A blank, white sheet glaring back at me in my computer is a writer’s bane as I sit waiting for a brilliant idea. At least when I used a typewriter, I could jerk the paper out and crease it into an airplane. That was fun when I was in country school.
Kids of my era were easily amused. Most homes received a daily newspaper. A colorful hat could be fashioned by folding a double sheet of the Sunday comics.
As an only child living on a farm, I played catch by throwing a small, green, hard-rubber ball against the wall of our brick home. If I missed grabbing it when it bounced back, my companion, Tony, our white, English bulldog, quickly retrieved it. Then, I had to pry it out of his large mouth because he didn’t want to give it up.
Carefully placing each one of a set of 28 dominoes on end and knocking them down with a slight push to the last in line was entertaining.
During my twelve years of school, some of us brought our lunch in a brown, paper sack instead of a metal box. After eating, we’d squeeze the top of the bag together, bring it to our lips, blow it full of air, hold it tight and punch it to make it explode with a bang. It was especially hilarious if someone wasn’t paying attention and jumped from the unexpected noise.
I enjoyed board games but rarely had an opponent. Sometimes, Mom played checkers and I never gave up hope that I would beat her, but that never happened. Even when I was disgusted and suggested playing ‘give away’ with the winner the one who lost their men first, she was more adept. As an adult, I understood her wisdom in not playing off so I could win.
I spent many hours shuffling cards for Solitaire but mesmerizing, electronic games have taken over. My husband enjoys it on his computer. During a recent power outage, he declined my suggestion to search in the closet for an old deck to play the game while waiting for our electricity to come back on.
What were some of your amusements while growing up?
Amusements – I haven’t thought about what I did as a youth in this category for a long time, but I will try to think. Janice and I always had each other to play with, so I really don’t remember being lonely or bored as a youngster. Our chores took up some time (mowing the lawn, scything weeds, working in the garden), riding first our pony and later our horses took up some time, we had a collection of cardboard horses that we made with separate legs and bodies, we read a lot plus we took musical lessons – Janice accordion & flute & me piano & french horn, plus we sunbathed in the summer. Our 4-H projects kept us busy/amused some of the time. We weren’t ones to play with dolls & didn’t have much fun when a neighbor sent a granddaughter over to play “dolls” with us!!! Dancing at the Wigwam was a night amusement, as was dating. That about covers it.