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Nora Skinker (Morton)
Though I haven't been in that specific area in ages, Robert, I once lived in North Chevy Chase and remember Beach Drive being a very wet (often flooded) area. Could that have been related to the enormity of that mighty oak? It's gorgeous. Alas, it's rare to see majestic trees in this part of DE.
Below is an interesting email I received recently. It's hard to encapsulate how much times have changed until you stop to realize it. And these are just some of the ways. See what you think:
HOW OLD IS GRANDMA?
One evening a grandson was talking to his grandmother about current events. The grandson asked his grandmother what she thought about the shootings at schools, the computer age, and just things in general. The grandmother replied, "Well, let me think a minute. I was born before television, penicillin, polio shots, frozen foods, Xerox, contact lenses, frisbees and 'the pill'. There were no credit cards, laser beams or ball-point pens. Man had not yet invented pantyhose, air conditioners, dishwashers, clothes dryers and the clothes were hung out to dry in the fresh air and man hadn't yet walked on the moon. Your grandfather and I got married first and then lived together. Just about every family had a father and a mother. Until I was 25, I called every man older than me, "sir" and after I turned 25, I still called policemen and every man with a title, "sir'. We were before gay-rights, computer dating, dual careers, daycare centers and group therapy. Our lives were governed by the Ten Commandments, good judgment and common sense. We were taught to know the difference between right and wrong and to stand up and take responsibility for our actions. Serving your country was a privilege; living in this country was a bigger privilege. We thought fast food was what people ate during Lent. Having a meaningful relationship meant getting along with your cousins. Draft dodgers were those who closed front doors as the evening breeze began. Time-sharing meant time the family spent together in the evenings and weekends -- not purchasing condominiums. We never heard of FM radios, tape decks, CD's, electric typewriters, yogurt or guys wearing earrings. We listened to Big Bands, Jack Benny and presidential speeches on our radios. If you saw anything with "Made in Japan" on it, it was junk. The term "making out" referred to how you did on your school exam. Pizza Hut, McDonald's and instant coffee were unheard of. We had 5&10-cent (5 & dime) stores where you could actually buy things for 5 and 10 cents. Ice-cream cones, phone calls, rides on a streetcar, and a Pepsi were all bought for a nickel. And if you didn't want to splurge, you could spend your nickel on enough stamps to mail 1 letter and 2 postcards. You could buy a new Ford Coupe for $600, but who could afford one? Too bad, because gas was 11 cents a gallon. In my day "grass" was mowed, "coke" was a cold drink, "pot" was something your mom used to cook in and "rock music" was your grandmother's lullaby. "Aids" were helpers in the Principal's office, "chip" meant a piece of wood, "hardware" was found in a hardware store and "software" wasn't even a word. We were the last generation to actually believe that a lady needed a husband to have a baby. We volunteered to protect our precious country. No wonder people call us "old and confused" and say there is a generation gap. How old to do think I am? Read on to see -- pretty scary if you think about it and pretty sad at the same time. Are you ready? This woman would only need to be 67 years old. She would have been born in late 1952. Gives you something to think about, doesn't it?
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