I remember …
Playing outside after school, roaming the neighbourhood at will and only having to be home for tea.
Long trips in the car, sleeping in beds made up for us in the back of the station wagon. There were no seat belts in those days.
Watching The Lone Ranger, Wagon Train and Rin Tin Tin on TV, translating the stories into all the Cowboys and Indians games we played with the kids in our street.
Mr Magoo, My Favourite Martian, The Beverley Hillbillies, I Dream of Jeannie … and Richard Greene as Robin Hood.
The Mr Whippy Van and melting soft icecream in cones, with a Cadbury Flake chocolate protruding from the top.
Adults tapping their feet impatiently behind us, when we kids took ages to choose sixpence worth of mixed lollies from behind the glass counter at the milk bar.
Working proudly as an ‘ink monitor’. Mixing powder and water to make the ink then filling the inkwells in the desks
Building cubby houses, go karts and defendable forts out of boxes, sticks and other scraps we found around the yard.
When men first miraculously landed on the moon. A couple of hundred of us packed into the school hall, watching in wonder the grainy images on a black and white TV.
Seeing the Vietnam marches on TV. Wishing I could be there too, but my parents wouldn’t let me because I was too young.
Town hall dances, with their customary ‘progressive dance’ when the back of my dress became damp from sweaty hands that steered me around the dance floor
Purple brushed denim jeans, lime green and purple floral shirt and platform shoes.
And for all of you who also remember these things …
… here’s an amusing update on our lives! :)
What are you doing telling my story? In fact, that is me in the picture… my hair, my dress – oh, wait a minute. My daddy didn’t have a car….
Fast forward – wow she now has the same hairstyle I do; I’m now wearing T-Shirts with the peace sign again; I reach for the Merlot too often and Juergen rides his motorbike.
The more thing change……
Lovely! :) Thank you for your comment.
The car was my dad’s – he was a vet and did the rounds of the farms in Cornwall, UK, where we lived. He took the snap when I was spending the day with him going around the farms. I remember when I was a wee bit older and doing the same thing I had the Very Important job of holding a cow’s tail out of the way when he was up to his shoulder at its rear end. I felt SO valued and helpful. :)
Fast forwarding, I also reach for the Merlot – and though no hips, knees or other things replaced yet, I am aware of creaking in the joints when getting out of bed in the mornings. Now that’s not something I experienced as a wee one. :)
Your ink monitor reference reminded me of a ‘devastating’ day at school when my books under the desk dislodged the ink well leaving my clothes stained with ink for the balance of the day. Cubby houses and an afternoon of school to go home to see the moon landing. Thanks for the memories!
I’m delighted my own memories evoked some for you too – and reminded me of my own ‘ink disaster’. Not over my clothes, but over the classroom floor – diluted with my tears when I was kept in to clean it up. :)