• Sunday-What'sUP May 8 - 10:49 pm

I've been browsing through old mining photos this weekend, looking for something new related to Mother's Day past in the U.P.. In publications from the early 1900's, a phrase caught my eye that appears to be a common expression or slogan back in those days: "Reduce Your Flesh". These are a couple of examples from this brilliant weight-loss marketing era.

The first ad from 1908 makes a pretty bold claim that the author had "reduced 15,000 women". That's probably the number of 10 cent booklets Ms. Cocroft sold "showing how to stand and walk correctly". The second offer - to remove all that "superfluous flesh" by wearing Professor Burn's "Auto Masseur", appeared in 1914, the year Woodrow Wilson made Mother's Day a national holiday. I'd be curious to know how many of those booklets or belts were shipped to addresses in Upper Michigan, where mining wealth was allowing the population a little discretionary income for such pursuits.

So today, guys, when you're getting ready to take Mom out for Mother's Day dinner, and she asks: "Does this dress make me look fat?"... Don't hesitate to just tell her she's beautiful. A hundred years ago it might have been, "Honey, do you think I should reduce my flesh?"

Happy Mother's Day! Have a good week :o)

Good Morning All! Happy Mother's Day to all of the Mother's in Pasty Land!

Happy Mother's Day to all mothers.

Happy Mother's Day!
Funny ad. I wonder if there was a Flesh Watchers back then.

Happy Mother's Day to all of the Moms out there!

"HAPPY MOTHERS DAY"- Hug your Mother today.

Geez, I guess women have been hounded forever about their weight! Happy Mother's Day anyway!

To my Mother.. When Jesus decided to send me from Heaven's skies of blue..He searched the wide World over for a Woman kind & true.. Someone to love me always, someone to keep me spotlessly new, one who would want me-- He wished His own Mother would do..but then at last, My Jesus found one, Who was as good as she could be, She had been waiting, yes longing for a little boy like me..So He wrapped me in a fluffy cloud, Tied with a ribbon blue, And slid me down a rainbow, Yes, Mom--- to Earth to you.

Before the truth in advertising laws, no doubt.
Happy Mother's Day to all of our personal angels!

Please send me one instruction booklet so that I can reduce my flesh. I'll follow that up with a couple of pasties which, I'm sure, will increase my flesh (but well worth it). I hope all the Moms out there in Pastyland had a wonderful Mother's Day. What a beautiful day we had here in the Capital City!