Road trip survival

[Southern Gardener]

Toys??!

I can remember standing beside the gear shift and looking out the truck's windshield. That was kind of tough tho' - traveling by truck while standing up. Besides, my brother would be busy kicking me in the back when he pretended to be dodging the gear shift.

On the floorboard of the truck, I probably had a couple marbles from my jean's pocket . . . maybe a stick or 2.

Of course, I could always tie Mom's shoelaces together when she wasn't looking. That was always fun when she got out of the truck! Once.

Steve

Our trips were to and from Marksville - about a three and a half hour drive down Hwy 1 - a two lane pig trail by todays standards. We had a cream colored station wagon with simulated wood grain - the rear seat faced the back so you could see where you'd been and not where you were going. Mom, Dad and eight kids piled in just about every weekend to visit my grandparents. On holidays, the car would be paked with Christmas gifts or Easter baskets. One Easter trip we were on our way home and a cow ran out in front of the car. Dad hit the breaks but still grazed the cow - eight kids and eight Easter baskets went flying into the front seat. Thank goodness no one was hurt.

We used to fight like cats and dogs on those trips! My dad was always saying "Do you want me to pull this car over?" That would shut us up for about five minutes.

When it was time to pack up and leave my grandparents house, my mom would have to deal with eight kids crying and moaning "But I don't want to go home!" "Why can't we stay!"

Good times.

 

[Smiles Jr.]

I dee diddle, I dee dee,
I see something you don't see,
and the color of it is . . . . .

We would play that for hours.

Anybody remember that little game?