Since I have a habit of staying up until one or two in the morning, long after my sweetie has gone to bed to read, I have assigned myself the nite job of cleaning the sink so my lady will not get up to any dirty dishes in the sink. She always beats me up since like now it is 1:10 AM and I should be in bed.
While I washed the dishes tonight I took note that all I think of lately to talk or BLOG about is memories. Since it has been pretty hot I thought again of the 4th -6th Grades I spent in Albemarle, NC. My best friend and life long buddy was Von Dale, I met him there. He knew about Rock Creek Park Swimming pool. We could swim all day for 15¢. On the way walking, we passed the ice plant. The workers were always nice to us boys, we could get up under the dock and where the Big 200 pound blocks slid downward to the Ice trucks; there was a crack and it shaved the bottom of the block.
I got that picture on the right (VonDale) from an old girl friend of his.
It was like getting a free snow cone with out the flavor. It was cool underneath and we would lie there and make mini-snowballs and eat them. You didn’t have to wait for a block to slide to get the shavings since there was usually a small mountain about 6” to a ft. high. But it was always fun catching it fresh shaven. What a treat on a hot day.
Just after the ice plant was the Rail Road tracks that we took as a short cut to Rock Creek park. The the fun was to see who could walk the farthest on a track with out getting over balanced and falling off. When we got bored with that we tried running on the track and the last thing was to jump or hop from one rail to the other, Von Dale was best at that because he was a little taller.
Sometimes I swam in my underwear, but most times I swam in Long Creek nekkid, most of the boys did. So I did not have a bathing suit. I told Von Dale that. “Don’t worry, Joe will have a pair of trunks that will fit you. The rich kids leave them all the time.” he assured me.
Sure enough, Joe had a pair and gave them to me. What fun to swim in the clear blue water. WE were like ducks; there when it opened and there when it closed.
Saturdays at Rock Creek park.
Nite Shipslog
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I am going to try to go thru the years with autos Since the big deal today is electric, this shows it is not a new idea.
This is a 1910 Electric Truck, a Walker
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11 comments:
That sounds like so much fun. So many memories. Swimming is always wonderful be it pool, lake, river or wherever.
I can imagine how good that ice was to kids back then. We didn't have anywhere to go swimming except once in a while we could catch a ride to a place called "The Crossin". It was on the Medina river where people could drive their car into the river to wash it.
Great memories of your youth, Jack, and finding ways to beat the heat and enjoy some summer fun. I think eating the ice shavings would have been fun! Swimming too for 15 cents a day was a good way to stay cool and occupied for a long time :)
betty
Memories are wonderful !
You and Vondale were always into to something. Mother and Dad
couldn't keep up with you boys. After all you both made very good
out standing Citizens and that makes me proud. You also served our
Country. Thanks...
I often do the dishes in the evenings. Jilda is still working too and it's only fair that I should clean up after she cooks dinner.
I spent a lot of time each summer swimming in strip pits around where we grew up. It was dangerous, but I used to dive off bluffs.
I loved doing that.
R
Sweet memories, Jack!
... especially the part about hunkering under that dock where the ice shavings flew down about you. Can you only imagine what the boys at O.S.H.A. would have to say about that nowadays? :)
Loved walking the railroad tracks.
You do have a lot of great memories and it's always nice to read about them. Hope you are staying cool there. We've had a few cooler days here and I've been able to shut the a/c off. Nice to have a break from the heat.
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