More Childhood Memories

Marilyn - in Costume

Memories of my Childhood

Yep - Marilyn Weidler!

Growing up for me was so very different than that of my grandchildren. My grandchildren spend most of their spare time on the computer or playing Xbox. Our weekends and even during the week were spent visiting relatives and friends. I spent a great amount of time with my only girl cousin on my mom’s side. We had playhouses in the woods and spent many hours there. Also we spent a lot of time "putting on plays" for our "not so happy" audience of my brother & my cousin’s brother. We used the shower in the basement for the "stage" with our very own stage curtain.

Also as Merrilee said in her comments, we would play in the snow and make "snow angels." As we grew older, my cousin would come over after school (probably didn’t even have a driver’s license) and we would go pick up "Corky" also known as Corinne Luckason and go to the "big" town of Bolan and buy cigarettes. We thought we were pretty grown up!

Ronnie Myli

Other memories were with my cousin "Ronnie" who was about 5 years younger than I. He tells me that he would ride the bus home with me after school sometimes. He wanted to ride bikes, but he said, "But, no, we had to watch American Bandstand." I remember accompanying him for his 5th birthday to be on the TV show "Clubhouse". I believe Al Heinz was the person on there at that time. I remember Ronnie didn’t remember his last name, so they had to ask his big cousin. He also tells me my favorite R&R singer was Bobby Rydell.

My grandparents lived on our farm in a trailer until I was about 11 when my grandpa died. He played a fiddle by ear and often played for old time dances. Whole families would attend these dances. It was so fun for us kids to do the "bunny hop", getting in a long line, jumping around the dance floor. He passed that violin along to me. It is now in the hands of my cousin’s granddaughter. By coincidence, my granddaughter Afton has taken up playing the violin. My grandpa also had geese. I was afraid of the "old gander" as he liked to chase and bite me.

Ilene and Janet Eilertson

My other childhood friends were the Eilertson girls. They loved to come to my house to play as I always had lots of toys being an only girl in my family. There were 6 kids in their family so they weren’t as fortunate. We played with dolls I think until we were in Junior High. We also had a playhouse in our old house after building our new house. We remember seeing "feet" behind a door and became quite frightened. To this day, we don’t know whom they belonged to as we made a quick dash out of that playhouse.

We also spent Saturday nights on main street visiting with friends and neighbors.

Ilene & Janet were my roomates after graduating from high school. We had lots of fun before we settled down. I am taking Janet on her first trip to Vegas this fall. Watch out Vegas!!

Marilyn with Best Friend Carol

My childhood friend in elementary school was Carol Orman. We even had dresses alike in the 5th grade. By coincidence, my daughter’s best friend in grade school was also named Carol. They had dresses alike also! Carol & I both took accordion lessons. I remember when the salesman came to sell us an accordion. He was very pushy and my dad told him to leave. I went up to my room and was crying. My dad came up and asked if I really wanted an accordion. I of course said yes. The rest is history. Spoiled?

Great Accordion - So-So Player

 Inever did all that well on it & wouldn’t play for people. I still have it. I remember several of us kids being on the radio playing our accordions. I remember Jim Schaub playing his entire song with his hand on the wrong spot on the keyboard!! I wonder what it sounded like!!



Thanks Merrilee for helping me recall my own childhood memories.
Marilyn Weidler Ulve