August extras
3 hours ago
This is a Veterans Day post.
And a little more.
A thanks goes out to all soldiers, but in light of these posts
from the 1940's, a special thanks goes out to those
special soldiers that contributed to mom's
"wild year"!
I don't know which soldier in this picture sent this one, but I'm sure mom
was excited to get an overseas delivery!
I found a portion of a letter and I like to think it accompanied this picture. . .
I think mom would have written in her diary that this was a "good one"!
She would often write about how many letters she had received as it was
always a high point in her day and always worth mentioning in her diary.
She and Dorothy and her friends would often share some of their letters.
And sometimes she made a point to say that one letter was a really
a "good one"!
Aunt Dorothy
Earlier today, Terry and I were able to spend some time with Aunt Dorothy.
She's moved into a new home in West Covina. There are 6 residents living with her.
She shares her room with one of them. Her room is in the front of the house, so she has a view to
the front out one window and a large french sliding door to an enclosed patio
on the other wall. Her room is light and bright and very comfy looking.
Lucy spends her days as she did before with Dorothy.
Hospice is still very involved, too.
I was not sure what to expect when I went out to see her, but I brought along
my tablet for her "swing music", a set a pictures from the party for Pat's
90th, (those 1940's ones) and high hopes!
She was sleeping, but awoke when we arrived.
Once I put on the music and started talking to her
the lights in her eyes brightened!
She has some difficulty getting out entire thoughts, but she was
able to appreciate the music and smiled at the photos.
yes, swaying to the beat of Glenn Miller!
What a terrific visit!
This is a long post, partially because Mom ran on her diary entries from
one page to the next without a break and back and forth
due to the busy weekends she had!
I thought a little history would help us appreciate
what was going on in her world while she was
dizzy with soldiers!
"Armistice Day (which overlaps with Remembrance Day) is on 11 November and commemorates the armistice signed between the Allies of World War I and Germany at Compiègne, France, for the cessation of hostilities on the Western Front of World War I,
which took effect at eleven o'clock in the morning—the "eleventh hour
of the eleventh day of the eleventh month" of 1918. While this official
date to mark the end of the war reflects the ceasefire on the Western Front, hostilities continued in other regions, especially across the former Russian Empire and in parts of the old Ottoman Empire.
The date was declared a national holiday in many allied nations, to
commemorate those members of the armed forces who were killed during
war. An exception is Italy, where the end of the war is commemorated on 4 November, the day of the Armistice of Villa Giusti.
After World War II, the name of the holiday was changed to Veterans Day in the United States and to Remembrance Day in the countries of the British Commonwealth of Nations. Armistice Day remains an official holiday in France and Belgium." Wikipedia.(my apologies)
I thought it might be interesting and give us some perspective to
remind us what was going on at the time of these
diary entries.
Mom, of course, was not a historian. This was a diary after all.
But, she saw the newspaper headlines and heard the radio
as we know. I love that she was going through all
this history and was just being a girl!
Some November facts in history:
6th - Nazis execute 12,000 Minsk ghetto Jews
6th - Sukarno & Mohammed Hatta finds Ampat Serangkai
7th - 1st US president to broadcast in a foreign language-FDR in French
7th - Bicyclist Fausto Coppi establishes world record (45,848 km)
8th - 1st WW II American expeditionary force lands in Africa (Gold Coast)
8th - Hitler proclaims fall of Stalingrad from Munich beer hall
8th - Operation "Torch" began as US & British forces under Eisenhower land in French North Africa
8th - Vichy-France drops diplomatic relations with US
9th - German occupiers put Erik Scavenius as Danish premier
9th - Transport nr 44 departs with French Jews to nazi-Germany
10th - Philip Barry's "Without Love," premieres in NYC
10th - US troops occupy airport of Port-Lyautey Morocco
10th - US-British troops occupies Oran Algeria
11th - -12] last German offensive in Stalingrad
11th - 745 French Jews deported to Auschwitz
11th - During WW II Germany completes their occupation of France
11th - Jews in Free Zone of France ordered to wear yellow star of David
11th - Lt-general Kumakashi Harada becomes Japanese commander on Java
11th - Transport nr 45 departs with French Jews to Nazi-Germany
10th - US troops occupy airport of Port-Lyautey Morocco
10th - US-British troops occupies Oran Algeria
11th - -12] last German offensive in Stalingrad
11th - 745 French Jews deported to Auschwitz
11th - During WW II Germany completes their occupation of France
11th - Jews in Free Zone of France ordered to wear yellow star of David
11th - Lt-general Kumakashi Harada becomes Japanese commander on Java
11th - Transport nr 45 departs with French Jews to Nazi-Germany
Jim, George, Smitty, whew, her head must have spinning!
I just wonder if Eileen's name. . .
Four soldiers calling, movies, romance and even action on the street corner,
followed by an invitation to Las Vegas! Wow, mom!
Enjoy your Armistice Day weekend!
This entry really helps me remember that mom was only 20 years old.
So much history going on all around her
and she's got "boy problems"!
I love it!
And of course, what does a girl turn to when her heart is in turmoil?
She most likely hurried out of work to purchase her favorite new records,
then probably listened to them over and over again!
then probably listened to them over and over again!
You can imagine how mom must have felt the days after
that "super fun" Halloween!
Girl, she was up till 4:30 in the morning
with her dreamboat,
"banging heads and seeing stars"!
Well, just as you might expect. . .
Get some rest, mom. We can't wait for next weekend's news!
Mom has been on my mind lately. Well, the house is full of pictures.
Pictures of her and Pat and the girls from 1942.
Pictures of their "wild year".
I've been talking to Terry lately about how I've
been wanting to see mom again. Then, I mentioned Dad's anniversary
of his passing is coming up. 38 years. Wow.
I came home the other day and had thought I was working today,
but said to Terry that I had a found day today, was off the schedule.
Guess, I mixed up my days in all that's been going on.
He says, "lets go see your mom and dad".
I love you, for that Terry.
So we did.
It was a beautiful day. It was so peaceful. I felt her love.
In the envelope, I wrote a note. I left a couple pages of her diary from Halloween 1942.
She left us such a great memory in her diary. I wanted to leave it for her. Dad wouldn't mind.
I'm sure she was having the time of her life now, surrounded by all those soldiers!
So, then I had I thought. I can share this with you on a regular basis.
I have this treasure that right now you don't have access to being so far away.
If you don't mind, I'll start with this entry and we can progress from here.
Having read it, starting here will not spoil it.
Enjoy. . . and thanks mom.
Thanks mom and dad for a really lovely day!
Welcome to our Halloween Party/Birthday bash for Pat's 90th!
The graveyard was open. . .
The host was pouring drinks and ready to greet. . .
The decorations included pictures of Pat and her friends from the 1940's.
That dress hanging in the window is a favorite dress she wore in the 40's.
The pictures were hung everywhere. . .
This is one of my favorites! They look like this was such a happy time
of their lives!
People had so much fun checking out all the photos that were
hung up all over the place!
Oh, it was amazing to see all these images of
another era! Thanks to Rita and Dan for salvaging them!
The kids showed up in the 40's themed costumes, too!
Great looking Perri, Taylor and James (also celebrating
a momentous 18th birthday!)
New found family Kris and John came as a garden gnome
pink flamingo. Inventive and ingenious!
Melanie looked very much like Rosalind Russell from
"His Girl Friday", Eileen won best overall for "Rosie
the Riveter" and Maureen looks very stylish in her
1940's fashion!
John, as the Red Sox, Ted Russell and Kevin came
very in costume af a 1940's good ol' boy sheriff!
Larry and Rita won best wine in the wine tasting
event for a white wine named
"Cut the Fluff"!
Kevin won "Funniest" costume!
James took home "Scariest" and Eileen "Best Overall"
Congratulations winners!
But "Most Original" went to the Grand Dame
herself in a dress she wore from her own
closet from the year she was born!
Happy 90th Birthday Pat!
almost done, 3:19, will I make it free and clear?
realization, who knew sitting quietly in a cool room with all
these people could be so exhausting?
I am headachy, crampt, my eyes ache from reading this screen and my fingers
almost frozen, but. . .I don't, no, can't really do anthing! How relaxing it should
be, right?
stop looking at the clock. . .
realization, who knew sitting quietly in a cool room with all
these people could be so exhausting?
I am headachy, crampt, my eyes ache from reading this screen and my fingers
almost frozen, but. . .I don't, no, can't really do anthing! How relaxing it should
be, right?
stop looking at the clock. . .
12:00 we let out for lunch, till 1:30 who gets that long? I did appreciate getting outside to get some fresh air and to stretch my legs. I brought my lunch, so took a walk to the Cathedral and enjoyed lunch under a shady umbrella. The bells remind me every 15 min. so I can't, miss the time!
I've been reading Laura Hillabrand's book, Unbroken. Really great book, I love her writing style.
Nice breeze, time to stroll. . .
I've been reading Laura Hillabrand's book, Unbroken. Really great book, I love her writing style.
Nice breeze, time to stroll. . .
After calling in all week, I was called for Jury duty today. One day of
jury duty required 2 nights off work. I only get three, so I am hoping to sit here and not get called for a case, especially since this is Criminal Court,
so, it's almost 11 am and here I wait. . .
jury duty required 2 nights off work. I only get three, so I am hoping to sit here and not get called for a case, especially since this is Criminal Court,
so, it's almost 11 am and here I wait. . .
Want to roll out of bed and pick up a cup of single-origin java from a
coffee shop on your corner? Or grab a gourmet grilled cheese sandwich
from a food truck parked down the street? Does a dream weekend include
foraging for organic veggies at a farmers market and watching the latest
hot indie band play on a small stage through the wee hours of the
morning? Then, my hipster friend, Los Angeles’ Silver Lake is the
neighborhood for you.
Silver Lake takes the top spot on Forbes’ inaugural list of America’s Best Hipster Neighborhoods. Nestled between Echo Park and Los Feliz, the trendy community boasts some of the nation’s most lauded food trucks and farmers markets, a multicultural blend of residents with eclectic professions, and a booming arts scene. Even the buildings exude an avant garde aesthetic a hipster could love: Silver Lake is home to some of the most celebrated modernist architecture in the country, including Richard Neutra’s VDL Research House and John Lautner’s Silvertop.
“It is amazing how many artists, musicians and designers and more traditionally ‘hipster’ occupations live in Silver Lake,” says Dabney Lawless, a vice president of Nextdoor.com, a private social network for neighborhoods. “It just blows every other neighborhood away.” In other words, if you want to slurp Pabst Blue Ribbon in your skinny jeans, you won’t be alone.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/morganbrennan/2012/09/20/americas-hippest-hipster-neighborhoods/
But, as SNL, put it, and I'm, paraphrasing "really, being called hip by Forbes is like your Grandpa saying schnizel!"
Rad, if "grandpa" finally gets it, we've been on the hipster map for some time, I guess, now it's only downhill from here!
Silver Lake takes the top spot on Forbes’ inaugural list of America’s Best Hipster Neighborhoods. Nestled between Echo Park and Los Feliz, the trendy community boasts some of the nation’s most lauded food trucks and farmers markets, a multicultural blend of residents with eclectic professions, and a booming arts scene. Even the buildings exude an avant garde aesthetic a hipster could love: Silver Lake is home to some of the most celebrated modernist architecture in the country, including Richard Neutra’s VDL Research House and John Lautner’s Silvertop.
“It is amazing how many artists, musicians and designers and more traditionally ‘hipster’ occupations live in Silver Lake,” says Dabney Lawless, a vice president of Nextdoor.com, a private social network for neighborhoods. “It just blows every other neighborhood away.” In other words, if you want to slurp Pabst Blue Ribbon in your skinny jeans, you won’t be alone.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/morganbrennan/2012/09/20/americas-hippest-hipster-neighborhoods/
But, as SNL, put it, and I'm, paraphrasing "really, being called hip by Forbes is like your Grandpa saying schnizel!"
Rad, if "grandpa" finally gets it, we've been on the hipster map for some time, I guess, now it's only downhill from here!
