His days of making and flying kites with the neighborhood boys took place more than 70 years ago, but to hear Paul describe it during a group “Remember When…” discussion at a local nursing home last week, he could have been talking about yesterday.

Light-weight but sturdy weeds tied together form the frame and the “t.” Cover the structure with newspaper, attached with paste. You might have some old bits of string around the house, but if you want it to hold up, use “store string.” The boys whose families had a little money would wax the string to make it even stronger. Don’t shortchange the tail, as that 5 to 6 feet really makes a difference in the kite’s stability in the air. Paul would tear strips from rags to tie to the tail string to give it the weight necessary to keep the kite upright in the air. One kite could last a whole season — unless a tree ate it or your string tore and the kite flew on without you.

#writing