As the Fall set into our life in our new Echo Hill home, Mom and Dad kept me pretty busy with gatherings, events, and short trips for us to partake in as the weather turned crisper and cooler. There was always plenty to do in the pre-cable, pre-video game, pre-VCR/DVD days, and we still seemed to be happy.
Dad had been a car aficionado since his teenage days and was certainly getting the itch to get back into it. It would still be a couple of years before he would purchase his first ‘antique’ car of married life, but he did begin to take us to explore car shows in the area. For instance the August antique auto show at Stebbins High School as seen below likely represents the first one that I ever attended.
Lines of antique cars would soon become a familar childhood sight
Mom and Dad also took me to Kings Island as the Summer came to a close in September. This was most likely my very first trip to the Cincinnati theme park that I would grow to love throughout my childhood. I never understood why Dad said that his favorite ride of the day was the ride back to the car at the end of the evening. Now I do. The pictures below are from slides that Dad snapped during this trip. There are other slides taken on this day from inside my favorite ride, The Enchanted Voyage, found here.
The familiar Kings Island entrance – in the days of the skyway cable cars
Mom takes me up to spy on some to-do going on under the Eiffel Tower
Dad attempts to catch Mom and me on the merry-go-round
This was probably the last time I ever drove a motorcycle
My second natal anniversary of course came on October 2 and photos from that event can be seen here. But also in October was at least one weekend day-trip into Southern Ohio. There were nice hiking spots around the area of Bainbridge and the Paint Creek State Park near Seven Caves. Here we hiked along in the woods as the leaves changed color and fell around us, and Dad had the opportunity to exercise his photography chops.
There was a little festival in the area that we visited. At other times, we would visit Lesourdsville Lake and the amusement park there (which would become Americana). On one of those occasions I got to get into another one of those kiddie rides that goes in circles – this time boats rather than motorcycles. Hard to say for sure exactly where the photos on the rides were actually taken.
A lovely Fall hike, wearing my new birthday Bengals shirt
The beauty of Southern Ohio
Searching for trolls
More circular travel fun
Truck driving of some sort
My birthday is not the only holiday in October – there is also Halloween. As a two-year old, it was now my God-given right to be taken trick or treating, gathering candy from the neighbors which would serve to nourish my needy, growing body. For my first time out pounding on doors and demanding the goods, Mom chose to dress me in what was perhaps the scariest Trick or Treat costume I have ever seen in my life.
Dad took a brief home movie of the event which shows me leaving in my costume, and then returning without it – but now with my plastic jack-o-lantern full of sweet treats. I only wonder how long I stayed out…or how long I kept on that god-awful mask.
Yikes! Heading out for Trick or Treat
Back with candy…maybe twenty minutes later
Spreading out the minimal amounts of loot and deciding on a sucker to kick of the evening
Good choice I guess
Me and my alter ego
And thus began yet another holiday season. This would be our first Christmas in our new house on Echo Hill and Mom would soon be decorating to the hilt!
1973 will continue…
You were such a fun baby! I remember those days as if they were yesterday.
Bev
December 14th, 2008