Childhood Meme

BadAunt tagged me for this 'Five Things I Miss About Childhood' meme, with a twist.

I am going to TRY and think of five people to tag, but I feel like a kid asked to choose from a huge tub of sweets, so if you want to play - just play! I'll find you because I'll notice the link back to here. To quote Michelle - Share the Love!

Five Things I Miss About Childhood

1. The Grand Union Canal.
We lived across the road from a straight stretch, where the racers would practice. Just crossing our road was like a breath of fresh air, like touching base. The towpath was my thinking spot. Waving to the barge hands, kicking gravel, fishing for tiddlers, playing echo in the tunnel, climbing unkempt grassy banks, a long walk past nothing and nobody (except a few back doors) up to top locks - a set of seven locks on a steep drop.

2. Hugs
At least hugs where I was by far the smallest participant, huge, warm, wrap-around 'no reason' hugs with my mum, where the whole world was safe and everything was going to be ok - so much so that it was unquestioned. I love my mum - these days I stoop, slightly, to hug her, but every time, I remember disappearing into those arms.

3. Playing ESP with my dad
Sitting at the dinner table playing at guessing whole packs of playing cards, drawing each other's pictures

4. The Black and White Minstrel Show
Yes, I know! Now I know! When I was a kid, however, even living in Southall with the influx of Asian people, skin colour was just a fact of life like hair and racism was a concept I had never heard of. I never knew why the funny men wore painted faces, they just did and there were no connotations for me. The B&W Minstrels, Sing Something Simple on the radio while we all ate Sunday dinner, and the Sunday afternoon musical family movie. All music and dreams, even though it was pumping me full of what I now know to be some very bizarre misconceptions about ideal femininity and the female role. I guess I could have just called this section 'Sundays'. Or 'Happily Ever After'.

5. Learning
That sounds odd, but it's the flip side of a lack of responsibility. The real joy of childhood was that everything was about being told, seeing, watching, soaking stuff up like a sponge. I guess the tired phrase that covers it is 'having not a care in the world', but its not the lack of care but its consequences, that I miss. Grown ups learn to voice their own opinions, a relatively closed state, we also have responsibilities that frame most of our day and just plain watching, like a child, is relegated to classrooms and the first day on a new job. That's sad.

And that's my five, and, oh bugger, I forgot to list believing in Father Christmas - which reminds me of the time when my darling brother (to whom I shall of course be forever grateful) told my unquestioning son that the sure way to get a message to Santa was to wrap it up in toilet tissue, along with a small gift, and flush it down the toilet. Thanks, Russ.

OK - go see these guys! When you play, just knock the top link off the list (yes you have to include the live links), and add your own blog address at the bottom.

Feisty Repartee
Chaos Theory
Wired JAFA
Bad Aunt
Mad Baggage

I repeat - please just tag yourself, and join in! However, I am personally tagging: Michelle, SheWeevil (yay! last time I wanted to tag her, two people had beaten me to it), brand new blogger Steve at Wittering Heights, Annie at Retrotype, and Ally at Ducking For Apples.

I cant wait to see their lists!


If five people play at each level then top of the list finds themselves with something like 800 links to their site, amongst other bloggers. I can see this catching on if it works. Its also fun to go see who tagged who and check out the sites.