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Food for Thought:
Let the children play
And sit like flowers upon thy grave
And crown with flowers, that hardly have
A briefer blooming-tide than they.
--Francis Turner Palgrave |
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Memories
Monday, January 24, 2005
"Tell me one of your happy childhood memories," I asked my parenting class attendees, and they easily recalled a warm and happy memory. Not one of the eighteen memories involved money. They were memories of time with family, and frequently a favorite food was attached to the memory. Then I read Chris's blog about her childhood memory of a winter's day on East Evans Place and sure enough...family and food were mentioned...money was not involved. What can we learn from that?
My fondest memories took place when we lived in our little house on Trenton Street in Denver, not in our big house on Monaco Parkway. And my fondest memories often took place outdoors! I lived in such a humble home until I was eight years old, with a tiny backyard. But the house didn't seem humble to me...it was cozy and sunny and wonderful. And my backyard didn't seem small...it was a large and lush stage for my imagination. I remember having lots of time to play, and I often played alone...it didn't bother me a bit. I spent lots of time riding by bike, alone and with my best friend Phyllis, as I got older. I practiced a lot to be able to ride over "the bumps" with no hands on the handle bars. I was so cool. ("The bumps" was a series of five gentle ripples in the road on Leyden Street just a couple of blocks from my house. I'm sure drivers hated that spot, but it sure was fun to ride over it on a bike...especially with no hands!)
I don't believe I ever ate dinner alone...it was always a family affair. I don't remember a dinner with anything but milk to drink. Soda was something you went to get at the local drugstore soda-fountain or Woolworth's soda-fountain. Getting a Coke at Woolworth's with my best friend was such a favorite thing to do. We could make a Coke last a good 30 minutes while we just talked. We never thought of getting anything more exciting off the menu, like an ice-cream sundae or a piece of chocolate cream pie. That glass of Coke was heavenly and very satisfying (and cheap!). I'm grateful for memories of pancake breakfasts on Saturday mornings, courtesy of my dad, and toasted tuna sandwiches on Sunday nights in front of the TV, with caramel corn for dessert. (The caramel corn was courtesy of my dad too!)
I was never on a soccer team or a soft ball team or any team. I was a Blue Bird in the Camp Fire Girls and I have great memories of a week at day camp in the summer with my Camp Fire friends. We also had bi-monthly meetings. Other than that...it was Primary on Wednesday afternoons and church on Sunday. No other structured activities that I can remember...just lots of priceless "free time" to enjoy in my home and neighborhood.
I think I turned out okay. That I talked to trees and bushes and clouds hasn't seemed to warp me too much. That I played all alone a good part of the time hasn't caused any obvious damage. That we had little money and few organized activites didn't put me at a disadvantage that I can tell. As I got older, I seemed to be able to hold my own in school activies and clubs, and in the workplace. I did very well in college, despite the fact that I never traveled anywhere but Utah, and one trip to California...and I didn't even ski!!
I wouldn't trade my humble childhood memories for anything. I'm so thankful I had a mom who cooked for us and that we always ate as a family. I'm grateful for a quiet, peaceful home atmosphere that allowed plenty of time to read good books and abundant time for my imagination to soar (as I pretended to be Annie Oakley and Queen of the World). I loved knowing that my mother was always home when I needed her. In many ways I wish we had never moved to a bigger home, which required my mother to work and made the atmosphere at home change a lot. I'm grateful for good friends at church and in the neighborhood, and lots of time to spend with them doing whatever we wanted to do (playing jump the brook, and hopscotch and jacks, and group games like Mother May I? and Red Rover-Red Rover and Red Light-Green Light, and making mud pies, and riding bikes, and walking to the candy store).
Priceless memories require little money, just time.
posted by Carolee at 6:50 AM
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Speaking of resolutions...
Friday, January 14, 2005
Some of you have shared your resolutions for the new year and I was reminded of this little note from Sister Hinckley to her daughter:
"I have a new project, one chapter a day from each of the standard works. I have been on it for four days and am only three days behind. Better to have tried and failed than never to have tried."
She was my kind of woman. Try, try again!
posted by Carolee at 1:41 PM
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In the mood for caramel popcorn?
Here is a super-easy caramel popcorn recipe that you can make in about five minutes and eat right away. You probably have everything you need in the cupboard. Enjoy!
2 bags of microwave popcorn
1 stick butter or margarine
3/4 cup brown sugar
12-15 large marshamallows
Melt butter, sugar and marshmallows in a saucepan while the popcorn is popping. Pour mixture over the popcorn and toss to coat evenly. Serve immediately. Yummmm!
posted by Carolee at 6:44 AM
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Christmas in Leawood
Sunday, January 02, 2005
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