Friday, May 11, 2007

Friday Flashback - 1965

First walk in Space, Ed White 1965




My daughter Erika (my resident html expert) does a Friday Flashback. Thought I might join the fun.

My historical family was Mormon and settled in Toole, UT. I went to a family reunion in 1990 and met many terrific relatives I had corresponded with throughout my teenage years. We shared a family letter writing practice whereas each person would write a paged journal entry and add it to the stack of letters. They would take their old letter off the bottom of the stack, and send it to the next person. Probably the only legal chain letter in existance. Mind you, this was before the internet and having extended family across the nation made updating difficult at best. Now of course, we have blogs, but don't you still LOVE a handwritten note that the mailman brings?

OK, still with me?

Over the last few years I've tried to encourage my sisters to begin this practice of letter writing again, but I've had no takers. They are not computer crazy like me and are not interested in blogging. I would love, love, love to have their memories on paper as our parents are gone and memories are easily forgotten.

So here is my Friday Flashback, I'll take care of remembering my own!!

Port Huron is on the south eastern side of the "mitten shape" thumb of the state of Michigan. Lake Huron is the warmest of the Great Lakes, and by far my favorite.

The beaches are beautiful and summer weather is very moderate. Swimming is wonderful and in many places you can just pull off the road and get in.

During the summer of 1965 my parents, my younger sister and I went with my older sister and family (dh and baby son) to such a drive-in park to have an all day picnic. My father would barbeque, my mother would watch the babies (she preferred the shade), and the younger ones could pretty much have the day. We have pictures of my baby sister and my nephew (born with 2 months of each other) "swimming" in their baby pool (pink plastic baby tub) at the beach. "Baby sister" and nephew now 42.

My favorite memory tho, is my older sister and I sitting on opposite ends of a inflatable float, way out in the water...singing Girl Scout songs and such, at the top of our lungs. "Sippin' ci-der through a straw."

Very innocent fun, very important memory.

6 comments:

Dorothy said...

I'm not your sister, but I think this is a fabulous idea. If it's okay with you, I'd like to play too.

Rian said...

Sweet memory. You must have had a wonderful family.

Finn said...

Hi Fritzie, I popped over to thank you for stopping by my blog and leaving a comment. It's always nice to see a new face..*VBS* Welcome to Blogland! I was totally surprised by your Friday Flashback. It created one for me...LOL. In 1965, DH and I were just arriving in the Thumb of MI. He graduated college here in WI and was hired to teach chemistry and physics at Mayville, sort of the armpit across from the thumb! I know Port Huron well, and it is a lovely place. I love your memory of the water and the singing. We left MI and came back to WI in 1972, bringing two of MI's finest babies with us via adoption. The years in MI were fun, and we still have friends there. Thanks for the memory, Hugs, Finn

Anonymous said...

Thanks for your memory. Great idea--which I accidentally duplicated on my blog today!

Debra Dixon said...

Flashback Friday is a fun idea! If I get stumped for an entry on a Friday, I may try it too!

atet said...

Oooh -- your memory has sparked a whole slew of my own. I know that area well (not from 1965 -- but, well, later). My grandparents lived on Huron bay near Caseville. I spent many summers wading out into the water. And yes, it may be the warmest of the lakes -- but it could still be plenty COLD!