Week 2 Day 4

Well, here we are again. Guess I'll do a little more remembering. Maybe start at the 7th grad level today.

7th grade was spent in Redwood Falls, Lincoln High. Probably one of the most confusing layouts for a school that I ever saw. Of course it was the "big" time. County seat and all that, 2 story building, not counting the basement level which housed the cafeteria, choir and band rooms, wrestling and handball. At least those are the areas that I got to.

Had my first boyfriend there. Mike. My brother Mike had a girlfriend named Patty. How weird can it get. We all hung out together. None of us could drive, so parents were very handy. Went bowling, to the movies and to each other's houses. You know, the stuff you're allowed to do at that age.

We had horses then, and lived in my grandparents place that overlooked the valley. If you have ever been in that area you know how beautiful the valley is. What a great place to go sledding and riding. By sledding, I don't mean snowmobiling.

Our neighbors at that time, the Dahlbergs, had cattle down in the valley and once in a while we would get our horses and go round them up and back up to the farmstead. Sure hope it was as much fun as I remember. I had a little horse, or I suppose you would call it a pony because of its size, named Jerry. Loved that horse. Most of the cattle were taller than he was, I didn't care. He just got into smaller places than the other ones.

Made lots of friends in that school. It wasn't based on what your last name was, or what clubs you belonged to, or what clothes you wore. Back in the 70's everyone wore pretty much the same thing. Whether it was expensive or not, it all looked the same. This was probably one of the best years I ever had. The school was too big to be known as anyones little brother or sister, didn't have the same teachers to have them compare you to anyone else. The only relatives I had there were all older and so didn't have a lot to do with them during school.

We eventually moved to Echo when I started 8th grade. Not sure what was up with the whole moving thing again. At that time you just went where your parents said to go. For the first month or so, Mike and I stayed with my mom's brother, Mel and his wife Kathy. When they got the move done, we moved into the house that was across the field from my other grandparents, across another field from my moms twin brother and kitty corner across a field and highway from Mel & kathy. Talk about being surrounded by family! But, we survived.

I know that I skipped grade schools, and maybe one day I will go back and hit upon what that was like. I was very shy during that time and had a hard time making friends, so, go figure. I will get back to it.

Sometimes, it is good to just sit down and think about where you have been, where you want to go and where you are now. Did your childhood have any way of determining any of these things? Was it just a time in your life when your life really wasn't your own, but belonged to everyone else?

Think about this: If you had one year of your childhood to do over again, what age would you choose? Remeber childhood lasts right up to the time you turn 18.