Childhood Memories

I've been tagged by the monkeys at http://bugsandbows.blogspot.comto reveal 5 childhood memories.


1. Both of my parents always being there. At every baseball or ringette game, concerts, recitals etc. Whenever I would step onto the ice the first thing I would do is look for my parents ,and then I would start to warm up. It was just so important for me to see them there. I remember when I was in the Santa Claus Parade and my parents seemed to be everywhere I looked...they were marching alongside through the crowd.


2. Winning the city championship in gymnastics on the vault in grade 8. I did a handstand onto the vault with a half-twist off. No one at that time was doing that type of vault. I felt very proud especially when my school announced it over the PA system.


3. "Raiding" peoples' gardens. Sneaking around at dusk in the late summer, picking juicy tomatoes, cucumbers, and anything ripe ,from unsuspecting peoples garden. It was such a thrill. Dusk is still my favourite time of day in the summer.


4. Summer visits to the "farm". Being Dutch we had lots of farmers in our family and every year we would spend 2 weeks of the summer there. There was a pig farm, a dairy cow farm with horses, and a chicken farm. We would spend time visiting each relative and staying with our cousins. Talk about a city girl getting an education. I loved swinging in the barn off the rope and landing in bales of hay. We used to help our cousins with their chores, gathering the eggs, milking the cows etc. it was all fun for us. My Oma and Opa lived with my Uncle Harm in a big old-fashioned farmhouse complete with the hidden narrow stairs off of the kitchen to the bedrooms in an open loft where everyone slept. My Oma's bedroom was separate and I used to think it was so grand, with the big feather bed and duvet. I used to love being able to sleep with her in her bed. She lived a long live, she was 92 years old when she passed away.

5. Yearly family camping trips and then when we had more money, cottaging. Lots of laughter , campfires, playing board games and water fun. I remember the year we were determined to get my mom up on water skiis...Dad musta tried to pull her up at least 40 times. She gave up before he did! Then there was the other time that we swam in blood sucker infested water and my brother got one on a private body part. I'll never forget that my mom had to get a picture before she put salt on it. I was spared from the attack. But my younger brother had a tiny one between his toes and didn't notice until the next day! Gives me the creeps thinking about it .





Thanks for the tag. Has anyone else noticed that none of the bloggers tagged to remember their childhood memories have talked about materialistic things? At least not the ones I have read, but it sure makes me take notice of the memories that my children will make and keeps "other" things in perspective.