1969 European Holiday: A Fun Evening
13 August 1969
One of the ways I was unusual as a youngster was that I almost always preferred the company of adults. If a family came to visit us, Mother would have to force me to play with the kids they brought over. I didn't want to! I much preferred to stay with the grownups and listen to their grownup conversations.
However, after over 6 weeks on this trip being around nothing but grownups, I genuinely missed the company of my own age group, so I was delighted that, when we went to visit John and Nellie Walsh this evening, two of their grandchildren were there, and I got to hang out with them.
Peter was a little younger than me, and Jillian a bit older, but we were all close enough in age that we got along great. Unexpectedly, everyone had gifts for me.
Pretty sure John gave me the spirit level. I thought it was a strange thing to give a boy like me, but over the years since, it's turned out to be one of my most-often-used tools. The stapler came from Jillian. I've kept it in its original condition to this day, though I've used junior staplers like this most of my life.
The most fun gifts were Peter's toy cigarettes. Here's Mom and me hamming it up with them.
I kept my gag cigarette for years until the adhesive broke down and the thing came apart. No sense keeping it after that.
Anyway, this was my one fun time with others of my generation during my 1969 trip, and I've remembered it fondly ever since. I wonder what Peter and Jillian ended up doing with their lives?
One of the ways I was unusual as a youngster was that I almost always preferred the company of adults. If a family came to visit us, Mother would have to force me to play with the kids they brought over. I didn't want to! I much preferred to stay with the grownups and listen to their grownup conversations.
However, after over 6 weeks on this trip being around nothing but grownups, I genuinely missed the company of my own age group, so I was delighted that, when we went to visit John and Nellie Walsh this evening, two of their grandchildren were there, and I got to hang out with them.
Peter was a little younger than me, and Jillian a bit older, but we were all close enough in age that we got along great. Unexpectedly, everyone had gifts for me.
Pretty sure John gave me the spirit level. I thought it was a strange thing to give a boy like me, but over the years since, it's turned out to be one of my most-often-used tools. The stapler came from Jillian. I've kept it in its original condition to this day, though I've used junior staplers like this most of my life.
The most fun gifts were Peter's toy cigarettes. Here's Mom and me hamming it up with them.
I kept my gag cigarette for years until the adhesive broke down and the thing came apart. No sense keeping it after that.
Anyway, this was my one fun time with others of my generation during my 1969 trip, and I've remembered it fondly ever since. I wonder what Peter and Jillian ended up doing with their lives?