Summers

The summers were more exciting than the regular school year.  I liked school, don't get me wrong.  I still do.  I love reading, learning, and finding out what I DON'T know.  (There is so much)  Summer was different.  The wake-up time wasn't as early.  My mother still made sure I didn't sleep.  It must have been something in her childhood that made her think that sleeping late was a sin or close to it.  She always had some sort of NOISE factor that would wake me about 8 every morning.  My truly favorite was the washing machine. Why, pray tell, did the washing have to be done on Saturday?  My mother was a "stay at home" Mother and could have washed any time during the week. But, Nooooooooooooooo.  It had to be on Saturday at O:dark 30.

I slept on the second floor.  The washing machine was in the basement three floors away.  How she managed to get that machine loud enough to wake me, I'll never know.  I just know that as an adult, I am very considerate of when I wash my clothes. And, I hate being awaken by loud noises.

Another favorite noise was the tree trimmers.  That was also done at the crack of "chickens waking" on Saturday.  I could never figure that out during my twelve summers of being out of school. (The chickens were annoyed too.)

The important part of Summer was that I got to go to Vacation Bible School at all the different churches in the tiny berg where I lived.  My mother didn't realize that I actually liked going.  What could be better than learning about Jesus, making crafts, eating snacks, seeing friends socially, and not having to do work at the house.    (The Baptist church had the best snacks.)

I also got to wander about in the wooded areas that were there.  I'd climb the hill close to our house; sit on the side and look all around the area.  An aerial view is totally different from ground level views. Big things don't seem as intimidating up there.  And the things you could find - arrowheads, "golden rocks," footprints, each thing was an adventure.

There comes a time when you have to stop going to Vacation Bible School, quit the adventures in the woods, and become an adult.  It's really a shame.  I remember that girl.  She actually enjoyed life.  Poor thing.  She didn't know any better.  I wonder what became of her.