Congratulations to all the parents and students who went back to school this week, I pray that everyone has a successful year.

This will be the first time since the 90’s, more specifically 1997, that I haven’t had to experience a “back to school” day, as our youngest, Malik graduated from Bowie State University in May and is now fully employed – so we have two working sons! Yay!!!

However, it did bring back many memories of when they each had their own first back to school days which made for a timely title for today’s post, Throwback Thursday and a Traffic Jam Weekend Party.

We are now creating new memories with the build of our “Forever Home”.  All of our names will be on the deed, so I am sure that years from now, Tayair and Malik will have their own Throwback Thursday memories to share with families of their own.

Blake family building their "Forever Home" in Hickory Hollow, Smyrna, DE
Blake family building their “Forever Home” in Hickory Hollow, Smyrna, DE

As we drove home from the construction site in Smyrna, I read a post on Facebook which was also a great reminder of times gone by with memories of growing up in the 60’s and 70’s in Mt. Vernon, NY and I wanted to share it here with you.

Please let me know if you can relate to any of these memories?

I was raised in Mount Vernon, NY, area code is 914. We didn’t HAVE to wear designer clothes but wore designer jeans (Jordache & Levi’s 501’s) and Jordan’s or we wore what Mom bought you (at Alexanders)?.

You thought your parents were rich if you went to, Abraham and Strauss and Macy’s in the city. Pro Keds and Converse shoes were cool (Don’t forget Reebok the Classics) Shopping at K-Mart for a blue light special eating the popcorn and drinking an Cherry Icee.

Eating ice cream only when the truck came around and a bag full of $0.05 candies was the treat with the quarter juices. The popcorn in a paper bag with so much butter on it you could see it seeping through the paper.

You took your school clothes off as soon as you got home and put on your play clothes. We had to do our homework before being allowed outside to play. We ate dinner at the table as a family.


We went to school everyday. TVs didn’t have remotes, we had to actually get up to change the channel. We played Mother May I, Hopscotch, and Run catch and kiss and 1,2,3 not it, Red Light Green Light, Numbers, Hide & Seek, Truth or Dare, Tag, Baseball, 4 square, kick ball, dodge ball, rode bikes, and skated (skates/skateboards) all over the neighborhood. Girls could spend hours playing Barbies or house. Boys played football in the street.

Staying in the house was a punishment, the only thing we knew about “bored”, “You better find something to do before I find it for you to do!” We ate what mom/dad made for dinner or we ate nothing at all and that never happened thank God. There was no bottled water; we drank from the tap, the water hose (hot) and the playground water fountain. We watched cartoons on Saturday mornings and Soul Train, rode our bikes for hours without a cell phone.

Troll Dolls
Did you have Troll Dolls?

We weren’t AFRAID OF ANYTHING. If someone had a fight, that’s what it was and we were friends again a week later, if not SOONER. We played in the streets. The street lights were your curfew. School was mandatory and teachers and police were people who you could TRUST. We watched our MOUTHS around our elders because ALL of our Aunties, Uncles, Elders & Cousin’s were also our PARENTS (they COULD & WOULD WHOOP Y’ALL!,) and you didn’t want them telling your PARENTS if you misbehaved.

These were the good ole days. Kids today will never know how it feels to be a real kid. I loved my childhood…!!!


Let’s Spread Peace… the kids these days will never understand how we grew up!!!

So now you may be feeling nostalgic, sit back, relax and read a few posts at this week’s Traffic Jam Weekend Linky Party and don’t forget to follow the hosts and leave a few of your own posts.

Have fun!

 

WELCOME TO TRAFFIC JAM WEEKEND

LINKY PARTY #202

Show us your old posts and more on Traffic Jam Weekend!

Come on in to link up, share, and learn something with us.

#trafficjamweekend

 

The bloggers bringing this fabulous party to you:

Kimberly: Being A Wordsmith | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram

Evelyn: Eclectic Evelyn | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram | YouTube | Tumblr

Tracy: View From The Beach Chair | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest May: La Vie en May | Pinterest | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook  

Our two guest co-hosts:

     

Antionette at DelBlogger

Antionette at DelBlogger

Follow DelBlogger:

Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest | YouTube

 
If you would like to become a weekly co-host, complete this quick form.
 

These are the featured posts from Traffic Jam Weekend #201…

  Fall Decorating Ideas by Kippi at Home   Antionette chose Fall Decorating Ideas by Kippi at Home. “I love the upcycle of the brown bottles.”   Autumn Fashion – Too Early To Be Thinking About That Yet? by Vanity and Me   Evelyn chose Autumn Fashion – Too Early To Be Thinking About That Yet? by Vanity and Me. “I chose this post because I wanted to shoutout another blogger who is fabulous over the age of 40.”   The 50 Best Lifestyle Blog Post Ideas You Need to Get Unstuck Now by Mostly Blogging   Kimberly chose The 50 Best Lifestyle Blog Post Ideas You Need to Get Unstuck Now by Mostly Blogging. “Phenomenal list of lifestyle blog post ideas! Right up my alley.”   Moist Pumpkin Bread Recipe by Treat and Trick   Tracy chose Moist Pumpkin Bread Recipe by Treat and Trick. “I love all things pumpkin and this recipe looks amazing. I can not wait to try it.”   Writers Talking with Kimberly H. Smith @beingawordsmith by Eclectic Evelyn   The post with the most views was Writers Talking with Kimberly H. Smith @beingawordsmith by our very own Eclectic Evelyn.     Thank you featured bloggers for sharing! Your posts will be pinned to the Traffic Jam Weekend Linky Party Pinterest board. Please grab a special Traffic Jam Weekend featured button below to display on your blog.
Being A Wordsmith

Just a few rules for the party…

  • Grab a Traffic Jam Weekend button below for your site
  • Link up as many of your old posts as you like below
  • Take some time and visit the other posts
  • Create some traffic jam for the hosts of this party
  • Share this party on social media with the hashtag #trafficjamweekend
 
 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

I want to know what you think, please leave a comment and share with your circle.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.