52 for 52 -- Part III

Continuing my birthday series on 52 great things about being 52, this next batch will list 10 great things that I no longer have to deal with now that I am 52 and the world has gotten faster, more efficient, and evolved the many little things that make my everyday life easier.

1. Bonnet style hair dryers.  Remember those big plastic bubbles with the elastic around the edge?  It looked like a ginormous shower cap that had a long hose that plugged in to a little round hairdryer.  They were hot, clumsy and really doofus looking.  I used to take the cap off and stick the hose in to my cold bed to warm up my sheets.


2. Scotch hair set tape.  I think they still sell it, but not to this girl.


3. Rollers.  I had LONG hair and I tried every roller on the market - pink spongy things, wiry meshy things, plastic things - you name it.  About the time I was in high school the miracle age  of the electric hot rollers arrived on the scene and changed lives.


4. Garter belts. Not the sexy-wexy kind.  I"m talking about the early 70's when if you had fishnet stockings (innocent back then) and you had to hook them up to one of those garter belt thingies.  Mom wore a girdle so she could hook on her nylons - and she didn't NEED to wear a girdle, but if you wanted to wear nylons.....


5. As long as we're on the subject of belts - sanitary belts.  Oh the horror.  Thank heavens I was a late starter.


6. Calculators (how new and exciting!) were the size of a toaster.  Not easy to slip in to your purse or briefcase.


7. The magic of double-knit polyester. My mom did a lot of sewing with that new miracle fabric, but I remember sweating it out if the temps got a little warm. PS - I have photos of people wearing so much polyester that if anyone lit a match.......


8. Babysitting for 50 cents an hour. My mom would not let me charge more because as a woman with 6 children she knew how important it was to get the hell out of the house and the fact that they could barely pay a sitter should not stop them.  I liked babysitting, but I remember how hard it was as a 7th grader to stay awake until 1 or 2 AM.    One very cold and harsh New Year's Eve the couple came home so drunk the husband passed out on the sofa and I walked home.  Good times.


9. Bonnie Bell 10-0-Six Lotion.  It was supposed to be a cosmetic makeup  toner thing, but it burned like paint thinner and chlorine.


10. Hand washing dishes.  We had a family of 8 and no dishwasher - unless you count the daughters.  I remember standing over that sink and swearing like Scarlett O'Hara, "AS GOD IS MY WITNESS, WHEN I AM OUT ON MY OWN I'LL NEVER WASH DISHES AGAIN."   And by gosh  I think I've had a dishwasher ever since.

So how does that fit in with 52 great things about being 52?  They are all in my rear view mirror!