Summertime

When I was a child, the summer months existed between MEMORIAL DAY and LABOR DAY and the school year coincided with those holidays; however, school years have changed due to teachers requesting more money.

So, when I was a child, we have a good THREE MONTHS OF SUMMER:  June - July - August.  And...  every MAY, my mother would take me shopping for a pair of tennis shoes that would have to last me all summer, that, for me, was not an easy task but it was something I had to do.

Our vacations usually took place in July when our father arranged his two weeks of active duty with the Navy, since he remained in the Naval Reserves.  While he was doing his WHATEVER with the military, we, my sister and brother, were vacationing with Mom.  Then, when his duty was over, we would continue our vacation for two more weeks with Mom and Dad.

Once in a while he would do his military duty separate from our vacation, so we would only have two weeks of some type of summer vacation, and I suppose it was because his employer did not want him gone a month.

When we were not on vacation, I was allowed to sleep as long as I wanted to providing that when I awoke, dressed, and had breakfast, my next task MUST BE CHORES.

Most of my chores involved doing something outside while most of my sister's chores involved doing something inside. Our chores were never mixed except for washing the dishes.

Once chores were done, I was able to play with the rest of the neighborhood children as long as I was home at 6:00 pm for dinner.