Molly indirectly invited me to stroll memory lane, prompting me to share these random good memories from my youth; not necessarily always the "happy" kind, but the sort that stay with you and keep your childhood ever present in heart and mind:
The Talk. Because my mom knew she was losing her battle with cancer, she wanted to be the one who told me and my sister the Facts of Life. This was 35 years ago, before Victoria began spilling her Secrets in front of God and everybody. My memories are limited, but I was horrified and disgusted, saying something to the effect of, "You do WHAT with THAT?!" and "Well, if I ever get married and "have to", there’s no way I’m leaving the lights on!!" My most concrete memory is Mama saying, "Well, I’m NOT gonna draw pictures for you!"
Of course, if she did, they’d be on my blog right now ;).
Whisker Rubs. By the end of the day, my dad had a pretty stiff five o’clock shadow; we used to love/hate him to rub his sandpaper cheek against our own, and we’d squeal "No!" but our giggles invited more.
Freshman Cheerleading Tryouts. Because I hadn’t warmed up well enough, when I did a split (towards the end of the tryout), I injured myself and collapsed. It felt like a hot knife had been plunged into my groin (I think that’s what part was hurt). In a scene straight from a 70s made-for-tv-movie/Afternoon Special, I was carried off the gym floor to the coach’s office. There, my sister pretty much cussed me out and told me I was going to finish the tryout.
I did.
I made cheerleading.
Girls were MEAN to me because they were certain I made it because I got the sympathy vote…and my injury hurt for years. Seriously.
Visiting my "country cousins". Every summer, we visited our aunt and uncle in "Mayberry". Ooooo, the days spent with our cousins swimming in the blue hole, riding the neighbor’s dirt bike, foolin’ around in their garden, EATING stuff from their garden (!), playing Mumbley Peg (a game with a pocket knife), shooting Blackjack firecrackers, playing Kick the Can ’til bedtime, buying penny candy at Murphey’s….
Which reminds me, buying penny candy IS one of my favorite memories!
Bobby Sherman’s life-long influence.
Jeanie Arnold Edwards Y Camp. This was also a summer-time tradition, first as a camper, then as a counselor. Within a deep memory well, camp songs float to the surface. With wild abandon and the innocence of an era gone by, we belted out "Violent Love", "An Austrian Went Climbing" and "Just Plant a Little Watermelon on My Grave". They sound crazy to me now, they didn’t then.
And it makes me more than a little weepy now that a country club sits on the spot that still holds a piece of my heart and youth captive.
Taking liquor to 5th grade, drinking it, and getting caught. It’s not as bad as it sounds :).
Everything about my grandmother’s house and garden. They were magical places. Two precious memories? Jumping off her garage roof into a compost pile, funny to me now because I’m scared of heights; another, making dolls–princesses–out of her flowers.
I think I’ll stop here–a list like this never ends, especially for someone like me ;)…if you’d like to add your own childhood memories and take part in this week’s Fun Monday, please visit Molly at Return of the White Robin for details!
Robin, Thank you for the stroll down memory lane. You have written so masterfully about these reminiscences. As many of us are reading this, I think we might be remembering “The Talk.” As usual, you have written your post with that certain sensitivity that reaches the heart. Your post about penny candy was so fine. Penny candy indeed is such a sweet memory.
You have the coolest memories, Robin. I find them intriguing for two key reasons:
1 – You write with a clarity and honesty that’s sadly rare these days. There are millions of blogs and other things to read, but few are as direct and human as yours. Please don’t ever change.
2 – Your experiences are so relatable. I, too, attended a Y camp that’s been replaced by something commercial and sad. I, too, did things that, in retrospect, might have hurt or killed me; yet miraculously I made it to adulthood.
Thanks for letting me go back and remember why those experiences were cool in the first place.
And thanks for your tweets on our wild weather. A tornado touched down about 15 minutes north of here. I go cycling there all the time…we’re waiting for news on damage. Fingers crossed for now. Line 2 of the storms will roll through overnight. Long distance radar looks nasty, but you never really know the intensity until they either close in or something else pops up. If I had known the weather around here could be so wild, I might have thought twice before moving here.
Oh well, experience, right? Thanks for the note. Amazing how this technology works, eh?
You have some pretty good memories listed. The one that I can relate to most is the jumping into a compost from the garage roof. Only I jumped off the top of a swingset with an umbrella. Needless to say it slow my fall to earth any.
Great memories! It makes me wish I would have gone to summer camp. Penny candy is a good memory!
this is a wonderful trip down memory lane with you … thank you for painting such vibrant pictures with your words!
Dear Robin. Ahhhhooooowwwwcccchh! That groin injury sounds way too painful. I hope cheerleading (and the girls being mean to you!) was worth it! I’d have bowed out and nursed my wounds and gone all emo or something.
LOL! I love the “talk” part! You know Im dreading having to do that one with my boys! I had not thought of that, when I decided to home school! Everyone else has deemed to remind me though! Aren’t friends and family just grand? Come to think of it I also jumped and climbed high places as a kid and am now scared of heights, how strange!
Sorry we did not win! I tried, really I did!
I loved to read your memories, it’s so interesting today to see what everybody had digged out. My childhood memories are rather dull, lol !
Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, thank goodness your mom didn’t draw pictures! rofl. Some great stuff here, but as soon as I type this and click publish I’m gonna come back later, then go read about the liquor in school. [oh, oh….]
My Fun Monday is shared too, I hope you can stop by and read it, if you haven’t already –since I’m just now going through the Mr. Linky’s at Mollys before I get to my own comments to read who has visited!! Take care, have a great day. [PS –you have to scroll below my ‘walk in the park’ photos to reach my F M entry!!]
I love trips down memory lane, your post bought back lost of memories. I do wish we had camp in the UK though I think it is such a great experience to have had.
And thanks for your very kind words n my FC40.
These are such sweet memories. As I read everyone else’s memories, I am inevitable reminded of my own. What a fun way to spend a Monday morning, reminiscing with others.
And your talk with your mother – thanks for sharing.
Hey Darlin’…just checking in on you and find another Perfect Post waiting for me here.
I had 5th graders take vodka in lemon squeeze containers to a end-of-the-year movie.
I would have never known except they couldn’t make it out of the theater.
Very fun Fun Monday! It’s wonderful your mom was there for “the talk.”
You have shard some wonderful memories with us today. As always I love reading your stories 🙂
Wise and kind mother to ensure that her daughter got the facts straight from her instead of another pre-teen–or not at all.
I remember your “thing” for Bobby Sherman from our celebrity posts!
Love your post. I remember whisker rubs. Our Dad would pick us up and rub his whiskers on our bellies. Fun stuff.
Your mom was super. She had things really figure out about helping people.
Ooooh, I had forgotten penny candy. I loved walking to the store, opening that old screen door and stretching up to the wooden counter for penny candy. Sweet!
you have some wonderful memories Robin..your mom sounds like a wonderful woman!!
That was fab Robin. So many good memories. Thanks for sharing. And I love the name Mumbley Peg. 😀
I love your memories of cheerleading tryouts. I tried out 5 times (3 for jr. varsity and 2 for varsity)–I unlike you did not make it. Can’t imagine the pride I take in telling that story– like I just kept trying– I must have “the little engine that could” syndrome. Hope you have a great week.
Judy
Perhaps some childhood interpretations of those “drawings” would be interesting Robin???
Oh I can’t even imagine what the “talk” would have been like coming from my Mother. Though is just too crazy. = )
Sound as if your childhood and summer were fun filled.
the talk is so difficult. My mom skipped it.
I can’t believe you finished the try outs after pulling a muscle or whatever. Talk about gutsy.