second edition

My memories today were from a long, long time ago and were full of imagination.

Peach and Erika--Remember AYR (pronounced "air" and stood for all-year-round) Club that we started? For headquarters we were going to finish Erika's garage attic and fill it with inflated sofas and chairs. I think the club was supposed to be a detective agency and a community service project (We wanted to get into American Girl Magazine by raising enough funds for new play-ground equipment for our park.).

We ALWAYS used to play Oregon Trail. All of us would dress up from the abundant resources of dress-up clothes in my basement and fill our little red wagon with all the necessities required by many long months on the trail. After gathering supplies, Whit and I would hook our stick-ponies up to the wagon, and we'd be off. Later that night (actually like 5 minutes into our trip) we would all gather around our campfire for a good old hoe-down. We'd take turns pulling "dance" tunes out of our 3-string guitar (or at times badminton racquet) while the rest would do-si-do around our pile of sticks (a.k.a. fire). After restful night's sleep (3 minutes) the sun would rise early and we'd be back on the trail. Before too long, someone would catch malaria, and we'd all try and nurse her back to health. If Whit or Shan played that part, they always died. But they didn't stay dead for long, because they'd be right back with us on our journey. Even after all those years of playing Oregon Trail, I'm still not quite sure if we ever reached our destination.

Oh the creek! When Nanny and Papa lived in their big, old house my sisters, Erika and Ethan or our cousins, and I would play in the creek all day. We found coffee (dry, eroded dirt) and harvested left-over corn cobs. Once we tried to build a house by weaving grass around tall sticks which were set into the ground. The last step was to cover the walls in mud, but at that point, all the walls came a tumblin' down. We never got to the roof . . . We'd swim in the foot or two of water, and we would always see who could jump the farthest across the creek. Whenever we heard Nanny blow her whistle, we'd know it was time to start the long trek back across the corn field or along the creek.

When Oregon Trail or Creek was not in vogue, we'd play Lost Kids. I did not really like that game because Whitney and Erika made me be the evil step mother. They were always running away from me. Shannon and Ethan always wanted to be the dogs or twin brothers. We'd make a home under the pine trees in the Flynn's back yard where branches became bedrooms and the kitchen would be the dirt floor with a hole dug for our fireplace. Usually somewhere in the course of the day I would have to go chasing after all four of my step children because they ran away from my supposed cruelty . . .

Another highlight of summers past was playing in our neighbor's pond. We'd dig out the algae, feed the fish, catch tadpoles, climb the little waterfall, hide in the pompous grass, and walk across the little bridge to the "island".

One summer I set up a very successful business selling embroidery thread friendship bracelets. I made well over $15 with each bracelet costing only $0.25. Quite a good profit for an eight year-old.

On hot days we would build a water park in our back yard. We'd set our fire-hydrant sprinkler in the top of our play-house and then slide down the slide and swing and sit underneath. We'd also set up a slip-n-slide with old shower curtains, and the wagon or little pool would be filled with water if we felt like a not-too-deep dunk.

Life as a kid was great. There were never any worries about what other people thought about us, only dreams, and imagination, and wonderful times.