Ugly Wrapping

I ugly wrapped this year.  On purpose.  My grandmother would be mortified.  But I did it for Babu, who would be pleased, I think, and also maybe a bit mortified.  Here is the result: Yes, I wrapped Christmas presents in Birthday, Anniversary, any other holiday paper.  I was delighted to wrap a present for my…

Vintage Christmas Photos

Merry Christmas!  Happy holidays to everyone who does not celebrate this particular holiday and Happy Winter! for people who do not have a holiday this time of year.  I think, whatever your beliefs are, that many of you will appreciate these adorable photos.  They are from the archives, although a full decade ahead.  I just…

The Holidays, 1940

Wednesday, December 25th, 1940 Had to go to High Mass and Eddie and Zosh came home with me.  The Nat came.  We exchanged gifts and Stretch and Jake came.  We had a drink and went to Stretch’s, drank there, went to Eddie’s, drank and ate supper there, came to Jake’s had two or 3 drinks,…

December, 1940

Sunday, December 15th, 1940 This afternoon Jake and I went skating and met Nat and her brother, Billy, Frank, Etc.  It was warm and even the ice was good.  Ate supper, which I prepared, and Peach washed the dishes.  Eddie, Zosh, and we saw “Trial of the Vigilantes” and “She Couldn’t Say No”.  Had ice…

April A-Z: December, 1939: Everyone Stopped by!

Wednesday, December 6th, 1939 Tonight at 6:15 Jakey rang the doorbell.  He leaned against some paint and I had to clean his pants.  Then Edmund came, asking if Jakey lived here.  Next came Filo.  Billy turned up last of all.  We discussed things and when Dad came home from work, they left to bowl. I…

Theme for 2018!

Happy start to 2018.  This is going to be a year of healing, self care, and creative growth.  It’s going to be a year of peace and hard work.  This year is going to feel good. Again, I am starting a post with another post that was inspirational to me.  This comes from Monte Celia…

Happy Holidays! (I’m Trying.)

Wow.  I have been away from this blog for so very long.  It’s true.  It’s also true that I think about this blog every day.  But, eh, life.  I have to admit, I was nervous to start typing and posting again.  But, as it usually happens, once I began, it all melted away. Babu, myself,…

December, 1939

Writing about ice skating, getting colds, and “The holidays” in the summer heat is always ill fitting, but here it is, as chronology dictates:  December, 1938!  The end of another year. To catch everyone up and center ourselves, since I have been away for a few days: By this time in 1938: She has graduated…

December, 1937

1937, still moving into a new home, an alumni game which steals her voice, a bad case of laryngitis, a trolley ride with Ray Balut and Jackie Stefanik, Benny is going to the Rose Bowl, supposedly, finally a cozy home and steam heat, shopping for bedroom slippers, white sweaters, sport coats on sale, and portraits,…

A New Year: 1937

I do get caught up in the feeling of a new year.  Hope and renewed energy, faith in our selves to make it better…It’s kind of like the excitement of opening a new book.  As with a new year, in a book you have a whole story about to open up for you, new people…

December, 1936

It was my wish to complete transcribing December last month so while the holidays were happening in real life they were also happening in the past, but in the past and present for me.  Does that make sense?  It’s how I feel when I’m transcribing.  It’s the magic of this all being very real and…

The Opposite of Ominous: The Start of Something Big

At some point during the New Year’s party I think I yelled:  “I’m OUT!”  Grabbed the bowl of chips, spilling them all over the place, went up stairs and fell asleep.  (What a jerk!)  But I’m glad I did because I was the first one up this morning.  I offered to “Do breakfast” even though…