The pool and pool house.
Grandma and Grandpa's house in the back. Uncle Corky's gold Mustang.

The inner tube

Like previous summers we also spent considerable time in the pool on the Ranchette.  The Ranchette had become a gather place for relatives and there would often be a few there.  That summer Grandpa got a giant truck inner tube for the pool and soon became a favorite pool toy. Sometimes the girls would be on the tube and we boys would swim underwater to the center of the tube and grab one of the girls’ legs or the boys would have push and shove battles to see who could stay on the tube the longest. It was great fun.  Beth had learned to swim both on top and underwater, jumping, diving into the deep end of the pool well over her head, she was like a little mermaid in the water.   

Granda had added a covered screened in porch whose roof extended a few feet from the pool so my brother and I found a way.to climb up on the roof and jump into the pool.  Mom wasn’t all that happy about us doing it, but Dad didn’t say anything.  Then there was the evening Dad, David, and I went out at the Ranchette so Dad could work on a check protector for Grandpa.  While Dad worked, David and I played around in the yard and the barn. It had got dark by the time Dad finished working when he called us over. David and I came running up to him and he and asked if we wanted to go swimming. “We didn’t bring our swimming trunks.” David and I say in unison. Dad looked around with a grin on his face, all the lights were off, Grandma and Grandpa’s house next to the pool house was dark, they went to bed early, and he says, “Let’s go skinny dipping.” And Dad begins to take off his shirt and shorts while David and quickly follow and we all jump into the pool.  The pool water though warm after the hot summer day, felt refreshing cool on my bare skin as I floated on my back looking up at the stars in the night sky.

 

A few weeks before school started Mom and Dad bought Brenda a used 1967 Camaro.  It was a pale yellow color which Brenda loved as yellow was her favorite color.  It was the most basic model of Camaro with a straight six engine and automatic transmission but was perfect for Brenda.  Mom said that they bought the car for both Brenda and me, but I didn’t have my driver’s license yet, so it was really Brenda’s car.

In the fall the Florida Gators started the football season doing well beating Air Force, Florida State and Mississippi State with the last two being home games which Dad and Billy went to, but then things went sour when they lost to North Carolina, tied Vanderbilt, and the loosing to Auburn and Georgia. Dad was starting to get frustrated with them complaining about various plays they made but then things got better when they won their last two games against Kentucky and Miami.  “Well, they’ll do better next year.” Dad said.

 

Updated: 09-25-2023

11th Grade