Grand Avenue by Mike Thompson for August 26, 2014

I doubt very seriously that she could have gotten as far with that old tv set to figure out it has no color.

In her day entertainment involved a stick and a metal hoop; it usually results with the blacksmith chasing her down to get the hoop back on the wagon wheel.

I shoud probably have a black & white TV. I watch mostly b/w movies anyway.

Oh, yes. Grandma had it hard. Deprived of parents who let her mildew indoors in front of said TV. Allowed to run free around the neighborhood to interact with friends and invent play, with only the requirement to be home when the street lights came on. Burdened with parents who lacked imagination and thus failed to imagine all sorts of incredibly remote threats requiring them to strangle their kids’ abilities to cope. Deprived of 64 ounce Cokes, having to make do with four-ounce fountain drinks – once a week, if she was lucky. Deprived of being stuffed to obesity on an exclusive diet of packaged processed heat-and-eat food-like things. Yep. Granny had it hard.

We’d get up before sun-up to get the work done upWe’d work in the fields till the sun had gone downWe’ve stood and we’ve cried as we have bristly watchedA hailstorm a’ beatin’ our crops to the groundWe’ve gone to bed hungry many nights in the pastIn the good old days when times were bad

No amount of money could buy from meThe memories that I have of thenNo amount of money could pay meTo go back and live through it again

I’ve seen daddy’s hands break open and bleedAnd I’ve seen him work till he’s stiff as a boardAn’ I’ve seen momma layin’ in suffer and sicknessIn need of a doctor we couldn’t affordAnything at all was more than we hadIn the good old days when times were bad

We’ve got up before and found ice on the floorWhere the wind would blow snow through the cracks in the wallAnd I couldn’t enjoy then, havin’ a boyfriendI had nothing decent to wear at allSo I long for a love that I never hadIn the good old days when times were bad

No amount of money could buy from meThe memories that I have of thenNo amount of money could pay meTo go back and live through it again

In the good old days when times were badIn the good old days when times were bad -

written and sung by the talented Dolly Parton

Agreed Gabby.

You thought the shows in the 70’s were bad? I’ll trade what’s on now for those 70’s shows in a heart beat. At least they didn’t have “reality” tv back then.

..and no remote. Had to get up and change the channel. … or get the kid to do it.