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Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Floating along

Wading and lifting one's skirts...suggested to the viewer by Sepia Saturday this week.  

Dad in the Black River, with no swim suit, 1956 or so.


My first thought upon seeing this photo was "what a relief those women and boys were feeling, to have shucked their hosiery and shoes, and lifted either pants or skirts."  Only one woman took her hat off.   Then (being a bit of a bad girl) I thought, those women didn't shave their legs!  That wouldn't have been necessary with long skirts, now would it?  Ah, such lucky ladies.


I know, encumbered by layers of clothing that went to wrist, neck and ankles, how could they be glad of hairy legs?  I dare say the thought of shaving those legs would have been totally shocking to them.  As would the idea of wearing most of the clothes people go swimming in, or just walk around daily wearing these days.

OK, back to reality of connecting the theme to some of my old photos.

Little sis in front, I may be to the right behind her, because I was wearing, yep, a swim cap!  Unknown other girl in the rear.

The reason for my swim cap is my curls, which probably meant I slept on either brushy wire curlers or maybe pink foam ones.  When suffering that much, I wanted to keep my precious curls, though by the end of a day they usually had straightened out completely. 
Here I come, a relaxed and very thin adolescent!
Our family didn't ever take vacations. This is it, the one time we went and stayed for a week (or so) away from home or any relatives.  Not that great a memory, actually.  We really didn't know how to relax or certainly how to "play together."
Couldn't get Mom into a bathing suit and as usual she's sticking out her tongue at having her picture taken.
 I like the floating along while another tube rider is in a hurry to get downriver.
Apparently the outfit is still around where we stayed.

19 comments:

  1. The floating photos look very peaceful and relaxing.

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  2. Nice to see your mother settled in the shade with a couple of books; good for her!

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  3. Interesting to see you say your family didn't take vacations. We didn't either. Usually on holidays we went and stayed with relatives. But that was nice too. Not so good for the Mums though as they still had to produce food regularly. No rest from that. The only time we stayed in a hotel was once or twice a year we would stay in Melbourne overnight so that we could go to a live show, usually a musical comedy.

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  4. A very entertaining and easy to read post. Well Done.

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  5. HA -- yes, something to be said for those long dresses. I wonder if it was shocking to show this legs while wading.
    And I can commiserate with you on sleeping in brush rollers -- finding that comfortable spot was not easy.

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  6. We had to use old inner tubes from cars. You had really made it when you upgraded to a fancy rubber ring. I never took to lilos either and now just watch my grandson on his surfboard.

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  7. I never stayed in a hotel until I was 21 and went on a trip to NY with my father. Our vacations were always to my uncles cottage in Idlewild or at home. I've never shaved my legs and did not wear ankle length skirts.

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  8. Barb - a lilo is an air mattress that you blow up and use to float on the water, There is a knack to getting and staying on them.

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  9. Oh, glad to know what a lilo is, and yes, I've straddled them several times in my life, and fallen off a few too. Thanks, Bob.

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  10. Great to hear about your "vacations" Kristin, as well as hairy legs. Hairiness and natural looking legs have become much more acceptable these days around me...I have a friend with a bumper sticker saying "I Love Hairy Potters," who doesn't shave her legs.

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  11. I've never had a swimming cap that kept my hair dry.
    The floating down the river in inner tubes looks so fun.
    Nancy
    Ladies of the Grove

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  12. Enjoyable family memories. My mother wore a swimming cap but I don't know that I ever did, as I didn't feel they were much use, and if my hair got wet it would just frizz uncontrollably!

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  13. Memories of brush rollers, pink sponge rollers, swim caps, hairy legs and a relaxing float on the water - what more could you ask for in a post?

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  14. Gentle thoughts of an era long gone. And sometimes lamented. Good post.

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  15. I find river water to be much colder than the sea. Especially in the early spring and summer, it is more bracing chilly rather refreshingly cool.

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  16. We didn't take holidays either, my husband's family did so that became part of our lifestyle after we married - we would share ahouse by the seaside with another family and after that for many years with a tent

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  17. There was something so wonderful about floating with an inner tube. A comfort in having it under you or around you.

    And wading across a creek up to your ankles in the coolness of fresh clean water.

    Good memories, but I'm sorry you didn't get vacations as a child.

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  18. I'm so thrilled to have many of you Speians commenting, can't answer each of you. This blog format doesn't allow a direct reply. Over on my Alchemy of Clay blog and Living in Black Mountain blog, I can reply to each comment. Drat it all! I will just have to come to your own blogs and comment on your own posts!

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There is today, more than ever, the need for a compassionate regenerative world civilization.