Better living with chemicals. haha…
While at a backyard party at my friend Patty's house the uninvited mosquitoes showed up. I mentioned to her neighbor from "up north" as we say in Texas (which means almost any state north of the Mason Dixon Line) boy do we need the ddt truck to come by. I was just kidding but explained that as a kid they used to "fog" our neighborhoods with ddt. "Oh no, Nancy - that couldn't possibly be true –that's a deadly chemical" -which made me question it myself. Just then an old friend from McAllen walked by and I grabbed him to see if he remembered it. "DDT" he said and his face lit up - "we used to run behind the fogger". And sure enough we did. The truck pulling the fogger was as exciting as the ice cream truck and by the end of the block a host of kids ran behind it bathing themselves in the cool mist. A relief to our parents in a time of polio, encephalitis, typhus and malaria that our kids and the food they ate were just a little safer. . I googled it…and the above picture came up. You can find anything anymore – seriously! So taking it a step further I typed "kids chasing the ddt truck". And there we were…'50s kids bathed in DDT! To make a long story short – like that's possible at this point – this image popped up.
It's from a movie "The Tree of Life" and clicking on the trailer I watched the preview and it looks sooo good. Has anyone seen it? Brad Pitt plays the dad and Sean Penn the little '50s kid as a grown man. I can't wait to see this movie. Anyway I saw that it was filmed in nearby Smithville. Googling that took me to Smithville houses for sale.
Ack! I love this house – and then I took the virtual tour. Look…
Pink – they painted it pink.
I am soooo moving there and living in that house…or maybe not. Just maybe I'll buy this store and live….
above my antique store!
I could be happy here. Who cares about the stairs when you have your own…
elevator.
Sigh…I want to move to Smithville – and live in a pink house or above a store….and chase the ddt truck!
So my question is:
Did you ever chase the ddt truck?
Do you want to move to Smithville?
Do you obsessively google?
Do you visit Beverly and other Pink Saturday blogs?
If you answered yes to all the above…we're soul mates. See you in Smithville!
It wasn't that long ago that the mosquito truck roamed the neighborhood in the early pre dawn hours on Mare Island, CA when we were stationed there. Um, we'd get up and close the windows to avoid the mist settling everywhere. It was bad for car paint, and I'm sure it wasn't good for us either. I wonder what they were spraying~~~
ReplyDeleteMy answers to your questions:
ReplyDelete1. I do not recall DDT trucks in our little town....we were so poor that even the mosquitos didn't want to live there, but moving to the"big city" later in life, trucks would drive around spraying chemicals (DDT?) to ward off the pesky insects.
2. I don't want to move to Smithville, TX, but I'd love to come and visit you when you move there!! :) In fact, we have a Smithville, MO not far from here.... a town that used to flood on a regular basis til they built a huge lake. Now, they don't flood...and the mosquitos probably moved over to the lake water to pester boaters, picnickers and fisherfolks!
3. Yes, I obsessively google...but not as obsessively as you!! You're the Queen of Googles to come up with these great pictures this week!!
4. Of course I visit Beverly and other PS blogs...yours is always one I look forward to visiting!! In fact, you are really ready for it this week...I'm impressed!
Hope you are keeping cool....and not using too much "OFF"...my personal choice is "YARD GUARD"! :)
Happy Pink Sat! L, Dana
Yes, I remember riding my back behind the DDT truck and several people from my hometown and I discussed this not long ago on FB.
ReplyDeleteI would love to join you in Smithville and live in the pink room house
I forgot the last question......
WEll,fellow Valley Girl,1st, you know I was one of those who ran full throtle behind the DDT truck and then I wheezed for days afterward, but I'm still immune to mosquitos 50 years later. 2nd, I don't feel that I have a "google" problem...anyway, when it's research into aspects of our cultural fabric, it's worthy. Anyway,such academic searches probably reinforce our memories and prevent the early onset of brain rust, or whatever they call it...I'll reseatch that later...stay cool and out of the mists.
ReplyDeleteI know all about the DDT trucks. In fact, we need to some spraying now. We all did just fine back then.
ReplyDeleteI love the inside of that house! The more pink the better! I used to live in Georgia but don't know where Smithville is. Charm is overflowing in the South though.
ReplyDeleteHappy Pink Saturday!
Oh my gosh, you had me giggling! Growing up, we spent our summers at the lake, the mosquito truck always came around and fogged the yards after periods of rain, I have no idea whether it was DDT or not though. Hmmm, scary to think about. And I love that little white house with the red trim, so sweet. I used to google all the time but lately I've been bitten by the Pininterest bug, oh my gosh, it is so addicting! Have a great weekend, Nan
ReplyDeleteNancy, Mike says you'll love Smithville... and we'll come often to visit...an excellent Bar-B-Que place that always has a line out the door, a little trolley that does town tours, a historic district so your antique business should do well. Mike can't remember the name of the BBQ place, but he'll Google it and let you know.
ReplyDeleteI remember DDT powder. IN the war and right after it there was not enough soap for people to wash themselves poperly and showers and bath were hardly known so mostly childrn got lice. WE got DDT to get rid of them. That was about 65 years ago. Nowadays with everything clean and showers or bath every day I heard children have lice again. Wonder where that comes from.
ReplyDeleteHave a happy pink Saturday.
Riet, Holland
Oh Nancy, What a fun post! Of course I remember the fog truck. My gosh we couldn't have played outside in the summer without it. Thanks for the movie information, I will definitely have to give this vintage movie a go! Hope you have a lovely weekend! Elizabeth
ReplyDeleteHow safe we were 'covered' with DDT! Hmmm. Have things changed? Oh, my, for this society & the sterile environment ... I wonder HOW ON EARTH did we survive our childhood's.
ReplyDeleteHave a beautiful PS weekend ~
TTFN ~
Marydon
Our area here in FL still gets sprayed for bugs - don't know what chemical, but I'll tell you what, I'm glad to be rid of the mosquitoes!
ReplyDeleteI was born in Mississippi but grew up in Texas and Louisiana so I remember the DDT truck well. I always would run home as fast as I could when I would see it start fogging its way up and down our street. Haven't heard of the Tree of Life -- will have to check it out. Have a great day. Tammy
ReplyDeleteNancy...this is a test reply...I'm still having trouble making comments on some posts...grrrrr.
ReplyDeleteI do remember running behind the truck right in the middle of that fog! Can you believe it; no one thought anything about it. I grew up in the 50's and 60's in n.c. I love pink and pink houses. veronica
ReplyDeletehaha...you are so funny! Great post and yep, I ran behind that truck. We thought it was great fun.... Love that house with the red trim. There's a little pink house a ways up the street from here. I need to take a picture of it for Pink Saturday. Hope yours ways the best. Sorry I am so late! xo
ReplyDeleteHow funny! After seeing The Tree of Life last week, I also googled the DDT trucks and the picture from the movie led me to your blog (which I am enjoying, btw). The movie is quite interesting and different. Here is a little blurb on it that I found after seeing it. Wish I had seen this BEFORE.
ReplyDelete"From Sarasota Film Society:
A note on Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life
In response to some customer feedback and a polarized audience response, we would like to take this opportunity to remind patrons that The Tree of Life is a uniquely visionary and deeply philosophical film from an auteur director. It does not follow a traditional, linear narrative approach to storytelling. We encourage patrons to read up on this film before choosing to see it, and for those electing to attend, please go in with an open mind, knowing that Burns Court Cinemas has a no refund policy once you have purchased a ticket to see one of our films. Sarasota Film Society stands behind this ambitious work of art, and all other challenging films that define us as a true art house cinema. We hope you will expand your horizons with us."
I'll look forward to seeing your blog and comments after you see the film.