On my 21st birthday, I called home (Westchester County, in New York) from
Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. Cost of a 20 minute call was about $115. A long damned
time ago, and at that time I was making, if memory serves, about $124 a
month, net. Lance corporal, USMC. Big boost the next year, going to E4 and
over 3. Up to $170 a month.

Charlie you are younger then me.... I still remember my first check
from the US Army... $18.46 cents...NET ...and 16 bucks of that was
traveling pay from Ft Bragg to Walter Reed... That check I really
should have not cashed ..I should have had it framed and hung it on my
wall...

Prices are relative,,, My home cost less then $25,000 when I
purchased it in 1965 ...When my dad died a few years ago I discovered
he paid either $1160 or $1610 for my entire 1st year in college when I
was going thru his things... even laughed at his comment that I better
cut my beer consumption because he was going broke "supporting" me...

My first job in High School was at a burger joint... we sold them fro
15 cents each..or 7 for a dollar... My 1951 V8 Hot Rod drank gas that
cost me 19 cents a gallon... and ran on "May Pop" brand tires ..like
one just may pop... at any time...I think I averaged 2-3 flat tires a
week...

Now back to the original posters comments... I have no idea if I can
afford to continue buying wood... Before I retired I stock piled a
lifetime supply of Walnut, Cherry and Poplar...(what A laugh...I must
have died a few years ago because it only took about 5 years before I
had to float a loan to buy a small supply to make my Daughters dinning
room set...(Table & Hutch,...no darn chairs...) ..

Fricken scary ...what EVERYTHING costs now...

My "Real Estate" Taxes per year today .. are greater then what I paid
in 1965 for my mortgage (P&I and taxes)... My first "new" car was a
1965 Corvette 396 BB purchased in 1966 for $4,700 ..today just the
knock off wheels for that car are worth that much...

Honestly as much as I bitch about what I have to pay for lumber I
really feel sorry for my grandchildren and what they have to pay for a
little, but nice, townhouse with a 200 sq foot back yard.....even the
dog can not get any exercise in that small yard...

Ok..
Off my soap box...

The one check I will not have to write will be to the Funeral Home...
what a good though that is... Maybe I should run out and buy some pine
for a "box" today.... who knows what the wife will have to pay per Bf
of that crap in a few years...

Bob G...