Vintage things that have REAPPEARED in your lifetime?

[tonyb]

The mercury touched 90 this afternoon when I went to fetch some takeout. For the first time since I can’t remember when I witnessed people — a pair of young men, in this case — riding in the bed of a pickup truck.

I looked into it and learned that in this state riding in the bed of a truck is legal provided the tailgate is closed and the bed is enclosed on all sides. So, no flatbeds, although it would seem a stakebed would pass muster.

I wouldn’t recommend it, but then, like lots of stuff I wouldn’t recommend, it sure can be fun. It’s among the many hazardous practices I‘ve somehow survived.

Knowing of its legality, I’m a bit surprised I don’t see it more often. I’d imagine it’s a more common sight in truly rural areas, where pickups get used routinely as actual work vehicles and where the traffic is generally slower and the roads less crowded.

(By the way, the laws vary from state to state, so before you load up the posse in the back of your F-150 you may wish to check the laws where you live.)

 

[tonyb]

I have to admit I enjoy watching some of those shows, but basically only the ones you describe about trying to preserve the original architecture and details as much as possible. One of those is shot a little down south of me in Galveston, TX, and they focus quite a bit on the Victorian homes from the late 1800s, what they call "survivors" (houses that survived the Great Hurricane of 1900). I appreciate they try to keep detail as much as they can, or even sometimes recreating those details. I realize a lot of the show is the same nonsense you see on all of them, but there is still an appreciation for the period, and I enjoy seeing that.

There was a show called “Boise Boys” that ran for a couple seasons on HGTV. It, like the shows featuring the Cordrays of Galveston and Nicole Curtis of Detroit, featured rehabs executed in a manner sensitive to the structures’ period and architectural style.

Most of what the “boys” — Luke Caldwell and Clint Robertson — did came out great. Attribute that in large part to Caldwell’s seemingly innate design sense (he acknowledges he has zip for formal training).

Since the show stopped production Caldwell has published a coffee table book, mostly pretty pictures of his projects. Just recently he has posted that he and Robertson will be returning with a program they’ll be streaming exclusively. They had to delay until their agreement with HGTV expired.

I wish them well, and I expect to be watching In the coming new year, when the show is to become available.

 

[Trenchfriend]

Wow, MINOX binoculars! 10x44

 

[Trenchfriend]

Terry pit towels. I don't know, if there's a revival going on, but I wouldn't wonder. Sturdy Frottee fabric made off leftover yarns is still not bad, I guess. The real working-class of Frottee.

 

[tonyb]

^^^^^^^
I had to look it up. It’s a German thing, going by what my cursory research indicates. I appears the rough equivalent over her in God’s Country would be what is generally called a “kitchen towel.” I keep four of them, hanging from the oven door handle. They get tossed in the laundry every week or so.

This stirs memories of the “dish towel,” or, alternatively, the “dish rag.” I haven’t heard reference made to that in many years. I suppose the near universal inclusion of automatic dishwashers in domestic kitchens pretty well spelled the end of that. But then …

 

[Trenchfriend]

^^^^^^^
I had to look it up. It’s a German thing, going by what my cursory research indicates. I appears the rough equivalent over her in God’s Country would be what is generally called a “kitchen towel.” I keep four of them, hanging from the oven door handle. They get tossed in the laundry every week or so.

This stirs memories of the “dish towel,” or, alternatively, the “dish rag.” I haven’t heard reference made to that in many years. I suppose the near universal inclusion of automatic dishwashers in domestic kitchens pretty well spelled the end of that. But then …

It's a thing, spreading out from the Ruhrgebiet miners all over Germany, but they seemed to be popular all around the world. In the socialism, they were still very common, probably for natural reasons. Sturdy and versatile, made from cheapest cotton.

 

[Trenchfriend]

But the dishwasher cloth is a relate thing, of course.

 

[tonyb]

^^^^^^^
Do you not have an automatic dishwasher? How common are such things over your way?

 

[Trenchfriend]

^^^^^^^
Do you not have an automatic dishwasher? How common are such things over your way?

I'm a single household, so what to do for an G.e.s.c.h.i.r.r.s.p.ü.l.a.u.t.o.m.a.t.e.n?

 

[tonyb]

^^^^^
Does that mean you don’t have one? Do most households have them? Or no?

 

[Trenchfriend]

^^^^^
Does that mean you don’t have one? Do most households have them? Or no?

I have none, but it's also not that super common in old Germany. Not less people here dumped their first 90s-dishwasher
-when the first repair was needed OR
-when the kids were moving out OR
-when they are two people with much too less dishes

Also, it's still common around couples to manual wash the dishes in classic teamwork "washing <> drying up".

Sure, people can replace their old family dishwasher with an extra small "single-dishwasher", but usually they switch back to manual. Also automatic dishwasher doesn't really saves money. It's a luxury thing.

 

[tonyb]

^^^^^
It seems counterintuitive, but my understanding is that dishwashers of recent manufacture are actually more efficient than washing by hand. They use less water and less energy.

I did a little looking into it and it seems that home dishwashers are actually more prevalent in Germany than over my way. I’m guessing they’re more prevalent in the western part of your fair land. But I acknowledge that’s just a guess.

Only one person of my acquaintance says she rarely uses her dishwasher. She’s single, though, so I suppose she doesn’t dirty many dishes, either.

There is well more than enough tableware and cookware and such in this house that I can easily wait for the dishwasher to be full, or close to it, before I run the load. It’s better to have those dishes out of sight, in the dishwasher, than in the sink or on the counters.

 

[Trenchfriend]

My one Grandaunt and Granduncle just around the corner got their first and only dishwasher I think in 1998, when they did a general overhaul of their apartment. But they had much too less dish to wash and the dirty dish always rotted inside for some days, so they sold it in good shape around 2002 and replaced it with new planks in the now empty space.

And that happened not seldom in small housholds, after the 90s dishwasher hype was over.

My Uncle still has the first dishwasher, they bought in 2001, when they moved in this aparment, but he probably still don't use it.
When Aunt was still alive and Cousine also was there, he often took the small portion dirty dish out and washed it by hand, when Aunt wasn't around.

Same thing, standard size dishwasher, much too less dirty dish, so it's rotting for days inside.

But as I said, mostly Germans dump their dishwasher, when the first repair is needed. Back to basic, no tech no trouble.

 

[tonyb]

^^^^^
It’s my habit to scrape the food particles off dishes and maybe go over them quickly with a mildly abrasive dish scrubber before tossing them in the dishwasher.

I find it hard to believe that there was a dishwasher “hype” 30 years ago and that dishwashers have since become passé. If that were the case, the percentage of homes with automatic dishwashers would be declining, rather than increasing, as it has been for decades now.

Our dishwasher was here when we moved in, 10 years ago come this autumn. I suppose it was a few years old then. Still chugging along. It remained in place during the remo-lite we did to the kitchen a few years ago. Should it fail beyond reasonable repair, we’ll replace it. There are many things I would do without before I’d give up a dishwasher.

 

[Trenchfriend]

I find it hard to believe that there was a dishwasher “hype” 30 years ago

I think, dishwashers became more affordable for the masses in the 90s. AND when East-Germany was added, BOOM...

The older West-Germans say, dishwashers were not very common until the late 70s, when they became daily thing.

 

[Trenchfriend]

New stuff!
Miners towels/terry pit towels. The classic. But the more versatile 50 x 70 cm, instead 50 x 100.

With the first wash, they already got a bit "stronger".

 

[tonyb]

^^^^^
Around here it’s become all but expected that a residential living unit will have a dishwasher and in-unit laundry. Some older apartment buildings and even freestanding houses lack such amenities, but almost all newer construction include them. And when the developers are buying appliances by the hundreds (thousands, even), they get a very good price.