More ‘Memories of Summer’

Summer memories are some of the most lasting, for some reason.  I’ve shared some of mine on the blog before.  What things do you remember about summers in your childhood?

I remember my Barbie dream house with the cardboard furniture and the fake record albums that went in the stereo console.   

I remember playing troll dolls for hours, making clothes for them out of felt and taking mine everywhere I went.   I believe the C*abbage P*tch doll is a direct descendant.

I remember playing Chinese jump rope and making Jacob’s ladder out of yarn loops.

I remember miles and miles of roller skating on a pair of skates that you clamped onto your fake Keds and tightened with a key that you wore on a string around your neck all summer long.  They looked a lot like these:

Looking at this picture makes me feel like a dinosaur.  Or a character in an Am*rican Girl doll history book.  “Meet Becky!”


I remember going to the A&W drive-in (not drive through) and getting a teen burger and root beer in a glass mug, brought to your car on a tray that hung from your window.  These were the characters (now restored) in front of the drive-in representing the papa, mama, teen and baby burgers.

I remember walking down to ‘Sev (7-11) for coke slurpees and penny candy.

When I was older, I remember learning to drive in a bug like this one with a stick shift and no seat belts.  Check out that cool dash board.

I remember tent camping and water skiing.  My dad actually built a fiberglass boat with an outboard motor and a bench seat for two.  This picture is somewhat similar to what our campsites looked like:

Except substitute folding wooden stools with canvas seats for those comfy chairs.  And erase that nifty screened enclosure.  Replace the two-room dome tent with it’s easy-up poles with a 6x6’ heavy canvas army tent filled with four leaky air mattresses and two kids instructed (loudly) not to touch the sides when it rained.  Add a heavy metal cooler full of Shasta pop, some Sea and Ski sunscreen and a frazzled mother who hated camping and you pretty much have my family!


I remember berry picking, bike riding, summer classes at OMSI, water ballet, sunburns and the whistle my mom blew from the front porch when it was time to come home for dinner.

Summer is for making memories!
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