dreamer
New Member
The GM thread made me remember.....LOL. Now of course times are different now.and when I was a child us kids here were never inside, we were always outside, no matter the weather. And I do not think any weather bothered us much? And here in chicago area, it can get pretty extreme on either end..very hot and very humid.....and very bitter cold.
As a child I lived in a small town, again, semi rural......wooded. 35 miles outside of chicago.
Ah yes, we skated on the puddles in the fields and on the creek etc Most of us had skates..hand me downs etc..but you could still do well even in shoes or boots. . Yes we made snow angels, you lie on your back and spread your arms and legs and move them back and forth like yu are doing jumping jacks laying down. Of course we made snowmen and snow forts. And we used boxes, garbage bags and some of us had sleds and toboggans......and we had hills behind some of our houses. Icicles would form on the edges of the houses and we would pick them off and use them as giant lollipops. (I do not think thats advisable anymore)
Even then our school seldom called a snow day.....partly becuz back then cars had snow tires you put on cars when winter began, maybe? (we no longer do that) and all the towns and counties etc here have vast quantities of snow removal equipment.....and they dispatch the plows and salt trucks even before the snow even begins to fall. And the equipment continues nonstop doing its work long after the snow stops.
I suppose I have said many times already.I lived on the streets after age 12. It was different then and yes, I was able to find work.and was able by age 16 to get an apartment of my own, and a car.....and school did not turn me in to authorities. BUT what kind of car can someone in those shoes aford? Me and most of my peers....in winter.....we would bring our car batteries in the house so our cars would start in the morning. We also had this spray...we sprayed it on the carberator (sp) to help the car start in cold weather, and we put cardboard in the car grill in front......and often put old blankets on the car engine in the nite, plus we often would go start our car round the clock every hour or 2 and run it for 10 mins or so. and yes, put a sheet over windsheild so ice would not be so hard to get off come morning. HA, LOL. My husband did not live quite so poverty struck, LOL.....he thought I was nuts...but.then again HIS car usually did NOT start......ah but... he had family to fall back on and I did not. and since "I" worked 20 hours a day, I sure did NOT want to have to WALK to work.
When I waited tables, I used to actually get PAID by my customers LOL to go out and start their cars for them when they were done eating. LOL.
My dad was originally from MN and is part American Indian......he used to try to make........snow cream? But the silly guy never did remember quite how to make it. (he had left home at 12 as well.and he never ever looked back)
I have not seen my dad in decades, I wonder if he ever remembered how to do it? LOL.
Now in my community, skates, bikes, sleds etc are all illegal in town......even in the parks etc. Heck, these days, I go to these monthly meetings with police cheif and the people in this town are ...different......and they actually call and complain if kids are IN any park......yeesh, they also complain if people are out walking......last winter someone behind me got hit and killed by a snowplow on a residential side street and at the monthly meetings the other people in town actually said it served the guy right for being out walking. If a kid dared to go skateing on any of the creeks or ponds, they would likely find themself in trouble ......same with sledding in town.....and they closed the toboggan slides last year due to liability concerns and rising insurance costs.
and I do not think I would want my kids licking any icicles these days. Last time me and son made a snowman in our yard....it was there maybe 12 hours before it was vandalized.....and I guess once the vandals finished with the snowman, temptation was too strong..cuz then they hit the cars. :-(
BUT thank you......you took me on a very enjoyable walk down memory lane.....I did used to really enjoy the snow. And yes, I did have skates always from age 6 on (I had older cousins who handed down to me) and me and my one brother did have a sled and a toboggan.......and we used them daily.
AND.......LOL..my only sister texted me last week to tell me she will not be at PCs baby shower becuz her and some of my cousins are going snowmobiling up north. But.I never snowmobiled myself. And have no interest in going with my cousins becuz a couple years ago they had a devastateing accident....they tend to drink and snowmobile...... and actually a newsman was killed. and my husband? he NEVER was in his whole life an outside person or an active person. LOL. I dont think HE even ever had an icicle? LOL, poor deprived city man.
Oh and I also went ice fishing LOTS. (altho havent in YEARS)
As a child I lived in a small town, again, semi rural......wooded. 35 miles outside of chicago.
Ah yes, we skated on the puddles in the fields and on the creek etc Most of us had skates..hand me downs etc..but you could still do well even in shoes or boots. . Yes we made snow angels, you lie on your back and spread your arms and legs and move them back and forth like yu are doing jumping jacks laying down. Of course we made snowmen and snow forts. And we used boxes, garbage bags and some of us had sleds and toboggans......and we had hills behind some of our houses. Icicles would form on the edges of the houses and we would pick them off and use them as giant lollipops. (I do not think thats advisable anymore)
Even then our school seldom called a snow day.....partly becuz back then cars had snow tires you put on cars when winter began, maybe? (we no longer do that) and all the towns and counties etc here have vast quantities of snow removal equipment.....and they dispatch the plows and salt trucks even before the snow even begins to fall. And the equipment continues nonstop doing its work long after the snow stops.
I suppose I have said many times already.I lived on the streets after age 12. It was different then and yes, I was able to find work.and was able by age 16 to get an apartment of my own, and a car.....and school did not turn me in to authorities. BUT what kind of car can someone in those shoes aford? Me and most of my peers....in winter.....we would bring our car batteries in the house so our cars would start in the morning. We also had this spray...we sprayed it on the carberator (sp) to help the car start in cold weather, and we put cardboard in the car grill in front......and often put old blankets on the car engine in the nite, plus we often would go start our car round the clock every hour or 2 and run it for 10 mins or so. and yes, put a sheet over windsheild so ice would not be so hard to get off come morning. HA, LOL. My husband did not live quite so poverty struck, LOL.....he thought I was nuts...but.then again HIS car usually did NOT start......ah but... he had family to fall back on and I did not. and since "I" worked 20 hours a day, I sure did NOT want to have to WALK to work.
When I waited tables, I used to actually get PAID by my customers LOL to go out and start their cars for them when they were done eating. LOL.
My dad was originally from MN and is part American Indian......he used to try to make........snow cream? But the silly guy never did remember quite how to make it. (he had left home at 12 as well.and he never ever looked back)
I have not seen my dad in decades, I wonder if he ever remembered how to do it? LOL.
Now in my community, skates, bikes, sleds etc are all illegal in town......even in the parks etc. Heck, these days, I go to these monthly meetings with police cheif and the people in this town are ...different......and they actually call and complain if kids are IN any park......yeesh, they also complain if people are out walking......last winter someone behind me got hit and killed by a snowplow on a residential side street and at the monthly meetings the other people in town actually said it served the guy right for being out walking. If a kid dared to go skateing on any of the creeks or ponds, they would likely find themself in trouble ......same with sledding in town.....and they closed the toboggan slides last year due to liability concerns and rising insurance costs.
and I do not think I would want my kids licking any icicles these days. Last time me and son made a snowman in our yard....it was there maybe 12 hours before it was vandalized.....and I guess once the vandals finished with the snowman, temptation was too strong..cuz then they hit the cars. :-(
BUT thank you......you took me on a very enjoyable walk down memory lane.....I did used to really enjoy the snow. And yes, I did have skates always from age 6 on (I had older cousins who handed down to me) and me and my one brother did have a sled and a toboggan.......and we used them daily.
AND.......LOL..my only sister texted me last week to tell me she will not be at PCs baby shower becuz her and some of my cousins are going snowmobiling up north. But.I never snowmobiled myself. And have no interest in going with my cousins becuz a couple years ago they had a devastateing accident....they tend to drink and snowmobile...... and actually a newsman was killed. and my husband? he NEVER was in his whole life an outside person or an active person. LOL. I dont think HE even ever had an icicle? LOL, poor deprived city man.
Oh and I also went ice fishing LOTS. (altho havent in YEARS)