Last summer, I began using a random number generator to choose a year between 1969, when I have my first memories, to 2024. So far, I've written about 1996, 1998, 1978, 2004, and 1973.
Wow! I had no idea that this was going to set off a chain reaction of others' memories of the same years.
This time the random number generator chose 1972. I was a little girl then. We lived in Westland, Michigan. It's a suburb of Detroit. We lived in a ranch style house in a neighborhood that backed up to a large wooded lot. To me, it was a forest! The elementary school was at the opposite side of the block. I'll be honest. I was very young. I remember where we lived and things that happened when we lived there, but I went to first grade and part of second grade while we lived there. I could be mixing it up a bit.
Here are some random memories in no particular order:
~ Early in the morning, before school, we had to stand in lines outside the school. We were waiting for our teachers to come and get us. One morning, a teacher asked for a volunteer to sharpen pencils. My hand shot up since I enjoyed using the pencil sharpener. This made me late to class, and I got in trouble with my teacher. How could I have known that would happen?
~ Once a week, after school, they had a Bible club. I enjoyed it very much. There were flannel graph stories, songs, and snacks. This is where I asked Jesus into my heart. I asked Jesus to forgive me for hitting my brother, John. Each week, we had a memory verse. Of all the verses I memorized, only John 3:16 stayed with me. Thank you, Jesus! Later, after years of being unchurched and sinned, I would remember that verse. It was one thing God used to bring me to salvation on January 1, 1980. More on that when I randomly get to 1980.
~ On the playground, boys chased girls one day, and girls chased boys on other days.
~ I loved swinging. They had a big swingset. I remember we'd swing as high as we could, pumping our legs, and leaning backward. One time, when I leaned backward, I remember falling off the swing and hitting my head. Ouch! I lived to tell about it; but, when I think about it, that might explain some things. Giggle.
~ I remember being deep in conversation with my mom while I was breaking up a Gainesburger for our Dachshund Greta. Absentmindedly, I put a piece in my mouth. YUCK!
~ I attended a Halloween party and bobbed for apples. I put my head clear into the water, but I couldn't catch one of those little bobbing gems.
~ I was in a school play. My mom sewed a tiger costume for me.
~ We made crepe paper flowers for the same play. Funny thing, I have no idea what the play was about.
~ Gunsmoke was a favorite t.v. show.
~ A favorite party game was to drop clothespins into a canning jar from a standing position. The winner was the one who got the most pins in the jar.
~ I had a crush on David Cassidy of the Partridge Family.
~ Mom and Grandma Mamie recorded cassette tapes and sent them back and forth through the mail. John and I would talk to Grandma on them. Oh, what I wouldn't give to have some of those tapes! Back then, it was a way to avoid the very high cost of long-distance phone calls. That was back before unlimited cell phone calls. When we received a tape, we'd listen, then record over it, and send it back.
~ My mom was room mother in my class.
~ Mom dressed up in my Dad's baseball uniform for Halloween.
~ We moved to Topeka, Kansas, somewhere in Indian Territory, at Christmas time during 2nd grade. When we arrived, I fully expected to see cowboys and Indians everywhere!
~ I played Barbie dolls on the sidewalk in the neighborhood with other girls.
~ We had a lot of fun flying the helicopters from the maple trees.
~ I loved riding my bike.
~ Grandma and Grandpa gave me a Sleeping Beauty watch. It was my first watch.
~ My favorite song was American Pie.
~ I remember writing back and forth to Grandma Bern. I also remember her and Aunt JoAnn coming for a visit.
~ My brother John and I took turns having little Greta sleep with us.
~ I had metal roller skates to wear over my shoes. They came with a key to lock them in place to the right size. I thought that this song was about my roller skates!
~ I got my first transistor radio and listened all the time. Thus began my love of music.
Well, that's all for now.
Please share what you remember... if you're old enough!
This is awesome! But I have a terrible memory on when things actually happened.
ReplyDeleteI try to figure out what grade I was in and go from there. Some years I can identify better than others. I recommend you try it. It's been fun.
DeleteThanks for writing to me!
What fun, fun memories. I remember doing many of those things myself, but several years earlier. Those tall swings sets at school, and a huge metal slide - kids today would never be allowed on those not to mention the monkey bars and what we called the witches hat.
ReplyDelete1972 I was a junior in high school - to be that young again!
This was awesome! I graduated high school in 1972 so your post caught my attention. What fun memories you shared. Sounds like a wonderful childhood. Thank you for the glimpses back into time.
ReplyDeleteLike Cheryl, I remember doing most of those things too except I had a crush on Donny Osmond and Bobby Sherman! In 1972 I was in the 6th grade and captain of the safety patrol. My teach was Mr. Milhollan. He volunteered at night to work with drug addicts. He told my parents that I was on drugs because my pupils were always dilated. In order to go back to school, I had to see our doctor and have a blood test proving I had no drugs in my system! Now, you have to understand that in our family, I was the RULE follower. Honestly, my sister will tell you that I never did anything wrong. I got straight "A's". Went to church 3 times a week with my family and a girl scout to boot! I remember our doctor laughing like crazy because he had delivered me, my Mom babysat for his family and he knew that my eyes are ALWAYS dilated. They still are unless I am in the brightest lights. He didn't even charge us for the test because he said it was ridiculous. Seriously, people have always laughed at me for being such a "straight arrow"! You can tell it really affected me. Overnight he went from being one of my favorite teachers ever to being one I really could have done with never seeing again.
ReplyDeleteBlessings and hugs,
Betsy
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteI don't have clear memories of 1972. I know my dad was still in the service and we lived on base. We lived in a warm climate and had no snow. I shared a bedroom first with my sister who hated it, and then with my brother. It worked out better with my crib in his room. We are both very easy going and she is not. I still love her and she is one of my best friends. We went to the pool in the evenings during the summer and I remember going down the "big" slide and felt like I was going to drown. This must have been a bigger deal in my head because no one remembers this. There is also a picture of the 3 of us in front of our Christmas tree that year.
ReplyDeleteI had completely forgotten about Gainsburgers. Once I ate a dog treat and I agree. Yuck!
Oh Amy!
DeleteYou made me smile. Sometimes it's yuck memories that stick with us. A few weeks ago, my husband and I attended a funeral in the city er grew up in. We drove through the old neighborhoods and shared memories from e0, 40, and 50 years ago. It's amazing what has changed and what has not.
Be blessed and enjoy now!
Laura
I was twelve in 1972. I have so many similar memories! This was a fun trip down memory lane.
ReplyDelete