They Don't Make 'Em Like They Used To

In our travels back to Ste. Genevieve, via St. Louis this past weekend, Tim and his dad got out the old Honda 50 that Tim and his brother used to buzz around on. This thing could probably be categorized as an antique, pushing 50 years old! Occasionally it needs some tuning up and sometimes a little adjustment, but for the most part, it keeps on cranking. And so the boys took it out for a spin on the country roads. They sure don't make them that way any more. Brandon bought himself a little pocket bike about six months ago and several repairs later, and a lot of money shelled out and the thing still does not work! He has maybe gotten a week's worth of use out of it. It is so sensitive to dust and fuel mixtures and even when you measure and get it right, it still spits and coughs and dies and does not want to run. I find that to be the case in nearly every new thing I buy these days. They cost twice the money as the old and last 1/10 of the time. No wonder we are all going broke. We don't have time to save up before the next thing needs to be repaired/replaced.

So, here is my tribute to the good old days when things lasted. I bet my first dryer, a used one in the lovely shade of olive green, is still cranking somewhere. I only replaced it because it seemed so inefficient. I used to like new but am learning to appreciate the old. I think maybe that happens as we become old ourselves......................

Okay, but I do think a new barn might be in order!