I am the last of 7 children from Freemont Close, with 2 large apple trees perfect to climb. An overgrown garden filled with food and grown with love.
I am from a neighborhood of friends which was safe to wander, from sun-up to sun-set and the occasional missed curfew. Sounds of song filled the air with 8-tack tapes to 45 records, usually Patsy Cline or Johnny Cash.
I am from a slip and slide and sprinkler in the summer, to building snowmen a mile high in the winter. Cruising down the street on a sparkled red and white banana seat.
I am from steak and potatoes and homemade jam, with long conversations shelling peas at the kitchen table. Scents of Chantilly and Aqua Velva filling my nose.
I am from dancing to Corey Hart and Tiffany, the wind in my spiral permed hair which donned the occasional banana clip or oversized fabric bow on a barrette.
I am from She-Ra, Jem, Rainbow Brite, Pogo Balls and Fashion Plates. Often seen with Lip Smackers and jellies sandals.
I am from watching Punky Brewster and Joey Jeremiah to playing Wonder Boy and Super Mario Bros. With slouch socks and t-shirts decorated with puff paint.
I am from posters from Bop Magazine covering the walls and mixed tapes in a yellow Sony walkman.
I am from studying black and white photos, wishing I had known my Grandparents, English spoken with the occasional Czech words uttered.
I am from home-made matching dresses and sweaters for the whole family, Cabbage Patch included. Photos taken with a Polaroid.
I am from cherished times and I-wish-I-could-forget times, yet it all formed who I am today.
This is where I’m from.
.
.
susan platana says
09/27/2011 at 4:15 pmwow, crazy how your child picture and belle could be twins! well put tammi but don’t forget all the neon colours everyone wore 🙂
Tammi says
09/27/2011 at 4:22 pmOK, Ok – you caught me!! It was neon puff paint!!
lol
edmontonjb says
09/27/2011 at 4:37 pmMy slouch socks were neon! Sometimes I would wear one neon pink and one neon green one. Punky Brewster and Jem were my obsessions! I wasn’t lucky enough to have a WalkMan until I was older but I did have a pink ghetto blaster.
I was just saying to my husband last week that I haven’t seen jelly shoes in ages – he had no idea what I was referring to!
Johane Levesque says
09/27/2011 at 4:38 pmOh! I remember those days so well… Leg warmers and leggings and oversized knitted sweaters…
Tammi says
09/27/2011 at 5:41 pmAhhh, the oversized sweaters!! those were almost a fire hazard! lol
Cobi says
01/18/2016 at 6:40 pmdo you mean Cub Monaco sweaters?? Those were pretty hot!
SamiJoe says
09/27/2011 at 5:00 pmHow about the old fad— pinning or rolling the cuffs of your jeans over to make them kinda like ‘jeggings’.
I love Degrassi– we are children of the 80’s.
Tammi says
09/27/2011 at 5:41 pmYep, I can’t even watch the new Degrassi…. nothing would compare.
Soooo waiting for it to go to DVD, consider it bought by this girl! lol
Lynette says
09/27/2011 at 8:07 pmLove it! The 80’s rocked! Genevieve now has jellie shoes… I should have kept mine to wear them 20 years later!
Tammi says
10/03/2011 at 7:38 pmI remember them being comfortable too, who would have thought?
brenda says
09/27/2011 at 9:07 pmWhat precious memories; it makes me smile as I remember who I am; sometimes as well. SOOOO special Tammi
Heather! says
09/29/2011 at 4:15 amWhat do ya know…we must have been neighbors! I’m from there, too!
Tammi says
10/03/2011 at 7:38 pmHello neighbor!!!
🙂
terri begg says
11/22/2015 at 4:54 pmwow love this post didnt i make them for your cabbage patch and you?
Tammi says
11/23/2015 at 5:31 amI think you did! 🙂
Lena says
10/12/2011 at 11:49 amI SOOOO love this post.
“I am from posters from Bop Magazine covering the walls and mixed tapes in a yellow Sony walkman.”
Okay, we officially had the same childhood. And may I say – you haven’t aged a bit since that last picture was taken 😉
Karina says
01/11/2012 at 7:55 amLove it, the 80’s were the greatest decade to be a kid – hands down. 🙂
Tammi says
01/12/2012 at 9:06 amI agree, Karina!!
MissT says
01/16/2012 at 10:17 pmIve been watching Degrassi Jr High/Degrassi High on Netflix I miss the era we grew up in. I was a little younger then the cast on that show though lol. but I can relate to all the fashion. Whenever I see their notetote binder I go back to grade 4.
Tammy @ In R Dream says
01/17/2012 at 1:51 pmAwe….Great read! I love it!
Doris C says
04/23/2012 at 9:37 amI love this! I am from a lot of the same, however a tad bit older than you we didn’t have yellow sony walkmans only transistor radios! You really got me thinking, thanks so much for posting this, it’s great:)
Diane says
04/24/2012 at 8:14 amLove this post! It reminds me of a project my son did in school, in which he stated “I am from the Ninja Turtles~ Cowabunga Dude!”
Amanda Stachowicz says
04/24/2012 at 6:38 pmI think that we must be the same age:) I Loooooved Punky Brewster and Jem!!
Rose Powell says
06/12/2012 at 6:57 amI loved this post, it reminded me of the fun toys & shows we watched & we had when we were younger!
debbie s says
06/14/2012 at 3:52 pmgreat ideas to do for yourself!
Elaine Jasvins says
01/25/2013 at 5:40 amWhat a great blog, I only wish that my kids could have that freedom to come and go when and where the wind blew that day. Times sure have changed. Personally I am glad permed hair is no longer a fashion.
Karen Hill says
02/02/2013 at 11:28 amYou could be my little sister!
Heather says
02/02/2013 at 1:30 pmawww I loved this post! What a great idea for a post! Miss the days of being outside all day losing track of time.
Royce Bell says
02/06/2013 at 6:41 amThe world is smaller than you think
PW says
02/16/2013 at 7:47 amYou basically still look a little like that cute girl with the cabbage patch dolls in her hands! 🙂
valerie godin says
02/19/2013 at 9:26 amWhat a great post, brings back many memories 🙂
Sydney D says
03/02/2013 at 3:42 pmAhh!! Cabbage Patch Kids! Good times.
Judy C says
03/12/2013 at 10:18 pmOh I remember those days very well:)
Chandra Christine O'Connor says
03/13/2013 at 6:37 amIm a little earlier so my posters were of Leif Garrett and the Hardy Boys. 🙂
Dayle B. says
05/25/2013 at 12:11 pmHow sweet you are, eh. Little after my childhood dates, but I can relate,
re: your grandparents. Also, having a garden growing up, helps me know
how to attend my own garden.
Catherine says
06/08/2013 at 10:31 amI love that picture of you. I have to admit I remember the days of The Cabbage Patch Craze all too well. Thanks for bringing back good memories.
Erika B says
06/25/2013 at 8:45 amSounds very similar to the neighbourhood that I grew up in. Every kid should have a place like that to grow up in. Love the pictures!!
Debbie Bashford says
07/15/2013 at 7:48 amIn fashion everything comes around again evebtually
Lynn M says
10/15/2013 at 11:35 amI had a Huge sticker collection back then !
angie smith says
11/05/2013 at 6:45 amgreat to learn more about you after reading your blog for so long!
Pam says
11/29/2013 at 10:31 pmSounds like you were born in the 80’s like me 🙂
Alexa Nernberg says
01/05/2014 at 4:03 pmSounds to me like you had a wonderful up-bringing Tammi. Some of the things you mention, I recall too
Elva Roberts says
02/10/2014 at 9:03 pmI think you had a blessed and Happy childhood and teen age years. From your description, your life was filled with family, friends and neighbours and the wonderful life in the innosence of the past. Your were very lucky.
http://esperanzacampos.pen.io/ says
05/05/2014 at 10:59 pmWow, wonderful blog layout! How long have you been blogging for?
you make blogging look easy. The overall look of your website is magnificent, let alone the content!
Elva Roberts says
05/09/2014 at 10:04 amSome of your bio is similar although I am a great deal older than you. Doors were usually not locked at night and we could play any where in our small town as long as we were not late for meals. people married for life and life was very good. We had problems but i felt safe and loved. Good and bad memoiries. I didn’t know my grandparents as they were deceased. I think I missed out there big time. Hugs.
mongupp says
10/11/2014 at 9:08 amWow. A lot of those were part of my growing up years too! Especially banana clips!
Cheryl says
11/13/2015 at 11:22 amSounds like we came from the same place in time……I forgot about rainbow bright!! lol