Getting to Know You - September 23

[Ann]

What is your favorite childhood memory?

[Maryanne]

I was 4 or 5, my dad took me to see Pinochio and I remember when the whale swallowed Pinochio I was so scared. My dad put his arms around me and told me it would be alright and kissed my cheek.

It was such a tender moment. That is also the only time he took me to the movies with just us.

Maryanne

[bunny]

for my 4th birthday, my grandfather and grandmother took me to see Pete's Dragon at Radio City Music Hall, then to lunch at Rockefeller Center where we could see the ice skaters.

he died when I was 6, so this is a big one.

xoxo

bunny

[Larry]

During WW2i along with my sister lived with our grandparent's as our mother was a Army Nurse. My favorite time's (there are so many)was cleaning out the chocolate cake mix left in the bowl. I look back now and realize Grandma used to leave extra for us to have..Also the homemade bread and canning time..We then moved to a little farm town in Nebraska (fairfield) untill we moved to Phoenix Arizona and to this day those memories of life in FairField were some of my happiest along with living with my GrandParent's....

[SDianneB]

I have many. Mine was a blessed childhood, almost the kind in a book! Mostly, spending time with my dad - sitting in his lap for hours when I was very young as he taught me to read. Also my granny - a real character. I had a few "2nd mothers" as well. So, my childhood itself is a favorite - and very good memory. All of it!

Di

[dchurchi]

My childhood was like Di's very happy with many memories, but what sticks with me the most, along with my sister and brother, was dinner time. The family sitting around the dinner table, no phone, no T.V. no radio. Just the 3 of us with my Mom and Dad talking about every possible sudject and laughing until tears were coming out of our eyes. I will never forget those family dinners.

Debbie

Husband Alan DX LSCLC Jan 10th 2005

[cindi o'h]

I was 5 years old and it was Christmas Eve. Mom and Dad told us kids (there were 9 under the age of 11) that they would take us to Midnight Mass if we took a nap. I was the only one that took a nap. So, I got my Mom and Dad to myself the only time in my childhood career. It was wonderful.

Cindi o'h

[lindseysmom]

It would be the time my dad took me fishing. I was probally around nine or ten. It was just the two of us. We were in a little John boat, fishing with a old cane pole with a cork bobber. I don't even remember if we caught any fish or not. I'm sure my dad did. He loved to fish. But I do remember that my dad had brought a cantaloupe for us to eat. However we had lost the knife. The only thing he had to cut it open with was a screwdriver. Let me tell you it was the best cantaloupe I have ever eaten. Sounds kind of gross today, but boy was it good. Gosh, I miss my Dad.

Best Wishes,

Dee

[Don Wood]

What I remember most is riding in the back of the car, up on the ledge by the back window as we traveled from Louisiana to Mississippi to see my mom's folks. I would entertain myself watching the cars and trucks and the scenery. It was a family outing. Don

[Ann]

I was raised way out in the country so it was a real treat to "go to town." My mother and her first cousin were both teachers. So, my great aunt Dora would babysit me on teachers inservice training days, while my mom was in meetings all day. There was always a meeting around the end of October (close to my birthday). She would always take me to downtown Knoxville and we would shop all day. She would do all her Christmas shopping at this time, as well as buying my birthday gift. The best treat of the day was lunch at McCroys counter. She would always let me have a banana split for dessert. I would pop a balloon to see what price we paid for the banana split!

[kamataca]

For sure it would involve camping as a kid. My dad had the foresight to spend as much time with us as possible, even to the point of being put on the 'slow' track for promotions at work. He died when i was 8, so I'm glad he knew what was really important.

One time we were camping, and Dad took us to the lake. I was the only one (out of us 3 kids) who had my life jacket with me, so Dad took just me out to the deep water. I guess it was the 'feeling special' part of it that was fun.

, Kelly

[kimmek]

I don't know that this is a "favorite" memory but it is certainly one of the most vivid i can recall.

We were on vacation, traveling all summer along the east coast and back to Texas in a Volkswagon bus/camper. I was maybe 8, so my brother was 6. We were in Niagra Falls and standing naer the rails,looking at the falls when the next thing i remeber is my brother up on top of the rails getting ready for a swim. My mother was hysterical to say the least. Dad got him down and i recall going on the boat with yellow raincoats on and my mother never letting go of my brothers hand.

Other than that it was an awesome trip, my parents WON buckets of money on a horserace. Secretariat was a triple crown winner and that was one reason we went on this trip, so they could go to this race. We stayed in a hotel with a babysitter, I will never forget the wad of money i saw when they came back. The rest was in a check.

[sharyn]

Gosh, this is a hard one there are so many good memories... a favorite is hard to pick. One that always makes me smile is remembering our annual family vacations to Lake Sunapee in NH.... fishing, swimming, just being together..... Time can never erase those times...

[Andrea]

I had a nice childhood, I am fortunate to have amazing parents.

I particularly recall all of our vacations to California. I was obsessed with Los Angeles. I loved visiting Beverly Hills, seeing the stars, etc. And my parents obliged me by taking me out here year after year (I grew up in NY).............And now that I live here and spent a year in Beverly Hills, I wanted to knock the tourists out of the way to do my business and the celebrities can be quite obnoxious

Another great memory was in 1990 my parents bought me an Acura Integra and my dad surprised me by adding the "spoiler" to the rear which made it extra cool. He was still driving his 72 duster, but his kid was driving in luxury

[Andrea B.]

I too had a wonderful childhood. So many good memories. Our family vacations to Lake Chelan, Washington every year for over 32 years was one of the highlights...my brother and I still talk about the fun we had during those days.

The times when I would lay my head in my mom's lap, she would stroke my hair and sing to me. She used to sing in nightclubs. Boy how I miss hearing her sing!

My dad being home by 4pm from work (no working 12 hour days) and playing in the yard while he mowed the lawn or played catch with us.

The carefree days...

[gail p-m]

I think back to the bike rides I used to take with my father on the bike path along Ocean Parkway in Brooklyn, N.Y. I used to sit on a purple pillow on the rail of his bike when I was younger. When I was older, I rode my own bike beside him. When we got to the end of the path at Prospect Park, there were some vending machines by a gas station. I always used to get a can of cream soda. Never found the same delicious cream soda in all the years since. What I wouldn't give to take that ride again with him!

gail p-m

[tnmynatt]

When I think of my youth there are 2 things:

1. Watering flowers in my front yard with my red Keds on. I think I was 4 or 5.

2. Summer vacations in Florida. Enjoyed spending the night on the way there at a motel and getting to go swimming with my brother and sister and other traveling kids we met there.

[daggiesmom]

Christmas, 1960. I was 7 and under the twinkling lights of the Christmas tree - there she was - my new doll. Tillie the Talker. She had running shorts with a stripe down the side, a funny face complete with freckles, long skinny legs with flat feet, a red Pony tail and a green telephone clutched in her hand (the "talker" part). I fell in love with her immediately. Remember the "new doll" smell - that is a Christmas smell. What a wonderful memory. Thanks for making me remember her. Happiness.

Sorta like the Red Rider Be-be gun, girl style!

Joanie

[lilyjohn]

I'm afraid that I was not quite as fortunate as many of you were. We were very poor so the memories that are good mean a lot to me. My mom worked in a canery to raise us 5 kids (myself and 4 older brothers) my dad had a problem with wine.

I was about 5 years old when the most precious memory I have took place. It was the day before Easter. All of the other little girls had new Easter dresses but I had none. My oldest brother Richard picked me up from the baby sitter. On the way home he asked me what I was going to wear for Easter. I looked down at the plaid pleeted skirt that I was wearing and said "I guess I will wear this".

When we got home he took me out of the car and put me up on his shoulders. We we walked it the house the first thing I saw hanging in the furtest highest corner was a new Easter dress. I will never forget. It was blue with ruffles and pink ribbons. He had gotten his Income tax that day and the first thing he did was buy that dress for me. When the neighbor ladies told him that he could have bought 2 for what he paid for it he told them that he only needed one.

Another was a year when my two other brothers worked all summer at odd jobs and cutting grass. My youngest brother Harold bought me a musical Teddy Bear. That bear was my best friend for years. He heard all of my heartaches and all of my joys.

One last thing I want to mention is the Greyhound bus station. During the winter every Tuesday my mom would get an unemployment check because he work was seasonal. On Tuesdays we would walk about a mile to catch the bus to Palo Alto. Once she got her check if money wasn't too tight she would buy me a hanburger at the bus station. I remember those as the best burgers I ever had. Thinking back I don't think she ever bought one for herself. I was very blessed with the family I had even if things were always tight.