I’ve studied and worked with the Waterside Retreat DSP quite a bit this week preparing for the small gathering of friends next week in St. Louis. The patterns in the designer series paper give me a sense of looking back in time, so I’m feeling a bit nostalgic today.
When I compare my childhood to that of my grandkids (and probably even my own kids) they would have thought we lived in the Dark Ages. There were no tablets or electronics of any kind, and it was a big deal to have TWO TV’s in your home – most everyone had just one, and it probably didn’t even have a remote.
We walked and rode our bikes all over town, and stayed out until almost dark when our parents started calling us – not by cell phone but by yelling for us – to come inside. And go back to that TV – we had a black and white TV until I was going into high school. Our TV worked just fine, so you didn’t just go and buy a new one until it was needed. We had 3 channels – 9, 4, and 5. Somewhere in junior high channel 41 arrived in Kansas City and I thought that was so weird – jump from single digit channel numbers to a double one.
Summer was spent playing outside all day long, with a walk to the library and the movie theater weekly for summer matinees. About once a week we would go to the Dairy Queen (which was only open in the summer, so you had to take advantage of it!) And also about once a week you could have a friend come over, or visa versa. And you know what? The word bored wasn’t allowed in our vocabulary. We could always find something to do outside.
Today’s card from Waterside Retreat also gives you that nostalgic feeling as well. The old fashioned Schwinn that you road to the local ice cream shop (that probably was closed during the school months.) Stampin’ Up! has pushed the color combinations as well, with Gray Granite and Cajun Craze. Those are NOT two of my go to colors – I maybe go through a couple of packs a year at most. I considered Pool Party instead of the Gray Granite, but there’s a bit of sky that’s more Balmy Blue so Pool Party just didn’t work.
Final Thoughts….
My parents grew up during the Depression years, so they knew what it was like to do without. Mom’s family lived on a little farm with more kids then rooms in the house. I tell people that I’m sure my mom’s family was the inspiration for the Ma and Pa Kettle movies, and they think I’m joking. I’m not! Pretty sure they were all little heathens! My dad’s family were migrant workers, moving where the work was. From Arkansas to Missouri then Oklahoma, California to Arizona. My childhood was spent in one town, and we had two houses. Mom and Dad built their new home when I was in 1st grade, and they lived there until they went to assisted living. I asked Dad about a job opportunity he had in Oklahoma once, and he told me he turned the job down, because he wanted us to have the one home that he didn’t have.
We didn’t have everything we wanted, BUT we never went without. And we were happy.
Have a blessed weekend everyone!
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