"Hey, if I had somewhere to go, I certainly wouldn't be in Cleve-Land." -Howard the Duck

Sunday, July 4, 2010

Happy 4th of July, 1962 style

Phil & I now live in the house I grew up in...a very typical 1950's style suburban tract house.  This neighborhood was a great place to live as a kid, since there were so many families with kids around the same ages as my brother & me.  We were all friends & if someone else's Mom told you to do something, you listened & did it...it was just the same as having your own Mom tell you.  Suburbia.

Now, many of our neighbors here are the same Moms & Dads who started their families' Ozzie & Harriet style lives here...we're all just older.  The kids are out on their own...some scattered across the country as we were before we moved back here to help Mom.  Many are still living in NE Ohio & always have...although personally, I cannot understand why, when there are so many better places to live...like Southern CA!  The neighborhood is what I'd call an older, established one...but there are now some young families moving in.  You don't see all that many kids out playing these days...times have changed. 

I remember so many years when we'd get up early on the 4th of July & dress in red, white & blue, then decorate our bikes or grab a flag & have a 4th of July Parade.

We would march up & down the street...first one side & then the other.  Life was good & we were living our parents' suburban dream.  I recently found these photos from 1962...you've gotta love that they're in black & white with very cool deckle edges.  I was 9 then, going on 10.  My brother, Bob, was 6. 
Here we are, in our 4th of July "finery"!

Bob was tall for his age...and this year he was supposed to be Uncle Sam. 
LOVE the crooked mustache made from cotton balls!

So on this 4th of July, 2010, I send you greetings from a far simpler age than the one we live in now.  Blessings to all our soldiers who are fighting to this day for freedom...& even though I do not agree with the wars we are now in, I admire & respect the sacrifice of our Armed Forces.  Blessings to the families of these fine soldiers, too.  May they all come home again safely & soon...very soon!

From Parma, OH to you, wherever you are...
Happy 4th of July, 1962 style!

5 comments:

  1. Well, YOUR neighborhood and homes were just like what I grew up in. Outside of Niagara Falls NY. I saw that first photo of the bike riders on the sidewalk, and the house directly behind them is exactly what my parents house looked like. Actually, it still does somewhat.
    Thanks for the 'retro' look back at your childhood. And Happy 4th to YOU!
    Jan

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  2. Kitten,
    Great photos. Thank you for sharing a time long gone. It was a different world then or maybe it wasn't we just were to young to know what happened because we were not so instantly plugged in like we are today!

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  3. Deb, I LOVE this! The pictures and the whole story behind it. Priceless.

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  4. I love these photos, Debbie! I grew up in exactly the same kind of neighborhood in Dayton!

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  5. LOVE your pics and story! I definitely LOVE that bike...you wouldn't by chance still have that in your basement/garage?? AWESOME!!

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