Two Christmases ago, the kids received a sling shot each, made especially for them by our friend. She remembered how she made them when she was growing up, and told us the stories of how her and her brothers made them, and how her mom used to get mad at them for cutting the tongue of their leather shoes, so they could make these. She has 6 siblings, so I bet their mom did get upset! (I wonder if they each cut the tongue of their own shoe, ruining 7 pairs, or if they cut both tongues of a pair, and so ruining just 3 pairs? I wonder…)
Anyway. She made Lucas and Siena a sling shot each, and apologize in advance for any damage they might cause. We loved all of it, and will take the consequences, I guess (I hope my kids are not reading this one.) This time she cut leather from a glove she had. For the elastic part, she couldn’t find a good rubber even after going to the bike shop to get a popped tired. She says the tires are not elastic enough these days, different from heydays growing up. So she had to get surgical tubing. And it works perfectly!
We liked when she told us about her stories from growing up, as much as her stories on how she was trying to make them this time, and her thinking of all the possibilities they could use these now…. here in the city, as oppose to the farm she grew up at.
The kids took their sling shot when we went for a hike here and there, but it was way more fun in Idaho.
They of course, were not throwing at anything to injure. They were rocks, rabbit and deer poop sent to the air, or to touch the water, or reach the other side of the pond. Real testing of what it could do.
I remember I used to have one too growing up. I wonder how many of us used to play with one, and how many kids today have one. It was fun to see the kids play with it and not having to worry to damage anything or anyone was a big bonus! Our friend knows us well, I guess. Thank you Linda!