My Best Summer Vacation - A Real Life Episode of George Lopez
Posted: Thursday, July 07, 2011
by Teresa Ortiz
Freelance writer/Speaker
It's difficult to pick my best summer vacation. There is the time we practically lived at Disneyland - thanks to my brother's summer news paper route. For every new client he signed, he was given two free tickets to Disneyland - way to go Ralphie! Not so good for his boss, sure my brother was great at signing the clients, but not so great at collecting payments...Then there is the summer we lived at the skating rink. Thanks to the job my sister and I had there, we were able to get in for free. And then.... After thinking about this for a few days, I realized the best summer vacation was the summer we spent most days with our cousins.
My aunt did not have a swimming pool, but she did have a concrete patio that had a gradual down grade that ended at the block wall. It filled with water nicely and we were able to sit in two or three inches of water while we ate popsicles and told the most awesome tales small children could dream up. She did have a slip and slide and quite a few trash cans so when we were feeling really creative, we set up the trash cans like an obstacle course, filled them with differing levels of water, and at the end of the course, the slip and slide! We would race to see who could get through the quickest. Being that only one person fit in the trash can at a time, we had to use a timer to keep track.
My mom and my aunt were our cheerleaders. Our days would end with an ice cream sundae or a root beer float. I opted for the sundae since soda and ice cream mixed together is most disgusting in my book. (It's difficult for me to make them for my husband.)
During this same summer, while at home, all of our friends would come over and we would climb onto our roof and eat the Apricots right off of the tree and then take bets on who could through the pit the farthest. The worst part of this ritual was the stomach ache that followed from eating one... or nine too many.
This was the summer between fifth and sixth grade and was the first summer we didn't move - that came just after school started.
Gosh, now I'm thinking of the time my sister, my brother, and me stayed at our dad's. That summer had its moments - camping in the desert and shooting beer cans; now that was fun! It's still fun, but now I shoot soda cans and paper targets.
Nope, jumping in and out of trash cans and pretending they were a swimming pool still ranks at the top. I'll never forget the episode of George Lopez where he talked about doing that as a kid. Hhhmm - could it be a Mex---oh never mind.
Happy Summer!
“Being that only one person fit in the trash can at a time, we had to use a timer to keep track.”
During this same summer, while at home, all of our friends would come over and we would climb onto our roof and eat the Apricots right off of the tree and then take bets on who could through the pit the farthest. The worst part of this ritual was the stomach ache that followed from eating one... or nine too many.
This was the summer between fifth and sixth grade and was the first summer we didn't move - that came just after school started.
Gosh, now I'm thinking of the time my sister, my brother, and me stayed at our dad's. That summer had its moments - camping in the desert and shooting beer cans; now that was fun! It's still fun, but now I shoot soda cans and paper targets.
Nope, jumping in and out of trash cans and pretending they were a swimming pool still ranks at the top. I'll never forget the episode of George Lopez where he talked about doing that as a kid. Hhhmm - could it be a Mex---oh never mind.
Happy Summer!
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Top-level comments on this article: (10 total)Hey Sis! I felt like you had all the fun in life after reading the story of yours...
Wish those days could come back. But I have a dream to visit USA one day. Don't know when God will grant me that opportunity. Then I can write some better travel or vacation articles for SW...lol...
Regards, ChiradeepHello! Thanks for reading, I'm glad you enjoyed it! I pray God would grant you a visit to the USA! Blessings to you! T
Hi Teresa and thanks for sharing. Guess it was lucky having a brother that could earn free tickets for Disney Land and pass them on to you and you're family, even if I were so "lucky" to get a couple of FREE tickets by what ever means, it would still cost me near on a £1,000 to get there. Why isn't my brother a pilot?
Keep well
KacyHi Kacy! It was, it only lasted one summer. I think it ended of costing his boss a lot more than he bargained for. If your brother was a pilot - Disneyland shouldn't be your first stop! Blessings! Teresa
Teresa: Shooting guns in the desert. Now that sounds fun! Write an article about how many guns you have, which ones are your favorites, where you go. Loved your article. Ain't those memories great?Hi Chris. Yes, it'a a blessing to have more good memories than bad. Going shooting was a family past time with my dad, and also with my husband and our children. My first attempt with a double barrel shotgun landed me on my ..... Yes, it could be a fun tale, thanks for the nudge. Blessings!
It all sounds like pure fun but I love the image of you all on the rooftop eating apricots from the tree the best. How cool is that? Happy Summer right back at ya Teresa!Hi Brianna. It was a great summer - really smooth and no struggles, what a nice relief. Glad you enjoyed :-) Blessings!
Hi Teresa.
Wow. Sounds like you had some fun summer vacations. My sister and I would make a "slip and slide" out of our garage floor. It was poured so smoothly you could really slide if you made it wet. Of course, you had to be careful on the approach! Was really hard on the bathing suit too. :)
I loved reading about your summers. After reading about your school life, those summers must have been such a relief for you.
Great job of painting a really pretty picture!
Hugs,
DianneHi Dianne - sounds like the garage floor could be dangerous! Oh how fun :-) I feel blessed to have some incredibly fun and carefree moments in the midst of hard times and hiding out in hotels to get away from bad guys. I'm glad I was able to paint a pretty picture :-) It's much easier to write about the memories and times with my children then about my own. Hugs and blessings! T
I think we lived very close to your grandma (just at a later date) Salt Lake Park is (or at least was) THE big park in the City. I remember the movie theatre on Pacific. We went there a few times! I'm wondering where else our paths have crossed :-)I'm wondering that too. You know, Gregory Lewis and I discovered that we'd been to some of the same places as kids as well. It certainly is a small world at times!
Loved this and you took us there with you! Jumping through sprinkler memories came pouring back! GRINHi MJ - glad you liked it, you need to share some more of your summer tales :-)
Great stories, T! As I read, my mind was drawing pictures and made me remember a few things too. Love ya, my friend!Hi Lorrie! So glad you enjoyed and that memories of your own came to mind. Love ya too!
That's creative thinking at its best. Imaginations and great friends to keep you company. Great article. Thanks for sharing, Teresa.Hi there! So good to hear from you :-) I'm glad you enjoyed the story. Blessings to you! Teresa Have a fabulous summer!
It's amazing what kids can do and have fun. Their imagination. I had such fun as a kid that I would have stomach aches from laughing. How come we can't do that as adults? But maybe we can....nice to know you as a rug-rat--you sound like you had some great times.
Steve
Hi Steve, thanks for reading. I'd like to hear about some of those times :-) Yes, I had some great times! Blessings to you!
Teresa you made me want to be a kid again. Slip and slides were great. Imagination we had as youngsters was golden. Thanks for sharing this trip down memory lane.Hi Sid! Thanks! You can always be a kid - we still haven't grown up - although I haven't climbed into a trash can full of water lately. :-) I appreciate your stopping by and joining my fan club. I am off to read your work. Blessings!
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