How to Survive Life in the Suburbs

Your Age Is Showing

in Family on

Are you guilty?  Guilty of saying….”In our day we had to get up and change the dial on the TV”.  “When I was a kid, I walked a mile to school”.  “You’re so lucky, at my elementary school, there was no hot lunch, you brown bagged it every day”.   We lived without cellphones, rode our bikes everywhere, and curfew meant being home before dark.  If any of this rings true you better be careful, your age is showing and just might reveal where you are from….
I’m from Banana-Seat bikes and mood rings, from Easy Bake Ovens and Twister.

I’m from Penny Loafers and Lip Smackers.

I’m from big hair, and perms, denim jackets, and polo shirts.  I did not love shoulder pads, but that is where I’m from.
I’m from Swatch Watches which were the coolest, Neon bracelets and scrunchies.

I’m from a home filled with love as well as with avocado green carpet and matching appliances.I’m from a house with a tree in the front that bloomed dusty pink flowers every year, without fail, on the week of my birthday.  Was it a crabapple or a magnolia tree.  I don’t know, but I want one for my grown-up house.

I’m from Boy George, Wham, Duran Duran, Madonna, Journey and Michael Jackson.  All recorded from the radio to my cassette recorder.  Top 10 countdowns were like totally radical.

I’m from “Why do your friends always call during dinner”, “Don’t make me pull this car over” and “That boy had better come in here and say Hello”.

I’m from hearing my Mother swear, once, and nearly dying of shock.  There was no cursing in our home.  Not by my Mother!I’m from chicken.  Yes I said chicken.  BBQ Chicken, Chicken Pasta, Baked Chicken, Roasted Chicken, Chicken Sandwiches, Chicken Kabobs…..My Mama can make Chicken in about 700 ways, but not cake.  Every cake that left her kitchen was made with love, tasted as it should,  but was the most crooked assed cake you ever did see.

I’m from impromptu pool parties with all the neighbours, and treasured weekends at the cottage “up north”.

I’m from taking all day boat rides on the lake, and singing with my sister at the top of our lungs as we carved a path in the crystal clear lakes.

I’m from Charlie’s Angels, The Brady Bunch and The Love Boat watched religiously on Friday nights.  I adored the Smurfs and had all their stickers.

I’m from Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, Can’t Buy Me Love and every other 80’s movie.  They don’t make movies like they used to.  (my age is showing)

I’m from a house where children came first, but marriage was cherished and protected.

I’m from slide shows featuring thousands of pictures of me, of us, of family.  Slideshows that used to make us groan, and now, I love.  A lifetime of memories shining on a five foot screen.  Memories that don’t begin to scratch the surface of the incredibly blessed place …that I am from.

Where are you from?

    • Comments

    1. I don’t mind my age at all, just the aches and pains that go with getting old!

    2. I’m from a lot of those things too. What a nostalgic post! And I feel lucky that my parents still live in my childhood home, and that now my own children get to be at that house for visits all the time. It is special. So many memories 🙂

    4. What a lovely post this was, I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I show my age when I say our first TV was in black and white, I remember Sputnik, just missed the coronation, our first car was when I was 15 yrs old. I was 18 before we had a fixed in place telephone etc etc. Oh yes, I remember wearing hot pants too, lol.

    5. I am from all those things too, and I love them still – they are what my life came from! Except, like you, I never did like shoulder pads and I still don’t