My jolly playmate, 
Come out and play with me, 
And bring your dollies three, 
Climb up my apple tree, 
Slide down my rainbarrel, 
Into my cellar door, 
And we’ll be jolly friends, 
Forever more, more, more, more!

Oh jolly playmate, I can’t come play with you.
My dolly has the flu, boo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo.
I have no rainbarrel, ain’t got no cellar door, 
But we’ll be jolly friends for ever more, more, more, more!

I am grateful for memories of hand clapping games.

I am grateful for memories of snapping beans on the porch.

I am grateful for memories of swinging in the tire swing at sunset and hearing the locusts buzz.

I am grateful for memories of playing in the playhouse, except for the times when Mom yelled my name in anger from the back porch and I wished the playhouse had a door I could close and lock.

I am grateful for memories of catching minnows in the creek.

I am grateful for memories of water skiing and for the opportunity to even learn how to water ski. Thank you, Lori Mendenhall. 🙂

I am grateful for memories of making Hollyhock dolls with Kristin Walter. We walked this morning and saw hollyhocks in someone’s yard, and everything came back to me – Sunday afternoons in the Walters’ yard, pulling the biggest blooms for the perfect little lady. Now I think we need to plant some hollyhocks for the grandchildrens’ next visit.

I am grateful for memories of the smell of Vacation Bible School booklets with stickers in the back.

I am grateful for macaroni & cheese with Dad after bedtime and a bowl of vanilla ice cream with Nestle Quik sprinkled all over the top.

I am grateful for new school supplies and the smell of Haven Elementary and its shiny floors.

I am grateful for memories of the yellow light and walk up window at the Dairy King on 4th street, a special treat of an ice cream cone after church on Sunday nights.

I am grateful that I had birthday parties and vacations and pets and Christmas presents and a week at camp each summer and money to go to the city pool and get a package of FunDip to eat or a cinnamon square shooter while sitting on a wet towel in a wet swimming suit. Not every kid has these delights…