Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

2C ♦ SATURDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2006 Technology of the Jetsons now lives The new washer and dryer set that arrived to take up residence in my laundry room looks like it was sent over from George and Jane Jetson’s home in the outer galaxy. As a kid growing up, the Jetsons were my favorite cartoon family. I was mes merized by flat screen tele visions that hung from the ceiling, phone calls where George and Mr. Spacely could talk to each other via video and vacuums that robotically worked without human guidance. And now all of that has come to pass. Some of that outer space technology even resides in my house. The fact that I even have a new washer and dryer, I blame on my brother-in law, Rodney. “No one,” he reported authoritatively, “moves their washer and dryer to a new house. Buy new ones.” So, I set out to buy a new set and found every one offering advice along the way. No one had both ered to interject an opin ion on stoves, dishwashers or refrigerators but not so with washers and dryers. “Oh, you have to get those new front-loading washing machines,” Debbie opined. “Do you know how much those things cost?” I asked, still incredulous at the price tags I had seen. “But they’re worth it.” “They cost two or three times what a normal wash er and dryer cost,” I contin ued, unwilling to get past the price and see any real value. “Yeah, but they’re won Cardboard Christmas houses back in style One of my favorite memories of being a child at Christmas was simply looking at the lit tle cardboard houses on my grandmother’s Christmas tree. I imagined what it would be like to live in one of those tiny glittery cot tages that looked like paper gingerbread houses. I have come to find out that these cheaply made but totally adorable little decorations have become quite collect ible and have been around since the 19205. I remember reading an article in a Martha Stewart magazine last year that brought back those memo ries that I hadn’t thought of in years. As I went on eßay, I found out that these little houses can bring upwards of S3O to SSO. These houses cost about 19-25 cents back in the 20s and 30s at the local Woolworth five and dime! There really isn’t much to them, they are cheap cardboard painted and adorned with shred News and notes from Houston Springs Houston Springs is all about the com munity family, and that family feeling extends through good times and sad times. Recently, we lost Ben Marshall and Dale Roebuck. What a loss to our communi ty. Both men were hospital ized for a short while prior to passing away. As soon as the news got out, the neigh borhood immediately leapt to action. Company for the family; hospital visits to the patients; food for the fami lies. And, unending caring and support for the surviv ing families. This network of support is incredible, especially when you consider that Houston Springs is a new communi ty and the residents haven’t known each other a long time. But they all have so much in common, and the compassion and con cern is channeled into real and practical assistance in times of need or sorrow. Whenever a resident is ill or derful,” Debbie replied dreamily, using the same kind of voice that most women use when talking about new clothes. Debbie, however, is fan of technol ogy. “As soon as I can find a reason to get rid of ours, we’re going to buy a set.” Repeatedly, others encour aged me to do the same. It came from folks who own front-load washers and those who merely dream of such an acquisi tion. It wasn’t public opin ion that swayed me. It was my i IP ** Ronda Rich Columnist love for the Jetsons. I want ed one that looked like Jane Jetson would own it. “Could I just pull a chair in here and watch it work?” asked Patti. She’d rather have household technol ogy than a pretty pair of shoes, which is something I’ll never understand. It’s a far cry from the old wringer washing machine that my grandmother had, the one that set out on her back porch in that old, sim ple farmhouse up in the mountains. At six years old, I was fascinated as I watched her pull clothes from the tub then piece by piece feed them through the rollers to squeeze the water out. “At home, we’ve got a washer that wrings the clothes out by itself,” I ded cellophane and glitter. Many contained a hole with a cover If you remember my article last year about the introduction of electrical lighting to Christmas trees in the 19205, you will recall that that time period was when people really began to get carried away with decorat ing their homes for the holiday. ■'' . Jillimla Falen Antiques I had to search quite a bit to find a website that spe cialized in the history of the little cardboard houses. But I finally found one at “Papa Ted’s Place”. This family has spent many an hour researching the history of these dime store collectibles and with out much documentation to needs help of any kind, you see this community caring in action. This family feeling is also evident in the celebrations. Residents came together for a Thanksgiving celebration Nov. 17, a wonderful it-down affair at one of our com munity clubhouses. They gathered early for a social hour and then a wonder ful meal with a tradi tional menu catered by Miss Melanie Lewis Columnist Houston Springs Judy of Judy’s Sandwich Shop and The Oil Lamp Restaurant. The residents really eryoy and appreciate each other, and newcomers were made to feel welcome in a round of introductions. After dinner, they cleared the clubhouse floor and informed her. She nodded. “That's good.” She smoothed her straggled hair back toward the severe bun she always wore and dried her work hardened hands on the faded flowered apron that she had sewn from an old flour sack. “I ain’t com plainin’ one iota. It’s a whole sight better than that ol’ scrub board I used down at the creek when my kids were young’ins.” I was quite fascinated by that odd-looking washing machine so as soon as Maw maw’s back was turned, I grabbed a towel and pro ceeded to feed it through the wringers. All was going fine until those over eager wringers grabbed my little hand and pulled my arm in, all the way up to the elbow. “Curiosity kills a cat,” she commented dryly as she unplugged the washer then set about freeing my arm from the contraption. It’s that same curiosity that eventually convinced me to buy a duplicate of the Jetsons’ washer and dryer. It’s a long way advanced from that wringer washer, not to mention the manu al scrub board and creek water. And, while it may be able to wash clothes with 21st Century technology, thank goodness it doesn’t wash away those childhood mem ories. Ronda Rich is the best selling author of What Southern Women Know (That Every Woman Should) and The Town That Came A-Courtin ’. work with. Most came from Japan in the 1920 s and 30s and could be found in the Sears and Roebuck or Ward’s catalog. During WWII, the Japanese were our sworn enemies and anything made in Japan was certainly out of favor. After the war, the Dolly Toy Company in Ohio and Colmar began producing the little cardboard church es, houses and complete vil lages. Several cereal compa nies offered cheap cutouts on the boxes or in the prod uct but they weren’t as nice as the originals. During the turbulent social culture of the 1960 s the old-fashioned little houses fell out of favor. When Martha Stewart covered them in her maga zine, people remembered them and begin to collect again, thus the higher pric es. Christmas artists like Christopher Radko are now reproducing these candy like cottages for the See FALEN, page j C had a dance, enlivened by the sounds of the Houston Springs Music Club. Herb and June Potts recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. Sixty years of wedded bliss, what a milestone! They hosted an event at the club house and invited family, friends, and neighbors to share in their joy. The clubhouse is really the hub of the community family. People find others with like interests at one of the many club meetings. You can make new friends while exercising together in the fitness room. Friends often gather for informal parties, watching a movie or football game, or clear ing the floor and dancing; and newcomers are always made to feel welcome. Residents also use the club house for their private cel ebrations. Downsizing is easy when residents have large, open clubhouses that can be booked for their fam ily reunion or special party. LIFESTYLE I 9- f |§ . wL jR 1 yi ’ n , „ r MB • ?! •» * .*1 '** ***•’» Ij. Contributed Keep Centerville Beautiful presented the Yard of the Month Award for August to Greg and Lynne yawn. From left are Greg yawn, Lynne Yawn, Jonathan Yawn and Walker Fowler of KCB. aß ® I rtec ‘Ami jpgli BHf I wttnß 11' vJH > !«, |i K h* B W 1 «W 1 j J p I|S|L '’■HHIB •-‘ * ’"'-rV<£ vagftSgfßTOlgjwy &wp HBHHPwin^v‘'^. v '«****'. - .. *■*.> '* ■~' ■ *• •,• • fjfe 4a. iafe’tf Contributed Keep Centerville Beautiful presented the Yard of the Month Award for October to Ronnie and Lynette Martin. From left are Lynnette Martin and Wanda Fowler of KCB. I \ Contributed Keep Centerville Beautiful presented the Fall Festival Yard of the Month for November to Jason and Wendy Wood. From left is Wanda Fowler of KCB, Jason, Cotey, Wendy and Bailey Wood. Happy First Birthday jgß k'®; JijJ' Logan Matthew Bowling Logan Matthew Bowling, son of Daryl and Janet Bowling of Perry, celebrates his first birthday Wednesday. He is the younger brother of Austin, 6, and the grand son of Roger and Theresa Schmidt of Anna, Ohio, Charles and Shirley Bowling of Tipp City, Ohio. SMh today! Cal 987-1823 Looking good A- 1 Over 100 Frames To Choose From -At This Great Price- This Includes Metal Or Plastic Frame Hiß With Single Vision Plastic lenses Two Complete Pair Of Eyeglasses S 69 90 f-Aridal fAryMry Leigh Cabasares & Dave Wolk October 28 Jessica Wood & Dan Perdue December 2 Molly Tripp & Craig Graybeal December 2 Rachel Moore & Mason Florence December 30 Lauren Mason & Thomas Moore January 6 Ashlee McCord & Bradford Wood January 27 Tina Hawk & David Conner February 17 909 Carroll Street Downtown... Perry 987-0751 www.twofriends2.com HOUSTON DAILY JOURNAL m ACCEPT MOST INSURANCE ASSIGNMENTS INCLUDING SPECTRA, SUPERIOR 5 CIGNA 1805 International Square Warner Robins, GA 922-2020 . &riendj k. 00041404 3131 no Mono Avenue Macon, GA 781-4310