When I was a kid, I spent lots of time reading books, playing softball, and singing in a group I called The Honey Bees. I danced and sang to all the latest Motown Hits, with my sister Stephanie, my best friend Georgina and cousins from both sides of my family that lived near by; especially my cousin Necie. We meet 3 times a week at a place called, LaClaire Courts after School Center, located on the southwest side of Chicago, to practice.
At the age of 7, my sister Stephanie 6 and I, along with my best friend Georgina 8, and my cousin Necie 8; won 1st place at one of many Talent Shows held at the after school center on Friday nights, doing our interpretation of Diana Ross and the Supremes. The song we sang was Stop In The Name of Love. This surly was one of the greatest moments in my childhood. We were all dressed up in our long red and white Christmas gowns, that’s what little girls wore back then, to our surprise before the show started Georgina’s mom even put rouge ( now called blush) and lipstick on our little faces, we had so much fun that night, when we took the stage we all felt like real Movie Stars. To this day we still remember how proud we felt, as everyone cheered us on, and how exciding it was to be all dressed up like ladies. Today we still talk about it at family gatherings. Absolutely! This is one of my favorite achievements as a child.
Growing up, I was lucky enough to live close to many first and second cousins, from both sides of my family. I played daily with my cousins, boys and girls, we enjoyed tea parties, played hopscotch and roasted potoes in the parrie behind our house; where my favorite auntie Betty, (my moms baby sister) lived near by with her family. I loved going to her house on weekends, with my cousin Beverly, to baby sit my younger cousins while auntie did her shopping. When she returned home, she would prepare one of our favorite meals, while we looked on. My Auntie Betty, baked the best Peach Cobbler