Summertime

When we were free in the summer there were lots of things that we liked to do. One thing there was a walnut orchard across the street and the owner would plow it and make irragation ditches so he could water his trees. Being we had to find our own fun we would go play in the ditches when he had the water running into them. It was great fun and we were a muddy mess, so I am sure Mom wasn't to happy if we tried to come into the house like that, but it was really fun and cooling. She probably made us hose off before we could go in. We always could play in the sprinkler but the irragation ditches were the best.
Another thing we liked to do was play hide and seek especailly when it was getting dusk. Somehow we managed to find things to keep us entertained. Tag was another game we liked.

Dad built a big BBQ pit in the back yard so we had a lot of dinners out there. Another thing I loved was when we got to go out and eat our breakfast outside. It always seemed to taste better out there. Dad had built a big table with lattace work over the top so we were partially screened from the sun until Mom had a trumpet vine that shade the the table.

When I got a little older we started going to the Russian River for a week or two in the summers, and we stayed in a little cabin. Dad took us up and came back to get us when it was time to leave. I got to take a friend once that I remember and we would spend the days eyeing the boys and getting a tan. I couldn't swim but like to try to do the back stroke if I was in swallow water. I am surprised my mom let me wear that swim suit as it laced up the side and showed skin, but it was one I had made. It took me until I was about 60 years old before I finally got where I could get into the deep water and swim. I am not a good swimmer but at least the deep water didn't freak me anymore and I felt really good about that.


I met my first real boy friend one summer there at the river, and he was a really nice guy, but when he came down to visit me one time wearing a zoot suit, I couldn't handle that, and he went home wondering what happened.LOL He had the big hat, long chain and the coat was long too, with tappard pants. Poor guy, as he thought he looked really cool to come see his girl, but his girl didn't think so. There is a pic of him with me. I do still remember his first name though which was Bill.