Summertime

Today was the kids last day of school - well except for tomorrow's graduation practice and last high school chapel service.
I still love the last day of school - the whole summer in front of you. It seemed like summers used to be longer.

I remember . . .

Playing in the field while Mother and Daddy planted - either playing in the back of the truck or in the shade underneath it.

Putting on a play with the neighbor kids - I think it was Cinderalla. I remember pulling the red wagon down the sidewalk. I think I was a mouse turned footman.

Hiding in the house from Christy and Laura because we wanted to watch the Brady Bunch instead of play outside.

Diane and I riding bikes down the driveway and "cyclemotoring" each other. What exactly did that word mean?

Sneaking Nutmeg in the house at night to sleep with me and Mother acting like she didn't notice him.

The summer we had Robbie. Robbie pushing me on my bigwheel, running through the house leaving little presents, and Robbie drinking gas. I also remember finding his tail in the yard.

The summer we moved all summer long.

Riding my bigwheel in the shop.

Riding bikes with Trella ALL summer long.

Letting the air out of my bike tire hoping Ken would be home to air it up - he wasn't. I'm sure that was Trella's idea.

The summer Trella's Aunt Sharon's basset hound had puppies. We spent a week solid there holding those puppies.

Ma teaching us how to dip and spit snuff - she made us use cinnamon/sugar.

Playing in the creek. Catching minnows.

The summer Mother was pregnant. That was the summer we had the sow with the hurt leg that we had to water, the overfilled propane tank we had to water to keep from spouting off, and the goats that kept getting in the road.

Swimming at Indian Creek's pool - who was that handsome lifeguard?

Laying out in Danny's kiddy pool.

Raising orphaned baby pigs.

Finding kittens in the hayloft. Ma telling us to leave them alone or she'd whip us.

Making tents out of quilts and sleeping in them all night.

Taking supper to the field.

Jumping on the trampoline at Brian's house.

Picking strawberries.

Let the summer begin!