Lee Wasn't Just Any Football Player ...

... he was Bart Starr! Those might be from the Christmas I got the Green Bay Packer helmet, and the football uniform that had a yellow jersey with green numbers, and white pants, and shoulder pads. Of course, the only thing "authentic" about this uniform was the helmet, but I was still thrilled. Somewhere those memories exist on family home movies that Marion took that Christmas of me, passing a football to someone in what used to be the old kitchen there. I do remember the next year going out in the yard under the maple tree in the north side of the yard and passing the ball to myself and pretending to get tackled, where I would throw myself onto the ground.

You know ... the things I did when I was a kid to entertain myself after Jane and John had left the house ... sheesh. It's probably a good thing there wasn't video or the internet back then. I might have ended up like this kid, the subject of much unwarranted ridicule. However, I still laugh like hell watching him. Click the blue link to see how much "press" this kid has received. He is now an internet phenomenom, but I doubt he's making a lot of money off his original "expose".

I also remember all the tank models I built, just to tape bottle rockets into hatches to simulate the effects of direct hits from other tanks or tank destroyers (these tanks were German or Japanese, to simulate being hit by a Sherman tank or a bazooka). It's pretty cool what the exhaust from a taped-down bottle rocket will do to a plastic model.

I also remember carefully arranging little green soldiers and their accompanying vehicles in areas around the rope swing that was in that north maple tree, just so I could swing over them, holding a stick I used to hit the ground to create "bombing runs". You see, these were the days of "Combat!" (RIP, Vic ... that had to hurt) and "The Rat Patrol" and their leaping jeeps on TV ... and it made an impression on me. I can still hum the tune of the theme song of "The Rat Patrol". Plus, hearing all of Uncle Sam's stories probably had a bit to do with that, as well. LOL

Lori ... you may remember that old rope swing. I recall it had a brake drum cover for a seat. I seem to recall an episode where we were riding on that swing together when you were about five years old or so, and the rope broke, sending us flying. LOL I felt really bad about that.

Anyway ... yes, I was admittedly a dorky kid in my pre-high school years.

Now ... any ... ahem ... "magazines" you might find hidden in the attic from my later formulative years ... I might want those, especially the ones that earned me an "F" in Deportment one marking period when I was in eighth grade, as a student of Uncle Sam's. They could be valuable on eBay these days.

As for the shoulder pads and pants ... I would say to keep them for Ross, and let him grow into them!