Back in the day ....

I don't want to frighten anyone, but "back in the day" we didn't have computers, video games and more than 3 channels on our tv's. But, we survived and actually used our imaginations! We played softball with family and friends, played cops and robbers, cowboys & Indians, and hide and go seek. When the sun started setting we'd wait for the bug man to drive by with his fog of spray for mosquitoes. No one thought of words such as toxic and cancer, we'd play in the fog and enjoy "disappearing" for a few minutes in all the smoke.


I even remember this old black man named "Cicero", that traveled down our street selling pots/pans and other essentials. We loved hearing his mule and wagon coming and we'd run down to the end of the driveway to wait for him to arrive. He always had such neat items on his wagon, and always had something new each time he stopped. I often wondered what became of Cicero and his mule.

I grew up in a Baptist church, there was a time when it was a thriving church we were there every time the doors were opened. We enjoyed spending our Saturdays on the bus ministry, visiting the neighborhood, witnessing, and signing people up for the bus ride on Sundays. I spent many Sundays working with the children's ministry, doing hand puppets, and spent every Summer working in VBS. "Back in the day" we had Training Union on Sunday evenings before church, and sometimes we spent that time going to the local Dairy Queen and returning for a short lesson before church.


Our Wednesday night services meant pot luck suppers at church, and prayer meeting to follow. Our church finally built a Family Life Building and we had skating, foosh ball and bumper ball tables. We weren't allowed to say the word "pool tables", apparently that was associated with bars and wasn't a good word lol. So we never were allowed to have a pool table. Friday nights and Saturday nights were spent skating. Mr. Carter ran the skating events, he taught us how to jump objects, how to skate backwards, and how to do turns. There were times the guys would play basketball on skates, it was quite exciting to watch and probably rather dangerous.


If you were the age of thirteen, you automatically played on the women's church softball team. Some took it way serious, and church softball is quite competitive. I was more into being there, seeing if there were any cute guys watching, etc. I usually played center field and would ask to play left field where few balls would come because it was okay with me if I saw little or no action on the softball field.



I'm mainly writing today's blog in memory of a friend that was a fabulous softball player, she could hit, catch, and knew how to throw a ball! She was full of personality, full of character & I can hear her voice today telling me to wake up! Most of the time I was absent from play lol my thoughts were elsewhere, and most times I was there to make the numbers even. Brenda usually played shortshop or 2nd base and I can see her now with her glove ready, in the correct position to catch the ball. I know that if there is softball game in heaven that Brenda is already decked out and ready to play. We're going to miss her here on earth, but I know she's in a far better place, and heaven just got a little more lively with her presence.


In memory of Brenda Nutt Norris - may your days of heaven be filled with fun filled days on the softball field and I know there is a celebration going on up there today. "Batter up - let's play ball!"