6 Kids at 6 Flags in ’66

I was planning on calling this post “On Vacation” or as the French would say, “En Vacances.”  But then I was looking at those six singing siblings sitting on shiny seats at Six Flags in 1966, and I had to change it.  I’ve been thinking of a big vacation trip lately, and the big trip for the Landry family back then was Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington, Texas.

We would all pile into the station wagon we had at the time and drive west toward a completely different state.  Of course, we’d play games like I Spy or Stink Pink.  Or we’d make up stupid jokes about tunas or elephants.  Sometimes we’d make the peace sign for the people in the cars behind us.  Then if they would do it back, we’d turn the peace sign into an imaginary slingshot.  We thought we were so funny.

It seemed like such a long drive back then, but it was only a few hours.  After we arrived, we’d find the campground and set up the tents.  That’s right!  We camped on the grounds at Six Flags.  We weren’t the only ones.  It’s not like we were camping on the parking lot.  I’m pretty sure it was campgrounds located at the park.  I could be wrong and it was just nearby.  Whatever the case, we’d set up two tents for the family.  One for the boys and one for the girls.  There were public restrooms where we could shower and get ready for a fun day at the theme park.

We did that camping thing at Six Flags for a few years.  Not continuously, of course.  We had to be in Jennings (Louisiana) for most of the summer so we could go to our dad’s summer band program at Northside Junior High.  Besides the grand excursions to Texas for the summers, the summer band program was the highlight.  I need to identify everyone in the photo for you in case you don’t know.  I don’t know who the person in the front seat is.  We just sat behind her and minded our own business.  The second seat has the oldest and youngest of the six siblings.  Jodie is on the left and Jamie is on the right.  On the next seat is me (Van), my mom Betty Lou Bucklin Landry, and sister Karen.  At the back of the train are Al and Rob.

So off on vacation I go.  Besides taking a break from work, I’ll be taking a break from this weekly blog.  I’m not going to Six Flags, but there will be different flags to represent the places I’m going.  A bientôt!