Skipping

Skipping

Now Skipping wasn't just for lassie's, we all done it, I didn't carry skipping ropes with me, but I had 4 sisters, and proudly showed off how I could do the cross over move, I had watched the boxers do it, it was a common sight to see lassies skipping to and from school, going to the shops for messages

Some lassies skipped on two's, they would lock arms, one holding the rope with their right hand the other with their left, and away they would go, it was great to watch the skills it took for this skip

Just about every street up the Gibby, on a warm summer's night, would have 10 to 15 and more all involved, singing their hearts out to skipping songs, some used two ropes " Cross Over " which was a lot harder, but the girls made it look easy.

One of the songs sang :-

Policeman, policeman, dae your duty,
Here comes (name of next jumper)
And she's a cutie;
She can jump, she can twist,
But I bet she canny dae this.

It wasn't unusual for mothers to come out and join in with the girls, they knew the songs, sometimes, and I mean sometimes, they would let boy's join in, but !! not too often

I've said many times before, No TV, to watch, so all the lads & lassies up the Gibby had to make their own amusement and Skipping was one of them

When you think of it, " Skipping ", " Rounder's ", " Kick the Can ", all these involved running & jumping, we were all very fit, well I was,