Tag Archives: 1960’s

Camping

Posted on October 29, 2015 by vanbytheriver

I was hooked from the very first time. October, 1962. As Monster Mash hit the charts, we prepared for sleep away camp. Girl Scouts. We rolled corrugated cardboard strips into empty tuna fish cans, covered them in melted paraffin and … Continue reading →

Posted in Childhood, Entertainment, Family, Nature | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 58 Comments

Kuchen

Posted on September 11, 2015 by vanbytheriver

Today, I will bake. I will remember, I will be sad, I will meditate. I will honor the tragic memory of  September 11, 2001. But I won’t write about it. Not today. Instead, I’ll share a memory, and a recipe. … Continue reading →

Posted in Childhood, Education, Food, History | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 39 Comments

7th Grade

Posted on September 8, 2015 by vanbytheriver

It should have been a banner year, a year of achievement in a young life. It went mostly unnoticed. It came up a few days ago when a classmate posted a photo of my YWCA Babysitter Certification class from 1964. … Continue reading →

Posted in Childhood, Education, Family | Tagged , , , , , | 31 Comments

Skinny

Posted on August 24, 2015 by vanbytheriver

Skinny Shaming. It might be hard to imagine today, but it was a reality of the 1950’s and early 1960’s; evident in every magazine, newspaper and television screen. Standards of beauty involved curves. An iconic Marilyn Monroe stood at 5 … Continue reading →

Posted in Beauty, Childhood, Family | Tagged , , , , , , , | 81 Comments

Fat

Posted on August 23, 2015 by vanbytheriver

It’s the word no one likes to use. Except for my 3 year old daughter. At a family gathering, she walked up to my mother in law with a few simple words. “Grandma, you’re fat.” She responded quickly. “Yes, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Childhood, Family, Health Issues | Tagged , , , , | 62 Comments

3 Day Quote Challenge. Day 3

Posted on August 11, 2015 by vanbytheriver

In the final day of this challenge, I wanted to pay tribute to American humorist, columnist and award- winning author Erma Bombeck, 1927-1996. She was a favorite in my childhood home; and the comic voice of my mother’s generation. Her … Continue reading →

Posted in Food, Humor, Writing | Tagged , , , , , | 28 Comments

Lingerie

Posted on June 30, 2015 by vanbytheriver

I was almost 14 when I managed to get my first real bra. It was not a purchase. It was a hand-me-down from a friend of my older sister. It was a pity donation. I had told her of issues … Continue reading →

Posted in Childhood, Education, Memories | Tagged , , , , , , | 73 Comments

Three Funerals and a Wedding

Posted on June 29, 2015 by vanbytheriver

Starring Hugh Grant and written by Richard Curtis, “Four Weddings and a Funeral” is a lovely piece that might apply to my family, with a slight twist. There was a time in my teens when I lost 3 members of … Continue reading →

Posted in Family, Inspiration, Movies | Tagged , , , , , , , | 24 Comments

The Crick

Posted on May 23, 2015 by vanbytheriver

It was the forbidden place. A small creek at the end of our unpaved alley. Filled with all sorts of dangers, it was our second home. The parents might have known about it, and looked the other way. There was … Continue reading →

Posted in Childhood, Entertainment, home | Tagged , , , , , | 38 Comments

Blame it on Hayley Mills

Posted on April 9, 2015 by vanbytheriver

I was destined to become a nun. I was sure of it. This movie arrived just in time. Hayley Mills, the original “Parent Trap” star, played a rebellious, difficult cadet at an all girls’ prep school. Her “scathingly brilliant” ideas … Continue reading →

Posted in Childhood, Education, Inspiration, Movies | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 24 Comments