Barely back to 1932 and it's cherries, dresses and a baby already

June 28, 1932 - Hilda, Mom, and I picked a bushel of cherries from the three trees west of the house.  After dinner we took Hilda home and then went to Norfolk.  (Ray took us.)  Mom got a new voile dress.  I couldn't find one I liked, so bought some voile and Mom is going to make it for me.
June 29, 1932 - Mom cut out my dress this morning.  I canned 18 pints of pickled cherries.  Ray took Mom to Wayne this afternoon to get some hemstitching done on my dress.  Ray went out to Ola's again this evening.
June 30, 1932 - Ralph came after Mom this morning.  I washed a few clothes and did some ironing.  I went down town this afternoon and paid the telephone bill.  Got my watch back from Norfolk.  R.R. came in this evening and said they had an 8 lb. baby girl born about 6:30 p.m.

I know we've been away a while, but does anyone know who R.R. is?  It is not ringing a bell with me.

I had heard that Grandma Anna had some mad sewing skills.  This bears it out pretty well -- bought fabric one day and then cut it out and was to the point of needing hemstitching the next.  We don't know if she had a particular pattern here or not, but I understand she could look at a dress in a shop, take a few notes and make some little sketches, and then could go home and make a very similar dress.  Gotta like that kind of talent.

The photo isn't of Grandma or of Grandma Anna, but I liked it.  Well, heck this isn't the photo I wanted but it is nice, too.  I'll try to use the other one another day, it's kinda cute.

Next stop, 1932

February 4, 1966

Dear Mom,

Late again.  I don't know where the time goes.  Everything creeps up on me.  Especially birthdays.  I always forget to buy a card.
We got the package.  Thank you so much for everything.  Mary sure liked her presents.  You should have seen her in those high heels.  With the money you sent we got a new pair of shoes.

I had her birthday party Tuesday, February 1.  She had a real nice party.  There were 10 kids and 5 mothers.  I had it in the morning at 10 o'clock.  Dale was kind of mad at me because I had it while he was in school.

Connie Sue made it down.  That little girl of hers sure is a darling.

Dale got his first report card Wednesday.  He got all A's and B's.  But his teacher sent a note saying, "Dale does good work when he doesn't waste time talking to his neighbors."

February 8

I'll bet you are just about ready to disown me.  I guess I've been off schedule.  I usually write letters in the morning, but lately I've had to hurry up and get the house straightened up so I can go gadding.  Seems I've been doing an awful lot of that lately.  Every time we go some place Mary puts on some of her perfume and hand lotion.  And nobody else gets to use her pretty soap.  She sure has a lot of fun with the doll you sent.  The clothes from Heidi fit her, too.

Dale really enjoys the dart game.  So do I.  I like those nice, soft, safe darts.

I finally bought myself a pair of electric scissors.  They sure are fun.  I was almost afraid to use them though. Afraid I would mess something up.

Say, where did you get those little thread snippers or whatever you call them that you gave me a year ago for Christmas?  One of the gals in auxiliary thought they were really nice.

Has it warmed up back there?  We have been having some pretty nice weather.

I may be losing my babysitting job soon.  King and Arline are planning on moving to Canada.  They will run a lodge about 200 miles north of White Horse in The Yukon Territories.  Sure will miss them.

Here's how Dale's report card looked:

Subject / Achievement / Effort:

Reading / Primer / A
Language / A / A
Math / B / B
Science / B / A
History, etc. / B / B

Mary makes me think of Bill when she gets in front of a mirror.  You should see her making faces at herself.  Last night I thought she was in bed.  I got up from the TV to go to bathroom.  There she was in the bathroom in front of the mirror making faces.  Told me she was brushing her teeth.

One of these days soon I'll get your birthday present and Aunt Myrtle's mailed to you.  It will probably be the first part of next week.

We sure have received a lot of compliments on the lamp you gave us.  Thanks again.

Well, I guess I better sign off and get this out before the mailman comes by.

Love,
Gary, Greta, Dale and Mary

All I have today (since I have Holiday Brain at the moment) in the way of comment is that the average high temp in Whitehorse in December is 16.7F and the average low is 2.3F.  Compare that to July when the numbers are 69.1F and 46.4F.  On balance, I think I'll stay put.  The photo is of Whitehorse, as you may have guessed.

Scooter must not have lasted long

October 26, 1965

Dear Mom, Dad, Grandma, and Tom,

I'm going to cause a snowstorm or something by answering your letter right away.  Got Gary's card yesterday.  Thank you for his birthday present.  He hasn't decided what to use it for yet.

No, Bill never sent any snapshots.  As I told you on the phone, I haven't had a letter from him since last May before Memorial Day.

I'll bet you're really enjoying not having any night classes.

I never found a Perquacky game.  I look up at Raley's every time I go up there.  I thought sure they would have one now that they have all their Christmas stuff out -- but no such luck.

Was that Mrs. Jason Preston that substituted?

I got a card saying I would receive 12 issues of Redbook as a gift from you so maybe I'll get it this time.  Sure hope so.

Oh, this Mary.  The other day she had eaten her cereal but left the milk in the bowl.  I told her to drink it up.  She says, "The milk doesn't taste good.  It tastes like wet carrots."  Almost every morning she has some wild dream to tell about.  I'm sure she makes it all up as she goes along.  But she is so serious and her eyes get so big.

We have two dogs now.  A stray came around.  Gary thought he looked so funny he decided to keep him.  He is part poodle, I guess.  Any way he is gray with curly hair.  Some of it hangs over his eyes and you can hardly see them.  I think he's cute and he's so friendly.  Spotty is pretty jealous yet, though.  At first he wouldn't let Scooter eat.  I'd give them each a dish. Spotty would take a bite out of one, then run to the other and growl at Scooter if he so much as moved toward either dish.

I went on a sewing spree last week.  Made new pajamas for the kids and a nightgown for me.  Plus 5 hand puppets for the school carnival.

The kids have had quite a cough the last week or so.  But it is finally letting up.

I got myself elected treasurer of the auxiliary.  I sure was surprised.

October 27, 1965

Didn't get this finished yesterday.

Gary's Mom called last night.  Gary's Uncle Oscar passed away yesterday morning.  If you remember at the shower at Wynot, he was the one who acted as master of ceremonies.  He was sick about a week.  Mom wasn't even sure what the trouble was.

Since you don't have anything to do these days I thought you might enjoy this thing.

Guess I'll close and get this mailed.

Love, 
Gary, Greta, Dale and Mary

I do not recall hearing about a dog named Scooter.  Hope everything worked out for him.

A sad day for a little boy

September 13, 1965

Dear Mom, Dad, Tom, and Grandma,

Guess I better sit myself down and write you a letter.  Don't know what's the matter with me lately.  Seem to be so busy, but really can't think of anything I've done.  Guess it's a case of "the hurrieder I go, the behinder I get."

Well, Dale has started school.  After the first day he said he wanted to carry his lunch rather than eat in the lunch room.  Then the next day they sent home menus for the month.  When I read to him what they were going to have he decided he would eat the hot lunch.

I had ordered Dale's clothes from Sears.  They didn't get here til Wednesday after four.  So he had to wear his Sunday School pants to school for two days.  I had told him he would have to wear them to school.  So the first morning I went in to get him up he said he wasn't going to get up because he didn't want to wear his Sunday pants.  So I said okay, but then he got up anyway.

He catches the bus at 8:15 and gets home at 2:30.  School is from 8:45 to 2:00.  I get up at 7 every morning.  That's really something after being able to sleep as late as I wanted for nearly a year.

I have Pat's kids today (the one that looked like Leila).  She got sick during the night.  Her husband called me up at 6:30 this morning and asked if I'd go over and get the boys.  Then they put her in the hospital.  The doctor said he thought it was pancreas infection.  But he won't know for sure til the results of the blood tests are in.

Jim's mother is on her way up so I won't have these little live wires much longer.  Sure is a job taking care of them, when I'm not used to it.

We have a different TV now -- a console model.  Gary traded a gun for a pistol for the TV.

The only things you left here were your tablet, the crossword puzzle book, and a handkerchief.

When we got home that night after taking you to the train Dale said, "This sure is a sad day with Grandma and Grandpa leaving."

Shirlee and Bill spent one night with us.  They were on their way to Lake Tahoe.  Sure was a surprise when they drove up.

Dale rides his bicycle without the training wheels.  I sure was surprised when he told Gary he wanted them off.  I thought he would want those wheels on for a long time.  But it was just a month that he used them.

Now, I can't think of any more to write about.  Guess I'll close and get this thing mailed.

Love,
Gary, Greta, Dale and Mary

How sweet and intuitive of little six-year-old Dale to recognize a sad day.  I don't think the photo shows what Mom ordered for school clothes, but those are from the 60's.  Look at the prices!

Two more letters from the 60's and then we are back to Grandma and 1932.

Gemini 4

June 3, 1965

Dear Mom and Dad,

Well, if I'm lucky maybe this will get there in time for your anniversary.  I'm watching the Gemini flight on TV.  It's in the air now so I guess I can relax a little bit.

Gary and Dale are still asleep.  But Mary is up and around.  She was reading to her dolls a little bit ago.  But now she is coloring and singing to herself.  My lady-like daughter who is scared to death of worms just loves to play with snails.  She has two jars with about six in each one.

How was the Alumni banquet?  We had our fireman's ball that night.  There was a very disappointing turnout.  They sold lots of tickets, but hardly anyone showed up.  But we had a good time anyway.

I had a nice letter from Janice Jaeger last week.  Where is Janet Carson now?  Did they go to Rhode Island?

Did I tell you I had Mary's hair cut?  It sure looks nice and is so easy to take care of.

Our new address will be 8856 Timm Ave., Fair Oaks.  As it looks now we will be moving about the 18th.  Dale's last day of school is June 11.  I have to go to school tomorrow for a birthday party for the kids who have birthdays in the summer.

Mary went to the dentist Tuesday and I'm very happy to say that she doesn't need any work.

Did you get your reservations for August 4th?

Mary is telling me some wild story about a mouse that put dirt in her eye and she chased him into the jungle.

Dale and Mary have been going around here asking riddles.  They got a book of riddles from the book club so that's what we've been hearing.  Gary just about fell over when Mary asked him this one:  "Why does the elephant wear sunglasses?"  "So nobody will recognize him."

Say, if you ever happen to run across my notebook that I made in Public School Music, please sent it or bring it.  But don't look for it especially.  I may even have thrown it away.  I can't remember.

I can't think of anything else to write about.  So I guess I'll close and get this out in the mailbox.

Happy Anniversary.

Love,
Gary, Greta, Dale and Mary

Here is a little about the June 3, 1965 space flight (from wikipedia, of course).  And the fabulous photo is of Astronaut White during his space walk:

     Gemini 4 (officially Gemini IV) was the second manned space flight in NASA's Project Gemini, occurring in June 1965. It was the tenth manned American spaceflight (including two X-15 flights at altitudes exceeding 100 kilometers (54 nmi)). Astronauts James McDivitt and Edward H. White, II circled the Earth 66 times in four days, making it the first US flight to approach the five-day flight of the Soviet Vostok 5. The highlight of the mission was the first space walk by an American, during which White floated free outside the spacecraft, tethered to it, for approximately 20 minutes. Both of these accomplishments helped the United States overcome the Soviet Union's early lead in the Space Race.

     The flight also included the first attempt to make a space rendezvous as McDivitt attempted to maneuver his craft close to the Titan II upper stage which launched it into orbit, but this was not successful.

     The flight was the first American flight to perform many scientific experiments in space, including use of a sextant to investigate the use of celestial navigation for lunar flight in the Apollo program.

Absolutely a mean mama!

November 6, 1964

Dear Mom, Dad, Grandma, and Tom,

I guess I better get busy and write a letter or I'll be getting a collect phone call.

Thanks for sending the Wayne Heralds.  I really enjoyed them as usual.

We've had some rain over the weekend.  Really soaked things up good.

No, you hadn't written that Merle was coming.  Goodness, last time I saw them Willy was just a baby.  Or did we see them when Nancy was a baby?

How does Tom like college?  Do they work him pretty hard?

Is there any news about his hearing?

Well, Gary's folks won't be coming out.  Yesterday Gary's mother had her hip operated on.  I told you that she had been having lots of trouble with her leg.  Her doctor finally told her to go to a bone specialist.  The specialist told her that it was either surgery or soon she wouldn't be walking at all.  She couldn't see being an invalid so she had the operation.  Gary's dad called last night and said that she came through it real good.  What they did was cut off the ball of the hip joint and put in a steel ball.  Then they dug out the socket.  The doctors said that she had apparently had this trouble since birth - a shallow hip socket or something like that.  Anyway she'll be in a cast for three weeks.  Sure hope this takes care of her trouble.

Hope you enjoyed your visit in Fremont.  I've been meaning to write to her, but never get it done.  The way time is flying it will probably be Christmas before I get it written.

I'm so mad.  You know those place mats I was making for Aunt Ramona?  Well after I got them hemmed, corners mitered, etc. I find that they mean to have you work on the side with just one loop. I could just scream.  So now I'm making a border on the sides.  But it sure makes me mad.

I think Dale will enjoy the Lego bricks most. He's been wanting some of them.  We got a Christmas catalog from Sears.  I looked at it and put it out of sight.  I just couldn't see listening to "I want this and this, and this."  Am I a mean old mama?  I hear enough of that from what he sees on TV.  Mary isn't too bad yet.  Guess she doesn't see anything she wants.

Gary can use socks and T-shirts for Christmas.  He wears size 12 socks.  Or maybe a sport shirt.

Gary is done with his part time job at Monroe.  Now maybe he can finish up at our other house and get it sold.

We're all just fine.  The kids are just as ornery as ever.  Right at the moment I can't think of any clever things they've said.  They're always coming up with something though.

We found a Lutheran church a little over a mile from here.  It is pretty new.  Just six years old, about 200 members, and a LCA church.  I like them real well.  The people are real nice and friendly.

Guess I better get to work.  I've got some bread ready to put in the pans.  Also some of that inevitable ironing.

Love,
Gary, Greta, Dale and Mary

Thank you for Gary's birthday present.  He hasn't bought anything yet.

What size of shirt and socks does Bill wear?  Don't know what I'll get him for Xmas.  But would like to know his size.

I got a Candy Land game for Dale for Xmas.  Did a little early shopping last night.

I am guessing the letter Mom is needing to write is to Dora.  Also, yes it is very mean to hide catalogs from kids.  Actually, I used catalogs to keep mine quiet for a bit while they studied them.

The photo is of Grandpa and Grandma Bowder, shallow hip socket and all.  I think they made a very handsome couple.