I’m still thinking about Babu’s birthday party and about meeting Zosh’s daughter, Kathy. More importantly, about the interactions Kathy had with the family, especially Babu. When you hear stories, especially ones you hear more than once, there is this mistaken sense of ownership. You feel the person who told you the story and you now…
Tag: history
The Stages of Getting Over a Crush
You write and he doesn’t write back. You say – if he doesn’t write back, you’ll write again. You see him in everything. Tuesday, October 5th, 1937 Stella Liana is home from her visit to Poland. Mom and Dad were up yesterday and brought back some gifts from Godmother. Expect mail every day and hope…
November, 1937
Guess what?!?! Babu’s parents find out that the rent in their new place will be raised and they move, again. Why is that so exciting? Because they move in here. So I know that this move is the last move her parents will make in their very long lives. It’s not the last move Babu…
Sunday Share: Visual, Please?
I like to follow as many visual artists and their blogs as possible because sometimes I am too bogged down in words, words, words. This blog from creartfuldodger showcases spectacular artwork in one of may favorite forms, collage. Check it out! I liked this post in particular as it reminded me of my post Hindenburg…
Who is Johnny Krol?
Johnny Krol is a reoccurring character we haven’t talked much about yet which is a surprise because I love reading about her. Don’t get her confused with Johnny Lech – especially in the upcoming posts as Johnny L. is going to take a larger role. No, I’m talking about Johnny Krol. She has been friends…
A Brief History of Dance
In last Saturday’s post, I wrote about how Babu was getting out of the house and having more fun. If you couldn’t have guessed, most of the outings are to dances. Monday, October 11th, 1937 Registered at cooking school and made breakfast. Zosh wore Helen Oparowski’s dress to the banquet. She looked lovely. Nat and…
Hugo Black and the KKK
On the first day of October, 1937 Babu writes: Justice Black spoke over the radio tonight, denying his affiliation with the Klu Klux Klan, although he admitted having been a member once. Whenever I read something in a passage that reeks of such history I get a feeling similar to being close to a “thinny.” …
October, 1937
Things begin to change for Babu midway through this month. The dark cloud over her head mostly dissipates. Instead of statements about eating lunch alone, she writes about staying out late five nights in a row and things like this: Feel like a stranger in my own home since I’ve been out so much lately….
If You Look Closely Enough
…you will find some simple things she writes pure magic. Thursday, September 2nd, 1937 Tonight I went to confession. It was good to be there in the friendly dark. I lit a candle for myself too. Stopped in at Zosh’s and met some people from Detroit and Buffalo. Drobe walked a part of the way…
Pining and Pined For
We are reading the fourth year of our diary journey through Babu’s life and the boys Babu falls for seem to come and go from her life. Her first crush we read about, Drobey, is still around, but she steadfastly no longer feels the same as she used to about him. W.B.Z. stays from from…
Septemeber, 1937
And just like that it’s autumn again. Babu writes: The leaves are just beginning to turn and the world is so alive and radiant. This is the swan song of fall. The month begins with her wish to be back at school. She goes to visit BPI and misses what must seem to her like…
Excerpts, August, 1937 “Nothing Exciting Happens Now”
There isn’t much that excites me more about this process then finding evidence in these pages of stories she has told me many times. Babu had basically one job in her lifetime and she has talked to me about it many times. She worked for Hitchcock and Company as a secretary. They had offices in…