summertime-a short time in the up

After 5 days with 4wonderful grandchildren I was reminded of how much I loved the beach, water and fun. The best thing about children is you get to relive the joy of life thru them. Thanks guys.

Here are some memories of mine.
1. has to be the beach bus. It left Houghton at 12:45 and returned at 4:15. I had to walk about 6 blocks to catch it. I went just about everyday. Come Aug. there was no bus as it was polio season and we were not to gather in large groups. June and July was fun, fun, fun. All my neighborhood friends went with me and we played in the water, on on swings, teeter totter or merry go round. I was very brown after those days. No sun block. Beach was about 7 miles from my home.

2. Fourth of July-Dad and Uncle Fred (neighbor across the street would leave early in the morning with the beer and Jim Beam for Twin Lakes (about 40 miles from us). By the time My family, Joni's family and Joycies family showed up Dad and Fred were potted. We would spend the entire day in the water except for the 1 hour after lunch we could not go in as it was believed we might get a cramp and drown. I personally think it was because the adults wanted to rest and not worry about us in the water. Dinner was usually pasties wrapped in wax paper and newspapers packed in a beer case. Spagetti in a pot that would be warmed on a grill. Kool aide and cookies. Sometimes there would be hot dogs. If the parents had enough money we could go to the concession stand and get a frostick (like an eskimo pie). Once we got home it was time for sparklers. we all did it together and every year someone stepped on a hot one or burned themselves.

3.Evenings on Baraga st. during the summer was game time. Hide and seek (always had to pee when I was hiding) ,kick the can (was always a beer can for everyone in the garbage at the neighbor ZaZa's house, knock the can off the rock or button button who has the button at Joycies house as she had the most steps to her front door.

4.Other than swimming we spent summer days catching bees, picking wild strawberries at the dump, walking to a place called the Sands that seemed very far away (maybe a mile). Playing in a sand pile with trucks, playing house, school or just doing picture clouds. We also loved going to Lehti's store (the neighborhood store) to buy 5 cent popscicles, or penny (yes really a penny)candy. Parents didn't give us that nickle everytime we asked so we often scrounged up bottles to return at 2 cents a bottle. Sometimes if we got a dime we would buy 2 for one penny candy and take it back to the neighborhood and sell it for double what we paid.(My friends were pretty dumb and would buy it, and when they sold it I was dumb enough to buy it ).

5. What a great childhood!! No doubt somewhere in this blog you'll hear more about the summer experiences.