Remember When You Were A Kid?

The temperature was in the 90's today with the heat index hitting a whoppin' 105! I stood outside in the blazing sun with a hot breeze blowing over me and the Faygo Boat Song got into my head. The tune was there but only a few of the words flitted around. "Comic books and rubber bands... mhmm mhmm mmhmm...Remember when you were a kid? Well, part of you still is and that's why we make Faygo." I have to blame My Man for it (why not? He's an easy target!) because he mentioned earlier today about not seeing anyone out and about in their yards when it is this hot. So my mind jumped back mhmm years to when I was a kid...

Gosh, when I was a kid (yeah, yeah, way back when) no one stayed in the house during the summer. As soon as breakfast was eaten, the whole neighborhood was outside playing. We shot back home for lunch or ate at a friend's house and then it was back outside until dinner time. Then back out until dark or on the occasionally night until 11:00 pm so we could play hide and seek.

Everyone knew everyone on the block so all the kids had free rein of all the yards for our massive hide and seek game playing. I'm talking a lot of kids... maybe 20 kids with the ages ranging from 5 or 6, (I was about 8 or 9 at the time) all the way up to 18 (that's one reason we could stay out late... the older kids took on the responsibility of keeping watch on the younger kids). We liked to hide in this one yard because it had a lot of lumber stacked up in the back... great hiding places! Ollie Ollie Oxen Free... I have no idea if that's what was really said, but that's what I remember and if it is what was said...What the hell does it mean?

When I was in the 3rd grade we moved (we lived one street north of the elementary school and now we lived one street south of the elementary... only the creek seperated our house from the foot ball field) and my friends changed. None of my friends lived on my street and it wasn't condusive to playing... too busy of a street, but the four blocks to the north had kids by the score. We usually gathered mid-point at the empty field near Mary Jane's house. We played softball, kickball, football, $5 in that field but basketball was played at Deb's (my bestest friend), tether ball at the Berends' and when it rained we played pool in Mary Jane's basement.

Had to shut down and save as draft because an awful thunderstorm rolled through. It was worse to the north of us but it was still pretty wicked here leaving a trail of branches and limbs everytwhere. At least the heat and humidity broke.

We rode our bikes everywhere and anywhere! My brothers bought me an old clunker when I was in the second grade and I do mean old clunker but it got me around and it was mine. I earned a bike when I was in the 5th grade - got straight A's on my report card! It was a blue, 3-speed, English racer...Awesome! Okay, a 3-speed bike dooesn't seem like much nowadays but back then, it was the top of the line. Nobody else had a 3 speed. One speed. That's it. Sorry guys. Eat my dust!

Wow! That was great travelling down memory lane. I just might do another one soon. I have some other nostalgia I would like to re-live. I re-live. You as a reader must su-ffffffer.

Video games, computers, satellite TV, DVD movies, cell phones... nobody just goes out and enjoys the outdoors anymore! Unless there is a pool in the backyard but even then it is sporadic. There are quite a few kids on my street and I see maybe one or two every week or so. I hear them when they are in the pool. Otherwise, they must be held captive in their houses. Prisoners of the techno-age!

So many things you almost forgot
Tryin' to remember
Remember when you were a kid?
Well, part of you still is ..........