Written in 1983
I think that the best years of my life were the ones spent on Roberts Street. Then I was young enough to enjoy playing paper dolls, jacks, jump the rope, hide and seek, and all of those fun things.
One thing I remember is when we would take a walk at night, we would really sing out nice and loud. Then when we got to the door we would "shush" each other so we wouldn't wake anyone up.
Lammert would go with us to the "Hallow" on the way to Little Black Creek. We would take an Alaska tin and have fun sliding down the hill on it.
One the Fourth of July Lammert and Clifford would send up paper balloons. They were made of folded newspaper and would fly really high when they were set on fire. What fun it was to chase them and see that the fire was out!
And then there was the big barn dance we had just before the barn was torn down. The cousins, friends and neighbors came for lunch and music on a Victrola. I don't remember if anyone danced but we had a good time. I stayed up until after 12 o'clock!
Now that I'm retired, I can do some of the things I would dream of doing during all of the years that I worked. The question isn't "What can I do?" It's "What should I do next?"
I am proud and thankful to belong to such a special family and to have had such a precious mother and father!