Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Playing in the rain



Delores at the Feathered Nest said, over the weekend,


I guess we did not have to look at the weather channel to know the weather in Ontario Saturday and Sunday.

I have good childhood memories of playing in the rain.  For instance, one time an army of little children clothed generally only in white underpants, under the leadership of “the big boys” carted enough rocks and rubbish to build a magnificent dam at the foot of the road, as the rain fell.  We scurried to orders, reinforcing both ends, making it higher in the middle.  When the dam broke, water rushed down, undercutting the bed of our undedicated road.  “Undedicated” meant the road belonged to the adjacent landowners and the city was not responsible for repairs.  A lot of unhappy fathers trundled in wheelbarrows of sand that night, filling in the void.  I think “the big boys” were put to work, too.  I know a lot of saggy, dirty bottomed underwear attired little kids lined up, watching.

A couple of summers ago, during a week when they were the only cousins at the house, Laura and Emily were out in bathing suits splashing in the dogs’ wading pool.  Later I realized they were running down to the swing, pouring their water bottle contents on the slide, trying for the effect of a water slide.  A valiant effort, with no success. Days later it did rain.  I sent them to get into bathing suits on the double; there was a water slide right down at the swing set.  Oh, the mud on them when they came in.

Sending grandchildren out to play in the rain is not one of our especial Camp 61 activities.  But the first week of this month, Emily was at band camp and the three remaining children kept finding more loose ends than the law allows.    Three children were out bickering each other in our small house. Then one evening it rained.  Hard.  I told them to go out and play.

“It’s raining!”
“I know.”
“Can we really?”
“Absolutely!”



16 comments:

  1. I love that image. I fondly remember playing in the rain.

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  2. I remember once at Grandma's house playing in the rain...with water balloons and anything else that could hold water. All of the cousins. We filled them up from the gutters. Buckets and bowls and balloons. It was one of those warm, summer rains. We got SOAKED and loved every minute!

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  3. one summer day, when the grandkids were all still fairly young, Marc and I took them all down to the toy store where we each picked out a water gun (big ones), came back to the house and then proceeded to have a water war. every man, woman, and child for themselves. their dad even got into it. We were all totally drenched by the time we were done. it was loads of fun.

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  4. The times we have got utterly soaked in the rain, have been amongst the happiest!
    Jane x

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  5. A warm rainy day is one of the best toys!

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  6. Warm rainy days were always a joy. Just the same our Christmas stockings always included a water pistol, just in case there was no rain. Happy memories. Thank you.
    PS: A water pistol is an excellent cat chastiser for cats who insist on climbing flyscreen doors and/or windows. A shot to their furry little underarms teaches them very quickly that it is not acceptable behaviour.

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  7. That looks like a lot of fun! I can't remember the last time I played in the rain. If it EVER rains here again I might have to try it :-)

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  8. great thinking - probably will be a memory of their forever. I remember spending hours damming up a little puddle over at my friend's house. Water is fun.

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  9. What a blessing. There is nothing like playing in the rain to refresh us all.

    Push some my way please.

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  10. Oh my, I can well believe the dads weren't too happy about that little experiment!

    I have always liked a warm summer rain. When I was young, my brother and I would make all kinds of waterways in the gravel yard beside our home, and float twigs and leaves on them. I much preferred the rain to the sun even then.

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  11. Such great memories of playing in the rain! When we lived in the Mojave Desert during the early 80s, we danced in the little rain we got. Glorious.

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  12. I hope playing in the rain dampened their spirits!

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  13. I do remember those days. It showed we could play through anything.

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  14. I am always amazed at adults squirming at the rain, when after all it's just water and so much fun and so refreshing, children know.

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  15. Summer rainy days make the best play days sometimes.

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