Can vaguely remember waiting for the school bus to take me to swim lessons. Maybe first grade?
Must have been the same age that my mom would drop me off for snow skiing lessons and then I would ski for a couple of hours afterwards by myself to be picked up. The place had four rope-tows and a poma-lift. I remember it was big-time when I rode the poma-lift by myself. Hard to believe my mom would just leave me there by myself for the morning! I remember being disappointed that there was nobody I knew to see my big accomplishment.
Fourth grade is when my memories really kick in. Riding our bikes to the creek a couple miles away and fishing, spearing fish with sticks, building forts, etc.
Was the same creek my old man went skinny-dipping when he was a kid! And he told the story of taking his Dad's 10-guage double-barreled shotgun to the creek to hunt pheasant without permission. He figured he would be all ready for the second shot by putting his second finger on the second trigger. Of course when he pulled with the first finger - the other finger set off the second barrel. He ended up on his butt!
When we would catch carp we would but them in a bag and ride our bikes home - but leave the carp on the front stoop of whatever kid we wanted to play a joke on that day.
We went swimming in the pond at the end of our street. Built a raft that survived 5 winters. Nearly drowned when an older kid dunked me. My best friend almost killed him over it when he dunked him in return.
Thought the BB gun wars were stupid. But did hunt chipmunks - I guess that was third or fourth grade the first time. Song birds were a no-no.
Built a go-card in 5th grade out of an old Briggs and Stratton engine, some wheels off an old wagon and some 2x4’s. My best friend and I went “halvsies” on the clutch. The thing was so high-centered (the wagon wheels with those short axles!) we were the only two that could ride it. Several years later learned the lesson to never go “halvsies” on anything as when he moved away he somehow ended up with the clutch!
After school would make bike jumps in the city sand and gravel/ road maintenance lot. We didn't make a mess, and the guys would drive by and never say anything.
Saturday mornings would get up early and go under the bleachers after the H.S. football game and collect the loose chain that had fallen. Sometimes a bill, and once a buddy found a wallet - got the reward money.
At night we would climb the light towers and see who had the guts to climb all the way. After getting caught, had to make sure to wipe my hands of the silvery -paint stuff or my mom would see.
Spending nights in our fort in the backyard and playing “night games”. Hide and go seek, evade the cars, which often turned into throwing dirt clods or small crab apples at cars. Looking back, I'm REALLY glad we never got shot or beat up; running through people's backyards and tossing stuff at cars and all of that.
Buying smoke bombs a the 5&10, then hiding behind the embankment and tossing a bunch of them onto the busy road and watch the traffic get snarled up!
Never did end up with any broken bones.
A concussion after a kid I pushed off the merry-go-round (playing “king of the hill” type came) came up behind me at the end of recess and pushed me from behind on the ice.
Skinny dipping? Did that at a pond called BAP...
Yep. That’s how it was.