June 26, 1972 Mon.
Dear Diary:
We got up earlier for a change & got a earlier start. Went to old Sears (I stayed in car) for Beckys watch, then we went to Parma Town Sears & got David pants (other new ones to tight).
We ate at Burger King. Went to Marys. Mom, Grandma & Aunt Helen went shopping. We watched TV & then went to Topps. I got Dad a card. Found slugs in gum machine & got things from gum machine. Got letter from Missy.
BYE!!
Note: Going to Burger King was a big treat as we didn’t have one in Nicaragua at the time. We always got a Whopper, fries and chocolate shake. In 2019 my brother and I met up in New Orleans for my cousin Ricky’s funeral. It was a sad time and one evening we stopped at Burger King. David humored me wearing a crown and we tried the Impossible Whopper as David doesn’t eat meat.
Pretty disgusting finding slugs in the gum machine but got some rings that were cool at the time.
June 27, 1972 Tues.
Dear Diary:
We leave uh! WAH! On Mon. I was the 1st of the kiids up. Aunt Helen took a week off so we all went to Northgate & Westgate Shopping Center. I bought a smile whole ring for 50¢. Its real neat. We ate at McDonalds. We kids went separate ways for awhile. 2 ladies yelled at us. 1 at me for toutching a painting & Mary for testing some lipstick that said test it. Boy. We stopped off at Aunt Liz’s. Saw Tom. He said I look like Mom. Went with Grandma to the sacristy. Watched T.V.
BYE!!
Note: It was so nice of Aunt Helen to take a week off work while we there. The ring I bought had a smiley face on it. Aunt Liz was my grandfather’s baby sister and Tom was her son. I was thrilled that he said I looked like my mama.
It was always fun to go with Grandma to the sacristy as this seemed so off limits. The sacristy iswhere the priest prepares for the mass and keeps his vestments and other items needed for the service. Grandma made many of the vestments and with the scraps of fabric she would make my Barbie doll dresses. Grandma also made sure everything was pressed perfectly.
I never mastered the art of ironing. I just use a wrinkle release spray.
June 28, 1972 Wed.
Dear Diary:
Lets see I was 2’d of the kids to get up. Got dressed ate. Watched Grandpa & talked to him. Made lunch, watched a bit of T.V. We all went out looking for Tuxedo shirts for Dad. Mom dropped us off at Aunt Helens. Read Better Homes Magazine. Came home. Watched T.V. Ate a new brand of candy bar, ate a chocolate filled doughnut, had chow mein for supper & cherry cola slush. Babe came over.
BYE!!!
Note: We needed to get Dad some tuxedo shirts as he and Mom attended some gala events. Finding Dad a tuxedo in his size was not an easy task. He was a big man.
Babe Denmarsh was mom’s first cousin from her Mom’s side.
The chow mein was from a can!
I think just about every young girl had a Barbie back then. I was jealous of my sisters for having so much fun with them.
Love those dresses! What a wonderful grandmother. Eeeewwwww to the slugs in the gum machine!
Carol
Oh Susie your Grandma made Barbie dresses are exquisite!! Hope you still have some. Thanks to the person that clarified slug v slug! Amazing, your dairies provide such specificity to your memories - how smart and disciplined you were to write them! Tootsie
I believe when you found slugs in the bubblegum machine, you mean the slang for counterfeit coins. Also you remember grandparents house was originally the priest house, which is why it was so big and why there were so many doors leading upstairs. When the new priest house was built they turned grandparents house into a rental upstairs (never remember anyone there so it seemed spooky when he would allow us to go up and look around). Yes our Barbies had many very fancy formal gowns!
What a beautiful house, just the sort I love. Can I confess? I never learned to iron either and now consider it far, far too late. Besides, once you sit down———you’re creased!
Kh