I wish everyone could experience being a kid the way it used to be. It sounds like we all did just about the same things. I also mowed lawns in the spring and summer and shoveled ice and snow from driveways when we got snow, not a whole lot here in Texas. I lived less than a mile from Gibsons, TG & Y's and a kmart, And 2 hobby shops that had models, gas cars and planes. It really didnt matter how far away anything was though, cause we rode our bikes everywhere.
I also picked up coke bottles, and aluminum cans .I even lived close to the local teen hangout area when I was a kid and would sell cokes for a profit on the corner.
I think the only time we were in the house is if we were grounded or sleeping, the rest of the time was spent playing something. The way my models looked, blowing them up or shooting them with a BB gun was the the highlight of the build.
Thanks for the memories.
Russell