The most frightening thing I ever read is the scene in Black House, Written by Stephen King and Peter Straub. Some bad ass bikers jump on their hogs and head out to the haunted house, yes, the Black House mentioned in the title. But this house has a defense. They are mostly through the woods…
Tag: local history
February, 1938
The usual: The boys bring her to work and wait for her after and the office looks and calls down to them. It’s a lot of fun. She has two numbers at the city hall social, her Dad turns 46, she has every number at the PNA dance, it’s Zosh birthday and they bake her…
Excerpts of Winter, 1938
Yesterday’s post brought strong memories of Spring but today’s post is a throw back to Winter. Ever wonder what winter in New England was like in 1938? Tuesday, January 11th, 1938 Ernie has been thinking of asking Bill Sheasby and I, Lincoln Butson to the Nee Wah formal but I doubt they’ll go if we…
Excerpts January, 1938 The Theatre Again
The Theatre again! I’m an addict. Just reading about Babu performing in a play again makes me itch to be back in again, too. From her talking about auditions to dress rehearsals to performance night, there is jealousy but something more – a rush, an urge, a left over spark that reminds me of the…
“Cooperate with Nature, It is Kind”
Another new book and new year and, as always, I get excited first about the book itself. This year, she uses a variety of colored ink. On the inside page, written in green, is her contact info including the house I am currently in, and her phone number. 818 818, guys. That was her phone…
Zosh’s Legacy
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
The Case of the Wooden Shoes
I will warn you before you read any further. This case may never be solved. It may live on in your memory, niggling away, as your soul searches for answers for years to come. Those answers may never come. In August, 1937, Babu writes: Monday, August 9th, 1937 Did my first day’s work. Seven hours. …
Miss Drude
I waited for Babu to graduate before writing this post but I’ve been gathering data on this and thinking about this post for a while. I was a teacher for 10 years so I pay attention to her teachers and what education was like in the 30s. (It seems pretty much the same, by the…
transcribingmemory 