Friday, February 29, 2008

February Take It Further Challenge


Well, I've turned into a procrastinator! This postcard has been sitting around, the design done since the middle of February. In my own defense - it's been a heck of a two weeks! Still fighting the knee - and it's been fighting back! We're getting ready to have the bedroom level redone - paint and carpeting. That's 2 guestrooms and the sewing room. OYE VAY! So I have been cleaning out and reorganizing and of course, it looks worse than ever! I go back to work part time next week and I'm not even half way thru the list of things I was going to get done! I have been know to be over-optimistic about what I'll get done. But still!

The TIF challenge was "what I'm old enough to remember". I'm pretty old! But the biggest change I think has happened is 'kids in summer.' I remember the endless summers and all the free time we had. We got up in the morning, did some chores and then we were literally thrown out of the house for the day! Told to "go play!" We did have lunch, of course, but no matter how much we begged to play inside during the HOT afternoons - nope, we were told to sit on the cool garage floor and play cards!

Here's what I remember about those glorious - unplanned - summers: riding bikes everywhere. building forts in hedges; under the slide; in a fence corner. Setting up elaborate doll villages and playing there all day. Climbing the apple tree and sitting up there discussing the world as we knew it! Laying on the side of the hill, watching the clouds and making up pictures we saw. The summer reading program that we finished in 2 weeks - not 6! Neighborhood vacation bible schools - everyone wanted to take a friend or two - we probably went to 2 or 3! Summer playground at our school with four-square; arts and crafts and that stick hockey game in the wooden frame! Swim lessons and how cold the pool was the first week. Outdoor movie theatres and cook outs. Playing jacks on the garage floor. Hours of "Authors" or "Old Maid" card games in that same garage. Clover necklaces. Lightening bug rings [ick] Gunny sack swings. (softer than a tire swing and not as hot!) After dinner games of hide and go seek in the dark. Even the smell on your clothes after a long hot day outside! A cool bath before bedtime and we got to do it all over again the next day!

4 comments:

Michele Bilyeu said...

Hi Doni! Just checking in to let you know that I'm thinking of you and sending good, healing thoughts to that new knee! After all of this, it had better work, and work good! Hey, I'm looking forward to meeting you in Sisters some day again in the future and we'll have some serious walkin' and talkin' to do...so get that knee in top knotch shape...and the other one, too! ((hugs)) Michele

Sweet P said...

Your postcard turned out great.
I hope your knee gets better soon.

Anonymous said...

No more cycling for you anymore by the sounds of it but at least you have the memories.

Good luck with the knee

LynnS said...

Wow -- I love your TIF challenge and all of the memories you shared! Those memories could all have been written by me with the exception of the concrete garage. I lived in the country in an old house -- our 'garage' was more of a carriage house so it had a dirt floor. Still, those childhood memories with hour upon hour or time spent outside playing, exploring, reading were great, weren't they? Those days left me with such rich childhood memories!

Thanks for stopping by my blog, fellow TIF'r!