memories of
Posted By: ancient on 2008-08-16
In Reply to: What are your favorite childhood memories - Oh to be young again
sitting at grandparents on the back steps (very wide to fit the porch) and eating watermelon, or watching my dad and brothers taking turns cranking the ice cream machine and all making fun of each other for being too weak. It was so quiet you could hear the windmill squeak, very restful.
Hearing stories of when Daddy and his three brothers were young and took turns jumping out of the barn hayloft with a parachute made from one of grandma's good white sheets which ripped. Daddy said he hugged that limp sheet all the way to the ground. Uncle Joe said they let him go first because it was his idea, but they all got a whipping for it.
At my other grandparents, Mother and her sister talked about skating all over Austin jumping the cracks in the sidewalks. I had to be quiet when John Cameron Swazy was on (Timex keeps on ticking) or Billy Graham. Going to the barbershop (Papa was a barber) for haircuts. sitting on the porch snapping beans or peas. Aunt Nell and Uncle Frank lived in the country, feather tick mattresses and bolsters, chamber pots and outhouses, mean chickens. Aunt Nell's hair was let down at night and hung below her hips. She had a built-in ice box (not fridge) and a water pump in the kitchen and thought she was in high cotton. They lived in the house she had been born in. She had sunbonnets by the back door. Never went out of the house without one and at 86 still had beautiful skin you would not believe. Kept their money in a bible. They had a 17 year old hound under the front porch with no teeth who acted like he would tear you up. They called him didhebitecha. She made the best biscuits in the world until canned came out!
Daddy loved woodworking, helping him hold large piece of wood in the shop or handing him tools.
I was anxious to learn to cook (I never said I was smart!), made cookies and such at 12, cooking whole dinners by 16. Being the oldest was not all you would think it could be. I was a miniparent.
I remember my baby brother being droopy drawers, would step out of his diaper and keep going. Love to remind him of that now when he is 52 and 6ƈ". Then came two more sisters, the last when I was 17, Mother had it made for that one!
I remember my border collie, Lady. We got her when I was 9 and she was 2. Had her until I was 21. One of those dogs who knew who could come in the yard and knock on the door and who to run entirely out of the neighborhood. She was my best friend. She had trouble delivering her last litter and my grandmother helped her.
I remember the attic fan, and wish I had one now. My son does and it saves him AC bills about 2 to 3 months of the year.
I remember being around my great-grandparents. In fact, one grandmother was 90 when she died in 2000. I was 54. How many can say that? I also remember seeing a civil war veteran in the 1950's.
This feels like such a time warp as the memories go flashing by. I remember when most moms stayed home. The fuller brush man went door to door. There was a man who traveled around sharpening knives and scissors. Milk was delivered to your door. Remember keeping wet clothes in a bread bag in the fridge? You put a tin sprinkler with a piece of cork around the base on a 10 cent coke bottle to sprinkle while you ironed. Do they still make those? and I remember when keyboards had a cent sign on the number 6 key!
Just for the groan effect, here's one for you - gas was 18 cents a gallon and there was a gas war between competing stations!
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Wow, the memories
My parents had one too!
memories
When I was growing up, we raised a pig with a bottle too. . it was so much fun! I hope your little pig does well...
Ah, Memories!
My big sister had a poodle skirt that I inherited just before they went out of style in about ཻ. It had a real chain on the poodle's leash. I wore it with a pink fuzzy sweater, and, yes, the petticoat. Incidently, when I was a little younger my sister and I would use those petticoats on our heads for "Brides' veils."
Memories
I remember coming home from Bonnie and Clyde - my mom had a fit I saw that violent movie - she thought I was really shaken up over it. Actually it was the fight with my boyfriend that gave me the blues. Hilary Duff? Hmmm, I really can't think of anybody I would like to see play that part.
Wow. Now THERE are some MEMORIES!
I actually learned to type on a typewriter just about like that, in high school. Got up to 52 words per minute, too.
I remember those chest Coke machines. And the milk bottles with the little paper caps. The ice cube trays. (There are some of those still probably stowed in my mother's attic. Wonder if they're worth anything??) Ah, the drive-in movie, the TV dinners, the goofy lunch boxes with the thermos that broke if you looked at it funny, The Beatles swag, the record players, the non-pop-top cans. Full-service gas stations.
I still had one of those dial phones up until the late 1980s because it was cheaper than a push-button back in the day when we still had to rent our equipment from the phone company....
And, of course, not even a HINT of a seat belt in the family car! Remember riding in the way-back of the station wagon? And oh, the stuff my mother used to score with the S & H Green Stamps (and the Blue Chip stamps too).
Creative Memories
My mother loved Creative Memories. She passed away last year, so I already have so much stuff, and I can say the items are well worth it. Creative Memories has nice stuff if you like to scrapbook. My Mom started a few books, which I will cherish forever. She was trying to make one for each child and grandchild, but she was cut short by an illness. I am loaded with Creative Memories stuff, but wanted to share that you will have so much fun being a consultant. I had a great time at one of the functions. I also saw a new twist on scrapbooking by using favorite recipes. Not only could you include pictures of family gatherings, but also type up the recipe for the scrapbook page. Fortunately my daughter spent a lot of time with my Mom and she will be able to use the supplies we have inherited through learning the techniques with my Mom and she's only 7. This is not something just for adult, but kids like it too! Good luck and happy scrappin'!!!!! I think you'll have fun meeting new people! 
Fond memories.
When I worked in-house, a co-worker and I used to pass the twitch back and forth. ;-)
Oh my gosh! What memories
this brings back, I feel for you!! It's been a long time ago, but it still gets my heart pumping. My daughter had long blonde, THICK hair almost to her waist in 2nd grade. I actually took her to the doctor because I'd never seen them before and didn't know what was going on. He gave me a prescription shampoo, but I suppose there are other better things out there now, don't know and hope I never need to. It took me weeks of combing and picking those nasty things out, her crying the whole time and so embarrassed, like it was her fault. Come to find out the school knew about lice going through the classes, her teacher told me there were 2 girls in her class at the time, one of whom she sat right next to in class, and they had been sent home multiple times for it and warned. I had to call one of her my daughter's friend's mother and tell her my daughter had lice because the friend had just recently spent the night. I spent a little time in the principal's office for sure and asked what the deal was, that nobody was notified it was going around in the school so parents could take precautions and be aware. He said well there was a privacy issue, well what about MY daughter? and was he aware that there was a school not too far away that had actually been closed down for a lice epidemic?!! No...he wasn't. It wasn't like they have to name names, just send a note home with the kids saying there's an issue you need to be aware of (they certainly had no problems in that class with privacy issues when doing their drug awareness program and asking the children personally what their parents drank or took, including coffee, in terms of drugs and alcohol). Well, guess what, they did and no more piling hats and clothes on the playground at recess, wearing other's coats, hats, etc. From then on, my daughter wore her hair in tight french braids to her head, until she decided she wanted it cut off. Man, what a nightmare, I was frantic, spent hours and hours and dollars fumigating, cleaning everything imaginable, toys, bedding, furniture, carpets, car seats...
I have baseball memories with my Dad
My favorite activity as a child was stick/hose ball. My Dad would cut up old hose and pitch them to us. There were some woods behind the house, so it didn't matter how hard you hit those pieces of hose. What fun!! We used to go crabbing in the summer and built gigantic snowmen in the winter. I was in the middle child with an older and younger brother, so I learned to play a lot of football, baseball, and yes, believe it or not, we used to play guns! Fake ones of course! Times have sure changed!
I too have many wonderful memories of my
grandparents houses, silly little things like the smell of my nana's soap, her chenille bedspread I thought was so cool, my other grandmother owned and operated a store that had everything from fresh meat which she butchered and feed for animals and lots of penny candy in big glass jars. Point is - memories are made at their houses more often than not. It is part of the mystique. You never said if you took the kids to the grandparents or you expected them to come to you - just wondered.
Holiday memories....
My dad saying (when I was age 4 to 6) that there was an elf that would hop on his shoulder every morning when he got in the car to go to work and ask if I had been good the day before. I can remember waiting for him to get home and then excitedly asking him if he talked to the elf...ok, now I'm misty eyed!
Waiting in the longest line to get Cabbage Patch Kids for my daughters when they first came out....lucky enough to get ones with decent enough names and birthdates close to my girls' birthdays.
Making the dreaded yam/sweet potato casserole at Thanksgving and ALWAYS setting the marshmallow bag on the hot oven door, thus melting the plastic, nice touch.
Realizing that I don't care if I have to pay full price, I do not shop the day after Thanksgiving any more!
Remember doing that as a kid..ahh, memories...nm
//
Has anyone ever tried being a Creative Memories consultant ...sm
If so, how did that work out for you? I just signed on to supplement with transcription and was wanting to know if anyone else had tried this before.
Have a great day!!
Brings back memories
In my upper years now but when I was around 11 or 12 had a penpal in France. Still remember getting letters from her. What a wonderful time for all!
What are your favorite childhood memories
Watching the kids in the neighborhood play takes me back to my childhood days. Lots of people say they would never go through childhood ever again but I would in a heartbeat. I'd like to hear what were the best things for you when you were growing up. Mine were
1. Playing all day and night on weekends and after school. My only concern was getting in the house before dark (or by supper time).
2. Grandma & Grandpa lived up the road so spent lots of time with them (they taught us how to do the polka to Lawrence Welk).
3. Didn't have to do any cooking. Everything was prepared for me. And, no laundry. Always had clean clothes hanging in the closet.
4. School. Learning, learning, learning and being with friends.
5. Being free enough to have imaginary friends and nobody would tell me I was losing my mind (or were they really imaginary????)
6. Girl Scouts (need I say any more).
7. The idea that I could be a ballerina, movie star, singer, or anything I wanted to be when I grew up and my parents entertained that as though it could become a real possibility for me.
8. Mom and dad tucking me into bed and kissing me good night.
9. Thanksgiving with the whole family over.
10. Best Christmas gifts were Lite Bright, Easy Bake Oven, Feely-meely, Incredible Edibles, Frisbee, Slinky, dolls, and anything that was not mechanical or electrical.
11. Ice skating, sledding parties, and slumbar parties.
12. Being innocent enough to not know about all the kooks and problems in the world while I had the protection of mom and dad always.
Well I could think of a ton of things, but those were the best times of my life. What are yours?
Bringing back memories. NM
x
Ah, you just brought back memories...sm
I am mid-40s. My dad also taught me home and car repair--usually against my will, but grateful for it now. Whenever I bought a car, he made me change a tire and the oil in front of him. Loved shop class in school. Mmm, power tools! I still do a lot of maintaince and repairs, but I actually enjoy doing that stuff now! As for sewing, I was born into a family of handicrafters, and since I was a kid have enjoyed sewing non-clothing things and especially yarn projects, and can do most sewing repairs. Just not very good at sewing my own clothes from patterns because I poke myself with the pins too much. Such a klutz.
Wow does that bring back memories
Homemade chicken soup, sourdough bread, wine, and some German pastry thing for dessert (we lived in Germany).
So I can remember 27 years ago, but darn if I can't remember what we had last week. :-)
My favorite memories were living near
my grandparents. Saturday mornings grandpa and I would take a walk to the donut store and have donuts with sprinkles and coffee (hot chocolate). I remember going with grandma to visit her neighbors or helping her in the kitchen and helping grandpa water the garden or go through his train collection he had.
Unfortunately, I think my mom was born without the grandma gene :( She lives 350-400 miles away and we only see her a few times a year. Would love to let the kids go see her over the summer but she spends more time with "don't do that", "don't touch that", "don't go there", etc that it would be a very boring time for the kids.
That brings back great memories! :) (nm)
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That brings back memories! My sister's
boyfriend made that for dessert once years ago. They have since broken up, which I have regretted because I miss the DESSERT! LOL! Don't tell her I said that!
So funny! It brought back memories... (sm)
Many years ago when I worked in an entirely different environment, there was a version of this making the rounds that had several followup messages between the wife and tech support. I wish I could find it in my stash of old paperwork because it's hilarious!
Ahhh the memories, my mother used to bowl
on Thursday nights (30yrs ago) and she always made a crockpot of pinto beans since my dad didn't like to eat out. BTW, am having homemade chicken nuggets with a couple of very simple homemade dipping sauces.
memories, light the corners of my mind.
x
So did mine! That brings back memories. nm
xx
That brings back unpleasant memories. Glad that's over with. nm
nm
the term *eliminated* brings horrible memories
*eliminate, exterminate* when it comes to talking about humans (even if the perp here in your article acted inhumane)...
horrible memories, i.e., The Final Solution from 1939-1945....
please find another word....thank you. 
They do multiply don't they?! Brought back memories when my oldest brother
bought 2 white mice at the pet shop and the guy told him they were both males...about 2-3 weeks later we had a full liter of white mice. Mom made him take the whole cage with mice back to the pet shop (I wonder why? LOL).
Oh what memories you just brought back - Cortland, Syracuse. I attended college sm
at Syracuse years ago...met a man from the south, got married, and have lived down here ever since. I grew up in Rome, NY, if you are familiar...Am planning a trip up there with the entire family who, ironically, has never been up there before. We are going to probably stay in Syracuse and then drive to VT where I have family also. I can't wait for my husband and kids to see the Adirondacks in person and show them the house I grew up in.
I think we are going to wait until spring because of all the snow up there..stay safe, stay warm and cuddly, and know that I envy you. I haven't seen snow in over 10 years!!
cute! reminds me of OTIS from "milo and otis" ...fun memories! nm
nm
Oh, the memories......I can pass for Italian, but I am not Italian. I got my heart sm
broken in two in Rome, NY. I was so in love with this guy up there....and when his family found out I was not Italian he had to break it off with me! I was devastated. haha
Would LOVE to take a trip up there and drive through the Adirondacks, visiting family near Lake Champlain...I would love to take hubby there and the kids. Wow! Now I'm really missing the place!!! I think I'll try it this summer! Keep in touch ladies!
Stop! Stop! Memories
Keypunch machines. That's why my hearing is a bit off now. LOL
First personal computer and printer: An Epson and continuous paper printer with DOS operating system. Cost: $3500.
I still have my mood rings and my torquoise jewelry but lost my class ring in the grocery store.It was expensive, $50, black onxy stone and gold band.
Snowstorms that shut the towns down for days on end. Couldn't get out to go to work unless you worked close to home and could walk. Schools never shut down. Five of us walked a mile a day to school with snow up to our hips. Our lessons for the day? Study hall.
My first car was a ི Chevy coupe. Gas was $.27 a gallon and I chauffered 5 friends to and from school for $.25 a week. On Friday and Sat. nights there was a dance with a group that became 'almost famous.' They got as far as the Steel Pier in Atlantic City dance club. It was a big deal to be on TV in those days. On those nights, I would go to the next town and pick up anybody hitch hiking to the dance. (I wasn't allowed to go to the dances). I wired the car with an older portable record player that only played 45s and kept my records under the seat.Worked great except when I would hit a bump. LOL
Bandstand every day from 3:30 to 5:00 EST.
Sleigh riding in the winter on our Flexible Flyer. We did it on steep coal banks. Much better thrill. Then we found out cardboard worked even better. No getting stuck halfway down the bank because the sleigh rails would hit a larger piece of coal sticking up.
Hide-and-seek when it got dark. I missed the pole and hit face first. What a bloody mess, but you didn't run to the ER for it.
Throwing corn at the nasty neighbor's house at Halloween. He called the cops. We ran and hid. I was caught. Where was I hiding? In the neighbor's garbage pile. Today garbage piles are called compost piles.
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