I thought I would post a book remark every Wednesday. After chasing the toddling grandgirl around to: a) reroll twenty yards of toilet paper; b) mop spilled tea (from my cup), tumped water (from papaw’s bedside cup), sopped milk (from her how-DID-she-get-the-top-off bottle) AND liquidy chicken muck (don’t ask); c) keep the crayons inside the room where we do crayons; d) keep her from attempting the ‘down’ on the stairs, which she wants to do very badly but my heart is in my mouth while watching her do it; and then to juggle laundry, dishes, and recording old music tapes to the computer while watching The Wiggles on the TV … time got away from me and I missed Wednesday. No, I mean, I don’t know where Wednesday went, because this is Thursday.
I read The Murder Stone by Charles Todd. To be honest after beginning the book I didn’t know if I could finish it. I have read everything this author (a mother/son team) has written. My thoughts were that it must be a really early book. Everything else they’ve written is good and for this reason I plowed ahead.
Pros: The book is well-conceived. When the plot does pick up – the story ties together well.
Cons: It starts out very complicated. There are three pages of characters. And some of their names are similar. I was getting Francesca and Francis mixed up. Perhaps all the characters didn’t need to be so introduced? Because the more I read, the more understanding dawned. Personal opinion – skip the character list.
Francis Hatton is an old man who dies at the beginning of the story. The story is closely told third person by the granddaughter Francesca Hatton. She may be the central character but the story is actually about the old man. Even after death some things in the past have a way of coming back around to make things ugly. At the old man’s funeral several characters pop up. One young man insists that Francis Hatton killed his mother and secretly buried her. Another wants a mysterious box, another demands that his property be returned to him. All very strange for the granddaughter who doesn’t know why so many mysteries surround the grandfather she thought she knew but learns she really doesn’t. Soon she even begins to question her own origins. Is she really his granddaughter?
The central mystery, the death of the woman, concerns Francesca especially after she develops feelings for the woman’s son. Set during WWI (which most of Charles Todd’s stories are) this stand-alone book really picks up about mid-way through. The ending is a surprise, which I still find hard to fathom. Though I liked the word play that I didn’t catch until literally the last line of the manuscript.
I would give this book a mid-range rating C + and only because it is written by Charles Todd – and probably for that reason alone. The author’s other books are much more amazing. I love the Bess Crawford series – can’t wait for the next one. I love the Rutledge series. More on Rutledge later.
Bess Crawford is a WWI nurse who is blown into the water with the sinking of her hospital ship and miraculously survives. She continues her job as nurse in France and then becomes a sleuth as mysterious goings-on happen around her. Unidentifiable bodies, concealed identities, kidnapping, murder happen during war, too. The way the writers bring out the colors of WWI from this character’s POV is amazing. I highly recommend these books: A Duty to the Dead, An Impartial Witness, A Bitter Truth, An Unmarked Grave.
Below I’ve included links to some great reviews of some of the above books. I couldn’t have said it better myself, so I didn’t.
Bess Crawford book series by Charles Todd – rating Top of the Heap!
The past two weeks have been rough at the Nolen household with the grand-girl very sick with a tummy virus and everyone else catching it. I’ve got a writing conference in two weeks and a garage sale in three weeks. Both will require a lot of preparation. Nothing like adding a little something to something else to keep it fresh. But I have to say that this is a refreshing Fall, what with the nice weather we’re having and the fact that we haven’t just moved, or are moving, or are planning to move soon. Nope, this will be the start of year two in the old haunted house on Welch street.
So I begin with me but this is really another post about the past. Digging through my mother’s paper’s I found an extraordinary cache of history. I include it for your enrichment. I can’t help but be impressed with the passion of patriotic feeling that is hard to find outside of military families these days.
How did my mother come to have a pen pal in a POW camp in France?
Turns out the German POW found my mother’s address in her cousin’s address book. The little booklet was removed from his dead body during battle. He sent a scrap with addresses that he’d copied out of the book before the book was taken from him.
It looks like the first time Mr. Haag wrote was the 6 of July 1947. He wrote a postcard in German. All I can understand is the address and the beginning “Geshles Frauleine!” I’ve probably spelled it wrong. It is beautiful script, but hard to decipher the letters.
I guess he figured out pretty quickly that she didn’t speak German.
I think the next one is Epinal 15, 1947 (I have no idea when Epinal is so I leave it at that.) I think this is a second letter. Here is what it says:
“My Dear Miss Holl-, Last week I got your postcard and thank you very much. I had already given up the hope in your getting my card. I am sorry to write you, that the little book, in which I found your address amongst some others, is me taken off by a controll visit. I should like send to you your cousins address book. I was only able, to write up some adresses, which were well to card. In 1945 I was for a short time prisoner by the Americans, and well to remember me at this time, because we were well treated. In the next time, I hope to be repatriated and to be allowed to return to civil life. Perhaps, I am able to see once your country, America! I should you visite certainly. In the hope, soon to hear something off you, Dear Miss Holl-” I great you heartily and remain your Werner Haag.”
I think the next time he write is December 7, 1947. Here is what he says:
Dear Miss Holl- Your Christmas present for me, the Holy Bible, today at the same time so your kindness for which I thank you dearly. I am sorry that also in this year I cannot celebrate Christmas at house with my parents. For here in our prisoners camp there will be no distress in Germany is very great. Now I will tell you about me as you want it. I was born July 23rd 1927 in the Black Forest! I have brown hair, and eyes, as you can see in the little picture which was made in captivity. After having leaved school in 1942, I was offered a coppersmith job, but I could not finish my apprenticeship for in 1944 I was made a soldier having 16 years. To I wrote you I speak English but very badly. Nevertheless I desire to perfect my knowledge of the English language. I was in American captivity for only a short time. It is very difficult for us to learn English for we have no learning books. For order to simplify our correspondence one of my comrades translates our letters. Dear Mary Louise, I’m very pleased that you like your work and that you are happy to help unemployed people. As I am very interested in your country. I would like to read the newspaper which published the article about your work. As I lost my two brothers, who were killed in war. I only have an older sister. We are good Christians and my very good Catholic homeland has suffered by war, especially farms which were completely devastated. I envy your country which is truly blessed as you said. I always hope to have the possibility to visit you in your country but that will be difficult. The German prisoners in France are offered to stay in France as civil workers for one year. They will have a holiday in the next year. I am separated from my relative already three years. My parents want me to engage here for one year. You know certainly that the liberation of the German prisoners of war has been fixed to the end of the next year. As during my captivity I have been accepted hard work off all conditions and often without sufficient food. It will not be difficult for me to finish my year working off my labor in the coal mine. For that is what they have for me. And now my dear Miss Mary Louise, I must finish once more. I thank you heartily for your Christmas gift. I want you and your relatives to have a merry Christmas. Your German Friend, Werner.
The last note is a postcard dated Merlebach, 6/2/48:
Dear Miss Mary Louise! I thank you very much for the Christmas card. Have you received my air-mail letter? I’m am set free now, and drive this month to my parent’s. Hoping that you soon to answer, and kind regards, Yours very faithfully, Werner.
I tried to locate Werner Haag POW number 1084450 born July 23, 1927 (He was two years younger than my mother) in the Black Forest and I came up with one Werner Haag born that year in that region. This Werner Haag invented the polymer later called polyester. He died in 2003. I shouldn’t be surprised a bit if it were the same person.
I’m going to take a quick break from the past blast and catch you up on what we’ve been up to at the Nolen household. This past week we took the daughter and the grand-girl to the Grand Canyon. Left the house on a Sunday morning about 5:15, which is stinking early. Took the car to the ecoparking lot to leave it and catch the tram to the airport. The plane left on time at 8:15 and arrive in Phoenix at 11:45, which seems way too long but this was 11:45 their time which is about an hour behind our time. However, Arizona doesn’t recognize Daylight Savings Time (and this is WAY cool in my book) so they are two hours behind us at this time of year. In other words the trip lasted about an hour and a half.
We had about thirty minutes to make it across the airport to board the United Express plane to Flagstaff, a plane that seats twenty-five people and on this trip included one screaming baby on the lap of my daughter. She (the baby not my daughter) actually fell asleep about five minutes after take off but before take-off we were sitting for forty minutes on the plane with no air conditioning or fresh air and it was hot, hence the screaming part. I felt just like her but refrained from thrashing and crying.
We landed in Flagstaff in about twenty minutes after take-off. Flagstaff airport is about as big as my house and has one tiny cafe for entertainment for and hour and a half while we waited for the van that would shuttle us to Williams.
Once in Williams we found excellent food, lodging, and the people were more than helpful about everything. Williams, AZ is famous for the train which has ferried people back and forth to the Grand Canyon for sixty years and for the fact that Route 66 goes through the town. Cute. Very touristy. Loved it.
We stayed at the Depot Hotel and ate at the Depot Cafe (excellent all you-can-eat buffet for supper and breakfast), and shopped at the two souvenir shops full of train/Grand Canyon/Arizona/Native American STUFF.
Great fun. The baby enjoyed it, her mom enjoyed it, us old people enjoyed it. And that was the first day.
The horse can laugh. Cora thinks it’s a big dog.
The next day after a huge breakfast, we went to see the western shoot-em-up show nearby before loading up on the train. The actors engaged the audience well and we had a good laugh. The grand-girl did not like the gunshots so her mother had to take her to the train to wait for us.
The ride to the Grand Canyon on the train was relaxing. We took first class seats as they were wide, comfy, and there was an extra seat for the baby. A nice buffet was available. This was time we could spend with our feet up enjoying the views from the large windows.
At the canyon the first event was an all-you-can-eat buffet. Man, these people believe in shoveling the food out. However, this one wasn’t very good. We had eaten all day anyway so no great loss. Next, we boarded a bus for a tour of the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.
There were two major stops. The views were spectacular. Every view was spectacular. There are no two views alike. Even on the same stop. I guess because the weather is constantly changing and the light changes so any view of the canyon is ever the same. The canyon’s rim is well over 2700 miles long, ten miles wide in some places and a mile deep. Most trails down into the canyon are over seven miles long because the mile deep part is literally straight down, a route that most people never want to take. So walking or taking a mule down will usually take all day and needs a lot of preparation.
I picked up a book at the train depot called “Over the Edge: Death in the Grand Canyon” written by Michael P. Ghiglieri and Thomas M. Myers. It is the store’s best seller. And I know why. It is an account of all known fatal mishaps in and around the Grand Canyon. Reading it is like eating popcorn, you just don’t want to stop. I’m about halfway through the book now and I can’t help but keep turning pages. Perhaps it’s because I’m astounded at all the stupid things people do – and die as a result. And this means lately by the way, as in last year. In fact the rangers report that people seem to believe that the canyon isn’t really dangerous.
I suppose because we all live in such an insular society. I guess we get used to the structural engineers and lawyers fixing all the faults … If something happens just sue, right?
I am not being serious.
Who are you going to sue if you back off the edge while getting a nice shot of the Hopi House?(about 3 people have done that) Or because you decide to drape your legs off the side to watch the sun set and then when you stand you lose your balance and fall in?(at least 6 people have done that)
Oh the ways you can die!!
Seriously, read the book before you hike the canyon. It might save your life.
So we are on this lovely tour and stop and look around, take pictures, see people stupidly standing on the edge. Obvious they didn’t read the book. And on our second stop we see not one but two condors.
Condors
Now this is incredibly cool because the California Condor was only recently re-introduced to the canyon. And we were not only seeing one from a great distance but they were swooping over our heads. I was too shocked to get THAT picture but I did get a few from a bit of a distance. They – and several other types of vultures – caught a thermal and cycled up miles above us and away. Really, really awesome.
Then we started back to the tourist camp and the Mastic Lodge where we were spending the night. And the rain came down. Not a little rain but a pouring, gushing, dropping buckets rain. And we didn’t know that was going to happen. They thankfully sold plastic ponchos at the souvenir shop at the lodge. We settled our sloppy wet selves into the rooms and dried off. The rooms were toasty and backed up to a gorgeous lush woods. After supper we were able to watch a female mule deer outside our window for a very long time. While we were watching her, my daughter saw a movement in the woods and we saw an elk. They are so big. And so quiet. The big male left as silently as he appeared.
The Grand-Girl
The next day it was still pouring but we decided to spend the day catching the free tram and seeing all that we could see in the rain. The grand-girls stroller has a nice rain shield that we’ve never used so much and am unlikely to ever use as much again. We visited the geology museum. It has a panoramic view of – clouds. Okay, we stayed there long enough so that some of the clouds parted at one point and we were able to spot the bridge over the Colorado river way down in the canyon. It’s the bridge that the mules cross.
My daughter and I are going back and taking the mules down. Determined we are on that.
Then, more rain and now it was cold, too. We went to the visitors center and saw the film. The National Geographic Society made the film so it was actually quite good. I appreciated how they blended the past with the present.
I have lots of pictures of the canyon and I am not including them all here. Just a few. Please forgive my feeble attempts. First, I had good views but I had left my camera in the rain about ten weeks ago and the camera’s viewer has not recovered. Second, I’m now reading that because of all the precipitation, and condensation, and stuff otherwise known as cloud droplets floating around in all that expanse above the vast crevice, a true photographer would use a warming lens on the camera to capture the colors our eyes see – instead of what the camera sees which is the blue haze.
With most of my photos you can see that blue haze.
Below this picture I redid it with a warm hue. It is a bit better. There is a difference. But when it comes right down to it. I need a new camera.
Traveling with the baby was a joy. She is funny, and cute, and always provokes a smile from everyone. True, she is only a year old and does have her moments of unbridled fury, frustration, and despair as only a one year old can have. But on the whole her good nature wins out. The hard part in traveling with a little one is all the preparation (it’s kind of like a endoscopy – the hard part is before the actual test) and of course the other hard part of traveling with baby is carrying all the extra stuff – diaper bags (we each had one), a car seat, and a stroller.
The next day train robbers tried to hold us up. We made one of them feel honestly terrible because he made the grand-girl cry. Ha. Ha. Ha. He went away yelling “I didn’t do it!” Yes, you did. A big guy with a mask over your face. And I bet you’ve made other girls cry before. Yep.
That was worth the picture.
Then the sheriff came through and rounded the bad guys up to take them them to “the pokey”. That was cute.
Again, a lovely train ride back to Williams. This time we had an even fancier buffet, with cheese cubes and a vegetable platter. The ranch dressing was the real thing.
We got back in time for the all-you-can-eat dinner buffet. We then ‘rolled’ our over-stuffed selves back to the depot hotel for a night’s rest.
Up the next day, an all-you-can-eat breakfast and then into town for some more shopping and seeing the sights. The taxi came and took us to the Flagstaff Airport where once again we couldn’t believe the airport staff told us we would just have to wait for them to open up for us. Wow? Then on the little plane for twenty minutes, then in Phoenix to board the big plane. We arrived back home at 12 AM our time.
Pooped but happy to have been there and done that!
English: Evan E. Worthing High School Español: Escuela Secundaria Evan E. Worthing Tiếng Việt: Trung Học Evan E. Worthing (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
I promised at surprise ending for the summer vacation of 1970. It isn’t in my mother’s journal because I never found anything she’d written about the period after that vacation.
We arrived home at about 7 PM. A neighbor ran out of her house and across her yard to meet our car in the driveway. She was my age and excited in the way people are when delivering disastrous news. She asked if we knew what had happened while we were gone. The answer of course was ‘no’ because we didn’t have much opportunity to listen to the television and the radio in the car didn’t work well.
“Well,” she said. “They re-zoned our neighborhood. The kids in this neighborhood are being bussed to Worthing High School.”
My father said, “That’s not possible.”
She said, “They did it without warning. All the parents are angry. There have been protests down at the HISD administration building.”
Her tone was factual but I could tell by the look in her eye this was SOME news. Though I wasn’t catching on. I still had no idea why she seemed so concerned that we know this now. School was a few days away. We had had to go to Madison High School when we were in the seventh grade for one semester because the new Dick Dowling Junior High needed finishing. Going to High School at twelve years old was a little intimidating. At fifteen I felt fairly invincible. I said, “So what’s the big deal about Worthing?
She looked at me as if I had two noses. “It’s an all black school. There aren’t even enough white kids in this neighborhood to make a dent in the ratio.”
Turns out that she and her sisters had already applied and been accepted in the FFA (Future Farmers of America) program at Madison High (the school closest to us). In fact, at the time she was telling us the news that program had been maxed out. There were no other exemptions for getting out of being force-bussed to Worthing High School.
Yes, everything changed for me that year. It was my “inciting” moment.
And so here it is forty years later and from what I see – there is little or no change in our country with attitudes about color. This is ridiculous. When there are much more serious things taking place, freedoms at stake, we still blather about race.
I have something to say.
I’m writing a novel about my experience. But it won’t be about me.
No.
Time enough has passed for me to be able to step back and tell a story. A story about race that I hope is as colorblind as going to that school made me.
Finally got a good night’s sleep. We have officially been on the road nine weeks. After breakfast drove and drove and drove around Dallas to get to 6 Flags Over Texas. $24 cash to get in.
The Chevy Show was misnamed. I thought it would be about cars but instead you sit in a seat and the screen in front of you showed a front view from a helicopter, fast cars, boats, planes, and a snowmobile as if you were a passenger in these. It almost made me seasick.
The run-away mine train was an honest to goodness roller-coaster, which Jon, Becky and R enjoyed. Jeff and I went on the “Mine-Train”, a bit tamer ride.
We had thought that 6 Flags Over Texas would be a lot bigger than AstroWorld, but it isn’t true. Besides, AstroWorld is constantly adding on new rides and growing bigger.
English: Texas Cyclone at Sunset. Taken 1 day before the closing of Astroworld forever. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
We did notice that 6-Flags was very clean and appreciated the nicely cooled bathrooms. I guess my favorite ride was the spelunkers’ Cave with its splashes of cool spray.
The kids liked the Spindletop.
With meals, snacks, parking and entrance fee the day costs us over $40. I can’t imagine what a larger family would cost. That was for four people and a child.
We spent Sunday and Monday night at the Holiday Inn. R remarked that for 2 nights, 2 breakfasts, and 1 supper, it cost about $22.00 a day less than the Holiday Inn in Chicago.
Tuesday August 25
We heard on the news last night that Houston ranks #6 in nation for population and Dallas was #8. I’ve been thinking about the kids going to school next Monday August 31st. We’ll have Jeff in Elementary School, Jon in Jr. High, Becky in High School, and Bobby in college.
On Highway 75 going towards Houston I’ve noticed how dry and brown the grass is along the roadway. A big truck was spraying water on the trees in the median – I guess trying to keep them alive. The stretch of road between Streetman and Buffalo was not highway and seemed very dangerous – with cars passing too fast or cars moving too slow, dangerous driving. There were signs that said “Daylight Test Area – Turn On Headlights” on this stretch. We stopped at one Nickerson Farms that had a sign that said “Shirts and shoes required inside”, so I guess they’d had some problems.
It has been our experience on this trip that some places should have a sign that reads “only those who bathe daily and use deodorant will be admitted.”
Stopped at Huntsville State Park for 1 hour between 4 & 5 PM. It is not crowded today. Apparently there have been two days of rain here added to the fact that all school districts except Houston Independent School District began yesterday. The park was great, not too hot. Jon and Jeff went fishing but didn’t catch anything. It made a nice break to rest even if it cost $1.00 just to get in. I approve of this entry fee as it does eliminate some undesirables (those who would trash up the park and not bathe).
We would have used our camper exclusively if 1) all parks had clean, working showers, and flush toilets. And plenty of them. It is ridiculous to find one shower for women and one shower for men in a camper ground that is housing three-hundred campers. And wouldn’t it be nice if those showers had hot water as advertised and not SUN-WARMED water available at 3 in the afternoon only. WHY do females throw their personal sanitation wear in the toilet and block up the sewer system for an entire campground?
We would have used our camper exclusively if 2) the camp ground guide-book had been more explicit as in if there are TWO campgrounds with the SAME name within a few miles of each other this was made known so there would be no confusion.
We would have used our camper exclusively if 3) our tent had been more waterproof.
We would have used our camper exclusively if 4) we hadn’t been so crowded. As the kids have gotten bigger so there just wasn’t enough room. Even though our camper sleeps six, it was elbow-to-elbow all the time. Cramped space makes for gripes and complaints from everyone.
One thing that we noticed, during this camping season, was that common courtesy and decency were sadly lacking. What happened to “regard for others?” The experience was so unlike past years. Why was this year so different? True, there were a few friendly campers, but as a whole those were the exception rather than the rule. This was strange. We all noticed it.
As we get closer to Houston the grass is greener along the road. We just entered Harris County at 5:40 PM. Mileage 59,569 Gas here is 31 cents a gallon. Good to be home!
Noticed a sign in Houston “Time ripens all things, no man is born wise”. In other words like the Pennsylvania Dutch saying “Too soon old – Too late smart”.
They say things in a different way up north, they drive faster and with less regard for other drivers, they act abruptly toward each other and strangers, but we found the exceptions to those generalities, too. We aren’t that much different, them and us.
English: Country Club Plaza (view from 47th Street at Wornall Road), Kansas City, Missouri (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
From My Mother’s Journal 1970:
Monday August 17
Stopped at a Ramada Inn for lunch($8.91). They are consistently good.
On to sister Betty’s in Hickman Mills, Kansas City, Missouri. Got there in the late afternoon. Ate supper with Betty and went with them to pick up their grandsons. We took them to the airport and while we were there fire engines and police cars rolled up. A big jet was having trouble with its landing gear, so everyone was on emergency. What a lot of excitement. We watched as the big jet came in and the pilot set it down as if there were eggs on the pavement. The landing gear was down and it held so everything was okay after all. Then we drove around to all the houses in Kansas City, MO where John and Betty lived at one time or another. I remembered many of them from previous visits. The Country Club Plaza is still a beautiful place – the buildings and plazas and fountains patterned after Seville, Spain.
Saw a few dirty hippies but not enough to ruin the scenery.
Miniature Golf ($1.50) Stuckey’s gifts and candy ($9.30), gas $3.60), coffee (.15).
Took the little ones back to their father. He is recuperating from being hit over the head in his front yard two weeks ago by two colored men. The cut on his scalp required 52 stitches. He has purchased a German Shepherd guard dog for any future encounters.
We parked the camper in Betty’s driveway and set up.
Tuesday August 18
R worked on the car all day because it is getting such poor gas mileage. Car parts ($16.00) Repaid Jon cash ($5.00)
Wednesday August 19
Same thing. Wednesday night went and got the little ones and took them to Jacamo Lake. Jon and Jeff fished. It was a pleasant place with a new campground up on a hill. Took the little ones back home and drove back. The light of Kansas City are still beautiful at night.
Thursday August 20
Woke up to rain but it is nice and cool. Groceries ($6.49) Film ($4.92) Went to Nelson Gallery of Art($1.25) and spent four hours. Got some prints and books on design($12.85). The Gallery has beautiful Chinese and Japanese vases and things. I remembered the painting with the water droplets on the leaves of a plant – they look so real you want to reach out and brush them off. That painting is still there.
Uncle John
Friday August 21
mileage 58,639
Left Kansas City and Betty and John’s house around 2 P.M. Jeff especially wanted to stay longer. Betty had given us a really restful time. The dinner Thursday night with shish-kabob and fancy dessert made by Margaret was wonderful. Robbie and I stayed up until 2 A.M. this morning talking to Betty and John.
Jon enjoyed his Aunt Betty’s because he got a chance to run a riding lawnmower all over the place. Becky and Jeff enjoyed their three motherless kittens. R and I really rested and the talk with Betty and John was especially appreciated. We need someone to talk to more often.
R just reminded me that I owe Betty a dollar for a phone call I made from her house.
Went to a K-Mart for oil and a lamp bulb for the car ($2.91) Kansas Turnpike 5:25 PM $2.90 toll to Wichita.
Ramada Inn because the rain is coming down in sheets.
Saturday August 22
Overnight charge, delicious seafood supper and breakfast ($43.31) Last night Jeff ate his seafood at 7:30 PM began vomiting at 10:30 and didn’t stop – five times – until 12:30. It made us all a little queasy but no one else got the food poisoning that he did.
Saturday morning we got up late about 10:30 and ate breakfast at 11. Jeff stayed in the room and drank a coke. Robbie and I had a very lumpy mattress. It was the worst on the entire trip. We are both hurting this morning. They didn’t seem concerned when he told them at the front desk. They said they’d check the seafood. We will take note and never use this one again.
The Kansas toll roads cost us $4.35 for about 125 miles which is pretty expensive. Entered Oklahoma at 1:30 P.M. It hasn’t rained here yet but was all through Kansas it was very rainy and the roads were awful slick.
Arrived in Ponca City, OK at 2:30 and ate a hamburger and checked into Quo Vadis Motel – very firm mattresses.
Betty and Hudson Smith and their girls came to visit. They brought coffee and cake. The kids went swimming at the motel pool.
Ate a late supper (9PM)
Sunday August 23
Up at 8 AM. Betty and Hudson and girls came to join us for breakfast this morning. (motel, supper and breakfast $37.96)
We realized while on the road again that Betty and Hudson left us $5.00 for breakfast. We didn’t see it until they had gone. (MUST remember to write them.) They brought us a tape of a gospel message from Miles VanDerkroll. This was excellent to listen to in the car. There was no gospel hall here in Ponca City. Three families meet in a home. Two of the families were on vacation this Sunday.
Left at 12:30 for Texas. Mileage 58,984 charged 14.7 gallons at 41 cents a gallon. Perry, OK at 1:30. Ate a steak lunch in Norman, OK. ($16.05 with a dollar tip) The traffic between Norman and Davis is horrible with the road torn up and being repaired. The new 35 through the Davis Mountains is extremely pleasant. The highway engineers cut through a lot of solid red rock to make the road. Mileage at Marietta, OK 59,168
Entered Texas after almost 9 weeks on the road, at 6:15 PM Sunday August 23. Souvenirs, stickers, drinks at Stuckey’s ($3.45) Toll road between OK and Dallas ($.30)
Stopped at Holiday Inn NW in Dallas at 7:30 PM and ate supper at El Chico.
Rebecca and her mother, Mary Louise
Night by Mary Louise Thompson
I see through gossamer folds of mist
the Moon pauses above the lake.
Elm leaves wave dark patterns between the moon and I
We arrived in Waterloo, Iowa by the afternoon and went to a Howard Johnson’s Motel to rest and get cleaned up. The kids loved the indoor heated pool. I called sister and she said she’d see us at Meeting tomorrow morning. I don’t know why Kay doesn’t want us to come over tonight. She knew we were coming, I called from Chicago.
Sunday August 9
After the meeting at Downing Street Chapel (Plymouth Brethren church) we went out to eat with Ann and Al Nesbit. Then we went to Kay’s. We put the camper in her back yard. The apple trees are loaded with apples. Went to the night meeting. The kids love to see the ponies. Kay was fussing about the ponies getting in the yard and eating the apples. Too many will make them founder. (Get really sick)
Monday, August 10
This morning we first went to visit my mother in the nursing home. I don’t really like the place but as mother is unable to walk at all now, there is not much choice. Dad takes good care of her.
The Lockard’s invited us for supper. They had a big corn roast in their yard beside the river. They dig a big pit and put the fresh ears of corn in and it slow roast all day. By evening (they had invited several families) everyone gathered with their pot luck dishes to go with the corn and burgers. What a wonderful time, seeing a lot of old friends I’ve known since childhood. The kids were invited by some friends nearby for tomorrow.
August 11
Jeff was not invited with Jon and Becky. Apparently they were going out on a boat and to swim and ski on the river.
Wednesday August 12
Went to visit an old school friend who has a store and spent a few minutes reminiscing about old school friends.
In the afternoon we visited the nursing home where my mother is again. Dad visits her Monday, Wednesday, and Friday every week and makes sure she has clean clothes. She is very weak and doesn’t remember the kids’ names.
Thursday August 13
We got up early and went out to visit the Lynchs on their pig farm, not far from Waterloo. It was mid-day for them as they get up before dawn to milk the cow and make sure all the livestock has food. The kids had a grand time jumping into the grain stored in the silo. They climbed to the top and jumped from the rafters. They had a new batch of baby pigs and it was hard to part the kids from the pigs. We made it back to Kay’s just in time to go out and eat with Kay’s in-laws.
The Lynch Family
Friday August 14
We packed up and went to see my father, he is looking well, though tired. We went back to Kay’s to eat lunch and help her husk corn, then went by to see Mother again and bid Dad goodbye.
Left Waterloo at 3:30. Mileage 58,176 filled tank with 17.13 gallons
Drove down to Gladbrook, Iowa to see the Lynchs again. Their two big dogs ran to greet us like we were old friends. The kids enjoyed the day yesterday. Today, they sent their son with us to lead the way to the Pine Lakes Park ($3.50) Ice (.75) groceries ($15.00)
We were able to park on a hill overlooking two lakes. We started a campfire and put the coffee on. The Lynchs joined us. They brought hotdogs and some hamburger meat to grill. It was great. Afterwards we roasted marshmallows. The moon hung over the lake like a painting.
Saturday August 15
We got up with sun but the sky soon clouded over. The Lynchs came and again brought some good breakfast meats and some ice-cold milk. After dishes we watched the kids work a paddle boat out on the lake. Then we took them swimming. By this time it was 1:30 and we hadn’t made up out mind if we should pull up and move to a park closer to a meeting hall or stay put. R voted to stay. So we went to town and got a small roast to barbecue, and some ice. After getting the grill started, the rain began. We moved the grill under the tarp and endured the smoky tent while we waited for it to heat up. It was touch-n-go avoiding the rain and getting the cooking done.
After supper the rain seemed to worsen so we packed up and left, rather than go through another night of leaking canvas and soaked bedding.
We made it to Des Moines (used 17 gallons of gas) and stopped at a small motel(Beacon $18.54) just finishing up a fire-remodeling. However, new paint and carpet did nothing to remedy the smell of scorched furniture.
Sunday August 16
We survived the night of heavy smoke smell and went to Ramada Inn the next morning for breakfast ($9.18). We went on to the Central Gospel Chapel (Des Moines) and met many people. They showed us what their Daily Vacation Bible School children had been doing and there some pretty handicraft projects. A couple from the church took us out for lunch. Noticed that the large department stores are open. This is unusual as it is Sunday.
We drove on, using our maps and signs for Nine Eagles State Park and got there about 3:40. Despite all the signs leading to it, when we pulled up the sign on the gate said “closed”. A guy came out of a guard-house and said it had been closed all summer but was opening up again next week. This was really aggravating as there was no other sign leading to the park to say “closed”. We needed to air out the wet trailer and get ice for the milk and bacon in the ice box.
We drove on to another park but it looked desolate. There were no other campers so we didn’t trust it. It is always good to trust your instincts on things like this. We figured there was something very wrong or there would be people. Perhaps the bathrooms were disgusting (as we’ve experienced at other campgrounds).
Entered Missouri at 4:10 P.M. Stopped at Cameron, MO at a small motel (Tiara Inn). It would be more economical than the larger ones but just as nice. The stay and the supper and breakfast we charged ($31.82).
Robbie had to travel 40 miles to find a block of ice for the camper. No one seemed to know what he was talking about. Then, one 25 lb block costs a dollar!
The temperature outside is 55 degrees and there are kids swimming. They must come from a cold region because I think it is too cold to swim.
Ate breakfast and waited for R to return from getting ice. The night stay and breakfast was $36.01 so I charged it. We were on the road by noon. The weather is warmed to 65 and the sun is shining. The kids are laughing – everyone is in a happy mood with this nice weather.
I don’t understand why motels don’t put campgrounds on their property. They could make a good deal of money because there are so many campers on the road. Likely because an average family of four can’t afford $20 a night in a motel or hotel. Compared to $3.00 a night at a campground the motel is mighty expensive.
Stopped at 1:15 for lunch at Nickerson Farms (lunch and souvenirs $13.00). They have no decals. We need Ohio, Michigan, Montreal, Quebec, New Hampshire, Delaware, Vermont, and Maine. We need to find a Stuckey’s to buy them and “catch up”.
Mileage 56,922. bought 14.5 gallons at 42 cents a gallon in Maumee, Ohio.
Now on Ohio Turnpike (toll .95) found a decal at the toll station (cokes and sticker 1.11)
I noticed web-worms in the trees along the highway. Now on Indiana Turnpike ($3.35 – This is outrageous!)
Now in Chicago, the toll to get into Chicago was only .50. Found a Roadway Inn to stay while we take the kids to some of the museums in the city. The kids wanted to swim. Everyone was hot and tired of being in the car. They had fun swimming but apparently Jeff walked into the deep end and Becky had to grab him and get him to the side. Saved his life. Although they didn’t make much of it at the time. This is the sort of stuff I stay awake at night thinking about.
Supper at the hotel.
August 5
The first place we stopped today was the Shedd aquarium. ($2.75 for parking, souvenirs, and entrance fee) I love the coolness of the interior. The kids were fascinated by the fish and the exhibits.
Then we went to the Science and Industry Museum. Lots of buttons to push to make exhibits move. I’ve always been disgusted at the tiny babies in jars. Yuck!
After lunch we went to Pacific Garden Mission. A dark building in the middle of a not so nice area of downtown. It is called skid row. My uncle Charlie Ross is the director there. 646 South State Street. It is one of the oldest Christian Missions (not Catholic) in the U.S. The radio program “Unshackled” is produced here. While we were there we saw some interesting things. I think the thing that stuck in my mind was the room where they heat up all the bedding and men’s clothing when they first arrive. The material is left in the hot room baking all night and in the morning the floor, covered in bugs that crunch underfoot. This is a wonderful ministry. Many are saved here because of the testimony of so many. The drunk sailors come in in the morning after a night of living it up. They can’t have breakfast until they’ve heard the gospel.
We are taken out to eat by the my aunt and uncle. It was a wonderful meal. They are such good people. I think their daughter Nancy lives in the Chicago area also.
Two nights, several meals, parking, and phone calls to sister in Iowa ($95.96)
August 6
On the Illinois Toll road to Rockford (.45) Mileage Des Plains, Illinois. 57,309. Gas 16 gallons at .44, snacks (.60)
Three more Illinois Tolls (.45 X 3) Souvenirs and pay toilet (1.82) I do not understand pay toilets. Why? What are people with no money supposed to do?
hamburgers, shakes and two blocks of ice in a tiny town just outside of Iowa ($5.11). Stopped in Dubuque, Iowa for gas, clothes washing, drinks, and groceries ($11.46) and then on to Woods Park, Gainesville, Iowa ($2.84)
August 7
Mileage 57,599 11 gallons of gas at 41 cents a gallon.
We found the Norwegian Museum ($2.50) at Decorah, Iowa. The museum houses the most colorful and comprehensive collection of things brought to America by an immigrant group.
Souvenirs, lunch, and bakery goodies ($8.80)
Then on to Spillville, Iowa to the Billy Clocks Museum. Here, there is part of a collection of clocks, the work of Frank and Joseph Billy. The collection took over 30 years to assemble. Some of the clocks are over 10 feet tall. Most of the clocks have chimes and movable figures carved in wood.
Up at 5:30, ate, and I asked a policeman at the restaurant why the cars were backed up last Friday waiting to see Niagara Falls and he said there had been a local bank robbed so they were checking cars. It kept traffic backed up for hours in the heat.
We checked out of motel. So far I haven’t seen any locked mail boxes in Ontario as we did in Montreal. I haven’t seen any litter along highways at all and the restrooms in filling stations are shiny-clean. The kids enjoyed the swimming back at the hotel and Jon said he’d never forget Niagara Falls. Today the weather is grand – just cool enough even with the sun shining. The rain yesterday cooled down everything and it seems to have blown much of the smog away and made it more like the Canada people have told us about.
The town of Guelph and Montreal were the prettiest and most scenic of all the towns we’ve driven through in Canada. The petunias grow in profusion even around the downtown buildings. We went to a church meeting in Guelph. It was excellent. The Pelons from Florida were in charge of the music. Mr. Gunn and John Smart were the speakers. Ate dinner at Guelph and were sorry to leave with such pretty weather and nice people. Left Guelph at 2:30 driving on 401 towards Windsor Ontario, Canada.
Drove to Windsor, Ontario about 5:30 P.M. Robbie called two people he knew here. We spent the night with a couple of his friends and enjoyed it.
Monday, August 3.
Left at 10:20 A.M. went over Ambassador Bridge from Canada into Detroit. The toll was $1.15. We all laughed when the customs man asked R what was his citizenship and R replied “Houston.”
Entered Detroit, Michigan. Murky weather much traffic on 94 freeway towards Dearborn, Michigan. Today is a civic holiday in Canada so it might account for some of the traffic here. Stopped for gas. It was 58 cents a liter in Windsor. Here it is 35 cents a gallon.
Detroit – mileage: 56,748
Got directions to the Henry Ford Museum. We stopped at the new Ford Central office and Info Building. The Ford Complex is a huge, beautifully organized place with building marked with blue and white signs. Well worth the trip with plenty of nice parking both here and at the museum – even pulling a camper trailer as we are. (Museum $6.00)
At the museum we walked around and truly enjoyed all the exhibits we could take time to see. It was better arranged than the Smithsonian. We saw more smiling people here. Cars, railroad engines, antique things of every kind. Ate in the Garden Room Cafeteria, ($10.35), then walked upstairs to see Henry Ford’s personal things. The chandeliers were fully one story tall. I liked Mr. Ford’s saying that “no man can say he has no chance”. Downstairs the kids had their pictures taken with a boy about Becky’s age dressed in colonial costume. I think he was trying to single her out and chat.
We bought souvenirs ($7.69). When we left, we discovered that the shade from a tree had kept our car and camper cool so we mapped out our route – on to interstate 94.
We shall travel west until we find a Holiday Inn. Why? Because there is no camping available. There must be thousands of campers on the road because of the civic holiday. We went to visit the Griffins in Bloomfield township and had a delicious pizza, which we had never tried. On to a Holiday Inn in Romulus, Michigan. The motel may cost a little more, but I’ve never had to clean up a nice motel bathroom before we could even use it. This one was a little too close to an airport but had a wonderful pool and even a hot drink thing in the wall of our room.
We are now on 401 highway in Ontario Canada. mileage 55,995. Gas is a whopping 56 cents a gallon. wow.
Kingston, Ontario mileage 56,088 gas is 57 cents a gallon. Goodness, it is getting worse!
We read in the newspaper back at a rest stop that N.Y. has been warned that smog content is dangerous. Just seems natural that this would be true but they have to put that in the paper? All along the Ontario and Quebec highway there has been a haze of smog covering everything. Perhaps it is the lack of wind and sultry atmosphere.
I especially enjoyed the “sign-language” signage along the roads. A leaping deer, a spoon and fork, a picture of a fire with a line through it. The line through it apparently means “not permitted”. Also every sign in English is in French also.
We ran into another camper at a rest stop who had been in that park with us last night. He is from N.Y. He said that park was the hottest and buggyist park he’d ever been in.
We came through a small rain shower but it just wasn’t enough to change the temperature, or do much good. Heavy smog is in the air now just past Calborne. R. said it was smoke. It seems to be smog from Toronto. We stopped at the Waterfalls Private Campground about 7 P.M. near Brompton, Ontario, Canada. ($3.00)We noticed that the restrooms weren’t too clean and no showers. I was really mad because of this as we had such a hot place last night with no showers. An English lady nearby must have overheard me complaining because she offered the use of her shower in her self-contained camper. (Her husband was being transferred to Ontario.) It felt so good and made all the difference.
God’s blessings on all the kind people in this world. (B. and M. Spears of Merriway Lane, Cincinnati, Ohio.)
It was cool in the night better than in Montreal. After breakfast we packed up and left, after we told our new friends goodbye.
Friday. July 31
Left at 11:15 A.M. That park would have been beautiful, if the sites with water and electric had some shade and the restrooms had been clean and included showers. There was a swim pond, but algae coated the water. There were two pretty waterfalls but no where to swim there. Also a quarry with clear water but rocks lining it were to sharp for kids to swim.
Stopped at a fruit stand and got some fruit and 1 gallon of peppers and red onions. ($1.91) The apples were great and so were the yellow plums. I’ve never seen yellow plums.
drove past a line of cars waiting to see Niagra Falls. Police were checking cars. We felt sorry for all those people sweating in their cars.
mileage 56, 316 and gas is 56 cents a gallon.
In Guelph, Ontario, we discovered two separate Waterfalls Parks in Brampton in our book. So the mistake was ours. We went to the wrong one. We drove to Guelph Christian Campgrounds. There was no place to put a trailer but it is a very pretty campground. We drove on, to rest, to eat, to find a place to set up camp. The rain came down, heavy. Thunder, lightning, unending and scary.
Found a motel – “Prudehomes’ Garden Centre” with motel and swim pool and trailer parks. Stayed in the motel and ate at Beacon Hill Motel Restaurant. It was a very expensive buffet supper but very tasty. ($30.23) I had hair curlers on my head so was a little embarrassed and felt rather silly. No one took notice. The weather was so terrible outside perhaps that’s the reason why.
This motel was right on Lake Ontario and the water was choppy in the storm. We got a good night’s sleep and ate a good breakfast the next morning at the motel ($6.35). Still hot and sultry despite the storm last night.
Saturday, August 1.
mileage 56,723 gas is 58 cents a gallon.
The high humidity is unusual for Canada, I understand. We specifically brought heavy clothing to wear in Canada but didn’t need any of it. We dressed and drove to see the Welland Ship Canal Lock.
We watched big ocean liners being raised and lowered from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario. (.50) The water in the lock was filthy. I think Lake Erie is called the dead lake as there can be no fish in it anymore. Took several pictures (see PAGE of Photos from 1970 vacation).
The fruit that we’ve gotten at fruit stands and that we’ve eaten in restaurants in the local area are bursting with flavor. The early delicious apples we’ve been buying taste like apple cider. Got some more just now. 6 for 35 cents – seems very reasonable.
We drove the scenic route to Niagara Falls. Stopped and saw Niagara Gorge – the green churning water surrounded by high rock banks. Saw a clock set into the bank made of flowers. A nearby horticultural station had a round flower medallion in front.
Stopped at a large park and golf course to eat lunch at their restaurant. Sandwiches. Stopped at Niagara Falls and saw the falls. The water was a deep green with white crests and reminded me of green glass with white swirls. The horseshoe falls were best seen from the Canadian side, whereas the American side was also pretty but couldn’t see the true shape of the falls, more like a straight line across. Mist from the falls blew across our windshield. We parked and walked along the railing right above the falls. The roar was incredible. We didn’t even hear the rain come until we were soaked. We ran into the gift shop to get dry.
The rain ended and we got quite a few pictures from the American side of the falls. On the Canadian side we saw a round hole with dirty brown water pouring out and mingling with the falls water. Looked like pollution to me. The brown spread across the river.
The falls were a breath-taking spectacle. Afterwards we drove back to the motel and got clothes ready for the washateria while kids went swimming. We discovered that the maid had take our personal pillow cases off our pillows. These were expensive permanent press cases, they had been replaced with cheap muslin ones. It made me mad so R said he would say something and see if they would be able to find them.
Souvenirs while waiting for rain to stop (spoon $1.31, film $3.41. condiments $2.15, post cards .95, bone ship $1.79, fudge candy $2.15, other things $11.56.) Motel for 2 nights – $37.80. Toll on Hamilton Bay Bridge Shipway .25.
Who can put a price on the experience of seeing Niagara Falls for the first time?
Rebecca Nolen 