Category Archives: Things

Vintage Promotional Pen

Memories, Things,

I am not sure how my Mom and Dad knew Phyllis Walters. As far as I know she didn’t live in Elgin. I may be mixing up my parents’ friends, but I think perhaps Phyllis and her husband sold Christmas trees every year and we’d trek there most years to get a tree. I vividly remember sitting in the little shack, drinking something warm. I think they gave my parents Glogg.

I remember my mom talking about Phyllis running for this or that office and being active in some candidates campaigns. I don’t think I listened very closely since I really didn’t remember her that well.

Among the items I brought home from my Mom’s house was a strange looking pen in a canoe shaped box. On further inspection “Phyllis K. Walters, Recorder” could be seen in red on the side. On even further inspection (taking the pen apart), the inside of the top barrel contained three coin batteries, long spent, as far as I could tell.

Curiosity got the better of me so I spent a few dollars to buy new batteries for this strange pen. What do you think? Money well spent?

OMG! It lights up!

I am curious about who was given this pen? Anyone who expressed interest in Phyllis’ campaign for Recorder? Folks who donated to her campaign? Am I the only person who replaced the batteries?

While it came with an extra ink cartridge, it seems to have dried up so I won’t be using this pen for correspondence. I’m not sure what I will be using it for, if anything.

Grandpa Green’s Pens and Pencils

Things, , ,

I’ve written about my Grandpa Green a few times here. Some how I ended up with some of his pens and pencils. I know two of them were his for sure, and I’m pretty sure the other was his. In fact, I think that all the pens and pencils I found in a cigar box were my grandparents’.

This fountain pen with a lever was easy to establish as his. It has his name engraved on the band.

Unfortunately the ink bladder inside the pen barrel has hardened with age and shattered when I opened the pen so I won’t be writing any correspondence with this pen.

This vintage mechanical pencil was most likely used by my grandfather at work. I know this because it has U. S. Government stamped on the side. The third photo shows the vintage pencil with a modern mechanical pencil used by U. S. Government employees.

This last mechanical pencil could have been. I even think I remember seeing it sticking out of his pocket protector. It’s from the Loyal Order of the Moose — an organization in which he was very active.

I could definitely use the pencils for correspondence — not only do they still contain viable lead, I also found a few boxes of leads!

Dad’s 4th grade report card

Family, Things, ,

I’ve posted some of Dad’s other report cards, here’s his 4th grade card.

He seemed to have trouble working and playing with others, was not very polite and didn’t show much regard for the opinions and wishes of others. He was also distractable and rarely on time. He also didn’t get his work in on time. He had trouble with obstacles and with using his own resources.

Hmm — maybe that’s where I got my ADHD. I always thought it was Mom.