Modern sock technology had not then evolved and sock elastic universally gave up the ghost after the first few washings. The answer was either wearing sock garters, or constantly reaching down and pulling your socks back up. Life was hard.

I used to buy Knickerbocker by the quart at the grocery store in Cambridge, Mass. when I was in law school around 1971. It came in imperial quarts, so you got about 20% more than most American brews. It also was cheaper--my memory is that it cost about 50 cents per quart.

... from the man in the striped chair: wear socks that stay over your calves and don't show your pasty legs.

The day they bought identical suits the boys never dreamed that their natty attire was a ticket to the biggest party in town. Sharing one lousy can of beer with a couple of strange gals, however, did knock off some of the evening's luster.

A Linda Tedford died in Campton, New Hampshire, on May 1, 2002. She was born July 8, 1951. Could this be what we are looking for?

[No. Linda was born around 1947. And in any case, "Tedfords' party" is what you write on a slide when your own name isn't Tedford. - Dave]

It's all over the internet that the TV tray wasn't commonly available until 1952, so it must be true. Not that the tie-and-jacket crowd would have used them anyway. It was one of the social arts in those days to gracefully balance a plate of food on one's lap while not losing track of one's drink or spilling anything on the rug.

The lady in blue is certainly more vivacious and getting all the attention. The lady in red has to sit on the floor, and is pushing her olives around the plate, and feeling might left out of the conversation.

My mom would tell the slumping, shoeless woman in red on the left to sit up straight. Also: finish those olives on your plate. Plus, considering that she's going to end up on the lap of the smoking man in the kitchen: watch how much you drink.

According to the June 25, 1953 edition of the Nashua Telegraph (amazing what a Google News search can find), Knickerbocker Beer was not merely available in New Hampshire, but actually was the Granite State's best-selling brand of brewski.

The wall interests me. Paneling for sure but it appears to made of that exotic material called real wood.

"Forget about tables; I didn't even get a place to sit".

Which might explain the scowl on the face of the lady in red; or perhaps it's her husband playing "footsie" with the lady in blue....

Which might explain the startled look on her face!

I'm fairly certain that the gent on the far right is the same guy pictured here.

That's a can of Knickerbocker Beer on the end table - "New York's Famous Beer." It's not clear how far outside the Empire State the beer was sold, but this may be the best clue we've seen so far in the Linda photos of exactly what state these fascinating folks inhabited.

[As noted earlier, New Hampshire. -Dave]

Based on earlier stone walls and geography the consensus opinion is Linda is from New England. Knickerbocker Beer was a New York City brewed beer and was sold in Connecticut, but very little distribution in the other New England states. My guess is we are in Fairfield County.

The top of your stocking is showing, lady in blue. And I guess there weren't enough TV trays to go around.