Happy 11th Birthday, Betsy Spelman!
My childhood friend from The Bearcroft Swim Club was a leap year baby. So today, Betsy turns 11!
I'm having a forshit week. No explanations just yet. We're all healthy, so don't worry about that. My book didn't get wiped off my hard drive. My hair didn't fall out overnight. I'm not pregnant. (Dear God, cross your self and toss some salt over your shoulder!)
Suffice it to say I'm in reminiscing mode about easier, carefree times. And The Bearcroft Swim Club was just the best.
My Mom would bundle us into the Electra 225 and off we'd go - I can still hear "RESPECT" playing on the car radio. The club had 4 pools, tennis courts, a playground and a snack shack (next to the shuffle board court) that sold frozen Charleston Chew candy bars. The smell of Heinz ketchup on french fries transports me back to the slightly dark, camp-style building where we sat and giggled and licked out fingers clean, savoring our indepedence as Mom tanned back down by the pools. We never worried if our bellies were sticking out.
My childhood friend from The Bearcroft Swim Club was a leap year baby. So today, Betsy turns 11!
I'm having a forshit week. No explanations just yet. We're all healthy, so don't worry about that. My book didn't get wiped off my hard drive. My hair didn't fall out overnight. I'm not pregnant. (Dear God, cross your self and toss some salt over your shoulder!)
Suffice it to say I'm in reminiscing mode about easier, carefree times. And The Bearcroft Swim Club was just the best.
My Mom would bundle us into the Electra 225 and off we'd go - I can still hear "RESPECT" playing on the car radio. The club had 4 pools, tennis courts, a playground and a snack shack (next to the shuffle board court) that sold frozen Charleston Chew candy bars. The smell of Heinz ketchup on french fries transports me back to the slightly dark, camp-style building where we sat and giggled and licked out fingers clean, savoring our indepedence as Mom tanned back down by the pools. We never worried if our bellies were sticking out.
My stomach lurches still as I imagine those terrifying leaps off the high dive into the deep blue diving pool. Howie the evil swim instructor with the flat top crew cut would make us cry as we went under the depths to retreive large heavy discs.
Orange Bain de Soleil gel on my Mom's smooth stomach in her bikini. The whistle toot commanding us kids to jump back into he water while the old (50!) ladies with rubber flower swim caps and iced pink lips scuttled out to the safety of a lounge chair.
Orange Bain de Soleil gel on my Mom's smooth stomach in her bikini. The whistle toot commanding us kids to jump back into he water while the old (50!) ladies with rubber flower swim caps and iced pink lips scuttled out to the safety of a lounge chair.
I'm growing tired of being pushed off the high dive. Oh, to be 11 again. Maybe I'll have french fries for lunch.
7 comments:
Trust me...I'll be eating french fries with you. It's been a comfort food kind of week.
Amen, sister. Amen. You dip in BBQ sauce, don't you? Suckerama....
And I've only just started writing. Trust me.
I've been in lots of nostalgia like that, Kim. When you mentioned those rubber swim caps I had to laugh; seems like yesterday?Memories like this are a comfort in harder times.
BBQ sauce is too healthy. I go for ranch dressing when I need a big hug. Can't wait to see what comes next. M-Fers. I don't know how they sleep at night.
Kozy Shack Rice Pudding. By the bucket.....
You too huh?
We've just been watching some home movies of the kids before we knew - and the thought of doing what we did then now just makes me come out in a cold sweat. Coffee and doughnut was a temporary fix but wore off by the time we got home from the bakery...sigh...now I have calorie guilt to deal with as well
Hang in there, Kim, hang in there.
Some of us are working on getting some load of your shoulders..
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