1.0The News Journalhttps://qa.thenewsjournal.netrich600338<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="YNbQEkaSML"><a href="https://qa.thenewsjournal.net/remembering-burma-shave-signs/">Remembering the Burma Shave Signs</a></blockquote><iframe sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" src="https://qa.thenewsjournal.net/remembering-burma-shave-signs/embed/#?secret=YNbQEkaSML" width="600" height="338" title="“Remembering the Burma Shave Signs” — The News Journal" data-secret="YNbQEkaSML" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" class="wp-embedded-content"></iframe><script type="text/javascript"> /* <![CDATA[ */ /*! This file is auto-generated */ !function(d,l){"use strict";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&"undefined"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!/[^a-zA-Z0-9]/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),c=new RegExp("^https?:$","i"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display="none";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute("style"),"height"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):"link"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute("src")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener("message",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll("iframe.wp-embedded-content"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute("data-secret"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+="#?secret="+t,e.setAttribute("data-secret",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:"ready",secret:t},"*")},!1)))}(window,document); /* ]]> */ </script> https://qa.thenewsjournal.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Bena-Mae-mug137.jpg200228Remembering the Burma Shave Signs There is a bit of Americana that made traveling so much fun. Burma Shave Signs! Or, verses by the side of the road. What fun they were to read! The roadsides were plastered with them. Spaced several feet apart, they could be easily read at speeds of 35 or 40 miles per hour-top speeds in those days. Their good-humored, catchy phrases caught the public’s eye and very quickly became a public pastime. They covered many subjects. Some of them gave warnings to drivers. This one has stayed in my mind all these years: DON’T STICK YOUR ELBOW OUT TOO FAR – IT MIGHT GO HOME IN ANOTHER CAR – BURMA SHAVE. Other dire warnings read: SLEEP IN A CHAIR-NOTHING TO LOSE – BUT A NAP AT THE WHEEL – PERMANENT SNOOZE. And, IS HE LONESOME – DR JUST BLIND – THIS GUY WHO DRIVES – SO CLOSE BEHIND. Some of them had tips to offer in the romance department: NO MAN CAN REALLY – DO HIS STUFF – WITH A FACE THAT’S SORE – AND A BEARD THAT’S TOUGH. Another one advised: IF HUGGING ON HIGHWAYS – IS YOUR SPORT – TRADE IN YOUR CAR – FOR A DAVENPORT. There was no end to the subject matter of the witty verses. Many of them were a reflection of the times. This one was written while World War II was going on and most of our young men were in military service. AT EASE SHE SAID – MANEUVERS BEGIN – WHEN YOU GET THOSE WHISKERS – OFF YOUR CHIN. Sadly, the signs that gave us so much pleasure had to give way to progress. With the building of superhighways and faster cars, they had to go. I miss them. I miss the simple way of life they reflected. But now they have become a collector’s item … and a pleasant memory. Like the Sunday afternoon drive in the family car. Old Fashion Banana Pudding from Bena Mae’s Kitchen (Mama always made banana pudding from scratch. It was a staple at our house every Sunday, just as sure as Sunday rolled around. This was similar to how she made it.) Ingredients 3 cups milk 3 large or 4 small egg yolks 1 Tbsp. margarine 1 cup sugar 1/4 cup plain flour 1/8 tsp. salt 1 tsp. vanilla flavor about 3 ripe bananas, sliced vanilla wafers 6 Tbsp. sugar pink of cream of tartar 3 or 4 egg whites Directions Combine milk, egg yolks and margarine. Place on medium heat. Stir, bringing to a boil. Take from the stove. Mix together sugar, flour and salt. Add to milk mixture. Return to stove and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens (about 5 minutes). Take from stove and add vanilla. Cool slightly. Layer glass baking dish with wafers, bananas, then pudding mixture. Repeat until all is used up, ending always with pudding mixture. For meringue, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until stiff but not dry. Slowly add sugar and beat until sugar is dissolved. Spread over top of pudding, sealing all the way to the edges of the dish. Place on bottom rack of oven. Brown under broiler (about 2 minutes) watching constantly to prevent it from burning. Refrigerate.