Damp Squib

4th of July was rained out. Nice to get some rain but it could have picked a better day for it...no, wait, that was the perfect day for it!

I'm spending too much time on the Internet. Since the relative implosion of RvB, where I would spend my day idly chatting in someone's journal, I now divide my days between idly chatting on my birth board on Baby Centre, idly talking about my favourite reality show 'So You Think You Can Dance' on AOL boards or throwing virtual pies on Facebook. Oh, yeah, and fitting looking after three kids into the quiet moments *snigger*

I suppose what I'm trying to say is I am perhaps using my 'condition' as an excuse for sitting on my arse and doing absolutely nothing all day. Which is very naughty as I really ought to do something with the kids. But then I remember that most summer holidays we spent watching trash holiday morning tv and then whiling the afternoon away outside, making dens and crap, riding our bikes, climbing trees or, in the case of me, getting a wedgeload of books out of the library, finding a quiet spot and reading my eyes out.

I chucked the two eldest out about an hour ago. They went to find the lad down the road. Everyso often I hear a squeal or chatting in the trees behind the house. I hope so much that they think they had an idyllic childhood when they get to be an adult. I had this email sent to me earlier in the week and this is what I want for my kids too...

Just for a minute, forget everything stressful and read this...............

Close your eyes and go back in time...

Before the Internet...

Before semi-automatics, joyriders and crack....

Before SEGA or Super Nintendo...

Way back........

I'm talking about Hide and Seek in the park.
The corner shop.
Hopscotch.
Butterscotch.
Skipping.
Handstands.
Football with an old can.
Fingerbob.

Beano, Dandy, Buster, Twinkle and Dennis the Menace.

Roly Poly.
Hula Hoops, jumping the stream, building dams.
The smell of the sun and fresh cut grass.
Bazooka Joe bubble gum.

An ice cream cone on a warm summer night from the van that plays a tune.
Chocolate or vanilla or strawberry or maybe Neapolitan or perhaps
screwball.

Wait......

Watching Saturday morning cartoons, short commercials or the
flicks.
Children's Film Foundation, The Double Deckers, Red Hand Gang,
Tomorrow People, Tiswas or Swapshop?, and 'Why Don't You'? - or
staying up for Doctor Who.

When around the corner seemed far away and going into town seemed like
going somewhere.

Earwigs, wasps, stinging nettles and bee stings.
Sticky fingers.
Playing Marbles. Ball bearings. Big 'uns and Little 'uns.
Cops and Robbers, Cowboys and Indians, and Zorro.
Climbing trees.
Making igloos out of snow banks.

Walking to school, no matter what the weather.
Running till you were out of breath, laughing so hard that your
stomach hurt.
Jumping on the bed. Pillow fights.
Spinning around on roundabouts, getting dizzy and falling down was
cause for giggles.
Being tired from playing....remember that?

The worst embarrassment was being picked last for a team.
Water balloons were the ultimate weapon.
Football cards in the spokes transformed any bike into a motorcycle.
Choppers and Grifters.

Eating raw jelly. Orange squash ice pops. Vimto and Jubbly lollies

Remember when...

There were two types of trainers - girls and boys, and Dunlop Green Flash
The only time you wore them at School was for P.E.
And they were called gym shoes or if you are older - plimsoles

You knew everyone in your street - and so did your parents.
It wasn't odd to have two or three 'best' friends.

You didn't sleep a wink on Christmas Eve.

When nobody owned a pure-bred dog.

When 25p was decent pocket money
Curly Whirlys. Space Dust. Toffo's.
Top Trumps.
When you'd reach into a muddy gutter for a penny.
When any parent could discipline any kid, or feed him or use him to carry groceries
and nobody, not even the kid, thought a thing of it.

When being sent to the head's office was nothing compared to the
fate that awaited a misbehaving pupil at home.
Basically, we were in fear for our lives but it wasn't because of
drive-by shootings, drugs, gangs etc.

Remember when....

Decisions were made by going "Ip, Dip, Dog Shit"
Race issue" meant arguing about who ran the fastest.
Money issues were handled by whoever was the banker in Monopoly

The worst thing you could catch from the opposite sex was germs.
And the worst thing in your day was having to sit next to one.

It was unbelievable that 'British Bulldog 123' wasn't an Olympic event.
Having a weapon in school, meant being caught with a catapult.

Nobody was prettier than Mum.
Scrapes and bruises were kissed and made better.

Taking drugs meant orange-flavoured chewable aspirin.
Ice cream was considered a basic food group.
Getting a foot of snow was a dream come true.

Older siblings were the worst tormentors, but also the fiercest protectors.

If you can remember most or all of these, then you have LIVED.

Pass this on to anyone who may need a break from their grown life...

I DOUBLE-DARE YOU

So, I'm hoping that my denial of letting them spend the length of time I do on the Internet will foster the same kind of wistful nostalgia in them when they grow up.

Well, I can hope, can't I?