I strolled through the old neighborhood while I was in NY and was shocked at how small everything is. The big hill I used to ride my bike down -- not so big. The giant A-frame house the wheelocks built -- a tiny playhouse! In my memory, that A-Frame was huge!
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This was Matt's house, my cousin. We'd rike bikes to each other's houses and he had an awesome treehouse with carpeting and windows! We dirtbiked and snowmobiled together, went out on the job sites and collected bits of treasures off the ground . . .
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This was Rene's house, "but 'cept" it was a pretty slate color back then, now it's quite a bright shade of peach.
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Awwwwww. . .My uncles built most of all of thsese houses and they named the road after their mom, my grandma, Mary. I used to ride down the hill to grandma's house while grandma stood in her doorway and mom stood in our doorway to make sure no boogerman got me. Grandpa was in bed, sick, most of the time and he had a hospital bed towards the end. So Matt and I would go in to visit him and crank the bed up or down either way, then go running out of the house with grandma right behind us, shooing us out.
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Here she is -- my house. I remember one Halloween we all hid in the upstairs windows to drop water balloons on any tricksters who planned to soap our downstairs garage windows. And one time - those same four windows was mom and dad's room -- so Julie and I waited for them to fall asleep and we sneaked into their room, intending to tie them in their beds with tons of pantyhose. Well, they woke up. I got out. Julie just hid inside the room. Dad charged to the door and peeked thru the door crack. Guess what Julie's view was? Dad's naked backside. Honestly. I never dreamed someone went to bed without pajamas. Things were different back then. Kids were innocent.
Here are Nana's and Aunt Becky's houses. Aunt Becky's has had quite a facelift. Ruth or Jim - did your kids move in there?
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Nana's is on the right. There's a creek down behind the houses that was a lot of fun to investigate. One time, Nana was out hanging her clothes and a swarm of bees got inside her britches. She tossed those britches off and ran towards the creek, naked. David, I think you got to witness that one.
5 comments:
Out of ALL your childhood it's amazing just what things stand out in your mind my child! Wait 'till dad reads THIS one.
Yup, Val---Paul and Karen bought the house on Liberty Highway from mom and dad and lived there for anumber of years. They sold it about 3 or 4 years ago, though, so someone else lives there now.
We just sold our house on North Road this year. We'd lived there for 38 years! Dan was only 2 years old when we moved in, so do the math and you'll know how old he is this year.
Ruth - Do the math? Good grief. I can't do math. Remember I am the one who thought I was 45 this year and was greatly pleased when informed by friends that I was only 44. Or was it 43?
Mom - you are SO lucky I didn't tell some of your stories!!
Oh yes! Memories!!
Val did you ever hear about the time that Judy Stankus went down the laundry chute in your North Road house? There was some sort of gathering of people your parents' age. All the women were congregated upstairs and all the men were downstairs. Someone suggested that Judy surprise the men by showing up downstairs without using the stairs. She actually managed to worm her way down the laundry chute, although at one point, it looked like she was stuck. The women were laughing hysterically by that point.
The reaction of the men?
Nada. Of course!
I love the tour down (your) memory lane! I was in my hometown right before my JR HIGH was torn down, and I took pictures. The new school is so...NEW! Just not like the good old days when we thought ghosts lived up on the 3rd floor because we were banned from going there!
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