NOSTALGIA FOR FREDDIE L.

It really isn’t much fun to fly anymore.  A hassle, anyway you look at it.  Very expensive for what you get, which isn’t much.  But back in the 60s an aviation entrepreneur named Freddie Laker had the wonderful idea of starting a “no frills “airline. 

I have a special fondness for Laker Airways because I was a “no frills” passenger on several of their flights between Gatwick Airport in England and JFK Airport in NYC during that time.

In September of 1977 Laker Airways introduced its first daily SKYTRAIN low fare scheduled service between London’s Gatwick and New York’s JFK.  The one way fare was ￡32 in winter and ￡37 in summer.  Tickets were sold on the day of departure.

Seats were sold on a “first come-first served” basis and passengers brought their own food aboard. The whole enterprise appealed to discount travelers: backpackers, families with children and adventurers in general.

Laker Airways was one of the early buyers of the first AIRBUS airliners.

Freddie Laker was knighted and became Sir Freddie Laker for his contribution to British aviation.

We couldn’t believe it when SKYTRAIN declared bankruptcy in 1982 owing more than￡250 million.  The company had expanded too quickly and was undercapitalized.  There were possible implications of the decision to build the business on discount travelers only.

Other larger airlines were aggressively price matching Laker Airways even by doing so they were suffering huge losses themselves.

There were a lot of trips to Europe after that for me but flying has never been that much fun again.

Sir Freddie Laker died in 2006 in Florida at the age of 83.  Thanks for the ride, Freddie! 

If you would like to respond, just click the link below that refers to “comment.”

Next Post, Next Monday.

Thanks for stopping by!

Joan

TIME OUT

SAVVY OVER 70 WILL RETURN ON MONDAY  MARCH 31st

SPRING IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER!

STAY WARM AND WELL.

JOAN

A HANDBAG BY ANY OTHER NAME

In early days something to carry valuables in was a ”pouch,”  in medieval days it morphed into a “purse” and in the mid 18th century the term became “handbag.”  Whatever you want to call them they are ubiquitous now.  Women wouldn’t be without one and men are slowly coming around to the fact that handbags aren’t a bad idea.  

Historically there are some strange facts about pouches, purses or handbags but the modern ones fascinate me.  Excepting the “bling” ones I never met a handbag I didn’t like.

No matter how many handbags you have there’s always one that’s your favorite and you tend to carry it a lot.  

What to do with a lot of handbags?  You could always start a museum of handbags.

One is always advised that the accessories for your handbag should be chic and black.  They should match.

Unfortunately they usually match the lining of your handbag which is usually black.  Northing worse than fishing around in your handbag for something you can’t identify by its color.  Everything is chic and black!

Crossbody bags are really practical.  Especially for shopping!  Both hands free to examine price tags and to make sure interior pockets are available for cell phones, etc.  I still have handbags from “way back when” with no pockets for cell phones. They’re fine.  I usually forget my cell phone anyway.

Handbags that are carried by a short strap in your hand look great on some women.  I always feel like I’m carrying a lunchbox around.  Not a very “with it” feeling.  

Shoulder strap bags are classic.  Leaves your hands almost hands-free.  But if you have sloped shoulders your classic bag tends to fall off and you’re forever clutching at it.  One wide strap, not two usually solves that problem.  Men like the shoulder strap (messenger bags).

We tend to carry too much stuff in our handbags and wonder where that pain in your shoulder came from.  Awfully hard to pare down the “essentials.”  We need all that stuff!

If you would like to respond, just click the link below that refers to “comment.”

Next Post, Next Monday.

Thanks for stopping by!

Joan

WATCH THE TIME

It would seem that today our wrist watches are no longer considered a necessity to tell time.  Glance at your cell phone or laptop and tiny digital clocks appear to tell you what time of day it is.  Are wrist watches more of a status symbol now?  I like wrist watches for the same reason I like books better than e-books.

Back in the 16th century wrist watches were called wristlets and only women wore wristlets.  Men turned up their noses at them.  They liked pocket watches--more of a manly thing. They were quoted as saying they “would sooner wear a skirt as wear a wrist watch.”  Apparently, they didn't ask the Scots.

During the 19th century soldiers discovered pocket watches were not useful in wartime situations.  They were awkward to carry and clumsy to operate in combat.  Hence the birth of wrist watches for men. 

After World War 1 came the demand for reliable, accurate wrist watches.  Companies were improving technologies and introducing new models to keep up with the demand.

I’ve loved watches since I was old enough to tell time.  I bought my first wrist watch from a pawn shop.  It was a Lord Elgin and pre-quartz.  I still have it.

Another “keeper” was a Dueber-Hampton watch made in Canton, Ohio in 1918.  It still runs but very sporadically.

Watches take the place of bracelets for me.  Over the years there have been a lot of them. Too many.  

Everything from the Lord Elgin on up.  I’ve given a lot of them away. In my late 70’s how many watches do I need?  

I can’t recall my mother ever wearing a wrist watch or my father either.  We had a huge clock in the kitchen above the “icebox”.  That must have sufficed.

As long as there are beautiful and pricey watches out there to be had I wouldn’t expect them to be obsolete any time soon.

If you would like to respond, just click the link below that refers to “comment.”

Next Post, Next Monday.

Thanks for stopping by!

Joan

SHOES- WE LOVE ‘EM!

Humans have been wearing shoes of some sort for around 40,000 years.  Sandals were the most common footwear in early civilization and in modern times flip flops carry on the same tradition.  There are a myriad of shoe styles now- some bizarre and some extraordinarily comfortable.  I can say we honestly love shoes.  Women, especially!

Around 1850 shoemakers started making right and left shoes.  Until then all shoes were made on a straight last.

Sneakers were mass marketed in 1917 under the Keds name.  The word “sneakers” came to be because the rubber sole was quiet hence you could “sneak up” on someone.

During the 1940s and 1950s we referred to warm weather shoes such as sneakers and sandals as “playshoes.”

Brown and white saddle shoes were enormously popular during that era. The white part was kept pristine with white shoe polish.  And of course “bobby sox” were an integral part of the picture.  I don’t miss saddle shoes.

Bare feet are more fun but unfortunately it’s a necessity to wear shoes most of the time so they might as well be comfortable.   Wearing shoes changes the way humans walk.

There are differences between feet that regularly wear shoes and those that don’t.

Wearing tight shoes can lead to bunions  and 5 inch heels can shorten the ligaments in the leg.  People who don’t wear shoes have wider feet and a larger space between the big toe and the second toe.

Sage advice has always been “don’t wear the same pair of shoes every day.” 


That calls for a whole wardrobe of shoes!  Any old excuse!  We love our shoes!

If you would like to respond, just click the link below that refers to “comment.”

Next Post, Next Monday.

Thanks for stopping by!

Joan