Summer - Ah, yes I remember those days!

To the chant of “No more homework, no more books, no more teachers’ dirty looks” summer vacation would start. It would a carefree time filled with wondrous activities. Ah, yes I remember those days.

Shoes were only worn on Sundays or when you went with your mother to the store otherwise the normal attire was simply a pair of shorts … and sometimes it was so hot we wish we didn’t even have to wear them, but decency would require us to bow to society standards. Ah, yes I remember those days.

The only time we would be found indoors was when it was time to eat or because of a thunderstorm. Without lightening we would simply continue to play … it was great fun to play in a summer rain shower … but when lightening came it would send us indoors where my mother would pull out the Monopoly game and then sit down to play it with us. Oh, those famous Monopoly games could go on for several days. It usually came down to a challenge between Ma and Donald Hall. Ah, yes I remember those days.

Summer was time for long hid-n-seek games that would only end when our mothers would come to the door and call us in for the evening … usually around 10 PM. Hid-n-seek were real challenges since we would use most of a two block area. Ah, yes I remember those days.

Bicycles were the mode of transportation and we rode everywhere. Miami was pretty safe and so off we would go. Never really knowing where we would end up. Downtown, North Miami, Hialeah … naturally we would have to skirt the truth since our mothers did say that we weren’t to go to far away from home … what they didn’t know wouldn’t hurt them … It was the adventure of discovering new and different parts of our city. We loved to go ride around the Orange Bowl or catch a summer league baseball game at Florida Field. We thought we were real cool when we would use clothes pins to put some old playing cards up against the wheel spokes to make a “motor” sound. Ah, yes I remember those days.

The local city park was just across 12th Avenue and they had a public pool. Most afternoons, if we weren’t playing a pick-up game of baseball in the park we would be at the pool. And there was always at least several picnics planned at the beach – especially when members of the family would visit from up north. Ah, yes I remember those days.

Church offered the usual fair … VBS for those in elementary school and YAW (Youth Activities Week) for those in Junior and Senior High School … more junior than senior high students participated … but we still had a good number who did participate. There was also a week of summer camp at the Methodist Youth Camp in Leesburg. Ah, yes I remember those days.

Climbing trees were a good afternoon activity – just to see how high we could climb. Then there was the annual summer challenge of trying to open a coconut for the delicious milk and the pure white meat of the coconut. Boy, how we did work to realize that special prize, but the effort was always worth the results. Mangos would be coming in and there were many trees in our yards. You would have to sit with your legs spread leaning over to keep the juices from running down your belly. There was also the Good Humor Man – it was amazing what you could buy for a dime or maybe fifteen cents. The ice cream would melt before you could eat it all. The water hose was a great source for a quick drink of water and a nice refreshing quick rinse off after the joy of eating a good warm Mango or a cold ice cream cone … but the use of the hose usually ended up with a water fight. Ah, yes I remember those days.

Being bored was never an option … there was just too many things to do. The summer challenge was trying to get them all in before school would start up the day after Labor Day.

When it comes to summer what do you remember? What is your fondest memory? What were the most special cherished activities that occupied your summer days? When you look back what do you share with your children or grandchildren about your days of growing up in those special summer days?

Quote for today: Tell me; I'll forget. Show me; I may remember. But involve me and I'll understand. Chinese proverb