Milk, it's what we had with breakfast, lunch, and dinner

The National Milk Mustache "got milk?" Campaign is one of the most recognized and respected advertising campaigns, having earned a place in advertising history. As the "umbrella" campaign for print, radio and TV advertising, as well as public relations, promotions and other initiatives, the "got milk?" message is one that's on everyone's lips across the U.S. Since its inception over 10 years ago, this fun and compelling message has helped boost awareness of the nutritional aspects of milk, and was the impetus to expand the availability of milk to more consumers than ever before. If the folks who drafted this ad only had spoken with my parents 50 years ago, they would have come up with it long before that.

Like so many people in the 50's and 60's, we had our very own milk man; his name was Roy Brown, Mr. Brown to us kids.  He'd show up early 2-3 days a week and bring us enough of that white "mucous" to get us through until his next delivery day.  The glass bottles would rattle in his carrying tray both to and from the house.  He generally would go right on into the house and place the bottles neatly on the shelf in the fridge.  My mother had the rinsed empties perched right there on the stoop ready to be taken back for "refueling", and he'd wave good bye as he drove off while standing upright in his milk truck.  Of course, there were few major advancements in his industry until he arrived one day with the "box" of milk.  It was about a 2 or 3 gallon bag of milk with a spout for pouring.  That worked beautifully for about a week and then one of us failed to close it completely, and the flood of milk ended that "experiment".

When the corner gas stations gave way to "quick marts", the era of the milkman came to an end, so we waved goodbye to Mr. Brown for the last time.  If my mother didn't pick up the customary 3 gallons of milk when she was at the grocery store, my father would run over to the hospital and pick up a few of those "personal" sized cartons, so we could at least  have a bowl of cereal before school.  The milk ritual developed into a trip to Richdale's every other day for those 3 gallons of the white stuff.  My parents even had an extra refrigerator, just to keep a "cache" on hand.  It may have been more economical to have had a cow, who knows?  No matter how you look at it, if there wasn't enough for supper and the morning cereal, you can imagine someone would have had a "cow" anyway.

Yes, the milk was always flowing at our house when we were kids, and that trend has continued for some of my brothers and sisters families even today.  With all the options that we are confronted with today, doesn't a nice, tall glass of ice cold milk sound great?  It sure does to me, especially if you enjoy it with a stack of cookies!