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Middle Aged Memories

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  • elimar
    elimar Posts: 5,897

    Never had the Hippity Hop as a kid; however, I bought them for my own kids and probably got more use out of them than they did. Yes, they sat a little low to the ground for my adult frame but back then my knees could take it. Great fun for all ages!!!!!

    They are still available at that ubiquitous retail chain (won't plug them by name,) if you don't mind having a panda head design on it.

  • celiac
    celiac Posts: 1,260

    zogo - Thanks for the info on the Beanitos. Have not seen these before, but then again, have not been to a store that might carry them since mid-March, due to COVID. Wish I could try some first before committing to an order, though. Just noted that when I place a Whole Foods Order they have Lesser Evil Paleo Puffs, so may try these out. Presume you may have already tried Pirates Booty

  • elimar
    elimar Posts: 5,897

    I'll have to weigh in on the Cheetos alternatives. I think I have tried the Beanitos (as well as a few other bean based crisps) and for most of them, I am getting a back flavor that I can only describe as something from the petroleum by-product family. I don't know if it is one of the preservatives, or what, but it is nasty. My own alt-Cheetos crisps are below but, since my store does not carry the puff ones, I only tried the round (non-cheesy) ones. I can only vouch for the two round flavors, but if anyone has sampled the puffs, let me know if they are tasty as well.

    https://www.offtheeatenpathsnacks.com/about-us

    zogo---Only an "old-timer" dating back to the genesis of this thread would know that the topic of Cheetos (and not just the memory of Cheetos!) is not out of place here. Btw, I DO remember the Tip n Rock. Never had one and it has been decades since I even laid eyes on one of those. I cringe when you say you threw it out...and maybe it was totally destroyed but if it was not, I think people are paying $40-$50 for those nowadays for those old treasures.


  • celiac
    celiac Posts: 1,260

    elimar - I have found Hippeas Vegan White Cheddar Puffs (made from chickpeas, 4g protein, 3g fiber) are pretty good. At least they have some nutritional content. Have not tried the ones you mentioned. I also get the Vegan Robb's Cauliflower or Brussels Sprouts puffs from time to time - more of a veggie taste that the Hippeas. Once in awhile, break down & buy a very small snack bag of the real thing & savor it tremendously.




  • minustwo
    minustwo Posts: 13,937

    Eli - my new favorite below. Quite a bit more expensive than Cheetos, but worth every penny. Makes Cheetos taste like blah... and that's from an old member who could eat them every day.

    Stacey's Cheese Petites - made with real cheese - White Cheddar with Jalapenos - baked AND has 6 grams of protein. I haven't seen the other varieties yet.

    https://www.stacyssnacks.com/product-category/chee...


  • nativemainer
    nativemainer Posts: 8,194

    Vslush--I don't know how Mom silenced the Big Wheel.

    Zogo--that Tip n Rock looks a lot like the video game chairs they sell nowadays!

    Minus Two--the Cheese Petites look interesting. I'll have to see if I can find some to try.

  • elimar
    elimar Posts: 5,897

    Hey Snack-y Snacksters, I will heed your advice if ever I am able. My choices (here in my still undisclosed location) are decidedly very un-cosmopolitan. You can read that as not too much beyond the ever-present F/L product assortment at the grocery, and whatever might be stocked at the one nearby "health food store."

    The next is an out-of-season memory for me. Every year, my one uncle took me to the Shrine Circus, which was in the Winter. I vaguely remember the tigers jumping thru' the hoops and the human cannonball, but I CLEARLY remember how I had to get the SAME balloon every year. It was the double balloon, with a mouse head balloon inside a clear balloon. The "Mickey Head" balloons are still a staple of the Disney empire in today's world, but my memory is just of some knock-off,, non-TM variety that could only be gotten once a year at the circus. (If you guessed that my balloon got away, at least once, before we even made it back to the car, you are correct!)

    image

  • minustwo
    minustwo Posts: 13,937

    Oh - I never had one of those. Wow!!!

  • moth
    moth Posts: 3,293

    oh want one of those balloons!

    I've never been to Disneyland and want to go - pls covid go away while I'm still well enough to travel!

  • CeliaC- I also like the Vegan Rob's but occasionally I have to buy a bag of Funyuns (onion flavored styrofoam circles). No nutritional value whatsoever.

    I was just the other day thinking of how I miss the mood rings from my elementary days. Although mine would be permanently colored "Crotchety" these days

  • minustwo
    minustwo Posts: 13,937

    Watching girls jumping rope at the playground made me remember "double dutch". Wonder if anyone still does that? I did take them some sidewalk chalk and they set up for hop-scotch. And I've been wondering if I could still balance on a Pogo Stick. Likely not, but they sure were fun.

  • nativemainer
    nativemainer Posts: 8,194

    I remember the Shrine Circus, here it was a spring thing, and a school field trip. What I most remember is the Shriner coming on the bus and making sure every child had some money to spend. I don't remember the balloons, but I do remember getting popcorn or a candy bar. And the little cars that zipped around driven by men wearing funny hats! One year there was a picture of elephants in a local hay field, the farmer let the circus folks turn the elephants loose to graze on the way into town.

    I don't know if anyone does double dutch jump roping any more. I do see hop-scotch squares on playgrounds and side walks now and again.

  • celiac
    celiac Posts: 1,260

    There are still Double Dutch Jump Rope championships, to the best of my knowledge. I do not see children in my neighborhood out jump roping, but do believe there are lots of neighborhoods where it still may be an "art".

    DogMomRunner - My dear departed Dad bought me a mood ring and I kept it for many years. They were fun! Believe my daughter discovered and confiscated it.

    Also, remember the shriners in their little cars being part of any parade (Memorial Day, 4th July, etc.) held in my hometown. Good memories of a simpler time.

  • celand
    celand Posts: 226

    I remember the song "Double Dutch Bus" when I was in middle school. I never went to a championship.

    I remember mood rings, I did have one as a kid and in high school, but they are now long lost.

    The Shriners Circus was something that I went to as a kid (makes me think of peanuts, popcorn and cotton candy) also would see Shriners riding their motorcycle in Mardi Gras parades.

    Have been to Walt Disney World in Orlando once when I was about 13 years old and then my husband and I took our girls several times as we had a good family friend who lived in Orlando. I don't remember seeing those balloons or I would have gotten one for my girls, they look so cool!

    Celand

  • elimar
    elimar Posts: 5,897

    I'll make this post a 2-fer about jumping rope.

    Good times back in childhood. I know what double dutch is, but my neighborhood only mastered the single variety: Two twirlers, one jumper, one rope. Part of the fun were the jumping rhymes, and all you jumpers must remember this one..."Cinderella, dressed in yella, went upstairs to kiss a fella. Made a mistake, kissed a snake, how many doctors did it take?" (Commence counting the jumps to see how many doctors.)

    Here's something from the early MTV days (and it's a memory from 37 years ago--hard to believe!) Whether you like the song (I do) or not, you can catch some pretty good double dutch jumping going on in NYC in the 80's. The chorus name-checks one of the premier girls' teams of the day.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rt6Co7EMNCU


  • minustwo
    minustwo Posts: 13,937

    Oh my heavens. There's a residual memory but I can't even imagine trying that now. Think I'll go back to the sedentary pass time of playing jacks. Anyone else remember that?

  • elimar
    elimar Posts: 5,897

    The jump ropes rhymes got me thinking... Now this may be a weird question. Do any of you remember a variation of The Beverly Hillbillies theme song, but with filthy lyrics? Looking back, I just have no idea if it was a national thing, a city thing, or just the product of the filthy kids in a five block radius around my house.

  • minustwo
    minustwo Posts: 13,937

    Oops - sorry I never heard those.

  • nativemainer
    nativemainer Posts: 8,194

    I never heard any Beverly Hillbillies jump rope rhymes.



  • I still love this voice

    I hope I always will



  • minustwo
    minustwo Posts: 13,937

    Oh my - thanks for the dance down memory lane.

  • HeadphonesHeartSillyHeart

  • elimar
    elimar Posts: 5,897

    My preference would be for the original version of that song, but the two singers look a little bit alike.

    -------------------------------

    This was before CGI, so his crossed-eyes were real.

    Clarence, the Cross-Eyed Lion - Wikipedia

  • Yeah, I love the original too.

    I hope the young people of today are enjoying their music as much as I did the music of my youth.

    Even now it's sometimes better than any modern medicine for what ails me. Thank you, YouTube, for being there at 2 am.

  • minustwo
    minustwo Posts: 13,937

    Oh yes - 2am with You Tube. And then just one more song, and one more, and look at the next one that's recommended, and then another... Many a night sucked away with "old" music. Easy to go from Pat Boone to Elvis to the Beetles to the Rolling Stones to Aretha to Smokey.. oh my

  • So true, MT. When you're up in the middle of the night roaming around your distant past in YouTubeland, know that I am probably there somewhere too. Headphones


  • elimar
    elimar Posts: 5,897

    T-Shift, I will 100% vouch for the therapeutic value of music!!! The kids of today ARE enjoying their music as much we did as ours, in fact a lot of it is derivative of ours, if not covered or sampled directly. Ha!

    Last night, TCM was showing THE T.A.M.I. SHOW, followed by LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL. Both are on the Tube of You and me, if you ever want to treat yourself to some full length movie, early rockin' nostalgia.

  • celiac
    celiac Posts: 1,260

    Our local PBS stations have been running their pledge "specials" and so many of these programs involve oldies of one sort or another. Lots of great music running the gamut from cheerful to serious (especially the Vietnam era). Some of the songs, like "On the Eve of Destruction" seem as appropriate to today as they did back then. So many of the songs are being sung by the original artists. Who remembers "Cara Mia"? The singer can still hit those high notes!

    A week or so ago, they also ran one of the most sublime summer 2019 concerts by the Vienna Philharmonic.

    I love looking up old favorite tunes on YouTube.

  • minustwo
    minustwo Posts: 13,937

    Oh yes - 'cara mia, why - must you say good bye'. Now I'll have to look it up on the www tonight.