Memories

As I read Chandra's post today about the good old days of sprinklers and duct tape (see The Smith Family link) I couldn't help but smile. There were a lot of things that our kids didn't have...okay let me rephrase that... they didn't have the real item, but their replacements were always unique and original.

One winter I remember the oldest of the kids (Holly, Chandra, and Jason) sledding in our back yard. Rachel, who was two at the time, was confined to the house, having just gotten out of the hospital with pneumonia. The kids were having a blast, and their sled wasn't what you might imagine. Their "sled" consisted of a large piece of black plastic around 1/4 inch thick. Pa (my dad) had tied bailer twine to the front for a handle and the kids spent all day going up and down the hill. It was actually large enough that Chandra and Holly would stand on it to go down the hill. Like usual, Jason was told if he just pulled the sled UP the hill he would get a turn... the girls didn't say what century that would happen in, so Jason would often end up in the house drowning his sorrow in Hot Chocolate and cookies!

We didn't have a lot of fancy gizmos and gadgets, but our kids sure did have fun... the memories that they share when together fill the room with laughter. Using your imagination is becoming a lost art, one that we should begin working at re-establishing... so if you have any black plastic that you aren't using... look me up. Michael could use a sled!!!!