No.76

In youth the days are short and the years are long. In old age the years are short and the days are long. (Pope Paul VI)

-mcmd-

A haiku

too old to travel 
far away places are mine
on the internet

-mcmd-

It was towards the end of the 19th century that four of my father’s uncles went to the USA with the idea of settling there. Two of them Robert and James decided to stay and within a few years their families had joined them.

Today there are Jaaps in different parts of America, and many of them are direct descendants of Robert and James. 

Since we created the Jaap website, quite a few of our American cousins have contacted us from time to time, and one in particular used to send me most interesting e-mails.
One of his messages began with this great picture of a 1909 Ford and was followed by some fascinating statistics showing how Americans lived 100 years ago.

The average life expectancy in America was 47 years.

Only 14% of homes had a bath.

Only 8% had a phone.

There were only 8,000 cars in America

Only 144 miles of paved roads.

In most cities the speed limit was 10 mph.

90% of doctors had no college education.

Most women washed their hair just once a month, and used borax or egg yolk for shampoo.

The main causes of death were pneumonia, influenza, tuberculosis, diarrhoea and heart disease.

2 out of every 10 adults were illiterate.

18% of homes had at least one full-time servant.

More than 95% of births took place at home. 

The e-mail closed with the thought - what will things be like in another 100 years' time? What, indeed!

-mcmd-

Thanks to Pexels.com for this super cloud study . . .

-mcmd-

This is one of my favourite poems . . .

I Opened a Book
Julia Donaldson

I opened a book and in I strode.
Now nobody can find me.
I've left my chair, my house, my road,
My town and my world behind me.
I'm wearing the cloak, I've slipped on the ring,
I've swallowed the magic potion.
I've fought with a dragon, dined with a king
And dived in a bottomless ocean.
I opened a book and made some friends.
I shared their tears and laughter
And followed their road with its bumps and bends
To the happily ever after.
I finished my book and out I came.
The cloak can no longer hide me.
My chair and my house are just the same,
But I have a book inside me.

-mcmd-

Finally, just a pretty sunset to look at . . .

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Next post Friday

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