I was never one to enjoy
repetitive activities. I needed variety. I wanted to variety. I could not
handle well the repetitions of life. That is why some of my life in California
was a little strange. We developed some family routines. I really should say I
developed them. It was me who needed to have the consistency for my family’s
sake. Besides I made some promises to Della and I intended to keep them, as
much as possible.
We lived about four blocks from
Knott’s Berry Farm. Most Friday nights we walked down to see the same basic
things over and over. Fortunately preschool kids love repetition and they
looked forward to our near weekly excursions. We always started at the
merry-go-round side of Beach Blvd where we first fed the ducks. Della would
make sure there were a few slices of bread for each kid. They would tear off
small pieces to make their slices last longer. When the bread was done and the
ducks swam away it was time to ride the merry-go-round, we rode with them a few
times at first and when we were sure they could survive the ride without us,
they rode and we watched. The rides were ten cents each and by watching them we
saved 20¢. Small, but important!
Finally we walked back to the
shops. The cake decorating was their favorite. They liked watching the candy
making but they were not always operating. We could lean over the fence to see
people panning for gold. That was a bit boring, but we had to check it out
anyway. Once seen, we left.
The night ended in the gift shop.
There were always little things that interested the kids so we took our time.
For some reason they seemed to understand they could look and briefly touch,
but we could not buy.
They anticipated the ride home
after Sunday night church. We always stopped at Longs drugstore for ice cream.
The kids each got single scopes and Della and I had double scopes — 30¢. A
great deal.
We spent many a late evening at
the Rouses house talking until past time we should have gone home. It was not
unusual to put the kids to bed there, and then scoop them up to go home. They
loved uncle Bill and Auntie Faith and their house. Way more room than ours.
They loved it when Debbie would play with them.
Bill and Faith ensured we would
not be home bound. I think we spend every holiday at their place. The women who
gathered kicked around the kitchen and living room constantly talking and the
men sat in the family room watching sports. Between Bill, David, and rest of
the men I think they knew the names and stats of every professional player on
every pro sport in the LA area. I felt completely out of it and decided before
we ever moved to that area that I would lay off sports. So I was ignorant.
I watched football while in
Canada, and I followed the Saskatchewan Roughriders. One team, one season and I
was done until the next year. I knew how many pro teams were in their area and
knew if I got hooked on any my education might fly right out of the window.
While we would sit and watch, I often had my mind in another place. I may have
been mentally working on my next paper or contemplating some issue or other. Redeem
the time, the Scriptures say. I always felt like I had no choice.
We were almost always at the
Rouses or Stanwood’s for Sunday dinner. We usually stayed in Long Beach between
services. That was a special blessing for us. It let the kids be somewhere
else, Della to enjoy not making a meal (which
helped our budget) and me to relax. We loved them and their friends who
became our friends These people
made our stay unforgettable.
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