Sherman's Today (6/2001)
"Memories"
I saw this elderly couple walking, hand in hand, through the empty midway one afternoon and imagined this conversation:
'I met you right there. You were with some girl friends. Remember?
Remember our first dance where we almost tripped over the rope they used to rope us off the floor? They just don't have dance music like that anymore. All for ten cents a dance to! It was almost magical looking out over the lake listening to the music - feeling the cool lake breeze mixing with the aroma of popcorn from below.
Look at this! The Shooting Gallery, Dart Game, Ball Game, even the Live Mouse game and Arcade are all gone. You know I still have that old coupe doll you won for me. It's still in the attic.
Candy apples and cotton candy were over there. I can still smell the cinnamon mixed in with the peanuts and popcorn. Hear the whack of the sledge hammer game - the "crack" "ping" - "crack" "ping" - "crack" "ping" of the shooting gallery. I bet you forgot about me getting the cotton candy in your new hairdo.
I loved the old "Creamy Whip" ice cream. Haven't tasted anything better since. Remember the crowds at the Bingo games? Then when Bingo became illegal, they called it "Skillo." Ha! I can still hear Tommy Divine, with his huge Carney voice, yelling "under the B, 13...."
Remember our first dinner date when Bill and Ron Morris were still putting out those fabulous roast beef dinners? We sat by the windows that looked out over the lake and talked of our dreams together. Even with all the racket of the Ski Ball games, Bingo, and kids running through - to us it was very quite and romantic.
Our dessert was popcorn and peanuts. Lord you'd get such a peanut breath, but I let you kiss me at the top of the Ferris Wheel anyway. In fact you still have bad breath, you ol' goat, but I love you anyway.
Sometimes I wonder if we're all alone with our thoughts? No, I'm sure everyone who was here, when it was "Morning in Caroga," have many wonderful memories. Like ours, special memories that only they understand, feel, and remember.
Hope you enjoyed what I've done, so far, with our "Caroga Times" as much as I am enjoying putting it together. Many fond memories are being brought to mind as I work on this site. I'm sure many of your own were rekindled as you remembered your days in Caroga.
Since we live in California this site started with the idea of putting together a family album of our "Caroga Times." Then all we have to do is "Click" 'N Go Home." What we're finding is that many people from this area would also like to "Click" 'N Go Home." So, we are continually working to expand this site.
We could make it even better if you would send us some of your pictures of Sherman's and the area, especially any pics of the old Willie's Pizza and Hot Dog Stand, old LakeAire, the Hollywood, dancing at Sherman's - "people, places and things."
Can't promise they will all get in. The best will make it. "Best" = of interest to most people, or me :-) not necessarily clear, sharp photos.
So, please dig out your albums and let the rest of us share in your memories of Caroga.
We would
love to hear from you. 
You can scan them (save in .tif format) and email them to tony@tonyermie.com or snail mail them to: Tony Ermie, 2231 Memory Lane, Visalia, CA 93277. I promise that they will be returned to you.