Living on Beaver Cleaver Street

We always thought that we lived on Beaver Cleaver's street. Our cul-de-sac was this little idyllic world of families that got along, children that played well together, and happy people who lived here.

We used to do some of the most fun things. For years we held Christmas Pageants - more about those in December. And on July 4, we used to have a July 4 parade. All of the kids would decorate their bikes, we would dress up or decorate our bike helmets, and we would ride around the block with flags and firecrackers in tow. It was so much fun!

One year our neighbor Rick became Rambo the lawn man as he wheeled his lawn mower around the block. Another year Dan Nowlin drove his riding lawn mower, pulling his kids in a wagon. In the picture below, we turned our wagon into some replicas of fireworks. Don pulled the wagon, Kenneth rode his tricycle (I believe) and I rode my bike with Diana in the baby seat. We also sang the requisite "Yankee Doodle Went to Town" as we walked/rode/paraded. Every year was different, but the memories of those crazy little parades, followed by ice cream or watermelon and terminating in the evening with some of the craziest fireworks displays, thanks to Coni, will remain with us and our children forever . . .



These kinds of events also helped give our children an understanding of what freedom is and means. We didn't talk about it much, but it didn't take them long to understand that they were pretty lucky to live in our wonderful country. And they knew that living on Beaver Cleaver Street was the best!