Bahama Tales - Pastime Activities

There wasn't electricity in most of the places we lived in the Bahamas. Our only contact with the outside world, besides the mailboat, was a white Philips radio. We didn't listen to it all the time, but I do remember my father making us children be quiet while he listened to Paul Harvey.

My father had reel-to-reel tape player. It was great fun to talk into the microphone and then listen to ourselves. We also owned a phonograph record player. (For those under twenty, records are like big CD's that are spun on a turn-table and played with a needle bumping up and down in a groove.)



One Christmas, my parents ordered a set of Disney soundtracks from the movies. We also played children's gospel songs by Marcy, plus some missionary and Bible stories told by Ethel Barrett. That was my entertainment--besides our collection of books that grew and grew.

My mother loved games. Anytime she could gather some young people together, she'd have them playing PIT or PASSWORD or RACKO. I'm told it was very hard to beat me at MEMORY.



We also played thinking and guessing games. We played TEAKETTLE (using homonyms in sentences) and TWENTY QUESTION and HOT&COLD. My father would quiz me on my math skills by have me add 1+1, then 2+2,4+4,8+8, etc. until it was too hard to do in my head. It was a thrill for me when I got into the thousands. He taught me the Morse code and we used it in various ways. (tapping words on a wall, using sticks and stones, blinking lights to Uncle Roy's house in Old Bight.)

Life was fun and interesting. Sometimes, I wish I could slip back into that. (of course, I'd miss my computer...but I can do without the rest)