Sunday, June 8, 2008

Fun Monday - Up, Up and Away

I am excited and honored to host this week's Fun Monday. For your assignment, I would like you to describe a happy memory from your childhood. If possible, include pictures with your reminiscing. Perhaps, for some us remembering the past may bring back some unhappy times too. But, for today, let us remember the good times.

Like others, there were some dark memories from my youth. However, I do have happy memories of my childhood as well. Some of my joyful times were spent at my friends' house. Down the street, exactly one block from my home, lived my friends, Gwenie and Susan Kay*. To me, the girls and their little brother, Kim were the luckiest kids ever. Their extended family owned a toy store. Can you imagine that? The family seemed to have everything in the days when my family did not own a car. As I remember, I would wake up in the morning and head straight for the Kay's house and spend much of the day there at the good times house.

But, the toys were only part of the fascination of the luckiest family ever. Their home was a mecca for the neighborhood children. The sisters always were planning fun events for the rest of the neighbors. We had parades and talent shows. We sold lemonade to raise money for Korean children. We spent hot summer afternoons in a wading pool. We attended glorious parties. We pretended to make cement and to dig to the center of the Earth. Maybe pretended is not quite the right word, we (or at least I at age four) thought that we could actually dig to the center of the Earth or perhaps all the way to China.


Another strange pastime that I remember is "Going to Arcadia. " My friends had been to a vacation spot called Arcadia. Susan and Gwenie described Arcadia to be like paradise. The rest of the neighborhood children wanted to visit the perfect vacation spot, and the sisters were anxious to return to this wondrous resort. Now, how would preschool children take such a trip. The answer is simple to imaginative children. We would all pile in a glider swing, close our eyes, rock the glider, and wish with all our might that the swing would magically transport us to Arcadia, the Vacation Wonderland. Of course, we never quite made it to Arcadia, but we did have a fine time trying.



Pictured Me, Susan, Gwenie, and Linda -probably planning some adventure

To read about other happy memories, look for the list of participants in the Mr. Linky list in the following post. If you would like to retell a fond memory of your childhood, sign-up with Mr. Linky. Would you like to be the next Fun Monday host? Let me know in the comments. Chris B of Ms Cellania graciously lists the upcoming host, and Robin at Pensieve thoughtfully maintains a history of past Fun Monday assignments.

* Name changed to protect identities.

Update: The Mr. Linky link to Judy's post does not work. But you can read her Fun Monday happy childhood memories at her blog, Grand Life.

Plus, we are still looking for a volunteer to host next week's Fun Monday on June 16th. Let me know in the comments if you would like to be next week's host.

28 comments:

Margaret said...

Bikes, playing, sledding--we had a great time in our neighbor too. I doubt that I have any photos though.

karisma said...

Wow! Now that just reminded me of similar expeditions! Amazing how a little prompt can open up our memories like that! I think the games from the imagination were always far more fun than any store bought toys! Thanks for hosting this week! I had fun trying to decide which memory to share! But alas no pictures, my computer is on the blink and I had to blog from elsewhere!

Anonymous said...

Oh, Wow! That photograph could be in my memory book. You just changed the names to protect the guilty.
I am going to try to find time to visit the Fun Monday participants some time within the next 24 hours. The grand kids are still here consuming sugar. I must go now and fetch them off the ceiling.
Thanks for hosting the Fun Monday this week. Mine is up. Wish I'd had more time, but I think you'll smile at my post.

Alison said...

Thanks for hosting this week Molly...I enjoyed reminiscing while writing my post.

I love your memories..I am glad you had a happy house to go to where your imagination could run wild...what a gift!!

Anonymous said...

Those times at your extended family appear to be very memorable. Thanks for sharing them with us.

Faye said...

Aren't you a cutie Molly! I love your headscarf although you probably weren't too pleased to have to wear it. But--whatever it takes to travel to Arcadia with your pals, right?

Thanks for hosting this week. Seems that everyone is enjoying dredging up those happy memories from childhood.

Gattina said...

Now that I read your happy memories I suddenly remembered a family with 8 children where I used to play all day and had a lot of fun ! I had forgotten that completely !

Heather said...

wow! A friend whose parents owned a toy store! So fun to read and such a great assignment. Can't wait to read the rest of these!

Peter said...

Great to see the happy memories coming out Molly, a good topic, thanks.

the planet of janet said...

look how cute you were!!!! i love the story of going to arcadia!

Brooke - Little Miss Moi said...

Dear molly. Your memory sounds like a lot of fun - when I was younger, we hung out with the neighbourhood kids but by the time I was about 10, no one seemed to do that anymore...

Jientje said...

Wow, such great memories! You have great pictures from all of your memories, I loved the one with the bubbles! This was a great post, and a fun assignement!! Thx for hosting this!

Pamela said...

Arcadia -- well, I think we should go there right now. Do you still have a swing? (:

Lynne said...

Lovely, simply lovely! Do today's children still use their imaginations in such a way? I used to love swinging and dreaming I was doing something else.
A simpler time indeed where we had to make our own entertainment.

daddy d said...

Arcadia was a place where my father's dad lived in Florida. With such joy young friends bring to each other, your Arcadia was a much nicer place.

Anonymous said...

Playing with the neighborhood kids was always the best! I miss those days.

IamwhoIam said...

Imagination one of the best toys a child can have. Our swing often was a space ship that took us to far off planets. Sound if you all had fun.

Junebug said...

I remember digging to China also. I also thought I could fly if the wind caught my umbrella.

ChrisB said...

That sounds idyllic to have friends with toys and best of all a good imagination. There is often one house where children love to congregate and it certainly sounds like you all had loads of fun.

Sandy said...

Thanks for hosting, Molly, and thanks for the memory!

I think that while my grandson is gone, visiting his dad, I will go buy a swing set.

Hula Girl at Heart said...

Oh, how fun! What sweet memories. Thanks for sharing.

Melanie said...

You've been a wonderful host- I loved the assignment you picked for us!

What a lovely, sweet memory you have from your childhood! It's the way all people should be able to remember their childhoods.

Our Happy Happenings

Aoj and The Lurchers said...

Do you think if I go sit on a swing I might find Arcadia too?

Grand Life said...

Molly-- I'm sososososo sorry my link didn't work. I've been working on it for 20 minutes and got it changed and finally working for your blog. Thanks for redirecting people. I am truly a work in progress as far as this "blogging" thing goes. I love it but I am a such a beginner.
Thanks
Judy

Hootin Anni said...

I love this photo! And your memory shared. This was one terrific theme for the week. I really enjoyed reading and visiting as many as I could with the time allowed today.

High five!!!

Anonymous said...

such sweet memories, I bet it was so great to have friends who would let you come and play in their house, you sold lemonade to raise money for Korean kids!! wow!! I enjoyed this topic, it brought a big smile on my face as I wrote about it. thanks

Anonymous said...

Hello! I just wanted to stop by and say thank you for your comment on my site!

I actually wrote about one of my favorite memories today on my blog... School Supply Shopping! :)

Becky
http://stinkylemsky.typepad.com/

Unknown said...

That was an awesome memory. I loved your trip down memory lane and can understand why you cherish the memory.