Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Warm Memories


Here I sit in the early hours of this fine day wrapped in the warmth of our home that we are fortunate to have. I look out of the window and see the thermometer hanging on the porch post telling me it is a {{CCOOLLDD}} 7 degrees outside this morning. The area schools are on a 2 hour delay, so my grandchildren will get to squeeze in a little more dream time before getting up and heading out into the cold. While I have been sitting here drinking my coffee and counting the blessings we have received, my mind drifts back from time to time to days long ago when I was a child on a cold winter's day.


When this girl went to school there were dress codes and one of those was that if you were a girl you wore a dress to school. There were variations to that dress code though. Can you imagine going out in these kind of temperatures wearing a dress? Well, the dress was still required, but on really cold or snowy days we were permitted to wear long pants under the dress. I remember wearing corduroy pants sometimes, but the ones I really liked to wear were the jeans that were lined with flannel. Ohhhh, talk about Heaven on a cold morning! By the way, I am talking about public school here, not private school. As a matter of fact dress codes in the public schools I attended were in effect until after I graduated in '67.
 
We lived in town, so that meant that I walked to school.  When we arrived at school back in the day, we weren't allowed to just go in the door and go to our class room.  No, we waited outside for the bell to ring and then we were allowed to go to our class room. I recall a very lengthy preparation time just getting the outerwear on and ready to head out the door. Of course I had my long pants on, thick knee socks, shoes and boots (if there was snow on the ground). A sweater was usually part of the winter wardrobe. Let's not forget of course, I needed to have a warm hat, mittens, coat and a scarf wrapped around my neck several times and then once around the lower portion of my face. I am serious when I say that I could totally identify with the little brother in the movie, "A Christmas Story".
   

Even though times were hard when I was growing up they were also simpler and safer times. If I was given the opportunity to go back and change anything I wanted about those long ago days, I wouldn't change a thing. I hope that on this cold day that you can wrap yourself up in the warmth and happiness of some childhood memories like I just did.


7 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is funny - my husband and I were talking about the exact same thing this morning. I remember walking to the bus and waiting on the corner, dressed in a dress (or skirt). If I can remember correctly, I think we could wear long pants under the skirt, but had to take them off when we got to school. Luckily, we were allowed in the school cafeteria before the bell.

Laura~peach~ said...

i always wanted the snow suit like randy has in a christmas story... until i was grown and saw that show lol.
we played out side or in the gym before school started because we were country kids and we had to catch the bus so early so that the high school and jr high kids would get to school on time
great memories thanks... and i need your address :)

deb said...

Those were the days! since we lived in the country I was the first to be picked up by the bus, after waiting out in the cold for it, 1/2 mile from my house...even though the bus had to pass by right in front of my house to continue on. Then after school it was the reverse. The bus would pass my house back to the 'bus stop' to drop me off......even though I was the only one ever at this so called 'bus stop'!
So up at 6am to catch it and not home til after 4pm. Made for a long day. Doubt if the kiddos could handle it these days. LOL
Thanks for the trip down mwmoey lane xoxo
*hugs*deb

Lib said...

I remeber those days!
Have a great wk.
Love, Hugs, Blessins',Lib

Judypatooote said...

Oh yes, I must get back to blogging....I love your new look, of course it could be an old look, for it's been so long since I've been by...I love your memories... back in the 50's we were safe to walk to school by ourself...I walked 1 mile to school, home for lunch, back for afternoon classes, and then home again...4 miles a day...now I sound like my mom when I would complain about the long walk...she walked it in 2 feet of snow...LOL....it's so much fun sharing memories...because yours will trigger one of mine, as mine might trigger one for you...thanks for stopping by, I left you a message on my comment board...You also keep warm, and have a very Merry Christmas... judy

DoanLegacy said...

The dress code in school nowadays is more lineage, but my children still have to wait at door in the morning..They don't get to go in to class unless the school opens their doors, even though there are plenty of teachers inside, cozily sipping coffee!!

farmlady said...

Ha, A Christmas Story, I loved that movie.
Living in California we didn't have to dress as warmly in Winter. The Bay Area rarely had snow but I do remember having to wear a dress all the time and on "cold" days we suffered. I don't remember wearing long pants or jeans under the dress or skirt.
I was so glad when, in the 60's, it became popular to wear tights. This was an improvement that kept us a lot warmer.... but we still had to get into those blue, one piece gym outfits everyday that were short, short, short.... and ugly.... and COLD.
How those memories stay inside of me after all these years.