Harry Potter Studio Tour by Martine Pettitt
https//www.flickr.com/photos/mdpettitt/2760707111/
Today is Labor Day, the unofficial end of summer, which suggests a back-to-work sensibility for school children and the rest of us~ As I write, the temperature is cooler, cloudy at 71 degrees Fahrenheit, after 2 days in the 90s. Fall is in the air and I feel nostalgic about letting summer go ~
Come with me. I’d like to celebrate memories ~
In the blog post of July 9th, my recollection of summer play during childhood with BFF, Mary Jane Friedrich is described: “THIS GAVE ME GOOSE BUMPS.”
After pressing, “send” to my group mailing list, I emailed MJ to say that I had written about the two of us, asking for her thoughts about my musings ~
Hi MJ,
Reaching out to say hello and to let you know that I wrote about you and me in my blog post dated today. Love to hear what you think and remember…
Just click on this link…Do let me know if there are any issues with viewing.
https://lindamarsanico.com/single-post/2018/07/09/THIS-GAVE-ME-GOOSE-BUMPS
MJ responded:
Hi Linda,
Of course, you may print my response to our memories. I’d be honored. You may edit as you see fit or print as is. Your discretion. Imagine, at my age, a published author. Thank you again for lovely memories brought to the forefront of my mind. Love and good luck on your blog. Love and good wishes MJ
Sent from my iPhone
After reading the uploaded post, Mary Jane responds:
Hi Linda,
It’s so nice to take a stroll (bike ride) down our memory lane. I enjoyed reading your blog quite a few times and felt like I was viewing a film of sorts in my mind. Since I haven’t thought of that far into my past too often, it was very exciting to relive those days full of joy and carefree days. I remember my turquoise bike with a horn button – my one and only bike ever. Turquoise has been and is my favorite color. We became very adept at switching seats. I wonder how we thought that one up. We had adventures all summer long. I remember the trip to the back of LaGuardia airport and the scary tumble down the brush hill. I had saved all the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys books and eventually daughter, Suzie, read each and every one of them. Then, fantastically, Suzie’s daughters, Amanda and Dayna enjoyed reading them as young girls.
Remember, we would read a book in 2 days and sometime in one day.
I am so happy you conquered riding hands free. It is like flying!! Thank you so much for a lovely trip on your time machine. So enjoyed it thoroughly. I am thrilled you can share such lovely times we spent together. Uh oh. Lovely tears of sheer joy!!
Lots of love, MJ
BACK TO LINDA: I was so moved to receive MJ’s response, where she remembers what I remember, our shifting positions on our moving bicycle, and she reminds me that we read Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys books so quickly…
It was a pleasant experience reminiscing about my lazy and carefree summers where we sat on the stoop talking or reading, where we planned our playtime, creating fun from the structure of imaginations ~ before and after lunch.
Where our mothers called us in from outside after dinner. Where the Mister Softee truck came down the street with that iconic music we all, still, recognize. This was childhood in New York City…in the late 50s, early 60s…
Summer was an adventure. Our creativity amazes me, perhaps because our imaginations literally carried us into La Guardia Airport, and theoretically, into a mystery of teenage sleuthing. So much was possible…
Many of us feel that summer seems to come and go more quickly than other seasons. I think it’s because of the M A G I C of open minds and warm, sultry weather, and the time we have to explore~
Remembering our bike trick, and learning that MJ remembered it too brought me a special connection to a simple and innocent time ~
From after-dinner ice cream to music in the air ~
I describe a man bicycling with his hands off the handlebars, in my post of July 9. I felt a touch of that magic. My imagination is piqued:
A clip from July 9th~:
…last week I spied a man with a loose-fitting, paisley-like shirt. He passed me (on
his bike) in the fast lane with his arms outstretched in the shape of a T. The wind
blew against him and I was struck with a sense of adventure. I wanted to do the
same thing…I wanted to spread my arms…my wings. I started slowly. I held my
hands just over the handlebars. Lifted them higher. I raised my hands high up and I
was free. Joyful. I practiced repeatedly. At this point I am gleeful…
The link to the complete essay is listed above for your easy reading. I think you’ll enjoy sharing in on the fun, getting a context for my musings…
Remember Harry Potter retrieving memories in Dumbledore’s office: he reaches into a glass jar and is able to witness the actual events of a so-called past experience ~
His assisted action (usually by Dumbledore) jump-starts the motion of the film, which plays out in full regalia for him to understand and observe the players~
I feel the same experience. You are invited into the replay of our joyful reverie and I hope it lifts your day, as it has ours; as MJ puts it in a private email to me: “I’m still the little girl riding on a bike with my best friend. Love, MJ
We actually have about three more weeks of summer. Ride, play and dream well
I wish you peace and love.
Speak to you on October 1st.
Linda
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