Summertime, summertime

My post yesterday got me thinking of the summers of my childhood. Add that to a recent comment on a local newspaper blog about what it was like when my generation were kids and Kristi Gold's aforementioned memory on her website, and today's topic was born.

The world has changed since we Baby Boomers were kids. We had pretty much the run of the neighborhood, my childhood friends and I. That neighborhood encompassed our block, including both sides of the street. As we grew a little older, it included the block behind, but we used that mostly for riding bicycles, because the street there ended in a circular deadend. We spent a lot of time on our bikes, racing, riding with no hands, sometimes pretending they were our loyal steeds.

I became proficient at hopscotch and could beat everybody on the block. It took me some time, but I mastered jacks and the multiple ways to play them. I had a pair of stilts and could walk up and down the porch steps on them. And I loved my roller skates! My favorite make-believe with them was to be a girl who lived in the frozen north, and they were my skis. I even had sticks, at times, for my ski poles and raced down the long driveway that sloped to the street. We played with cars and trucks in the dirt around a huge old tree and carved out towns and roads. And we learned to hang from our knees like circus performers, from the top bar of our swingless swingsets.

As long as our parents knew who we were with, they were happy. As long as we kept within the boundaries of the neighborhood, everything was okay. As long as we came home before dark, they weren't concerned. Our world was safe. We were happy. And at night, we fell into our beds, exhausted but smiling.

There were no Nintendos or X-Boxes. We'd never heard of a computer. We had board games, like Monopoly, Go To the Head of the Class, and Life, but they were saved for rainy, indoor days or winter. We watched old Shirley Temple movies on our black and white TVs when the afternoons were too hot to bear in our non-air conditioned homes. A few times each summer, we'd walk to the neighborhood pool, but it was crowded and noisy and filled with kids we didn't know. We read books and I wrote plays.

I hope some of my memories bring back happy memories for you.

Happy Flag Day

I'm sure the majority of people don't know what day Flag Day falls on, and some may not even realize there is such a thing, but because I share my birthday with the flag, I remember it every year. I'll admit that, as I get older, I'd often like to forget about it. Once past that 40 mark (and that has been a while ago for me), birthdays are just another reminder that life isn't the carefree days of fun it was when we were kids, and responsibility is the key word.

Kristi Gold shared her memories of summer on her website, so I'll take a page from her book, so to speak, and share a memory of birthday and flags.

When I was about 7 or 8, I was hoping for a wading pool for my birthday. It was a quiet day, that particular June 14, and as our the custom, a flag was hanging near our porch, celebrating the holiday and our great country. I was standing just inside the doorway, watching the red, white, and blue wave in the summer breeze and wondering what glories the day would bring me. Hey, at that age, it's definitely all about ME, right? A big truck pulled up, with SEARS on the side. Oh, that had to be something for me! Sure enough, it was my wading pool, and it was a doozy! Rectangular in shape, it had triangle shaped metal seats in the four corners. It lasted through neighbor kids and me for several years, but what has lasted more is watching that flag, even though I wasn't aware of the true meaning of it and what it stood for.

So enjoy this little holiday! I sure intend to. *grin*

A Quick Post...

...because that's what I have time for today.

I wanted to mention that I've made posting comments easier, so feel free to add something, whether in agreement, disagreement, or just to say HI.

A Little Peace and Quiet

Now that my oldest daughter's wedding is over, and I'm catching up on all the things that had to be put aside because of it and other important things, it's time to make some new (good) habits.

It's kind of funny that I post regularly on a local newspaper blog, but I don't seem to find the time to post here. That's a Shame-on-Me thing, for sure, and I'm going to try, try, again to do better. But if I should fail again, there's always a new blog I'll direct your attention to. I mean, after all, I have posted there a time or two in the past week. Give Kristi Gold's Kristi's Koffee Chat a visit and tell her HI. You won't be disappointed. :)