This stretch of summer heat in Saskatchewan takes me back to the greatest days in my childhood. Oh, how I loved summer vacation. I liked to come and go as I pleased and do what I wanted to do when I wanted to do it.

I had a bicycle, footballs and basketballs along with baseball equipment and swimming trunks. We played in backyards and at Elgin and Crichton Parks.

I clearly remember paying a dime to jump on the city transit bus for trips downtown. We'd go to the Saturday matinee at the Capitol Theatre. Sometimes we'd have fries at the Eaton's cafeteria or an egg roll a the Mandarin. Oh, and let's not forget the burgers and milkshakes at the Kresge's lunch counter.

Our summer nights were spent playing hide-and-go-seek. Somehow we found ways to incorporate sparklers, firecrackers and walkie-talkies into those after dark games.

Looking back, I'm kind of glad I didn't grow up with computers and cell phones.