40 years ago, I would have just turned 8 years old. Our family lived in the same house in which my mother still lives now, a relatively new housing development started the year I was born and including mostly 3 bedroom, 1 bathroom ranch-style houses with a handful of 2-story colonial or Cape Cods thrown in. Most of the lots were about a half-acre in size, which meant we had a really nice-sized back yard, big enough for a vegetable garden, a swing-set and an above-ground pool. Totally 1960s living for young families just starting out. And young families were everywhere. On a late spring weekend evening, the yards would be crawling with everyone's kids going from one house to the other, yelling and playing and generally making the most of the good weather. Oftentimes, we'd have backyard barbecues, which we called "cook-outs" or just "get-togethers" with one or more of the neighbor families where all the parents and kids got along well together. And in general, we kids would already be in our pajamas before the fun began, so that the parents could relax and enjoy themselves until it was time to pack the kids off to bed. I... Read more →