The Early Years

The first subject of my first blog was easy…the perils of adjusting to 21^st century technology.  No matter how hard I try, I will always be several steps behind the norm. I recently gave away my VCR, so I guess there is hope.  However, the fact that I still have no idea how to work my DVD player, sets me back again….AND…I need to call on one of the grandchildren to help me figure out why Bruce can’t reply to emails….AND….just when I figure out how to maneuver around Facebook, the creators of the world’s most popular social network step up and CHANGE THE FORMAT!!!   AARRGGG!!!! 

Ok, calming down.  One of the topic suggestions CJ offered was stories of my life/youth.  Not sure how interesting that would be.  I did not grow up the child of some Hollywood star or of royalty, so there are no “secrets” to reveal that would make the six o’clock news.  Well, our great-grandparents did serve the king and queen of Denmark, but I don’t suppose that counts here. 

I am the youngest of four kids.  This is a great time to insert of picture:

                                                                       

(it really would be nice if I knew how to type in that empty space next to the picture….can we say technology challenged??)

I’m the cute one on the right, by the way.  My brother, Larry, is on the far left, Lois and Jean in the middle.  That’s the four Thompson kids.  I always felt a little neglected because my mom didn’t make me a matching dress like my sisters.  Oh well, moving on.  Those who knew us knew that my brother and I were always pretty close.  However, not everyone knows that my big bro wanted …and actually made arrangements….to trade me for the new baby boy born to the parents of his friend across the alley in Chicago!!!  He made it perfectly clear to our mom that if she had another girl to NOT bring it home!!! According to the stories Mom told us, he refused to even look at me for several days.  But when he did finally sneak a peek, he was hooked!!!  I was just soooo  adorable!!!  I love to tell that story!!!!

 Sorry CJ, but most of my growing up years was pretty much normal for a kids growing up in the 1950s.  Other than my girlfriend and I breaking into the new Island Lake school on the weekends and setting ablaze the big clump of dried trees in back of the school, I led a pretty quiet life. 

Some things I miss about growing up in a small town during the 50s: 

    1.  Didn’t know of anyone who actually locked their doors.

1. Daily milk deliveries by Cary Dairy.
2. Playing hide ‘n seek until after 10pm.
3. Trick or treating and NOT finding razor blades in the apples.
4. Getting fresh baked break from Miss Bailey at the bottom of the hill.
5. Sledding down Ivy Road in the winter, crossing Eastway Drive, and down to the lagoon!!!
6. Walking to Garland’s grocery store for a soda.

As I said,  the story of my life would never transit into a best seller or a box office hit.  Besides, parts of it are like the Nixon tapes….with parts missing….never to be revealed!!