Comparative Tribulations and More

Mon 6/11 Blog Prompt: How about we start out this week with a little research by finding the cost of a week's subscription to a newspaper, a loaf of bread, a gallon of milk, a pound of chicken or ground beef, a gallon of gasoline, the average cost of a house, the average cost of an automobile and one item of your choosing when you were born, as well as at ages 3, 5, 10 and now.

1956: bread - 18¢/loaf; milk - 97¢/gallon; gas - 30¢/gallon; avg. cost of home - $17,800; avg. cost of car - $2,100; avg. income - $5,341/year.

1959: bread - 20¢/loaf; milk - $1.01/gallon; gas - 30¢/gallon; avg. cost of home - $18,400; avg. cost of car - $2.250; avg. income - $5,976/year.

1966: bread - 22¢/loaf; milk - $1.11/gallon; gas - 32¢/gallon; avg. cost of home - $23,300; avg. cost of car - $2,410; avg. income - $8,395/year.

2007: bread - $1.97/loaf; milk - $3.06/gallon; gas - $3.10/gallon; avg. cost of home - $221,000; avg. cost of car - $23,000; avg. income - $34,334.96/year.

Tue 6/12 Blog Prompt: Did you collect anything as a child? Why or why not? What was the significance of your collection and where did you procure it? Do you still have any or all of the collection now?

I didn't really have a "collection" per se as a child. There were, of course, the Barbies and Barbie houses. Comic books and books. But most were lost (or thrown away) in moving from place to place. When I got to be a pre-teen, I started collecting lions. I am a Leo and the idea of having lions just appealed. Some of those I still have. Like the stuffed lion and clay lions my dad gave me.

There is a picture at my Improvement Tribulations post where you can see some of the lions on the top shelf.

Wed 6/13 Blog Prompt: Did you have specified chores as a child? If so, what were they? Were you given an allowance for completing them? How much? What chores did you feel were unfair? Which ones did you enjoy the most?

You know, I can't remember ever being assigned "chores." I know we had to make our beds and clean our room, but I don't think I ever considered it a chore, just something I hated to do. As we got older, my sister and I had to clean the dishes after dinner. One would wash the other dry. As for the bathroom, everyone was responsible for cleaning up after themselves. After a bath, we had to clean the tub and pick up the towels and put them in the hamper. And, of course, we were responsible for putting away anything we took out. As for which I detested the most... I think all of them equally.

Thu 6/14 Blog Prompt: Did your mother and father work outside the home when you were a child? If not which one stayed home with you? Or did you have a sitter come in or did you attend a day care center? Whether a parent stayed home, you had a sitter or attended a day care, how do you feel that affected your life, if at all?

My mom was a stay at home mom, for the most part. Although while I was in elementary school I do remember her working for a while.

We had a babysitter, Linda. One of the teenagers in the neighborhood who would watch us. We like Linda and didn't feel the least bit slighted by the fact that mom worked.

But for the most part she was home and available for us at anytime. I remember her making Barbie furniture out of milk cartons and beer cans or sewing intricate Barbie dresses for us.

Dad on the other hand, wasn't home alot. He was in the Air Force and was gone on TDY or some other thing.

I wish I could have been more like my parents; but I divorced my first husband so ended up having to work while my children were little. Fortunately I didn't have to start that though until they were all in school.

Fri 6/15 Blog Prompt: You are 10 years old. What are your thoughts about growing up? Were you anxious to be an adult or did the prospect scare you? Did you give any thought to what you wanted to be when you grew up? What was it and did grow up to your dream job?

First off, let me say I haven't realized my dream career... Yet.

At 6, 10, 20 and beyond my dream career was to be an astronomer. It was what I majored in, in college. That is until I decided to get married.

One day.... my name will be among the stars.