Copyright – Erin Leary
By, Nan Claire Falkner
“We have 4 canoes and 9 people. Who wants to be beer guy (gets a free ride and, when we portage – he lightens the load by divvying out beer)?”
On the first attempt to get the canoes over the fence, one tipped over. Mike threw the ice over the rails and then jumped down to retrieve it. By the time the canoes were in the water, it was time for a beer break! Then, we paddled down the river. Neil Diamond’s “Holly Holy” was playing on the radio. It was 1970 and I was in Heaven!
How young we were!
nanclairefalkner 
Hey Nan, Want to go canoeing again? It’s spring time. Let’s have fun.
Thanks honey – yes let’s go canoeing – I just need my .. a .. walker … my glasses … and all that other stuff that goes with being old! Me 🙂
Sounds like really good fun. Ah, the old days, when beer was beer.
Dear Patrick, Yes we had so much fun – all of us were broke and canoeing down the White River was cheap entertainment – Mike’s parents had 2 canoes and others had the rest. It was so much fun. Once we (Mike and I) went by ourselves, and he left the paddle in the water and ask me to go get it – I literally, slid down the embankment into the river to retrieve it because it was so muddy. I was covered in thick mud. What a sight – but the beer was good!
Sounds like a great day out!
Dear Draliman, Yes it was wonderful – I wrote a longer exploit to Patrick (above) if you want to read another predicament that happened. Thank you so much for stopping by! Nan 🙂
And a great time was had by all. Especially the beer man. 🙂
Dear Sandra, I thought I had already answered your post – but like I say, I’m not too computer savvy. If you want to read another tale, go to Patrickprinsloo (above) and read my comment to him. Thanks Sandra! Nan 🙂
Has a nice nostalgic feel to it. A throwback to some fun times when beers were drunk and not ‘instagrammed’ 🙂
Dear Subroto: Yes, we had so much fun for two years, a bunch of us that got married while in college, we were broke and this was cheap entertainment! Thanks for stopping by! Nan:)
Love the idea of a beer man. I’m glad you made the prompt a fun memory story. It made me smile on a rainy PNW day.
Hi Alicia: Thanks for stopping by and reading my awesome memory! We got married in 1970 and a bunch of us married the same year. We did cheap entertainment and canoeing was one of the best. Also, gas was 29 cents a gallon then – and sometimes a little less. I can remember the gas wars in 1968 – 17 cents a gallon in Springdale, Arkansas! Thanks! Nan:)
Hahaha! yes, I remember those days for myself well, crossing Jack’s Fork in Missouri. We never had beer, but we had plenty of fun. Great job!
Dear William, We usually canoed on the White River but a couple of times went to Missouri and I don’t know what river that was. We had a blast, but someone couldn’t drink in each car so as to drive back- to the best of my recollection, I think. Thanks for reading! Nan:)
What a fun story, of (I hope) a true story from your past? Love the Neil Diamond music… nothing says 1970s like ND! Nice job, Nan.
Dear Dawn, Hi to my globe trotting friend! This was how we entertained ourselves back in Arkansas in late 60’s early 70’s. Mike graduated in 1973. After we married, we started having parties at our homes. We were not too loud – I think. One year we had a New Year’s Eve party and soaked all the labels off the bottles for days and made a montage out of them. It was on our walls (and we still have it) until we moved to Kansas. Thanks for coming by! Nan 🙂
What fun memories, Nan!
What an imaginative, fun story Nan! It makes me want to be silly and young.
Hi Amy, thanks! We did kick up our heels back then. Of course we had the Beatles, Neil Diamond, Mama’s & Papa’s, Simon & Garfunkle, Jerry Lewis, Sam the Sham & the Pharoh’s, and so many other talented groups. My children grew up on Mo-Town music also. Well, those were fun times and we enjoyed them, now we get to enjoy watching our kids try to outdo us – but I know they can’t! Thanks for commenting and stopping by Amy! Nan 🙂
Ah, those were the days. Young, carefree, and never worrying about tomorrow.
You are right Russell, Those were the days my friend…I thought they’d never end …” Thanks for stopping my . Youth is wasted on the young – darn it but they have to have their turn too! Nan 🙂
Sounds like a great time. I was 20, why the hell didn’t you invite me?!
Hey Perry, I don’t know why you didn’t get your invitation, I put a 3 cent stamp on it? It was fun and we had several drinks in your honor! Thanks for stopping by! Nan 🙂
Indeed.. Lots of fun, and the more beer the greater it was.. Still canoeing, but give me a nice cafe instead.. (We were just out kayaking)
Dear Bjorn, We have been in kayaks before on a river and I really like them better! They are so easy to maneuver and fast! Those were the days . . . Thanks for stopping by Bjorn! Nan 🙂
Sounds like a fun memory from times gone by. Did we appreciate our youth enough? Hmmm….
Dear Erin, Thanks for the picture, by the way, No I don’t think we appreciated our youth until it’s over. But, I guess that’s what it’s all about – we’ll be young forever is the battle cry from the youth! Thanks for stopping by Erin! Nan 🙂
Ahhhh, the 70’s. I have some fond memories from that time, too. Haven’t done much canoeing, but I did do several epic whitewater rafting trips. And I have lots of good Neil Diamond memories, too. (Plus all those other groups you mentioned above and more. I loved British Invasion bands; still do.)
janet
Dear Janet – Thanks for stopping by. Yes – I loved the British invasion too and there were so many new songs, short skirts, long hair (flaxen/waxen). We had so much fun! Thanks, Nan 🙂
Sounds like a lot of fun, Nan! I’ve never lived close enough to a reasonably sized body of water to canoe often, but I’ve enjoyed the opportunity to canoe or go boating with relatives when visiting in Illinois. Always so much fun. It is much like heaven.
Thanks for the story and the trip down memory lane.
All my best,
Marie Gail
Dear Janet, Thanks for the memories . . . They go by too fast – oh well, they make good memories, and as long as I have a fairly decent one I can remember and when it (the brain) starts fading, so will my stories!
That cute title certainly represented the story well. Great job!
Thank you so much – we enjoyed our youth and that’s probably why I can hardly walk now – just kidding – more like bad knees! Thanks for stopping by! Nan 🙂
I remember one summer I dated a guy who had a canoe…..
Hi Dawn, I bet you had a blast too! Good memories – thanks for stopping by! Nan 🙂
that was pretty sweet, sounds like a lot of fun 🙂
Hi KZ, glad you stopped by. Yea, we were young then and are older now – but it sure was fun! Good Music, add a little beer, some great friends, and any activity – bowling (hilarious), drive-in theater, camping, canoeing, picnicking, charades, card games- Well, I could think of more, but it’s 3 AM and past my bedtime. Thanks KZ! I love your stories too! Nan 🙂
You’re trip sounds fun.
I used to canoe. I still have one of them, but it’s been a long time since I’ve gone paddling.
Dear Mythrider, Glad you had a canoe. It’s a good workout – especially if the river is down from a drought – you have to porridge across the dry spots and that get’s tiresome! Thanks, Nan 😉
I stick to rivers without porridges. Too much work.
That sounds like a great trip and a lot of fun. Beautifully painted.
Why thank you Sarah Ann! Yes – every generation has their pet projects – we all had fun! Have a great week! Nan 🙂
sounds like fun times . . . just being outdoors and enjoying the adventure and with beer! what more do you need?!? great story, Nan. 🙂
Dear Sun, thanks a lot! We did have fun back then and now when we go home to Arkansas, we have fun talking about our canoe trips, camping, swimming parties and brings it to the front of our brains! Golly gee whiz! Have a good week! Nan 🙂
How great it is to remember fun times! And to have had so many to remember! Lovely read.
Dear Znjavid, Thank you so much and yes, they were fun times, and we had a lot of them – we knew each other mostly since grade school or junior high school. Have a great week and I think your son is so cute and adorable! Nan 🙂
Thank you Nan! All the best, Zainab
Dear Nan,
Gotta love those memories! One nitpick. Neil Diamond’s as opposed to Diamonds’. There…back to the fun of your story. 1970 I was 17…too young for beer but then we did other things, too. 😉 Some of those friends I still keep in touch with. But then, I didn’t really move away.
I’m wondering where in Kansas you are? Forgive me if you’ve already told me.
Really fun story. I enjoyed the canoe read.
Shalom,
Rochelle
I forgot to say how much I love your title.
Hi Rochelle! Tip a canoe and Tyler too! I have remembered that “Battle Cry” for years from history classes. When President Harrison died, Tyler became the president. I always thought it was a catchy slogan and that (really) is the first thing that popped into my brain. Thanks again! Nan
Dear Rochelle, I hope I haven’t already answered your comments – but I got sidetracked and I can’t figure out if I’ve sent you a message or not. Thank you so very much for the feedback, I think I corrected Neil Diamond’s spelling – at least I hope so. I do know you are correct on this and don’t know why I put the apostrophe in the wrong place.
We live in Lenexa between Quivira & Pflumm on 82nd Street.
Canoeing was cheap and fun. We did it often. The only two friends we keep in constant contact with are my twin and her husband in Houston. When in Fayetteville, we usually meet with the old crew and have walks down memory lane!
Thanks again for liking my story! Nan 🙂
Now that sounds like great fun 🙂
Why thank you so much and yes, it was great fun! It’s funny that when you are going through an adventure, you think those days will last forever (probably because we were young)! The best part of it was that all of us lived off campus and grew up there so we knew where to go for fun! Thank you again! Nan 🙂
Dear Nan,
We are practically neighbors. I live in Belton and often have to come your direction for various and sundry reasons. Hmmmm… A meeting sometime perhaps? I love connecting in person with Friday Fictioneers. Kent’s also in the area. What ya think? Email me at runtshell@gmail.com.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Nan, Sounds like fun. It’s nice to do things with a bunch of friends. I have a couple of friends from the neighborhood where I was born. We’ve known each other since we were about four years old and still write to each other. Good story and well written. 🙂 —Susan
Dear Susan, Thank you so much for your comment. Most of our friends in college, we knew in High school (from Springdale, AR) or grade school (from Fayetteville, AR). We lived off campus so drove every day to the University of Arkansas (15 minutes away). I’m glad you keep in touch with your friends you’ve known since you were 4 years old! That is so great! Thank you again for your comment! Nan 🙂
Great story. I just wrote one last week about canoeing (with children LOL). We went on many trips like yours before children. Afterwards, when they were old enough, we took them with us. The story I wrote about the canoe trip was in based on a true story. We still laugh about it!
Life was simpler. Love the play on words in your title.