Fastenau Facts

This week’s flashback is all about Summer! Hop over by Linda at Mocha with Linda and check out the prompt, write your memories, then share them with us by linking up. Have fun!

I was always ready for summer, ready to get out of school. My mom worked so I stayed with my aunt and her kids until I was old enough to be on my own. The best part of summer we always spent 2 weeks in Arkansas, usually in July! Always a lot of fun!

We had a small pool when I was younger, that I had a lot of fun in. It was probably 3 ft, big enough to get wet.

I was 19 before I knew how to swim. I took lessons at the Y with some cousins; it was a lot of fun. I am not a big fan of swimming, I usually will not swim if it is over my head, but I am ok on boats. I usually always wear my life jacket.

I remember attending Bible School one summer when I was a kid, and it was not a good experience. Maybe that is why I was so involved with planning and putting VBS together when my daughter was younger. I wanted it better for her.

We had a small library in the town I grew up in. I think I remember going to it one time with a cousin. I frequent our library quite often they know me by name.

We did have an ice cream man during the summer. It was a good size truck; he even sold hot dogs and chips. Those were good memories, saving your change and making your own purchase. Made you feel like one of the big people.

During the summer we usually spent the weekends camping, at different state parks. It was a lot of fun and a lot of good memories.

Every once in awhile we would stop at Dog Patch on the way to Arkansas. It was fun. Does anyone remember Dog Patch? It is so sad it is closed now. On our way to Arkansas we pass where it was. It is sad to see all the buildings and things just wasting away and falling apart.

We did take one vacation other than Arkansas when I was a junior in High School. There were 6 of us. My mom, dad, brother Tom and his wife, then my nephew Jimmy (James’ son) took a 2-week trip out west. We saw it all. It was quite a trip, camping in about 15 states.

Any of the Beach Boys songs make me think of summer. I used to walk to McDonalds with my cousins every chance we got. It was a main road – 4 lanes, and we would wave to all the truck drivers. We thought we were so cool actually we were just lucky! This song reminds me of summer the most!


This was a fun flashback, a little all over the place, but fun! Memories are good, even the bad ones. It reminds you how you got to where you are!

until next time... nel