12/19/2007

Hey Sailor!

Stealing a page from Melinda June's excellent Christmas Memories series (collect them all!), it is time for me to present you with a Christmas memory I scarcely remember. Luckily, the magic's been captured in this photograph from the archives.

Picture it, 1966 and a not quite yet 3 year old Dale. I hadn't yet traded up for the bee suit.

51 comments:

Dr. Monkey Von Monkerstein said...

Sure, you were cute but that tree is spectacular.

Writeprocrastinator said...

I haven't seen that much tinsel in years. I also see that not too much has changed...one hobby horse and you are pretty much entertained for the day ; )

Tenacious S said...

Do you have something against tinsel?

Some Guy said...

I see you were one of those privileged kids that got a pony for Christmas.

BeckEye said...

Sure, it's cute but inaccurate. Sailors don't ride horses. Stupid kid.

Me. Here. Right now. said...

Only child?

Jake's Mom said...

Where do you keep the horse now? Ask CP if he remembers the year we had an all tinsel tree, no lights and blue glass balls. Very 60's

anandamide said...

did your feet ever correct themselves?

SkylersDad said...

My pictures would feature a wonderful Aluminum Christmas tree with a color wheel!

No shit, I am off to look now...

The Lady Who Doesn't Lunch: said...

My family was more inclined to dress me as a cowgirl. We could've formed a toddler version of the Village People.

Barbara Bruederlin said...

Sailor suit, pony, orthopedic shoes - you had all your fantasies equally represented there, didn't you?

Marloes said...

I can spot a pram on the far left and something that resembles Betty Boop on the floor. Who's your momma?
PS I was eight by that time and had allready lost the innocent joy I can still see on that little boys face...

Jill said...

You were a cutie back then, what went wrong with you, Dale?

paperback reader said...

My dad's Christmas present to us was showing up at home by 5pm in time to tell us he'd drank his Christmas bonus away. We knew it was Christmas because he'd wrap his fists before punching us.

Does that make it seem like enough presents for 9 kids? If not, I can create even more fictional tales of imaginary me to help!

Anonymous said...

You still "rock" after all those many, many, many, many years :)

Tanya Espanya said...

You haven't changed a bit! How do you bring the horse on to your morning train?

Anonymous said...

This picture made me sad. 9 kids and no presents? no stockings ? The tree looked like a charlie brown tree. Nice gun though.

Distributorcap said...

i hope you didnt scratch the nice wood floor


that is so cute!

X. Dell said...

If I recall correctly, Christmas 1966 was a Sunday. I got a slot car racing set that day, but couldn't get it working until after New Year's.

Worse yet, Sunday morning cartoons consisted of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Hoppity Hooper. i was a bit too young to appreciate them at the time.

That day sucked for me too. But at least, no one gave me a sailor suit. So I feel blessed.

chelene said...

Got a few gaps in those branches, eh?

Katie Schwartz said...

you are sooo cute, potd. awww. what a shana punim (beautiful face).

Cap'n Ergo "XL+II" Jinglebollocks said...

I had something like that. I hated the fucking thing because I slid forward really quickly and smashed my balls against the horse's neck.

Deepti said...

How very cute? Will I recognize you on the streets of Toronto?

Deepti said...

Oops, that was supposed to be How very cute! not ?

mellowlee said...

A big huge AWWWW to little Dale!!
Happy Hollydaze my friend
xoxoxoxoxo

Cup said...

You were a cute larvae!

Are wee bees called larvae?

Danny Tagalog said...

Hey Dale, here's hoping you have a wonderful festive season and enjoyable 2008:)

DT

Dale said...

Isn't it something Dr. Monkey? It was probably one of our better ones.

The tinsel was actually sparingly used on that tree compared to some years WP. My mom was a tinsel maniac. The horse is just foreshadowing of my raging heroin addiction that I got the next year.

No tinsel wars please! Tenacious S, are you a resident of Tinsel Town?

Taking care of him was easy too Chris!

I was never a bright child Beckeye, either that or my jodphurs were at the cleaners.

Only one in the photo but there were 8 others Lori. Wait, now that I think of it, my Mom would have still been pregnant with #9 then.

I'm off the horse now but that tree you're describing sounds rocking Jake's Mom. I think CP has mentioned it before.

After several more years of binding, they turned out quite nicely Anandamide.

Sounds pretty awesome Skyler's Dad, I'll look forward to that.

Would the lyrics Young man... be as powerful then Lady Who Doesn't Lunch? I bet they would.

There's only one missing Barbara but I'm not telling what it is!

The joy was knocked out of me a few years later but back then Marloes, I was still as happy as a kid in a sailor suit on a rocking horse.

Sex and drugs and rock n roll Jill, you should try them!

At least he festively wrapped his hands Pistols, that's class with a capital K.

I would've added one more 'many' Suze, don't be shy.

My baby takes the morning train Tanya, the horse stays home.

We did alright for poor kids Bluez. My brothers always got those guns and it made me jealous, they made quite an awful sound but I loved it.

I was alright, for a while, Distributorcap, haha.

Sounds like a triumph of tragedy X. Dell. I loved Rocky & Bullwinkle and actually they were on tv last night so I stopped for a few minutes. No sailor suit? That sounds like abuse.

My dad probably screwed a few of those ones in Chelene, he was a master craftsman, just a terrible tree picker.

Thanks Katie, I considered the uglier photos and settled on that one, just blurry enough to make me seem less monster-like.

And so started your lifelong derision of all things horsey Hot Lemon?

If you see a man in a sailor suit at 4 a.m. at Wal*Mart Jane Austen Jr., say hello!

You too Mel! Have a great time!

Yes they are Beth and they get to eat royal jelly!

Hope your holiday is wonderful too Danny!

Holly said...

I'm going to be the really materialistic one here and say that you are too right: that is totally, totally, TOTALLY not a lot of presents for nine kids.

So I'm torn between wishing I had such a cute brother and being glad that my family of five less-cute children didn't have to share the way yours did.

Joe said...

Wow, that's a great picture. I like your bold blending of themes, the sailor and the cowboy.

Anonymous said...

Was it a thing of the 60's to put oranges, apples and nuts in your stocking or was it a money thing with parents back then?

I was just thinking about how hard it must have been to buy presents for five kids let alone nine.

Merry Christmas Dale. Hope you get plenty of chestnuts to roast in your stocking this year.

Um I don't mean roast them IN your stocking...

Coaster Punchman said...

How precious. I remember that string tinsel - the cats would always eat it and then it would come out of their butts.

Anonymous said...

Merry Christmas Dale!

Dale said...

I think I'm still wearing hand me downs Holly, haha. We were poor but we had love, wait, that was the Waltons, not us.

Bold and beautiful isn't it Bubs?

We definitely got oranges and a can of pop (huge treat), nuts and so on Bluez. I'll roast whatever I get in the crock!

It was like a shiny little pull cord CP.

You too Suze, all the best!

Anonymous said...

Geez, my kids are so spoiled.

Merry Christmas Dale!

Allison said...

That picture is great. :)

I hope you are having a good start to the holiday season!

Anonymous said...

How cute is that!!!

And they look so much like my family Christmas photos that it's scary.

Cute little sailor boy!

Chancelucky said...

Merry Christmas Dale.

Dale said...

Same to you and those spoiled kids Franki! :-)

Thanks Allison, all the best!

With all those kids Jacy, you might be the long lost sister we never talk about.

Thanks Chancelucky, best wishes to you and your family.

Les Becker said...

Awwww. I want a pony now. I never got anything cool like that at Christmas.

is that so wrong? said...

Merry Christmas!

(didn't we all have shoes like that at that age?)

Dale said...

Merry Christmas Les, maybe this'll be your pony year!

I think we probably all did wear those damned shoes ITSW. Merry Christmas to you too! Only 3 episodes left of my Twin Peaks revisit. I still felt let down after they revealed the killer. Quirky but bordering on ridiculous as they moved on. Now I need to hear the soundtrack again!

Old Lady said...

Merry Christmas Dale!

Dale said...

And to you Old Lady! All the best for the coming year as well.

Tenacious S said...

Merry Christmas1 Wish you were going to be at our Blogger's Ball tomorrow night.

Dale said...

I can't wait to read about it Tenacious S. Hope you all have a grand time. Happy Holidays!

Anonymous said...

Dale. How you doin?

Leonesse said...

At least you got a pony for xmas! I did get an Inchworm once, but Dad took the little 'inchy' sound out of it. I guess I liked to ride it very early in the morning and that didn't go over very well.

Dale said...

It's all good Winter.

Hopefully it's not too late to get back at your dad Leonesse.

Unknown said...

The tree reminds me of the ones we put up...the tinsel, the works! My mom made us put that damned tinsel on "one at a time".

I know those shoes. :)

Dale said...

My mom was a 'one at a time' lady too Mel, both with kids and the tinsel.