Power Outage Hide and Seek

When I was young, my brother, myslef, and our Dad would always play "Hide and Seek" at night on the weekends inside the house.  We used to play this often as my Mom would be holed up in her bedroom watching TV or sewing on her latest project.  We would play for what seemed like hours, and I just never tired of that game.  I don't know why Mom never played with us... she never seemed to like the game, but she didn't mind getting to do her own thing while the rest of us played.

When the power would go out from a thunderstorm... that was the BEST time to play because it was really and truly dark inside the house and outside too.  When the lights go out from a thunderstorm, there is literally nothing to do... you can't read, watch tv, go outside and play in the storm, you can't play board games or cards... so.... the BEST thing to do is play "Hide and Seek".

When my girls were young I carried this tradition forward and we would always play "Hide and Seek" when the power went out from a thunderstorm.  We took our games quite seriously and would actually prepare ourselves before the game would begin.... but... you had to move quickly because you just never knew when the lights would come back on again.  We would dress ourselves in all black... I always borrowed Joe's dark dress socks to cover my feet and legs... and then would use a 2nd pair to cover my hands and arms.  Joe would sometimes play with us... but mostly he would nap and relax as we played our game.  And then of course, there are times you are bored and just wanna play "Hide and Seek" anyway by turning off all the lights and shutting all the window coverings, which is lots of fun too.

As in any game... there are rules... these are our rules, which may or may not differ from any one else's rules... but these were the ones we played by.  You must start with an "It" or "Finder" person... usually decided by "rock paper scissors" or "eenie meenie minie moe"... once the "It" person has been chosen, that person must close/cover their eyes, face the 'safe/base' wall and count to 100.... SLOWLY!!!!!... and then all the hiders go hide.  Boundaries must also be stated... usually containing the game to one level of a house if there are more than one level, or staying to a couple of rooms.  Once the "It" person has finished counting to 100, they then must shout out... "OK... HERE I COME"... to signal to the hiders that the hunt has begun.  The hiders wait quietly and patiently to either be found or cleared to run back to the safe/base wall and shout "Ollie Ollie Omp I'm Free!!!"  Should the "It" person find a hider... that particular round is over and the found person is the new "It" person... all other hiders come out from hiding and return to the safe/base wall and the game starts over.

The thing is to find such a good hiding spot that you can re-hide there for several rounds before having to creatively find a new spot.  Once I hid on my bed... laying flat on the bed with all my stuffed animals around me and was never found... no I didn't fall asleep!  Another time I was never found was when I climbed on top of the refrigerator and perched huddled on top disguised in all black... did I mention I am only 4' 11" tall and weight 105#?.... this game was perfect for me... it's amazing how many places I can squeeze this little body into!  But having blonde hair meant that I always had to wear a hat... which gets HOT while you are hiding!  When the "It" person is near... and I think I'm about to be discovered... I hold my breath so as not to make a sound and not to giggle in fear!

I remember playing "Hide and Seek" for hours and hours, and how much fun we had, and how exhausted we were afterwards too.  Then you sit and giggle and recount the places you were hiding and/or how close you were to being found, and how fun the game was.  Sometimes my brother, Dad, and myself would play a version of "Hide and Seek" during the daytime... but we would wad up sheets of paper into balls as ammunition and then throw them at each other til someone was hit... then they became the "It" person.  Often in the summer months we would gather all the neighborhood kids and we would play "Hide and Seek" outside after dark as our parents enjoyed coffee and conversation sitting in lawn chairs under ours, or a neighbors carport.  Again... it would seem we played for hours on end and would be sooooo tired afterwards.

Playing "Hide and Seek" outside was a common game we neighborhood kids played all summer long.  Sometimes flashlights were used... that of course was called "Flashlight Tag"... where the "It" person was the only one with a flashlight.  Again... rules and boundaries must be stated prior to the game... whose yards we could hide in... no going inside, no climbing trees... and such.  The thing with outside "Hide and Seek" is to find a spot where passing car lights won't reveal your hiding spot.  After playing outdoor "Hide and Seek" we would be sooooo dirty, grimey, and sticky... so much so, that our bath water was black and the tub would need to be scrubbed after we bathed.

Ahhhhhh the memories!  These wonderful memories came flooding back to me this past week when Joe and I found ourselves in the middle of a power outage from a thunderstorm.  I found myself wishing that my brother, my Dad and/or my girls were here to play the game with me... especially since the power was out for an hour and this house has LOTS of good hiding spots!  I was in the middle of preparing dinner when the power went out... as in... 5 minutes away from plating and eating.  We finally did get to finish preparing dinner and eating... but... it wasn't the best meal ever!

We are in the season of thunderstorms... next time your lights go out what will you do?  If you get too bored... play a game of "Hide and Seek"... or... play a game just because.  It is great entertainment and doesn't cost a dime!... and the memories last forever!!!!

Dad... I know you will read this blog, and I hope you remember all those magical nights we spent playing "Hide and Seek".  Thank you for being such a "kid at heart", and such a "good sport" to play "Hide and Seek" for hours with Mike and I!  I cherish those times dearly!!!  Love you bunches!!!!