Throughout 1969, we were living in Mendota Heights, St. Paul, Minnesota. Vikings football. Spanish taught at the elementary school. Tons of snow. Eleven cent chocolate milkshakes at the Target store near Fort Snelling. "What's his face" being a manner of local expression.
In my mind's eye, we're driving inside or near the South Dakota border one summer day when we hear the latest Apollo 11 news. My oldest sister Vickie may be on a band trip, or in France or Quebec (I can't remember without asking). We are thrilled about Apollo 11. Back at home, I have a NASA model rocket set. It has an example of every major type of US-made space rocket every developed up through Apollo.
Can now barely imagine today's kids even acknowledging space flight (unless they're Chinese or Indian kids). But it was exciting then, and we took none of it for granted -- especially after Apollo 1.
Later that same year, 1969, Apollo 12 went to the Moon, too. I remember playing in snow and ice tunnels not far from my house with neighborhood kids, we had a game that if we crawled all the way through without the main tunnel collapsing, the Apollo 12 crew would return to Earth alive -- if it caved in, they'd all die. As adults, sometimes forget how superstitious kids can be, such magical thinking. Luckily Apollo 12 returned safely and we made it through our tunnels, too.
Learned about The Stooges in the next home state -- North Carolina -- years later. Moved from St. Paul to Durham in 1970. And that's for another post.
Today's Rune: Fertility.
4 comments:
1969 The end of the dissolution of The Beatles. In many ways is was the first year of the raging cynicism that continues to this very hour.
I THINK ERIK, IT WAS CLOSER TO WISCONSIN THAN SOUTH DAKOTA. WE WERE NEAR SWIFTWATER, MINN. ON A DRIVE TO LOOK AT COLLEGES FOR YOUR SISTERS. MOM
The great things never change-- my son was talking to me this weekend about making ice tunnels in the winter with his best friend.
1969 was a super cool year. I loved school, despite having a teacher I didn't like. I loved reading about the space program. I remember my parents letting my brothers and I stay up late to "watch" Armstrong take his first steps. This was difficult, given how fuzzy the tv picture was, and, if I remember correctly, the picture was upside down. Anybody else remember that?
Who would have thought that 40 years later, Iggy would release an album of standards?
Johnny,
Glad you mentioned the TV picture was upside sown -- always confused me and the commentators did not seem to alert viewers to it.
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