Rob/Windsor Ont.
New member
We were eight kids, four boys and four girls, along with my parents living in a house smaller than many garages on the newer homes of today. I can still remember the studs that acted as walls, "separating the bedrooms", as we called them. In the late 50's, money and jobs were sparse and I can still remember at 5 yrs. old, my father "moonlighting" in the evenings, setting up bowling pins for a few extra dollars. An empty pop bottle was a sure trip to the candy store, when they weren't required for another loaf of bread and two bottles, well, who knows, maybe even a pack of hockey cards complete with gum. Rarely was this the case but it did happen on occasion. The other homes in our neighborhood ( an older and tucked away oval that was once a racetrack of some kind ) were consistent with our home. Not much to speak of in terms of beauty or size but filled with families such as ours. Dividing this oval was a dirt alley used primarily by the "sheenyman" whose pennies purchased the odd discarded tool or scrap of iron. His wagon was pulled by a horse. That poor animal always seemed to garner my sympathy. We kids in the neighborhood were a tight knit group { the little rascals comes to mind } and our summers were never short on fun and enjoyment. The old railway tracks that once seemed off in the distance measured no more than 40 yds. away. On the slope down from the tracks was our creek, measuring about 20 ft. wide and running along the length of the tracks. A good rain brought it's depth to a whopping 2 to 3 ft. and a "floatable" raft brought hours of enjoyment. Pollywogs( tadpoles ) and crayfish often found new homes in abandoned bar-b-que basins and the sheer delight of sailing the seven seas has not been lost on me. The winter transformed our creek into a skating rink where many Stanley Cups were won and lost. Old skates were the order of the day and discarded coloring books served as shinpads. Fifty yds. to your right, beyond the tracks stood the "hill" and just to the side of this was our "forest". Sledding and exploring were commonplace in this massive expansion of trees measuring roughly the size of a football field. Train riders or "hobos" shanties could be seen off in the distance beyond the old leather factory another 100 yds. further. In the open field between these "landmarks" were wild strawberries that we kids delighted on in early summer. I've often wondered at the simplicity and beauty of those wild patches. Still my favorite fruit to this day. Friday nights were treat fests consisting of a small bowl of chips and two cookies. EACH ! Sunday evenings meant Ed Sullivan and Disney movie of the week and my feet were safely perched under my blankets whenever the "scary chipmunks" made a T.V. appearance.
( I just knew they were under my bed waiting to grab my feet } El Cid was my favorite drive-in movie treat as a child and many a sword fight ensued. Christmas was magical ( even without money ) as was Easter and other holidays. We were too happy to know we were poor. Once or twice a year I venture back to the old oval where some of those homes still stand ( not ours though ) and reflect on those simpler times. I am certain now more than ever that my deceased mother and sister await for us all as they lovingly prepare our eternal residence ....... on Charl Street.
( I just knew they were under my bed waiting to grab my feet } El Cid was my favorite drive-in movie treat as a child and many a sword fight ensued. Christmas was magical ( even without money ) as was Easter and other holidays. We were too happy to know we were poor. Once or twice a year I venture back to the old oval where some of those homes still stand ( not ours though ) and reflect on those simpler times. I am certain now more than ever that my deceased mother and sister await for us all as they lovingly prepare our eternal residence ....... on Charl Street.
Thanks for sharing with us!