mc, Bravo and thank you for the journey to what many can only perceive as Utopia since they have never experienced the simple life you describe.  Mine was a variation of course, but the principle was the same.   We would have dinner together and go for a horseback ride, all of us.  I can remember my brother and I playing cowboys and indians on horseback.  There were hitching posts set up throughout the woods for everyone to tie their horses to and sit around and talk.  Some nights we had to eat quick so we could go to the local antique auction.  It was always a blast because there were so many other kids there to play with. I can remember sitting on the front porch getting a kick out of my father telling me how far away a storm was by counting between lightning strikes and thunder or was it between thunder and lightning strikes?

I have friends who are on the run until literally 10:00 at night with their kids.  They must do their homework in the car on the way to sports events or whatever.  I know the vehicle is platered with fast food containers.  The kids won't have any family traditions to look back on and thats too bad. Maybe I shouldn't feel bad, maybe it isn't a case of whether things were better then and worse now.  Maybe its just different in a way many of us can't understand.  Maybe kids today will consider the hustle bustle as their tradition and look back on it as fondly as we are of our traditions now.

No matter how busy I am, my husband and I have dinner at home together almost every week night before my evening meetings start.  We take time out to just sit on the deck and have a cup of coffee together, especially on the weekends.  It's what we enjoy, we need the down time.  We work hard and look forward to just hanging out and being lazy sometimes. Todays young(er) people would probably find it boring and silly.  Thanks again for your post, I enjoyed reading it.

Thanks for the walk down memory lane. I did live that life as you described. That is how I grew up. And I loved it! I find that the older I get, the more I remember with affection the life as I knew it. I have to believe that all generations go through the same thing. I remember my parents saying the same thing. I guess it is generational.

I feel sorry for young adults raising children today. It is very different than the way I grew up or even how my children grew up. There were no such thing as "play dates" or "time out". That sounds just so bizarre to me.

Your idea of another depression era may be just what people need today. People would have to learn how to depend on one another and most importantly how to "communicate/talk/converse" with one another again. We have seemed to have lost that ability.

I failed to comment on your last sentence mc.  I fear it may take atleast something akin to a depression era to smack some in the face and make them realize what is truly important in life.  It brings to mind a news report a few weeks ago when a woman was being interviewed at the gas pump and she was debating whether she would be able to afford food or fuel to get to her job.  This all being said with a bluetooth stuck in her ear and a cup of Dunkin Donuts coffe in plain sight through the window.  Ok, I know some are saying maybe her work pays for her phone or she needs it for work, but most likely not.  Life is full of choices and most of us wouldn't know a truly bad day if it smacked us upside the head.  Yeah, life is pretty damn good

faster, better, bigger, expensive, etc......the thing is that the 'feudal lords' are taking away what they have agreed to supply.....instead of a full 1/2 gal of
ice cream we get less and pay more,,,cookies, the same,,,,etc etc......the 'feudal lords' are skimming......and we are paying for it.......