When we were little, naturally we girls each had a doll with a carriage or crib for it. Mom would make clothes for the dolls as well as sew dresses and knit sweaters and blankets for them. As a rule we girls played well together, but I’m sure there were squabbles from time to time.
Lumir had an erector set for winter play, and in the summer enjoyed his bicycle. We girls learned to ride it, but he used it mainly for transportation to go to Reineros to play.
One year we were given a couple of pairs of skates, and since the front porch had the only surface smooth enough for skating, we practiced there. This was not a very large area, so we never developed much skating skill.
I don't remember ever playing any card games. As I recall, Pop’s feeling was that card playing was a waste of time. If we had nothing better to do, he would have us study geography. He believed they didn't teach enough of that in school and had us look up places on maps if we couldn't tell him where a certain country was.
At school we played games starting with Farmer in the Dell, London Bridge and Musical Chairs, and then moving on to Hide and Seek. We girls played Hop Scotch and Jacks while the boys played Marbles. About the only ball game I remember was having teams on opposite sides of the schoolhouse and throwing the ball over the building, but I don't recall more details. When we got into our teens, Spin the Bottle was the favorite game at birthday parties.
After Pop went to work at the cement plant and had a steady income, he took us to town on Saturday afternoon to see the matinee at the Strand for 25¢ each while he and Mom did the grocery shopping. We enjoyed the cowboy pictures, but it was the serial that kept us coming back each week. The ending was a crucial scene, and the only way to learn the outcome was to return next Saturday. Once in a while Pop went to the show with us, and Lumie remembers the two of them going alone to see the first talking picture, “The Jazz Singer.”
During grammar school days, birthday parties were important. Whoever gave the party could be sure the Výborný s, Hoffknechts, Walkers and Wyatts would be there as we were the mainstays of the neighborhood. Usually we would have to walk to the party, and Pop would pick us up on his way home from work. The parties were simple -- we would play some games, open the gifts and have cake and jello or sometimes ice cream. As mentioned elsewhere, Helen always had to have a different dress whereas the rest of us usually wore our one "party dress" to all parties as long as it fit.
During grammar school days there would be socials at school, sometimes a variety show put on by the parents or a special party for Christmas. I remember one in which Pop had his face blackened to take the part of a colored person. At the Christmas party each year, Mr. Henderson, the local district attorney who had a large orange grove nearby, would send over a couple of boxes of oranges for us. I think that at the end of the year we had a picnic, but I can't recall details.
Pop and Mom enjoyed dancing, but mainly did that when they went to Fresno for some Sokol activity. After we acquired a phonograph and Bohemian records, they would push the dining room table against the wall and dance in the kitchen and dining room on the linoleum floor. This is where they taught us to dance (the waltz was the standard step). I don't recall going to high school dances, but in our late teens, we girls would go with Lumie to some dance hall in Snelling and dance with our neighbors.
We have a snapshot of us in Bohemian costumes. I would judge our ages as 10, 8, and 6. The costumes were quite elaborate with colored velvet skirt and vest with beading or trim on them worn over a white blouse with short, puffed sleeves. The vests were laced together in the front. Mom put a lot of work into making these, so we must have had to wear them for a special Sokol function in San Francisco, but here, again, my memory fails me.
In later years a Sokol group was formed in Fresno where activities were all-day affairs, which included a big meal, lots of visiting and dancing. If the lodge had an active exercise group, they would perform their routines for the rest of the audience.
In the living room we had a player piano for which we had quite a few rolls -- our main exposure to music in addition to Pop's accordion playing. Some of the music was classical, such as Humoresque and Liebestraum, but mostly we would play the more popular songs. We all played the player rolls by pumping with our feet and sometimes pretended we were performing for real.
None of us had any formal swimming lessons. A half-mile or so behind our place was Fahrens Creek (we called it Black Rascal) to which we would walk barefoot. Actually, we went barefoot all summer. Usually it would be the four of us plus Ted and Ed Reinero and anyone else who may have come over to play. Since it was so hot (up to 110°), we never bothered taking towels with us; we would be completely dry before we got home. In those days skin cancers were unheard of. At first we learned to "dog paddle" and then somehow we learned a rough version of the crawl. I don't recall the high school having a pool while we were there.
In later years when Lumie could drive, we got to go Merced River where there was a larger swimming area. This usually was at Schaffer Bridge, and some of the boys would jump from the railroad bridge into the water which seemed a dangerous thing to do, but they got by with it.
Lake Yosemite was a few miles east of town, so sometimes we would go there to swim and picnic. Usually a few families would do this together as it always seemed to be cooler there by the water and under the eucalyptus trees.
When we were in our late teens, the boys did a lot of hunting. In the fall Harry Babka would come from San Francisco with "Old" and "Young" Charlie Dvorak for dove season. They would bring back a lot of doves which we girls would have to help clean, and then Mom would cook them for our dinner. In later years the men would travel to Tule Lake in Northern California for the "goose" hunt. This trip took them away from home for a few days, but they never came back empty handed. Again we had to help pull the feathers off the geese, clean them and have them ready for more meals. The game hunting was quite a new experience for Bill who thoroughly enjoyed these outings with the fellows.
About this time, the men took part in another sport, "frogging". The fellows would go out at night, use flashlights to spot the frogs, and then spear them. They would bring them home in sacks and then they would have to chop off the back legs, which was a horrible job. However, when they were skinned and fried, they made a delicious meal.
The swimming hole - Fehrens Creek
Black Rascal Creek - 1932
At the Dam with the Reinero Boys - 1934
Farm House Living room - Marta in rocker, Vlasta at piano
Pop's parents in oval photo
Helen, Vlasta, and Babe in traditional Czech outfits - 1930
Vyborny Kids with Pets - 1927