Financial Investments

One of my favorite pasttimes on rainy days during elementary years was in going to the encyclopedia shelf & pulling out a thick volume--no thought really to what volume it was--and browsing through whatever looked interesting. (Since it was World Book encyclopedia with tons of pictures for children's eyes, it kept my curiosity. I doubt Britannica would've done the same thing.)

My parents weren't financially lavish in any way, but I remember three pretty large investments they made that I think were worth it. One was mentioned in the previous paragraph: an encyclopedia set. Later on it was used in all oral reports in school; especially with group reports.

The second was a "used" piano. I put that in parentheses, because I'm sure my sisters & I put in more years of use on that keyboard than the former owner. I remember my parents driving down south quite a ways--during those days, roads weren't what they are today so shorter distances took a lot of time--to get it.

The third purchase was tied in to the above. It was a "Children's Music Library" 15-volume set. Each volume had two record albums & two picture books, giving information on musical instruments as well as large works & the stories they conveyed. We spent HOURS listening to them...without my parents' urging us to do so, let me add. I think I practically memorized "Peter and the Wolf".

There were other large purchases like an air-conditioner, autos, sound-absorbent ceiling in the living room, large appliances, piano lessons at the Classical Music Academy, a water tank to put on the roof; but the THREE investments were what I remember most since they affected me most, I guess.