VP-17 Version of Twas The Night Before Christmas

OK. I know this post isn’t about vintage postcards.  However, the following poem made me smile, and distracted me from remembering what would never be there anymore – my Mom.  She passed away the morning after this past Thanksgiving.  I found it while cleaning out a closet in preparation for storing things from my Mom’s apartment.

I was in the US Navy assigned to VP-17 from ’85-’89.  While on deployment one Christmas, the following was passed around.  Enjoy.

‘Twas The Night Before Christmas

‘Twas the night before Christmas,
Throughout the hanger we sat.
Launch the ready.
NO, not that.

Cody, was resting.
His P.Q.S. was all read.
With visions of hot dogs,
Dancing in his head.

Senior Chief in his office,
Amidst vids and maps.
Securing for Christmas?
Ivan just laughs.

Maintenance shops were secured;
All personnel, but one.
The rest of the squadron,
Was out having fun.

The aircraft were chained,
secured for the night.
They awaited tomorrow,
Looking forward to flight.

The duty office manned
by three needing rest.
As it neared midnight,
They weren’t at their best.

A strange sound from the line,
The chief leaps from his chair.
“I thought I heard sleigh bells”
He exclaimed, while others won’t dare.

The tower reported
A contact unknown.
Who could it be
Out there alone.

The heading was south.
The number now unclear.
As the blip approached us,
We all strained to hear.

Eight small, and one large,
The radar now read.
Looks of disbelief
Around the office they spread.

We threw down the phone.
Across the hanger we rushed.
Peering into the darkness,
All of us hushed.

We looked to the left.
We looked to the right.
The weather was grim,
No Santa tonight.

We returned to our office,
Leaned back in our chairs,
Turned on the TV,
And said, “Who cares”.

Sounds heard in the distance -
“Jingle Bells” in flight.
“Merry Christmas to all,
To all a good night”.

** Courtesy of Lt Dwayne Prince, Lt Scott Anderson, AW2 Vinny Williams, and At2 Barnie Race

Happy Holidays!

(To all my regular blog followers, I will soon be posting about vintage postcards and Victorian trade cards again.  Life got REALLY busy, then Mom passed away.  I needed this time off to rest/destress, and figure some other things out.  Thank you for bearing with me.)

PFB Cupid Postcard – The Last One!

I was sooo excited two weeks ago.  I had found the 6th (and final) antique cupid postcard in a series published by PFB!  Granted, three of the six weren’t brilliant (gold trim).  I was still very happy to know what the image was on the last postcard to find.  It was of a cupid with fairy wings standing on the shoulders of another cupid with bird like angel wings trying to reach a clover on a small rock cliff.  So darling!  I have posted images of all six antique postcards for my blog’s readers.  Enjoy these treasured members of my personal postcard collection!

If anyone knows who the artist is for this series, I would be interested to know.

Antique Postcard Message – Curious Mail Request

Below is a curious message I found on the back of an 1908 antique bathing beauty postcard.  It reads:

“Dear Edna
be sure and send my coat when you send my machine,  got your letter yesterday.  Will write later
Anna”

 

1908 Bathing Beauty Postcard with UDB

What I’m curious about is the type of machine Anna wants sent thru the mail.  The time period and gender of the sender suggests perhaps a sewing machine.  However, peddle sewing machines were quite large.  Was the post office in 1908 equipped to mail an item the size and weight of a sewing machine?

Could there be another machine small enough to mail thru the post office?  What do you think?

Be sure to stop back on August 16th when I share an exciting find for my personal postcard collection.

Then and Now Postcard – Hell House, Shakopee, MN

Ever wonder what became of the buildings on old vintage postcards?  Are you curious to know if they still stand?  In my previous blog post, I showed two hotels; The Elms Hotel in Excelsior Springs, MO and The Durant Hotel in Fling, MI - Hotel Old Vintage Postcards – Then and Now .  I continue my series of blog posts on “then and now” old buildings pictured on vintage postcards with the below sanitarium also known as Hell House.

Mudcura Sanitarium, Shakopee, MN  Then…

Vintage postcard of Mudcura Sanitarium, Shakopee, MN, postmarked 1939

This building had originally been a sanitarium for rheumatoid arthritics in the early 1900’s.  People took mud baths in mud from the nearby sulfur springs in hopes of relief from pain.  When this went out of style, it became a monastery.

Mudcura Sanitarium, Shakopee, MN  1997…

Mudcura Sanitarium in 1997 after arson fire

Prior to this suspicious fire in 1997, it still looked very depressing (inside and out).  Yes, the floors were unsafe and there was a hole in the roof from a previous fire, but I don’t believe it would’ve been considered a complete tear down. 

As for the Hell House designation…  At some point after the building was abandoned, someone had painted “hell house” across the top of the front.  Kind of fits as the building does look creepy.

Be sure to stop back on August 12th, when I share a curious postcard message.

Halloween Postcard And Owl Myths

I was sooo excited to buy several Halloween postcards for listing in my web store at the recent 2011 Land Of Lakes Postcard and Paper Show.  One was of a witch sitting on a moon with a white owl.  Such a striking image.  I was curious what an owl’s connection was to Halloween.  I found a blog post entitled Birdlife: Spooky Myths About Owls that explained the connection.  I thought you might find it interesting.

October 1911 Halloween Postcard of Witch on Crescent Moon With White Owl

Be sure to stop back on August 8th for the next installment of “Then and Now” Postcards. It was a sad ending for the featured building.

Special Archie Gunn Vintage Postcard

I came across a special vintage patriotic postcard with a type of postmark I had heard about, but not seen.  The postcard was hand stamped “Soldiers Mail, Capt. E.W. Hamlen, O.M.R.”.  Below is a picture of both the front and back for those who havenot seen this type postmark.

The above postcard, with soldiers mail hand stamp, was sent by W.E. Conner of the 108th U.S. Engineers.  W.E. writes that he arrived safe and sound (doesn’t mention where), and that everything is fine. I imagine this news was a great relief to the recipient, Miss Elsie Hankey.

(The above vintage postcard was artist signed by Archie Gunn.  Many more artist signed and patriotic postcards can be found in my store, Remember When Vintage Postcards.)

The Psychology of Patent Medicine Advertising

Late 18th century/early 19th century patent medicines, particularly the old English remedies, owed their popularity to the following fact.  The multitude of ingredients inside might have varied (unbeknownst to the customer), but the bottle shape did not.  A patent medicine’s proprietor believed this distinctiveness leant genuineness to their remedy. 

Victorian trade card, bottle of Ayers Cherry Pectoral

Distinctive packaging may have made patent medicines easily recognizable to even the most illiterate, but it also made them vulnerable to counterfeiters.  Naïve proprietors eventually got smart and began to vary their packaging using differing bottle heights, mouth widths, and bottle inscriptions in order to deter counterfeiters.  This may also explain why many of today’s products, not just over the counter medicines, change their packaging from time to time.  Why chance loosing sales to an unscrupulous competitor?

close up of bottle on back of Victorian trade card advertising Ayers Ague Cure (notice the similarity in bottle shapes)