Chester Chatter: When the norm was repair, recycle and re-use

By Ruthie Douglas
©2020 Telegraph Publishing LLC

I my family home growing up, we were not very quick to throw away anything. Instead, we recycled or repaired.

Downtown, there was a repair shop and that gentleman stayed very busy. My mother would send me there when she had a problem with any small appliance. The shop was most interesting and full of all kinds of items waiting to be repaired.

The cord to the flat iron went bad and in those days the cord was covered in a woven cloth.

A few minutes after showing him the problem, he’d have it fixed good as new and declare, “That will be 50 cents.”

When our toaster refused to pop up, I knew immediately where I would be going. Next morning, sure enough, that toaster was working in time for our breakfast.

That repairman also fixed toys of all sorts that stopped working from dolls to trains. He made many folks happy. On Main Street there was also a cobbler. If a hole appeared in the bottom of Daddy’s shoe, Domenic was the one to fix it.  Domenic could make worn shoes last for one more year with a new sole.

These days, I struggle with repairs I do myself using Gorilla Glue, tacks and duck tape.

Scene and heard

Get well soon Asta Spafford, who recently took a fall.

Do you remember S&H Green Stamps and Gold Bond Stamps?

World Vegan Day is coming up on Nov. 1.

Donna Whitney was in Bethel last week meeting up with her former classmates for lunch.

The late and honored CBS Evening News’ Walter Cronkite was born on Nov. 4, 1916.

The last summer flea market was set up on the legion field in Chester on Saturday.

Vermont PBS education TV has turned 50 this week, with wonderful programs about Vermont.