Monday, January 21, 2008

Hot Cocoa Topic Of The Week

This weeks topic:

What is the most 'random' memory you have from your childhood? I know it's not knitting content, but I love learning about the little quirks and interesting things about people!


Thinking about this, the first memory that came to mind was...

When I was a little girl, my sister and I would go stay with our great aunt(who everyone called Grandmother) in a very small rural town near here. They lived in a small little house that looked as though it came straight out of old western. It was a wood frame house with no paint with an old barn next to it. They had three gardens all around the house and the biggest cornfield. Well, it looked huge to us little girls. lol
We would play in the corn field and all through the woods surrounding the house (without fear) until it got dark out.
They had no toilet in the house so we would have to go outside and use the outhouse. They did get a toilet indoors eventually but we thought it was fun to use the outhouse. I don't ever remember them having a TV in the house but I think they did at some point. You only watched it at certain times. We spent time on the porch with the old dog and my great uncle (Daddy Bill) listening to ball games on the radio. I wasn't much into sports but I liked to hang around with him.
We helped in the garden, set the table and cleaned up after eating. I don't think we ever realized we were working. It was so different from what we were used to that we saw it all as fun.
I can even remember when you wanted to use the old wall phone with the rotary dial that you had to check to see if anyone else in the area was on the phone first. They had the party line then. Anyone and everyone could listen to your conversation and know all your business. lol
It was almost like going back in time. They've both since passed away and I miss them so much. I wish that my kids could have had this experience. It's has remained a cherished memory for me and I know my sister as well. We always looked forward to summer vacation from school because we knew where we going for a week or two...maybe more.

3 comments:

hakucho said...

As a child I remember visiting my great-uncle Emil at his cottage at the Cape. It was a one room house/camp. I remember the very old furniture and most of all I remember the outhouse! When he visited us I also remember him (80 something and still driving) driving away from us going really fast and zig zaging all the way down the street. Funny the things you remember. I haven't thought of him in a very long time -- may he rest in peace :)

Anonymous said...

I remember going to my Auntie Dot's house in the country where we had to use an outhouse too!

One time on a very very hot day, I went running in there and found a big old snake curled up on the floor. I've been terrified of snakes and outhouses ever since! lol

Aunt Kathy said...

Wow Mel, that really painted a picture. You should try to find a picture of it and frame it and tell you kids stories while they look at the picture.

I missed the topic when I blogged so I will do mine tomorrow.