Wednesday, February 22, 2006

A Stroll Down Memory Lane

I was asked by a friend to post a picture of me, when I was in my twenties...but I couldn't find any. In fact there aren't too many pictures of my youth at all.

As I was searching my photo albums...I found only one baby picture. Then, there is a rather large gap...and here is where I was passed around, from family to family...until I finally settled in, to live with my grandparents in San Gabriel, California.

I loved my grandparents and I remember that I liked getting dressed up in costumes...And I had lots & lots of costumes. If I was the Indian, playing cowboys and Indians...I would wear my leather Indian costume. I had to dress the part.

In the picture below, with my little cousin, Margaret Ann...I was apparently the cowgirl...because of the skirt. I also had a cowboy outfit with pants...complete with a six shooter, which fired with little red, button looking caps. You would place the caps, between the hammer & gun so that when you pulled the trigger, the caps would make a popping noise...and you would see a tiny little puff of smoke, from the burning cap.

The third picture of me is on that infamous bridge, in my front yard that I tried to ice skate on. (See "roller skating on ice" Feb. 20, 2006 post). My grandfather, Pablo, built the fish pond and the bridge. In the picture I am dressed like a little Spanish girl with my ukulele...I had a couple of castanets, one in each hand...but I guess I decided to pose for the picture, with my ukulele instead. I'm surprised that I didn't have my cowboy hat on, because that was my favorite hat. I ran across a picture of me wearing a nice dress...and donned in a cowboy hat.

The last picture is my kindergarten picture. My first day of school, I cried so much...that the bus driver asked my grandmother, to please accompany me to school. So she rode the bus with me, for a week until I got used to it.

I was spoiled and got anything I wanted...you know how grandparents are! I don't remember throwing any tantrums...My grandparents just saw to my every need. I was a very happy child and I was an only child...so I thought. But...that's another story, for another time.

I'm sorry Andy that I didn't find the picture of me when I was twenty...but I did find some pictures that are 20+? years old.




17 comments:

tomlaureld@yahoo.com said...

Those are great
Love you

Jellyhead said...

What a gorgeous child you were, with the darkest eyes! Thanks for showing these childhood snaps.

It sounds like you had a tough time before you settled with your grandparents. Even though you only alluded to this time briefly, your post made me feel sad for that sweet little baby who ended up being shunted around. Here's a ((HUG)) for you, who used to be that baby.

XO Jelly

Susan Tidwell said...

Great pictures! Thanks for sharing. I want to read the rollerskating on ice story, but have not found it yet, you said Feb.20?

Sandy Hatcher-Wallace said...

Susan, thank you for bringing the date to my attention. It's wrong.

The right date is Feb.02,2006
"roller skating on ice"

TUFFENUF said...

Cute photos! I see a sense of humor in those young eyes! I think we all wish we had more photos of our youth. How lucky actors are that they can look back at themselves in movies.

Anonymous said...

Pretty baby, Pretty lady. These are so fun and it looks like my little Meg. Love, Andi

Motherkitty said...

I was going through my big binder yesterday (you know the one about your family history) and found several pictures that Gilbert gave us. One of them was of you and Margie when you were very young, sitting there in a pretty pink frilly dress. I asked husband about it, but he said you already had it. I don't think so. I will send it to you.

I had not seen several of these pictures before. Thanks for posting them, cutie.

Finn said...

Love the pictures Sandy..*VBS* They are sooooo neat to have. It seems to be that you were in a "good" place, even tho not of your choosing. The spanish costume if adorable..and I LOVE your pic as a cowgirl...what fun!! Thanks for sharing..*S* Hugs, Finn

Motherkitty said...

In looking at the picture of you standing on the little bridge, and in looking at the bridge in Gilbert's picture, they definitely do not look the same. Gilbert's does look bigger. I think you need to ask him about it.

Judypatooote said...

Those pictures are precious Sandy... You were adorable....(I"m sure you still are....)

Gil said...

All these years I thought they were the same bridge.I'll have to check further. Pablo was prolific and it could very well be a different one.

Sandy Hatcher-Wallace said...

Gil, the originial bridge probably began to deteriorate and he just replaced it with a new one, or maybe just repaired the old bridge.

I may have even hit it with a hoe or hammer and broke it too, who knows?

The bridge you have was still built by Grandpa and is very old.

Sandy Hatcher-Wallace said...

I would like to thank everyone for the nice comments. You are all so sweet. *VBS*

Anonymous said...

Love the pictures! And I agree, you were so sweet and cute as a child and a very pretty lady now. I also like the stories. I hope you post more about your childhood memories, and the sweet pictures. I really enjoy reading them. Love ya, Reva "Sweet thang"

Sandy Hatcher-Wallace said...

Sweet Thang...thank you for the very nice comment...You always know just the right things to say.

Hope that you three
are feeling better...I know that it will take time.

manababies said...

What adorable photos! The palm trees in the background remind me so much of California. Ah, memories. :)

somershade said...

Now we know where Matt gets the dress up adventures from. Megan and you look more alike than we do, both pretty girls. I remember seeing a picture in your twenties in the slides that we watched at your house and you look like a model, you need to post the one with the rose.