SEC-S10W2 – Happy Stories

in Steem Venezuela2 years ago



My Happy Story, designed with Canva

"Wake up, we are leaving!"

These were the happiest words for us as kids. Mom, waking us up in the early hours of the morning. It was time to leave for our summer vacation by the coast.

All we needed to do was brush our teeth, grab our pillows, and put our bags in the car. Bags that had been packed and ready for days already. Oh yes, and make our beds, as mom would never let us leave home without making our beds.

As we get to the car, the fighting starts. Who is sitting where? With three of us, one has to sit in the middle. I always made sure that it was not me. My place was behind dad, where I could watch his face in the side mirror and where I could make myself comfortable for a nice sleep on the long road. Mom always said that the wheels of the car were not even turning, and I was fast asleep.

I will wake up to the noise of the wheels on gravel. Hearing that it was a sign that it was eating time. Dad would park the car next to the road, under a tree.

Reading to my brother next to the road

Mom would bring out a box with containers and a cooler bag. Her "padkos" (road food) as it is known, would always include ham and cheese sandwiches that she cut into small triangles, chicken drumsticks, meatballs, filled eggs, mini sausage rolls, cocktail tomatoes, and of course, flasks with tea and coffee. I will be reading stories to the other two.

It was not funny to hear cars hoot at us as they passed us. Dad was a Ford lover, and we would always drive around in one of them. Ford Crestline Skyliner, Fairlane, Mustang, Capri, and of course, the crown jewel for me, Dad’s blue Fairmont.


Dad's pride posessions, his Ford cars

After a visit to the nearest bush and wiping our hands and mouths, it was time to hit the road again.

The excitement was high as the stop was usually at half way. There was no time for sleeping as dad had already started, "The first one to see the sea will get R10 (South African Rand)." This is +/- 3 STEEM. In those days, 3 STEEM could buy a lot of sweets. We sat for those last three hours staring out of the windows.

It was definitely not three boring hours, as it was time to play some games and listen to music. We would play "Eye Spy with My Little Eye" (yes, now you know where I get my weekly contest idea from), and we would play cricket. Cricket in a car? The game is played with oncoming vehicles. Each vehicle will bring a different score. A sedan car is 1 run, an SUV (sport utility vehicle) is 2 runs, a minibus is 4 runs, and a truck is 6 runs. BUT if there is a white vehicle, you are… out! It's time for the next person. Maybe this was where my love for cricket was born.

As for the music, we love music! Those days, we used to get "Springbok Hit Parade" LPs and cassette tapes. Oh my word! Does this bring back memories!

🎼 Pretty Belinda by Chris Andrews
🎼 Black Night by Deep Purple
🎼 Cracklin' Rosie by Neil Diamond
🎼 Beautiful Sunday by Daniel Boone
🎼Love is a Beautiful Song by Dave Mills

Elvis! There had to be some Elvis songs.

Often, the cassette tapes would get stuck just as we were singing along with our loudest voices. Good timing! Mom would take a pen and start winding the tape back and give it another try, and if it didn’t work, we had something to play with.

The big unpacking starts

"I see it, I see it!" You might not get a good sleep like the other two, but if you sit in the middle, you get to see the sea first.

The youngest of our three, my sister, always ended up seeing the sea first.

Dad would would never miss a drive along the ocean and a stop for us to wet our feet before we got to where we were staying and the big unpack started.

It might have been long drives, but they were drives enjoyed and remembered by all of us. I miss it!

There was this one time when Dad misjudged the amount of gasoline left in the tank. Mom would always ask him if he was sure there was enough petrol to get to the next town, to which he would answer, "More than enough, Meraai (what he called her) to take us to Cairo."
Well, this day Cairo was flippin' far, as we got stuck without gasoline before we reached the nearest town. Dad had no option but to leave us behind and start his walk to go get help and petrol.

I can remember that it was a very hot day, but mom would not let us open the windows. She even locked the doors, afraid that something would happen to us. A vehicle approached us from behind and stopped next to us. Mom grabbed the same pen she always used for those cassette tapes, ready to attack. It was a farmer with a load of watermelons. He told us not to worry, as he would go look for Dad. It was not long, and he was back with Dad and some gasoline. Best of all, he gave us a huge watermelon before he drove off.

Dad gave us three one look, started to laugh, and told us to get out of the car. He opened the boot of the car, got some tool out of it, and cut the watermelon right there and then. It was the nicest watermelon I've ever had in my life. Mom was not even worried about the watermelon that was dripping down our faces and onto our clothes. A moment of happiness that nobody could take from us, as it is engraved forever in our lives. We were one happy family.


Happy memories at the sea

Happiness is a feeling that you cannot describe. It starts right down at your toes, creeps up your body, over your heart, and lands up in your smile and your eyes. I have learned that the smallest of things can make us happy, as long as we let them; therefore, I no longer look for happiness in the house I am living in, the car I am driving, but in the smiling faces of my grandchildren, meals that I spoil my family with, and things I can do for others.

Happiness starts within, me!

Note:
All images are my own taken from our family 8mm films

image.png

I invite: @liasteem @kouba01 @ngoenyi and @senehasa

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While growing up as kids, we usually struggle for a seat, like sitting in the front of a car to put on our seatbelt and look at how it is being driven. Your story reminds me a lot of the good memories I had with my brothers and sister during my childhood. I enjoyed reading your post. Success to you!

Awh! It is so nice when someone can relate to my posts and in this case a story about my youth.
I'm glad that I brought back memories for you. (•ิ‿•ิ)
Thank you for the visit and the engagement with my post.
It is appreciated! ☕

I couldn't shift my eyes for a moment while reading this story neither did I allow anything to distract me. I read from beginning till the end:

The already packed bags out of excitement

The dragging about who seats where and you always behind dad

The cricket playing with the passing vehicles

The stories and music

The gasoline and the search for it

The watermelon and the self-defense pen by mom

And others, all these put together makes this story very unique. The pictures speak for themselves. What a memory presented in words and in pictures! I am loving this entry the more.

Thank you for the invite, let me think of one and make my entry soon. Success to you

Haha! You also gave me some reading to do. (•ิ‿•ิ)
Thank you!
What made this post so special was going through all the old "movies". Gosh, I could even feel my dad close to me, and yes, I shed a tear or two.

You have plenty of stories to tell that I am sure of, so... put that pen to paper!

Saludos mi querida amiga

Qué bueno se me hace leerte siempre tienes una gran historia que contar y es gratificante para mí poder leerla Y ser parte de ella, Y es que ya me puedo imaginar esa escena de tu historia más feliz Es que verdaderamente cuando se está en familia cuando hacemos esos viajes familiares en los que vivimos tantos momentos especiales y divertidos es cuando decimos esto es felicidad.

Y por supuesto que tu relato me ha traído muchos gratos recuerdos de cuando era niña y podía compartir viajes maravillosos en familia en donde papá también era nuestro alcahueta con las travesuras que al final también le sacaban una sonrisa a mamá.

Supongo que no habrás comido sandía más divina que esa Y es que no era la sandía era al instante era la compañía era el momento.

Permita mi Dios que siga viviendo momentos maravillosos, que siga sumando historias felices a tu vida porque Dios es bueno y también que la sigas Compartiendo con todos nosotros Porque es un gusto leerte

Bendiciones querida te abrazo en la distancia

You've nailed it! God is good!
It is through Him that we can experience such a wonderful time with our loved ones.

You are right, it was not the watermelon that counted but that moment of divine happiness as a family. It was so special, especially as my dad was very strict and would never have done something like that.
I appreciate your visit and the beautiful words, thank you!
A big hug right across the ocean back at you! ❤️

💕💕✨✨✨😘

Your happy story is very touching one. Our childhood memories have never been removed from our hearts, and happiness can be found everywhere. What a happy moment it was when we went on a picnic as a family, especially givern our children age.
We are the source of our own happiness. It is up to us to make those opportunities enjoyable. Good luck with the contest.
PS. Thanks for inviting me,I've entered this contest three days ago, but not yet evaluate it.

Somehow, I missed your entry. Well, I can now tell you that you had a visitor. (•ิ‿•ิ)

Thank you for your visit and the great comment.
You are so right, it is up to us to make the moments and opportunities enjoyable. Now that I am getting older, I realize it even more.

PS: I see your post has still not been verified. I would suggest that you message one of the team members. I've also had it before that a post doesn't list under the search of the tag.

Thanks for your advice, dear friend.

Pleasure!
Did you come right?

 2 years ago 

@patjewell 🌹🌹🌹🌹
Of course, one always remembers childhood memories and it is also nice to know that your father was very fond of Ford and the youngest of your three siblings was the first to see the sea and indeed it was. The view of the sea is very interesting. All your other posts were very informative and I hope you will continue to climb the ladder of progress. I always learn something from your post....)

It is for me to say thank you for the visit and the kind words! ☕

Memories of our childhood... they are so precious, and we should never put them away where we cannot find them.
As we grow older, we need them more and more.

As for learning from my posts, that warms my heart. Thank you!

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A very interesting story to read, a very memorable journey to achieve happiness. good luck with you!!!

It is for me to say... thank you for the visit and the comment.☕
Stories.. they fill our lives.
How boring would it have been without them.

 2 years ago 

Your post is very well presented. You shared your good moments with us very nicely. You loved every moment, especially your dad's Ford car looked great. So good luck to you in the competition.

Oh yes, Ford runs in our blood. (•ิ‿•ิ)
Thank you for the visit and the engagement. It is appreciated.
Keep on making and writing those stories.

Wah luar biasa @patjewell
Postingan ini benar-benar hebat. Anda masih mengingat dengan momen manis ini.
Saya berharap anda kembali dengan keceriaan dikehidupan selanjutnya.

Oya @patjewell saya setuju dengan pendapat anda tentang kebahagiaan.

Kebahagiaan adalah perasaan yang tidak bisa Anda gambarkan.

"Kebahagiaan itu simpel dan itu datang dari hati, maka manusia hanya perlu mempadai terhadap kata hatinya dan dia akan menemukan kebahagiaan dalam dirinya."


Semoga sukses dikontes ini dan semoga hari-hari anda ceria 😀👏

Thank you for the visit to my post and for the wonderful engagement.🎕
You will still see that as you grow older, your memories become much clearer. Maybe it is a way of longing for those good times.
Happiness is indeed simple and comes from the heart. A wonderful saying.
Best wishes!

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