Childhood Saturdays

I just ran across a website detailing the Saturday morning cartoons of my childhood. It was fun to remember all the shows I routinely watched--Fat Albert, Heathcliff, Flintstones, Smurfs, Shirt Tales, Pac Man, Muppet Babies, and in later years Pee Wee's Playhouse, Out of this World, and Small Wonder--and those that I had totally forgotten about--The Wuzzles, Monchichis, Get Along Gang, Snorks... A little stroll down memory lane.

I remember getting up earlier than everyone in my family and turning on the TV all by myself, switching channels until I found the Flintstones or Smurfs. And later my mom would find me sitting there all alone in the dark of pre-dawn with my knees pulled to my chest and my nightgown stretched over my legs, just contently and quietly watching cartoons.

I remember going with Mom sometimes to the beauty shop and being allowed to hang out in the break room to watch cartoons during her long stay there. I loved that option because it meant I was free to sneak sugar cubes at will, and no one seemed to notice. Sugar cubes were just so novel! I can't imagine sucking down pure sugar at 8am now. Sick!

I remember one Saturday (or was it many?) watching Fat Albert and Heathcliff while sitting at the edge of the kitchen flooring (must have been after the new carpet was installed in the living room) eating Jack n Jill donuts my dad had gotten for us while we were out and about together after dropping Mom off at the beauty shop. Mmmm...Jack n Jill!

My favorite thing to do on Saturday mornings was go with Dad to Ira's, a little breakfast diner on Waco Drive. They had little tiny juke boxes on the tables that you could play for only a dime, and Dad would let me choose a song. "The Chair" by George Strait is one I remember selecting one Saturday because it was Missy's favorite at the time, and whatever big sisters like is automatically cool. I can't remember Missy being there with us (I guess she was sleeping in); it seems like it was usually just Dad and me. I have always shared my Dad's love of big breakfast, so I was always excited when he took me to Ira's. It was almost like our own little Father-Daughter dates, and even though I'm sure it didn't happen all that often, our little jaunts to Ira's together are favorite memories.