About a week ago I got a huge flashback to my childhood. It wasn’t just one quick memory, it was a multitude of memories that came flooding back every time I looked at the pictures.
My Aunt Sharon took them about 20 years ago at my grandmother’s place in Wichita. Sharon found them again last week when she was looking for something else so she scanned them in and emailed them to me.
See, right around the time my grandpa was diagnosed with cancer my grandparents moved to a home that was on a lake. Well, a pond really. But it was one of those fancy subdivisions that was (at least then) out in the boonies and the houses were built around a series of small man-made ponds. There were ducks, geese and usually a pair of swans that lived on these lakes. Homeowners would often be found feeding the birds various ways. My grandparents had a giant barrel in the garage that they kept filled with birdseed. My brother and I loved to get the bucket and take the birdseed out to the feeding area, which was right by the lake. The actual feeder was usually only for the swans and small birds. The ducks and geese would get the seed off the ground around the feeder.
Here Matt and I (with help of our then new puppy Angel) are feeding the ducks and geese: 
Seeing pictures of all that reminds me of my dog Angel, who was my baby. 
We got her for my 9th birthday and I figure that’s how old I was in these pictures because she still had that puppy look. I also still had long hair. But anyways, Angel was with us through the biggest milestones of our childhood I think. She finally had to be put down several years ago at age 17. That little white Lhasa Apso was an old little fart when she finally had to be put down, lemme tell ya! In her old age she became cranky and senile. When she was a puppy and regular dog, she was fun, lively and loving. My best friend.
There’s probably something some of you are wondering right now. Um, is Jamie WALKING in that first picture? Yep. I used to walk some but not well. I had a gait that was like a drunken pregnant monkey. You can kinda see how I lurched in these photos: 
I also couldn’t bend over properly and it exposed my ghetto booty! 
I wore those long-leg braces that you can see in the pictures. Sometimes I do miss the ability to walk but I’m grateful I can get around as well as I can now. Sure, there was stuff that I could do if I didn’t have the chair but ultimately I’m more independent with it than without.
Enough of that.
The next picture just made me laugh. See there was this tree off to the side of my grandparent’s big back porch. I forget what kind but it was next to the magnolia tree. Anyways, my grandparents had an old rusty anchor that they used to decorate the back porch. I know it sounds weird, but it seemed normal then. Anyways, this anchor had part of the rope still attached to it and my brother and I loved to take the anchor and tie it up in this tree. We would pretend that some PERSON must have come and put the anchor in there. Of course the grownups always knew it was us.
Here is Matt and me getting caught in the act: 
You know, whether it was a silly anchor or the noisy geese, I do remember this: my childhood was filled with laughter. 
Hi Jamie,
These are some great memories, our childhood should be filled with laughter and smiles. Enjoy the look back in time.
what cute pics! this post made me smile
Hi, Jamie! I found you on Firefighter’s Wife’s site. I’m just cruising around Xanga, and thought I would stop by. I enjoyed the pictures from your childhood and your story. I’ve had my share of surgeries because I was born with dilocated hips. So far I have managed to stay out of “the chair,” although doctors have told me that is where I may end up. God has been awfully good to give me a wonderful life and to keep me going in spite of pain and problems! Pray you have a blessed weekend!