This is a special memory from my own childhood.
I was probably 8 years old the summer that I joined the softball team. It wasn’t a team like the one you think of today, partly because our town was so small. This was one of the summer activity held at The Wright Street Park, which was just down the street from our house. I think anyone could play which was good because I wasn’t one of the best players.
I could actually throw and catch OK. I remember the excitement of getting my very own mitt. I think it was a catcher’s mitt and it was beautiful golden leather. I may have slept with it. I loved the way it smelled and I was so proud of my mitt. I also had my own bat, which was good, as I needed a lot of help with my batting. I had a very bad habit of throwing my bat. I thought of it as “follow through” and when my bat hit the ball I just let go and let the bat keep going! I do remember Daddy telling me I was going to hurt someone although I never did.
Summers in Michigan were hot and humid and we would bring things to drink with us. My mom had just gotten a big round Thermos so I thought it would be great to make Kool-aid and take it with me. I could even share it with my friends. This was over 50 years ago, long before they had presweetened Kool-aid and I can even remember the dented metal measuring cup that I used.
I packed up my Thermos, my glove and my bat and went to play softball ā I was very excited about the fact I was bringing Kool-aid to share. I guess I thought that anyone who wanted to could drink out of the white cap that also doubled as a cup. We did that back then. I remember being really warm and sticky and taking the first big gulp of my Kool-aid and immediately spitting it out! I’d made it with salt. I was so humiliated and even worse, I was thirsty!
I’ve always wondered where my mother was while I was making this Kool-aid. I’ve also wondered why she had a huge canister of salt sitting next to the flour canister. Furthermore, where was the sugar?
I really did have the original “Don’t Drink the Kool-aid moment”.
Oh no that is awful and yes doesn’t make sense unless she had been using a lot of salt routinely for something or other.
Well it would have been great for April Fools! š
Well she did used to make pickles but who knows!
Oh no! Once again, Kc, I am laughing at the talent you have with words – describing not-so-funny incidents as if we were all there with you – yet in such a humorous way!
But don’t feel bad! I contributed a huge platter of strawberry cream cheese tarts to the high school “Teacher Appreciation Luncheon” sponsored by our PTA. Everyone lined up to “ooh and ahh” over how pretty they were – poking their cute little strawberry heads out of a swirl of cheesy topping. When I got home and sampled the leftovers, I discovered that I had salted with 1 tablespoon instead of teaspoon! Still edible – but ewwww – not what everyone expected to bite into!
I once made an orange cake to take to a party and used baking soda instead of baking powder! I found out when I could hardly cut it. I now make one cupcake when I make a cake so that I can test it!
Okay between you and Joyce I’ve had a good laugh this afternoon. My grandmother had a thermos like that and I remember those metal measuring cups. We always carried a thermos in the car – no fast food in those days and who could afford pop. But, salt? OMG I can only imagine the taste and your disappointment. š
Glad that we could entertain you! We didn’t have fast food either ā the closest we got was the Tastee Freeze and it was closed most of the year!
That is a very funny story. It’s all part of the learning experience. You do have a way of telling a story that keeps us entertained and coming back for more.
Thanks Olga! I am having fun writing them and thinking back on some of the fun entertaining moments of my childhood!
Oh Girl, I feel that pain. I made sugar with, ahem, no sugar- yum, yum.
Iām glad others have made similar mistakes! Gotta say I think no sugar would still be better than salt!
Oh my goodness… I am with you Kc, where was your mom and really why would there by so much salt and no sugar around… I am glad you found out before your friends took a drink though š
Thank you so much for your really sweet comment … I am going to work very hard to maintain it š
It really would have been worse if someone else had tried it first ā it was bad enough as it was!
What a great story! I think anyone would have assumed that was sugar in the cannister, so it was an honest mistake!! I love your stories .. keep ’em coming!!!!
I did have some interesting adventures, didn’t I? Iām so glad you are enjoying them ā and learning a few things about your big sister, too!
Oh my gosh, great story! Yes, back in the ‘good old days’ when people added their own sugar to things to sweeten them! By the way, Baby thanks you for taking her side, and I apologized to her for possibly hurting her feelings š
Have a great week!
Donna
Since my mother was probably responsible for all the warning labels on things, maybe I am the reason they came out with presweetened Kool-aide?
So glad you apologized to Baby! My cats would be proud of you!
Gah! I’ve no doubt that was pretty darn icky. Blech. That is kind of odd to have a canister full of salt. Hmmm…
A not-so-sweet memory, for sure.
Definitely not a sweet moment but I did learn my lesson eventually ā always taste test everything first!
As for the salt it is kind of odd because she always hated salt. She loved pepper and would put so much pepper on her cottage cheese that someone once thought she had spilled the container and offered to take it away! The only thing I can figure is she had it for pickling or maybe Daddy had it to make corned beef?
Too funny! By the way, my mother had one of those dented tin measuring cups, and now it’s in my cupboard. Every time I use it, I think of her.
Thanks for posting such wonderful memories.
What a story! Yes you do have a wonderful way of remembering your past. It’s really special. Your stories bring back memories of my own that I probably would not have remembered, I had forgotten they used to sell kool aid with out sugar. My daughter tried to surprise me once by making pizza crust. Somehow she used a cup of salt instead of a tsp. It was more like play dough than pizza crust!
I think I may have been an elephant in a past life and that is why I have such a good memory! Iām glad Iām bringing back some memories for you, too! Play dough pizza sounds interesting ā you could have made them and sold them on Etsy!