SNGF: Sharing Childhood Memories

Randy Seaver's Saturday Night Genealogy Fun for this week is derived from Judy Russell's keynote address at last week's RootsTech 2014. Judy asked if you knew the stories of your parents, grandparents and great-grandparents and posed six questions. Randy asks that we answer them for OURSELVES.

1. What was your first illness as a child?
2. What was the first funeral you attended?
3. What was your favorite book as a child?
4. What was your favorite class in elementary school?
5. What was your favorite toy as a child?
6. Did you learn how to swim and, if so, where did you learn?

These are hard for me to answer for myself, let along for my parents or grandparents!

For me.....
1. I have no idea what my very first illness was, but have seen pictures of me with the mumps when I was about 2-1/2 years old.
2. The first funeral I attended was my father's in 1978. He died at 60 and the only way I kept myself from falling apart was squeezing my 3-month-old daughter.
3. My favorite book as a child was Misty of Chincoteague. It was a bit of a let-down when I visited the island in 1970.
4. My favorite GRADE in elementary school was 4th grade with Mrs. Torkelson. I still have a postcard she sent me the next summer. As for subject, I always loved math, even if girls weren't supposed to [until 9th grade geometry, that is].
5. My favorite toy would have been whatever sporting equipment was needed for the season. Baseball, glove and bat; bicycle; ice skates; skis; tennis racquet; basketball.....
6. I learned to swim at the officer's club at Vint Hill Farms Station outside of Warrenton, VA at about age 7. I remember begging our Dad to swim with us and that after he did, he spent weeks with his ears painted with some red-orange stuff. But it sure was fun being tossed around in the pool!

I keep hoping our kids will be interested in our lives at some point, so hope this blog will still be around when they are!