Guest Blogger: SO'S

 

Both of our fathers had Air Force careers.  Both of our mothers have the same name, and both passed away within a year of each other from the same disease.  We both grew up in the same church. We both are Francophiles.  Another commonality between this blogger and me is that both of our families lived in Newfoundland when we were kids.  After reading his tale about  toddler boys and yellow snow, I was reminded of one of my lasting memories from my family's time in NFLD.  I was nine years old at the time. 

During our year and a half stay on the island, we lived in base housing.  Our home was one half of a duplex, two stories, quite large as I remember.  Behind us was a large hill which was great for sledding in the nine months or so of winter there.  When summer came, the forest behind us was such a great place to explore.  We also had an unusual address - 521B No Name Street.   

 One afternoon, probably in January or February, after yet another major snowstorm had passed through, one of my friends and I decided it would be great to get a toboggan, climb the hill, and have a great ride down the other side.  So we got in position, held on, and began zooming down the hillside.  What we were not aware of is that the snowplow had come earlier and had left about a five-foot snow bank along the side of the road.  After sailing down the hill, we flew over the snow bank, crashing onto the asphalt below.  Luckily it wasn't really a through street, but instead the hospital parking lot. 

 

A doctor had watched our adventure through the window and came out to make sure we were ok.  Because we had hit the pavement with such force, the breath had been knocked out of us.  After a few minutes, we recovered and were able to get back home without help.  It was a great ride down the hill, but it would have been good to have checked out the landing site beforehand!