THE ADVENTURES OF THE GREAT SUMMER LOCKOUT

My love of all things that can be seen, played or done in the outdoors stems directly from two sources - genetically engineered that way by God and, from being perpetually locked out of the house during the summer months as a child.  I have reminded my mother time and time again of her locking me and my two sisters out of the house from Memorial Day through Labor Day.  She constantly denies it as being only an allegation and that there is no proof to substantiate my claim:)  My sisters and I, along with our dad, know differently!  I daily fostered this love of the great outdoors on foot and bicycle only really coming to the house when I heard mom's signature shrill whistle (and I don't mean the gym class kind).  She had a whistle (how she contorted her mouth to get that loud of sound I'll never know) that could be heard a quarter of a mile away.  Upon hearing it we would run toward the house to either be passed some sort of lunch through an opening in the screen door, or to come in for the night - darkness had arrived.  Now I don't know this for a documented fact, but I would imagine with 3 children who wanted to run in and out of the house all summer long she may have locked the door so to be able to cook, clean and do other various canning and sewing projects.  Being locked out in the great outdoors helped me perfect my ability to accurately squat and pee without getting it on anything, me included, other than the ground.  Not a feat most girls can do easily.  When we recount to our mom that because she locked us out of the house and refused us entry even for the bathroom we used the back side of barn, she replies with both a snort of disbelief and then a burst of laughter, "You did not!"  I would like to think that she was being industrious without us bugging her, but possibly she laid down and napped no doubt exhausted from raising 3 kids who were 18 months apart.  She also denies that theory.  I can remember being around 4 or 5 years old and getting so hot and tired in the summer, knowing that I couldn't go in the house, that I would just lay down in the grass under the big maple tree and fall asleep.  Again, my mom denies that ever happened.  What would she know!  I think if she wasn't canning every last vegetable in the garden, or collapsing on the couch for a nap, she may have been a secret "All My Children" watcher.  She too declares that she never watched soap operas during our summer lockouts from the Cherry house.  Those things are what created an adventuring and outdoor spirit in me.  And yes mom, you did lock us out of the house and we did pee behind the barn.