptive eyes,
Clear and light
The colour of a cloudy summer's day
Constantly changing with your mood
Innocent, yet knowing you are

Tomorrow's woman, dabbling in poetry
Searching for meaning in things abstract

You are summers by the sea
Wind-blown hair
Bare feet
Pre-washed denims
Turquoise and silver

Winters on the ski-slopes
A cup of hot chocolate
Fire light and guitar music
And seventeen today!"

More to come later.

Dear Belly,

Talking about television.

Here's another one I wrote :

"I'm a TV addict don't you see?
TV to me is sheer poetry
I switch it on and to me it shows
Everything I want to know.

Drama, series, music, sports
Public Affairs and news reports
Children's programs that do educate
To all of them I can relate

day and week-ends too
I push the button for a good view
It's entertainment, light and serious
From the funny to the mysterious

I love it all
It's fun - TV
And, one day soon
The star will be ME!"

I remember walking to school barefoot and carrying my shoes and socks because we were working class poor and shoe leather was expensive.

I also remember getting boils because our diet was deficient. that was in the war years and things improved from about 1946 onward.

Steam road vehicles have gone as have steam farm tractors and portable engines, except for a few valiant holdouts.

The iceman, the clothes prop man, the milkman and the rabbitohs (except for the football team) have all gone and the '48 door sedans' are but a fragrant memory.

I was born too late to see Australia transformed from the land of the Aboriginals to an Anglo-Australian nation. But the big change I do get to witness is the transformation of Anglo Australia to Sino Australia.

I do get to witness is the transformation of Anglo Australia to Sino Australia.
Mr Opinion,
Yeah, I remember rather well when the change happened. The 1972 Govt gave the go-ahead for this & Al Grasby hit the START button !