Do You Have A Flashback...

Flashback Friday can be found over with Linda at Mocha with Linda. This is a fairly new meme, and it is just the most fun! Why don’t you check out the prompt below, think back over your life and then share glimpses of your past with us? It is a lot of fun and you meet a lot of nice people. Make sure you link back up, so we can all enjoy your memories.

Are you ready for a flashback? Following is the prompt for this week’s flashback:

If you have a child in your life, your calendar for April and May is probably quickly filling up with end-of-year activities - performances, recitals, etc. Did you take lessons as a child? Piano or another instrument? Gymnastics or dance? Other types of lessons? Were they weekly? How much were you required to practice between lessons? Did you participate in recitals? If so, do any of them stand out in your memory? Did they foster a love or a hate for that activity? Did you want to take lessons in a certain thing that you never got to? And if you have kids now, how did your experiences with taking lessons like these impact the activities you had/have them do?

I was never involved with after school activities, never allowed to join Brownies or Girl Scouts. My parents did not trust anyone and always told me that you had to be careful. And at the time I hated it that I couldn’t, and stayed upset with my parents especially my mom about it most of my childhood especially after I was in high school. As I got older I realized why they looked at things the way they did. Let me share some background: My mom and dad were both from the south they were not well educated. Neither one of them went to school past the 6th grade. They moved to the Chicago area after WWII to make a living. Needless to say they were laughed at a lot, and had a hard time fitting in. Now, I realize they were trying to protect us. So no I was not involved in anything after school.

I did however take piano lessons when I was in the 3rd grade. Actually, I wanted to learn how to play the organ. I even begged and pleaded my case, but my mom won out and Dad bought a piano. I took lessons once a week, but my heart really was never in it. It was hard because the piano was in the living room, so if my dad was home I could not practice, because he was watching TV. During the winter it was really hard because he was laid off from work due to the weather, so he was always home. He was a cement laborer. Needless to say, I was not very excited about the lessons due to the situation. Looking back now I realize my dad did not co-operate at all, which was unusual. I wonder if it was because of the teacher. He was a man about their age maybe a little younger, but he changed my lessons to 9:00 Saturday morning. The thing is he always showed up around 8:15 about the time mom had breakfast on the table for my dad. She always made biscuits and gravy, eggs, sausage or bacon and fried potatoes. And she would always invite the teacher to eat with us. I can never remember her turning anyone away from her table, she always cooked enough for an army. Funny how you notice things, as you get older that you never even thought about before...

I can still play a little and if I worked at it now, I think I could probably pick it up. I would love to have a keyboard and try.

As my daughter was growing I always tried to encourage her to get involved, but she was never interested. She was always very shy and a homebody!

Well that about sums it up, not a lot to reminisce about. Memories are so precious! Would love to have you join us. Come on, how can you resist? Click on the link in the beginning and join us at Linda’s corner. You will have a good time!
until next time… nel