R.I.P. Art Linkletter

Radio and television broadcasting pioneer Art Linkletter (July 17, 1912 – May 26, 2010) created 'House Party', 'People are Funny' and 'Kids Say the Darndest Things' in which he interviewed children to get their unvarnished point of view.

SARGENT RAYMENT Hi-Fi System on eBay

1958 SARGENT RAYMENT SR-1000 Tuner
and
SR-17-17 Amplifier
on eBay!

Vintage Electronics + Me = L-O-V-E!

I seriously need to stop patrolling the online auctions. This one almost hurts...

What really makes me miserable is the fact that my own Father once owned a similar system. He'd given it away to Goodwill in the 80's after he bought a newer stereo.

Excuse me, I have to go wimper in the corner for a bit now...

Blown Tubes and Junior's Big Step

It happened first thing. I got up, raised the window shades, carefully avoiding the minefield of shoes, clothes, and toys which Junior laid down for me, got dressed, turned on the radio.... and nothing. I turned the volume knob up full, and all that came out of the speaker up and down the dial was blank static. Then there was a smell, (one which wasn't that wonderful scent of warm vacuum tubes!) it was much more like the acrid warning of something burning up! Well, that's it. The old tube radio finally gave up the ghost and was officially declared deceased at 10:17am. Funeral arrangements will be forthcoming.

But life trudges on at our humble atomic age bachelor pad!

This day happens to be a big one in Junior's young life. The 9-year old will pass a major milestone by sleeping over at a friend's house, away from home for the first time tonight. I found it's a first for me too. After a quick run to Target to shop for new jammies for my Little Man (we found a very retro-looking pair with a Von Braun-style rocket print), with his sleeping bag packed and ready, we drove over to his friend's and off he went, acting so big. It's a very strange feeling to take your own flesh and blood, who's barely able to dress himself, and drop him off at a complete stranger's house for the night...

Back home I was enjoying a quiet relaxing Saturday, when be sheer accident I ran across this monologue by Jackie Gleason "Apology at Bedtime."

Jackie Gleason - Apology at Bedtime Found at abmp3 search engine

And that reminded me of an old clipping my Grandma E. had hanging in her home, which now hangs in our's...

So there's just no escaping it. There's a big absence around here. My little Junior is growing up before his time!

I hope he'll be able to untie his shoes by himself tonight. I hope he can tie them again in the morning. Maybe... maybe I should have packed that extra pair of underwear after all? =O

*Sigh* It's going to be mighty quiet around here.

Too quiet.

Maybe I should keep the phone close by, just in case ;)