In the Span of a Lifetime

My last post got me to thinking of all the changes in technology that my grandmother saw in the span of her lifetime.  She was born in 1904 to a farm family in Northeastern Iowa.  Born into a horse & buggy age, where the land was still worked by horses.  She passed away in 1980 so just think of all the things she saw in her lifetime.

My grandmother, Irene Lindroth DeSotel on the right when she was about 3 or 4 years old.

These are my great-grandparents, Frank & Lucy Lindroth.  I am the one on Lucy's lap and my cousin Cindy is on Frank's lap.  My mother always spoke very highly of grandmother Lucy and was very close to her.  I don't remember her as she passed away not long after this photo was taken. I do remember my great grandfather Lindroth.  They were parents of the 2 little girls in the photo above.  This photo was taken 60 years ago probably pretty close to today's date.  My where does the time go?

My grandmother in her lifespan saw (1904 - 1980) the following things:

1) Electricity being brought into homes.

2) Automobile becoming the mode for transportation

3) Telephones

4) Running water being brought into all homes

5) The space age and men walking on the moon

6) The beginning of the computer age

7) The end of the country doctor making house calls and the modern medical system

8) The end of the scourge polio and vaccination

9) Discovery of penicillin and antibiotics

10) Airplanes and Jet Planes

11) The end of widespread passenger railroad system

12) Dishwashing machines

13) Automated washing machines

14) Refrigerators for the home

I'm sure there are more but I cannot think of them right now.  How about you?

Things I've seen in MY Lifetime --

1) The Desktop computer and laptop computer

2) Cellphones and the iphone

3) The end of the rotary phone and also the end of operators and party lines

4) Electric cars

5) The assassination of a president - John F. Kennedy

6) The space shuttle Columbia blowing up

7) 911 and Terrorism in the United States

8) Microwave ovens

Let me know what you think are some of the most significant changes in your lifetime.

I find I also dislike some technology.  My alarm clock is a wind-up just like they had when I was born. Course sometimes I forget to wind it or I am gone so then I simply look at the time on microwave or my cellphone!!  I like to hear it ticking on my bedside was I fall asleep.  I find that sound very soothing.

Added to the List by Readers:

9) Color Television - Nancy

10) GPS - Nancy (both great additions) 

11) Central Heating - Susie Q

12) Digital Cameras - Sharon

Fifty Years Ago

I was ten years old and in the fifth grade.  I distinctly remember sitting on my grandmother's couch in Monona and she looked at me and said "IF God had meant for man to be on the moon; he would have put us there."
We were watching television after school and the news about this Man --

John Glenn as he orbited the Earth THREE times!

Now he is older and so am I.  Grandma is long gone but I believe she may have been right.  We've been to the Moon but we are not ON the moon.  Apparently we ran out of money.