John Is Thrilled

Here he is - excited about riding the pony.

Here is John again - excited about relaxing in the sun.

And here he is, excited about riding his tricycle.

The truth is that John really was very enthusiastic about many things. It just doesn't show in these pictures. I think it's fair to say that he probably didn't like to pose for pictures. John Korinek, born in 1926, was my father-in-law.  Here's a picture of him getting excited about a new pair of glasses he got in 2003.

And since Tracy asked, I have added this wedding photo too. There's definitely a smile this time.

If it's unbridled enthusiasm you're after, head on over to Sepia Saturday.

Hood's Sarsaparilla Saved My Life

If you read the back of this 1884 trade card, you can discover how Hood's cures what ails you, and how it saved the life of J.H. Martin of Delight, Kansas. Then you can head on over to G.L. Swift & Son in Marathon, New York to buy 100 doses for a dollar.

George Lucien Swift was the first grocer and a prominent businessman in Marathon, New York until his death in 1900. After visiting his daughter in New York City in the summer of 1900, he became ill with some ailment that sarsaparilla could not cure. His health declined as the year progressed. Although he was able to get up for Thanksgiving dinner, he died a few weeks later.

San Francisco's Chinatown

Pamela Gerard of Cappuccino and Art Journal kindly sent me this San Francisco postcard folder. There are too many views to show all of them, but here are some of the highlights.

Here's a link to the Tattered and Lost post mentioned in the comments below. I also saw a very nice old San Francisco Chinatown card recently at Postcard Roundup.