Flashback Friday...er..I mean Thursday

I worry I will forget. You know, all of the small little details of my childhood. I have read numerous other blogs that participate in a Flashback Friday and thought "what a great idea!" However, I have started to participate in Fiction Friday with Jane. So, I must flashback on Thursday instead. And honestly, I just couldn't think of a great phrase to indicate what I was doing... "Thinking Thursday" just wasn't cutting it. :0) So, it's just Flashback Friday: The Early Edition ok?

Let's begin....

When I was in 2nd grade my family moved to South Padre Island, TX. My mom took a fabulous job there so we moved 2000 miles away from home to find a new one. We only lived on the actual island for a few months until an actual residence was found for us. But, I will never forget living there. Out my back door were three, yes three different pools. And just beyond those pools was the beach. Sand between the toes and salt water. I hate salt water. I remember trying to swim in the ocean {it was actually the Gulf of Mexico we were swimming in} and the water got up my nose and in my mouth and I haven't been able to swim in salt water since.

Anyway...what remember beyond the backyard beach was that we had to cross the bridge to get home from school on the "mainland" every day. We took the bus home from school which meant we were up a little higher and could see down into the bay below us. I specifically remember looking down one day and I swear I saw a shark fin in the water. It swam along the surface of the water for a moment and then dunked back under. My friends saw it too. My mom told me it was probably just a dolphin, but I still believe it was a shark. It makes for a much better story anyway.

I also remember The Turtle Lady. Ila Loetscher was THE Turtle Lady. That was what she was called. They had a visitors center there on the island that you could go to and actually touch a turtle. Ila was known for helping to save the endangered sea turtles. I have a signed postcard from her.

Why do we remember the things we remember? I realize I was only 6 or 7 at the time, so my memories will be of things that were important to a child. What makes memories stick with us? Perhaps it was a feeling we had when we experienced it? I think we tend to forget these "important" memories. Sometimes we tend to only remember the negative things that have happened to us. It's nice to look back and think on the innocent happiness of youth isn't it?