Outside
Outside was my freedom as a child. I remember the days where me and the guys would cruise around the neighborhood on the little 50cc bikes at top speed. A couple times a neighbor called the cops on my dad and I and we had to hide out in the bushes at Sandburg Park. That neighbor actually ended up dying while riding their motorbike on the streets, ironic I’d say. I thought it would be nice to reflect on those days and to hope playing and exploring like such still goes on. Now my childhood home as you may know from my previous post “Me, Myself, & I (Friends)” was unlike most homes in my neighborhood as the yard was massive. There was room for a yard, a pool and canyon access. Every Fall/ Winter my friends and I would explore the canyons. My Dad was a bit uneasy about us exploring them in the Spring/ Summer due to baby snakes. Either way, the guys and I would prepare with appropriate hiking attire and long pants and of course, weapons. Swords, BB Guns, whatever we could find for protection on our hikes. I have not met anyone else that has explored the canyons in my hometown as much as myself as I spent many days exploring and marking the trails for future exploration. It was freeing and it felt right to be outside and I enjoyed every moment of it. In Jr. High, the guys and I got to be getting loud on our sleepovers and one day, we had the idea to finally sleep in the treehouse my uncles built in the canyon section of our property. Decked it out with posters and ran a long extension cord from the outlet by the pool filters to the treehouse with a power strip so we could hook up a TV and play GameCube or PS2. And when we got to wanting to stretch our legs, we’d run up to the house and grab a log of firewood and make a safe fire pit and tell stories around the campfire under the stars. Those nights were glorious and hilarious…just really memorable.
Growing up with a pool, I had a tendency to throw pool parties. I had thrown so many consecutively and by the time I was in 3rd grade, I’d invite half the school to come, including some teachers. I loved the idea of hosting (still do!) and I think this is where it began. The pool parties were interesting to me as it was when my home friends and school friends would mix. One time, at my Second grade party, I was in the hot tub and I looked out to the pool and saw one of my classmates in the middle section, riiight where the water is deep enough to submerge at the time, throwing his hands up. I darted out of the hot tub, dove straight into the pool, went underneath him and pushed him up on my shoulders so a parent could grab him. He was JUST about to start drowning. He was fine and no CPR had to be done, just some coughing and he was back to partying and eating again. Oh the cook outs were another thing to being outside I enjoyed. I got old enough to start working the grill and I would cook up burgers, spin around to the “service window” which led to the kitchen sink and hand them off to my Uncle Wayne, who would be cooking something else, like crab legs. We’d get top picks of burgers and crab legs and tri-tip, if I was making one that day. Being outside was a beautiful part of my childhood and I am happy to be able to enjoy it. There were times my mother sent me off to play as she had her candle club hosting at our home. So I would go next door and see if Mike wanted to explore. We would just go off walking around the neighborhood and be out till the street light came on. And that was the rule. When the street lights come on, you better start booking it home! And every time I would be approaching the house, my dad would have the garage door open and he’d be looking out for me while working on a bike on the lift or watering the lawn. I cherish those memories, and I would love to hear some of your memories of growing up playing outside, so please, do share! No matter the length, feel free to share below! That will be it for today, and as always, till next time!