Wednesday, July 14, 2010

14 July 1956 “Staycation, All I Ever Wanted…”

Well, it’s a rainy day here in 1956 and I thought I would post a quick ‘look in’ to say hello. We are enjoying our Staycation or Holiday at Home, or whatever you should like to term it. It does help, I suppose, to already live at a Summer Resort Destination, but it is rather fun to play “Tourist in your own Backyard”.
I am sure no matter where you live such a break can be fun. And, homemakers, fear not if you think you shall be stuck cooking and cleaning as usual, simply do what I did. I imagined we were simply coming here for the week and treated my marketing that way. I figure, ‘We are going to the little cottage this week’ in my head and bought things easy to prepare and fun ‘pre-made’ things we might not normally have.28drumstick Drumstick ice cream cones were invented in 1928. So, these would have been available. Though we have many wonderful ice-cream shops around us (one of my favorites is practically walking distance) where they make good homemade ice cream, sometimes a quick little frozen cone is fun on a hot sticky day.Other such confections are easily available for the 50’s homemaker orbitbar icecreamad icecreampapers
Here is something one might see on tv or at the movies
Thrill to the ‘ice cream taste’. I wonder why body-less heads were used so often in 50’s advertising? Maybe it had an ‘everyman’ quality to it.
And, yes, even Pizza is availabe here in the 1950’s. Notice how small the size is and it is available at the ‘refreshment center’. We do have a vintage drive in here on cape. It is about 45 minutes away in Wellfleet and that might be on the list of ‘to-doing’ this week of Home Holiday. And, as they say here, “mom, why fuss and fight about dinner, eat here at the movies” I am a little worried about the ‘scientifically grown’ popcorn, however.
Another vacation activity we might enjoy, that we never do in our normal life, is tv. We have no actual tv hookup, but we do have access to old shows. I found this site interesting HERE. It explains a phenomena started in the 1950’s where in the summer, to replace the normal regularly scheduled shows, they would air un-sold pilots! I guess this summer, of 56, was a big year for that. How odd, that you would just see one or two episodes of a show that would never be seen again. Maybe it is beginning to show that the tv consumer doesn’t care and just wants ‘something to watch’.
minigolf50s Besides traditional golf here on cape cod, of course we also have mini golf, another summertime favorite of the past still readily available. (This image came from Gorillasdon’tblog.) There is an old mini golf course up the road on 6A that we are going to visit this week. Hubby recalls playing there as a child. It shall be fun.
So far we have made good use of our holiday. We spent our first day puttering around the yard, hubby getting out the chain  saw and getting to that cut down tree we had been meaning to attend to. He enjoyed it and was happily cutting even sized sections and making piles of various logs and kindling while I shingled the front of my chicken house. To us, this had that, “We are here to open the cottage for the summer, lets do some preliminary work” feel to it. We rather enjoyed it and rewarded ourselves with fresh brewed iced tea and a swim.
We have biked to the ocean already and laid about like tourists. I love our little beach here along the canal. At high tide it is rather like a great saltwater swimming pool, as the sandy bottom gets very deep quickly and the water is clear and cool. We spent a good hour diving for rocks and sharing various sizes and shapes. In the end we decided none of us wanted to tote them home on our bikes. Yet, on our return, hubby drew from his pocket with a ‘ta-dah’ a favorite stone, the size of a softball, he had secreted away in his pocket. It took the place of honor on our dining room mantle next another odd rock he picked up last fall while strolling through the woods near by.
There have been evening fires with friends, wine and cocktails on the terrace, s’mores and sausage over the fire. Over all, thus far, we are enjoying ourselves, but I did not want any of you to think I had forgot you.
Still to come is some sailing, a trip to P-town, some 6A antiquing and of course more swimming. We have a fish and seafood monger biking distance from us to get food to cook at home as well as our great ‘fried seafood restaurant’. We figure if we bike there, some of the calories and fat will slide away on the bike ride home. So, overall, we are enjoying ourselves and at the end of it, no packing up, plane or train rides or hours of traffic.
Another fun trip we made recently, though it might sound odd, was to our local dump. We have a wonderful ‘swap shop’ there where people drop off anything working and in good repair for free. Hubby likes to dig about the electronics and find computer parts. I believe he is intent on using old parts and building his own for as long as he can hold on doing that. We are not very good consummers on this holiday, except for local food, produce and possibly some local made items.
So, I strolled into our little swap shop and saw it was fairly picked over and then, in the corner, behind an old treadmill, there it was. I saw its distinctive dome shape and caught my breath, “Could it be?” I wondered? I had dreamed of these and even tried buying one (rather expensive on eBay when I could find them). There she was in all her glory, The Lady Schick Capri Consolette.hairdryer1 You must understand how this odd space age shape trimmed in my favorite pale blue makes a 50’s gal’s heart go pitter pat. This little gem is a life saver for a gal who sets her hair.hairdryer2 It folds out and locks like this. Then you sit comfortably, with a magazine and cup of tea waiting for your pin curls or what have you, set. It is the epitome of luxury in an easy to carry and store case.It has all these settings (which all work)hairdryer3 and it really feels like when you are at the hair dressers. I have to show the interior label, I adore the font and color (and the color is much more brilliant in person)This is the top of the hairdryer hairdryertop and this the inside label hairdryer4  This little darling will not even be hidden away, but will have a place of honor on the top of the built-in next my dressing table, where my extra jewelry boxes sit.
So, I am off to enjoy more of our holiday and I hope all of you are enjoying the summer in your hemisphere or the winter in the other.
Happy Homemaking.

11 comments:

  1. My mom had that hairdryer! Your post really stirred my nostaligia today. I saw my first ever movie (age 3) at the Wellfleet Drive in! I remember vivdly, playing on the swing set before the movie started!

    I hope the rest of your Staycation is a pleasant as the start!

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  2. Thanks 50sgal for thinking of us on your holiday. I was wondering how your staycation was going. All the specifics you mentioned give great ideas on how one can enjoy their own homes and town. We have done this many times and the town offers even more attractions when we had children with whom to explore. Not to mention the special 'food' treats and different routines that change the everyday into a holiday, something different and special. Keep creating wonderful memories and experiences...and thanks for sharing them. Linda

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  3. pictures, please!!!!

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  4. Enjoy your staycation! I'm envious of all the fun you're having. :) Funny you mentioned putt-putt golf. I mentioned to my husband a few weeks ago that we should do that; the last time we went was years ago. Bowling could be fun, too.

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  5. SU-that's so funny that your mother had the same one. Did you ever use it?
    Linda-Thank you, I am so much more aware now of memories, I suppose that comes from living in the past, you realize how important recording and remembering is.
    anon-pictures of our fun? our town?
    Crhistine-and then you have to decide traditional or candle pin.

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  7. 50s gal, I DO remember my mom curling my hair, and sitting under it when I was 5 or so. Poor woman, she never could get my hair to curl, even with that! :)

    I have to tell you,too, lately, I've been remembering how all the ladies on our street would get together for coffee and a chat, and realized, that's just how this feels to me. :)

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  8. Hey 50's Gal, My mom had the EXACT same dryer, and in the true spirit of never pitching anything out, I used it in the late 80's early 90's after washing my hair when it had a spiral perm in it.

    It dried my hair perfectly, and was so relaxing and gentle on my scalp.

    You know what I also miss is my mom's old vacuum from the late sixties, that thing was a tank, it was a Filter Queen and she passed it onto me and I used it until it flaked out in 2002 :)

    Do you see a theme here? We reuse everything, my boy's bedroom sets, were once mine and my brothers. We are even reusing my brother's old curtains in both boy's rooms, I love the look of the retro curtains that one uses a string pulley to open and close. :)

    Mom in Canada

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  9. yes, both! it would be fun to see the kind of candid vacation shots of old...vintage you in front of various landmarks, couples shots taken by passersby....

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  10. I've just come home from two lovely weeks at my tiny cottage at the Isle of Moen, so yes, I've practised staycation this year. In fact we do every second year, since we are so lucky to have this lovely cottage, we also ought to use it. The weather was more than perfect, much like Italy - that is a bit too hot for me, but we don't complain with all that rain and cold degrees we've had for so long here in Denmark.

    I'm in the middle of unpacking, but am feeling a bit dizzy due to the heat, so I checked your lovely blog for a break. I will be back soon with more comments to your fabulous posts. Have a lovely Sunday, dear. :)

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  11. We have that SAME EXACT dryer!! In fact, I just came out from under it! It takes a good 40 minutes to dry my hair but, it's always smooth. :)
    I am thinking of getting a new one, but I am afraid there won't be as many air vents..
    Do you recommend any new models?
    PS - I even found an old Lady Carel on ebay that I'm watching.. :)

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