Growing Up McManus
Here at Kelly's Bar and Grill we like to reminisce on the good old days by sharing our favorite memories of what it was like to grow up as a daughter of Patrick and Darlene McManus.
We'll post a new blog entry on the topic each month, and even throw in a few extras, like a "Pat McManus Quote of the Month", the "McManus Recipe of the Month", and links to new and never-before published posts from both Pat and Bun. So hunker down and prepare to learn the inside scoop on what it was like growing up McManus.
Kelly (driving) and Peggy with their horse Huckleberry in 1967.
Peggy is the 3rd of Pat and Darlene's daughters. She has two grown children, Devon and Jacob, and lives with her cats Cub Scout, Flash, and Sammie in Spokane, WA.
"I'm really not a crazy cat lady," Peggy claims. "Although it's true I may be a little crazy."
Peggy retired from a career in Communications in 2022. Currently she runs a small vintage boutique with her daughter. She is also a professional writer and manages this website.
About Peggy McManus
About Kelly McManus
Kelly is the eldest of Pat and Darlene's daughters. She loves horses, dogs, her grandkids, and pretty much anything sweet.
She is a writer, content creator for this website, and caregiver for her grandson, Max, who keeps her busy exploring all the malls in the area.
"I definitely get my steps in hanging out with that kid," she said.
Kelly is also the mother of three grown children: Joel, Elisa, and Daniel. She lives in Spokane, WA.
Monthly Musings
By Peggy McManus and Kelly McManus
Read our ever-growing collection of stories about "Growing Up McManus".
LOOKING BACK — A SPECIAL 4TH OF JULY ESSAY
By Peggy McManus
July 4th Memories at the Clark Fork River Cabin
The town of Clark Fork hosts an annual Fourth of July Parade that our family loved to attend. There were cowboys and pretty girls on horseback, waving and throwing candy to the kids. Rodeo clowns scurried around behind the horses with little brooms and dustpans, cleaning up after them, since they couldn’t seem to wait to do their business until after the parade. Some clowns weren’t on manure duty, and they couldn’t be trusted not to spray us with water as they passed. There were lots of classic cars driven by their owners, and a few of the fancier models transported the town’s mayor and other upstanding citizens. The Clark Fork School Band, which at the time served grades K-12, played “This Land is Your Land” and “America the Beautiful” as they proudly marched by in their Wampus Cat uniforms.
After the parade, we returned to the cabin for a picnic overlooking the Clark Fork River. Dad built a campfire and roasted up a mess of hot dogs, and Mom put buns, homemade potato salad, and a bag of potato chips out on the picnic table. For dessert, there was hand-churned vanilla ice cream and strawberry shortcake.
At twilight, we piled into the truck and headed back to town for the fireworks show held in the school's baseball field. It was a thrilling experience, mostly because there were no safety precautions in place, and you were truly risking life and limb by going. Mom made us stand behind the baseball diamond’s backstop for protection from wayward fireworks, of which there were several. Her friend Marty laughed at her for being overly cautious until a wayward rocket landed in her hair, sizzling a good portion of it clean off. After that, she stood behind the backstop, too.
When we got back to the cabin, Dad handed each of us a sparkler, and we danced along the river’s shoreline, waving them about and pretending we were fireflies. Then off to bed we went, smelling of campfire smoke, and sporting sunburns and mosquito bites. It was wonderful.