Happy Birthday Father & Son

As mentioned in my last post, today is my 61st birthday. Happy Birthday to me. Tomorrow is my father's 90th birthday. Happy Birthday to you Dad. The picture above was taken about 12 years ago.

My family has packed a lot of birthdays into the month of July. My father's mother's birthday was July 10, mine July 12, my Dad's July 13 and my Dad's father July 14. Must be something special about November too...hmmm.

For those whippersnappers out there I thought it might be instructive to show you what the cost of living was 1947 when I was born.

How Much things cost in 1947

Average Cost of new house $6,600.00.
Average wages per year $2,850.00 .
Cost of a gallon of Gas 15 cents .
Average Cost of a new car $1,300.00.
Loaf of Bread 13 cents .
United States Postage Stamp 3 cents.
Mens Sweater $8.50 .
Bulova Mens Watch $52.50.

A number of notable events happened in 1947 including the following:

The CIA was established.
Jackie Robinson became the first black to play in Major League Baseball.
The Polaroid Land camera was demonstrated (Remember film kids?)
The U.S. Air Force was created as a separate branch of the armed services.
The Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered.
Princess Elizabeth married the Duke of Edinburgh at Westminster Abbey, London.
A UFO reportedly crashed at Roswell, NM
Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier in the Bell X-1 jet.
Howdy Doody premiered on television (One of my favorites!)

What about 1918? If you look at history only two thing of import transpired. World War I was raging across Europe and a great man was born into abject poverty in Newark, NJ. This child born in 1918 struggled, fought and clawed his way through life. In compensation for the lack of worldly things this child was born to, God endowed him with character and love. That's the only way he could have survived. This child became a self made man. Not in wealth but in all the really important things of life. Love, family and friends. He fathered four other lives, raised them, loved them, educated them and provided a rock solid moral compass for them. Tomorrow this man will be 90 years old. Today and forever this man will be my Father.

Happy Birthday Dad!!!!

Thanks for visiting.