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| The trainyard in Omaha circa 1930s? The UP station is on the left and the BN station is on the right across the tracks. There is a bridge walkway connecting the two. |
What is it about the past that is often so appealing? Maybe not to everyone, but to me it is. Because I wasn't there? So I can imagine it to be as "Hallmarkish" as I want and I don't know the difference? Is it because the grass is always greener on the other side? I mean, even the thought of pioneer life is often appealing to me, and I know things wouldn't have been easier then than they are today! I don't think it is about easy...I really think it has more to do with "simple". Whatever it is, I certainly recognize that I'm drawn to years ago, particularly the 40's/early 50's. I have no real reason to be, because quite honestly, I don't really know much about those years beyond stories from my grandparents and pictures and of course movies set in that era.
I've always liked the idea of a housewife. Not a soccer mom (not saying I don't like being one), but a homemaker. It seems that's what women were.
I got to accompany the junior high students on a field trip to
Durham Museum recently. I can't wait to go back sometime when I am on my time and don't have any responsibility but to leave before they lock the doors for the night. The museum is the former Union Station of the UP railroad. It houses some incredible history that is a permanant part of the museum and some amazing exhibits that change. Part of the appeal I think was that it wasn't Egyptian history or California history that I was walking past...it was Nebraska history.
First of all, let me say that junior high field trips are much different than say, kindergarten field trips. Much less supervision needed, yet not unnecessary to implement tactics to reign in potential chaos. (I made them all lock arms or hold hands through this exhibit because I felt like I was herding cats!) It was comical to say the least.
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| This Christmas tree was real and from somewhere in Omaha. The ornaments were bigger than our heads! |
This is a great group of kids. I'm glad that I can be part of the things that my children are part of. In addition to the sheer fun of chaperoning these teenagers, I also just really enjoyed the museum itself and caught myself in my own little day dreams throughout the day...thinking about what it would have been like during this time of year 60 years ago at this place when it was indeed a train station.
The bustle that has been replaced by airport transportation. The anticipation of welcoming someone home or seeing someone off that has been replaced now with dropping someone off at the curb while the passenger is patted down after passing through a metal detector.
Some of the exhibits only furthered my nostalgic day dreaming.
The street cars, the simple grocery store and meat counter, the model home that screamed "come quickly in your pretty apron, there is a pot roast that needs to come out of the oven for dinner...now go tidy the children and pour your hubby a scotch on the rocks"...see??? Totally Hollywood I'm sure...I'll have to ask my grandma about that one. I don't see my Grandpa drinking scotch. :)
Any who...while this setting was probably even more simplistic, I'm not quite as sucked into it as the former.
And the covered wagon??? That part, to my own knowlege has never really been appealing--the travel, not the homemaking!
Now, for the attire. (There was a temporary exhibit of costumes from various movies) Every one of these remarkable costumes was absolutely fabulous. I didn't know that I wasn't supposed to take pictures...oops! It didn't say that anywhere!! But since I did...
THIS DOES NOT APPEAL TO ME:
NOR THIS:
AND ESPECIALLY NOT THIS: (although if everyone was wearing this, no woman would have been able to ask her husband "Does this dress make my hips look big?" Nice camoflauge I guess!)
This one is pretty...and seems a little less time-consuming to get into...love the hat!
However, I could go for this one...again with the era that I'm drawn to...this is earlier 40s. Jeans are great, but really, I think it would be fun to wear dresses/skirts and hats and gloves! Probably only because I don't have to! :) I'm thinking that a party needs to happen where everyone has to dress in a past era...80s are SO NOT INCLUDED! Maybe just one or two decades.
I thoroughly enjoyed my time daydreaming while herding 8th graders. It was a very filling and gratifying day.
Even the big benches in the station weren't so intimidating after the initial jolt when I saw them of the memory of sleeping on them in California on our little train adventure 6 years ago!
8th grade...yes, almost 3 inches taller than me...I'm sure I'll look back and re-read and remember my little trip to the museum with the junior high kids. Time will fly and before I know it I'll be making a slide show for high school graduation...including this picture:
What mother wouldn't be proud of such a picture?? Sheeesh!! :)
