Okay, here I'd love to see some of your cherished memories from when you were just little

When I was little I remember my dad taking us kids all the way across Vancouver to the west side.

In the Point Grey area, not far from the university, there was a place that sold hard ice-cream in LOTS of neat flavours.

He ALWAYS got maple walnut for himself, but we kids could try out the black licorice or some other fun flavour.

To this day, I still love hard ice cream and I do enjoy maple walnut.

My two earliest memories:

I remember playing at the apartment playground with my younger brother. He and I were alone. He and I climbed to the top of the slide together. I slid down first. When I turned around to watch him, I saw him fall from the top of the slide to the concrete ground. He was knocked unconscious and I ran home screaming that my brother was dead. (He wasn't.)

The second earliest memory is the day we had our class picture taken for pre-school. I remember clearly how funny I thought it was that the photographer wanted us to say "Cookie Monster" instead of "cheese".

Oh, and just for the fun of it--another trip down that same memory lane. When I was 4 there was a neighborhood costume party for halloween. I dressed as an Native American. One of the neighbors dressed as the headless horseman. To this day I have nightmares about him chasing me around that apartment complex.

Just after my third birthday I was flowergirl for a wedding. I still have memories of having the photos taken, but also at the reception. There was a blowfly ( a large and noisy fly) hovering around the table and I apparently caused much mirth in those nearby by calling out "Look at the bee, look at the bee".

I remember watching the old 50's vintage TV set being turned off. I would standing in front of the TV wearing my corduroy overalls and my Dad's slippers when I was 3 yrs old. The TV screen would get dimmer and dimmer until finally it was a pinpoint of light, then would disappear.

Ooh, Pam that reminds me of the "touch button" television set we had in the early 80s. It operated by electricity from your finger tip. (Hard to explain, really.) Often in the middle of the night when the electricity surged because the heater or the air conditioner kicked in, the television would somehow turn itself on as if by magic.

My parents had divorced by then and I was the oldest in the house except for my mother. It was my job to carry a baseball bat and find out if anyone had broken into the house. Each and every time it was just the magical television making the noise. I sure was glad we had a big dog who liked to sleep with me!

One of my favorite memories was when I was about 6 or 7 and in the fall, we'd pack fixings for a lit' picnic and go out to one of the many roadside picnic tables in the countryside. Afterwards, armed with paper bags, we would walk the roads looking for nuts that had fallen from the trees. Some black walnuts some not.
Years later moving to central FL, I found a tree in the middle of a huge unused lot. I would gleen the pecans from the ground. As it turns out, my sister and her husband bought a house less than two blocks away. I would use the pecans for Thanksgiving dinner. I would go every October/November for several years.

One of my favorite memories were going with Daddy to Cattle Auctions. It was so much fun to see our cattle being sold or watching Daddy bid on some that he wanted to buy.

One time I saw a Brown Swiss cow prior to the auction. I thought she was really fine. Daddy said that if I wanted her to bid on her (I was about 5) but, if I bought her I had to use the money from my calves which were being sold to buy her. I bid on her ... bid too much ... it took all of my monies to pay for her. I cried and Daddy laughed and said, "A deal is a deal. Remember this Sis." I never forgot my lesson learned!

My second favorite memory was also of Daddy and lessons learned. After this you will probably guess that I was country when country wasn't cool.

I was 14 and the Roundup Club Princess. Every year our state has it's statehood celebration.The89er Day Parade held in the original state capitol. My parents bought me a fancy white western suit fringe, sequences the works; complete with white gloves, hat and boots.

My horse was my 'best friend’, a very large Appaloosa. He had a personality flaw; when he saw a shadow he would jump sideways. I knew this well!

It rained early that morning. So there was standing water on the streets. As I was riding in front of the Grandstand and waving at everyone ... my ego inflated ... he jumped sideways. I was totally unprepared and fell right into a big hole filled with mud! Through the sound of the bands, and noise from the crowds I heard Daddy's voice, "Sis, get BACK on and RIDE"

Embarrassed and dirty I remounted and finished the parade. Lessons learned: When you fall, get back on and RIDE,

Those are great memories, Naomi! :)