A childhood memory



One game we girls always played was ‘house’ naturally. We had a funny way to make a house of rooms. We would take the old push mower and mow sections in the yard to resemble room floor plans then set up toys to distinguish each room. It wasn’t our Dad’s favorite way to mow the lawn, but at least there was a lot less for him to do. The safe streets were good places to ride our bikes as we could go on all of them and visit our friends anytime. Games like ‘kick the can’, Red Rover Red Rover, Tag, Cowboys and Indians‘ are some you all remember too. Making tents over clotheslines with blankets and close pins, and swinging in the back yard on the swings Dad put up between two hickory nut trees. The trees were just perfectly spaced apart with a couple of strong branches opened just right and a huge long hunk of wood sat in the crook of them, both tied and nailed for safety. Though I’m not one for heights now, I remember climbing up the ropes and sitting on that bar. We used to sit underneath and crack and eat the hickory nuts, even though it was quite a task to get enough meat out of them.

With all this, our favorite thing was to go up the street to Grandma and Grandpa’s. We always needed more spoiling you know. Of course they were always willing to oblige.

With all this, our favorite thing was to go up the street to Grandma and Grandpa’s. We always needed more spoiling you know. Of course they were always willing to oblige.

 



Grandma made the best pies. My favorite was custard. Haven’t had one since she passed. Mom used to run a little truck stop across the highway from our little community. It was open 24 hours and Grandma made the pies for it. I had my eighth birthday at the restaurant. It was a busy little place that lasted through our teen years, but alas, the I system had all the truckers going elsewhere.

Grandma and Grandpa had one of the first televisions in neighborhood. Jack’s uncle (more on him later) had the other. Needless to say we always wanted to be there and watch the thing. Later we had our own of course, a huge thing called a Hallicrafter. I hope that’s how it’s spelled. It was on this tv I first saw Elvis shake his hips. Mom and Dad laughed and just couldn’t understand how we could like this kid. Much the same way, I suppose, we reacted to the one our kids liked. Of course I now understand as some music today makes no sense to me.