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It may not be my favorite childhood memory, but it’s the one that I remember often and
fondly. This picture was taken in July 1966. That’s my nana and me frolicking in the ocean
in Myrtle Beach, SC. As you can see, she didn’t want any tan lines. Back in the day, it was
the hot spot for residents of Portsmouth, OH to vacation and my nana and papaw always
took me with them.
I can’t recall if it was this
trip or a different one when
it all happened. Nana & I
were standing in knee deep
water and the next thing
I knew, I was underwater
struggling to get up and
not drown, and Nana was
exposing the world to her
womanliness. I didn’t see
anything; however, it was
caught on 8mm film and
spurred Papaw to write
the song “Nana With Her
Ninnies Hanging Down”.
Nana was not amused, but
he and I would sing it often
while he played his ukulele.
My favorite summers were the five (ages
8 - 13) that I was away at summer camp
in Marlborough, NH - I loved the time
spent on canoe trips, climbing
Mt. Monadnock, zip lining, creating arts
& crafts, swimming, telling ghost stories,
and best of all - being away from home.
Jessica Osborne
Meriden
Summers of ‘90 - ‘95
issue 10 // 17