When I was a child, we had a ditch, not deep, in the front of our house that ran down the hill. If we had a big rain in the summer, we couldn’t wait to get out there in it to play. Nothing on but panties. It was the next thing to a swimming hole, however transient it may have been. No one had pools, at least not my friends, even the small, plastic ones like we have today. So rainy days were great days!
Then, when it got blistering hot and the blacktopped roads were starting to melt enough to stick to your bare feet — we never even considered wearing shoes, just hopped off onto the side of the road if we couldn’t take the pain any longer — our mom might, just might if we begged hard and long enough, let us get in the water hose and spray each other for a bit. Our mom never wasted anything, I mean anything, so that was a great sacrifice on her part to let us do that. I have a picture of all the girl cousins outside on the concrete patio; the basketball goal at one end; the house at the other. Posting it wouldn’t have been a very good idea because my cousins would string me up if they caught wind of it; some of those cousins should not have been out there playing in the water wearing only panties.
That was back before the days of internet child porn when people could look at half-naked children playing and think good thoughts, children having fun. Not that those sick-minded people weren’t out there because they were I found out after I was grown, but we were sheltered from all of it.
Just innocent children playing in the water on a hot summer day.
apronsandappetites 
BB……..I know the days you are talking about. But we didnt have a ditch, we just ran thru the mud puddle …….streets in Old Shawneetown. Happy thoughts……and memories.
LikeLike
aren’t they though?
LikeLike
This is a great story!! and so true of the innocent children just playing in the rain! wanting to have without all the worries of who’s looking!
LikeLike
I don’t think children get to be as carefree as we were when we were young. such a shame.
LikeLike
I remember the big huge ditch down the hill from Gill’s. When Downen’s lived in the big huge house on the corner there. That ditch was DEEP and so much fun!
Sandy would strip naked and play in the ditch. Bowen Walker would call daddy and say “Sandy is down here naked again playing in the ditch” haha
Oh Brenda, Paula Crawford gave me piano lessons for 2 years and I was doing so well.
I quit. I hate myself for it. Esp. now because our little church needs a pianist so bad.
When I first started attending there, they said “Lady, do you play piano?” And I would have so liked to have answered “YES!” I can’t imagine church in S’town without you and Vicki up front at your places! You have both been forever faithful.
And play so well together! Keep it up! You are such a blessing. Take those grandkids out on rainy day and play in a ditch!! That’s what memories are made of, Gigi!
LikeLike
aw, thanks, Gail. I can’t imagine our church without us either! hahaha That’s so funny about Sandy… and she wonders why you only have naked pictures to post on Shawneetown’s FB page. 🙂
LikeLike