Ready or not, here I come!
Just by the content of this blog I will likely be outing my age. Nonetheless, what better time to reminisce about summer days of old than during hot August nights?
Warning – the following is full of nostalgia and may trigger poignant childhood memories.
The first fond recollection that pops immediately to mind on a blistering hot afternoon has a melodic twist. You guessed it – the iconic Ice Cream truck. When this delight tinkled into our neighborhood there was a frenzy as we ran to our parents for spare change to be exchanged for ice-cold sweet treats. If we were too slow and missed the truck, it was considered one of the great tragedies of the day.
Mornings were dedicated to swimming lessons before the pools opened to the public – which included us most afternoons. Montana has many lakes, rivers, and streams so no child is safe until they learn to tread water and master some of the basic strokes. Gaining the courage to use the diving board was a must for those wishing to develop daring rock and cliff jumping skills.
Inevitably the bike ride home (our primary mode of transportation to all places) after the pool heated us back up which led to an activity I still enjoy to this day – running through the sprinklers. Never knowing exactly where the ice-cold water would hit was exhilarating. And sprinklers usually resulted in setting up the slip and slide. Despite the dads worrying about their grass surviving the beating, this simple strip of yellow plastic was the quintessential friend magnet.
Water balloons anyone? Enough said!
“Olly olly oxen free.” Two kids or twenty could entertain themselves for hours with a rousing game of Hide and Seek. I’m not sure what was more fun – being IT or being the last one found. Our other favorites were Mother May I, Red Light/Green Light, Red Rover, and any kind of Tag. It would have been kind of interesting to see how many steps we kids got in back in those days.
When was the last time you flew a kite? It seems like a lost past-time but back in the day, dozens of kids from the neighborhood would hit the “big hill” and toss our flyers into the air. Typically, one of my big brothers would take on my bat kite in a dog fight that I almost always lost but it was a magical way to spend the afternoon regardless.
As the teen years came on, yard games were replaced with cruising Main Street and evenings at the drive-in theatre. We never cared what was showing and rarely watched the movie but the experience of finding a prime parking place, hooking the squawky wired speaker box to the driver’s window, (technology – what technology?) strolling the lanes looking for friends, and hanging out in the snack shack were all part of the experience.
“They’re here.” One movie we did watch was Poltergeist. We girls were deeply enthralled when some boys thought it would be funny to pound on the top of our car. Our screams could be heard for miles!
No summer was complete without sleepovers and particularly sleep outs. There was just something about telling scary stories, pigging out on snacks, sneaking forbidden beverages, and waking up in the middle of the night to slip back inside to a couch or bed because it really was too scary to stay outside all night.
These were simpler days. These were memorable days. These were wonderful days.
Childhood goes by all too quickly and yet some of us still have a bit of youthfulness hidden within. Nothing pleases my hubby more than cleaning and waxing (hint: think wax paper) the slide at Cherry Creek Guest House, making it a slippery surprise for whoever has enough inner child to climb up and take a thrilling ride.
The opportunities for your next Montana adventure are unlimited and Cherry Creek Guest House is ready to serve as your home away.
Cherry Creek Guest House 