Tuesday Memeage: Reminiscing our childhood

This past weekend was very busy and both fun and frustration filled... but I'm a bit too sleepy at the moment. I'm also dealing with Elly thinking that I'm her dry nurse at the moment (she's attached to my shoulder... and making a rather big wet spot where she's trying to suckle).

Anyway... instead, I bring you... Tuesday's Tales:

Reminiscing Our Childhood


1. What is the earliest memory you have as a child? Think far back.

My earliest is a very quick lightbulb flash moment. I was two (and change). My parents and I were in Disneyland, and we were in the Haunted Mansion. For whatever reason, my parents were allowing me to stand (rather than hold me). I remember a huge sea of legs. And then there was a gap in the people, and I saw the mantle above the fireplace. The picture of a pretty woman turned to a skeleton.

And then it stops.

For years, I didn't believe it was real although my parents vouched that it most likely was. And then I went to Disneyland again at age 16. I stood in the front hall of the Haunted Mansion, and looked at the painting above the fireplace.

And watched that painting from memory turn into a skeleton. Damn.

2. What is a special memory you have about someone? It could be a grandparent, family friend - not including your parents - that you knew as a child.

One night when I was visiting my grandparents, I wanted to sleep up in the attic with my grandma. The attic was my mom's old bedroom, and since no one I knew at home had an attic, it was a big adventure for me. I couldn't have been older than seven, since that's the year that my grandparents moved away from their house on North 10th Street.

There was a big storm that night in Easton, and lightning hit a stop sign or something just up the street-- it was a tremendous sound. It scared both my grandma and I, and we both bolted downstairs. My grandpa came home a bit later to find the two of us huddling on the couch.

We laughed about it often... right up to her death.

What do you recall about them that makes the memory special?

It's one of the few times I honestly recall seeing my grandma afraid. But at the same time, she laughed about it. I remember she always tried to make the best of situations.

3. What was a favorite game you played as a child?

Cat's Cradle on the playground at school. It's a blend of four-square and dodgeball.

4. What was a memorable trip that you can recall being a little kid and what did you do that makes you think about it even now?

I had so many! I really did have a lucky childhood. Every year I went somewhere. Most of my big vacations were in Hilton Head, SC. They've now all blended together now because we went there literally every year from '85 to '93. We did everything on those trips: the beach, crabbing, fishing, beach horseback riding, tennis, etc. I think my favorite two things of all of those trips were going to see Charleston (my uncle lived there at the time) and Savannah (oh, how I loved Savannah!).