January 15, 1968: Dressed to Party

Letter postmarked January 15, 1968:

The CCZCC extends its winning streak to 17.

Dear Mother and Mike,

Boy, it sounds like you are really spoiling Miss Taffy - ham and eggs for breakfast, candy treats, sleeping in front of a fire, etc. I bet she's one in Texas that is in no hurry for us to come home. I appreciate you letting her stay in while the weather is so cold, but what are you doing about the dog hair? David Wayne certainly gets a kick out of your letters about Taffy - especially the part about sitting in Wayne's lap!

I'm sorry that you didn't hear from us for so long, but really the mail service was at fault, not me. Can you believe that around Christmas it would take five or six days for an airmail letter to reach us? I didn't get any letters from anyone for nearly a week at one time and then - wham! I got three or four letters in one week just from you. If I had known you would "hop a plane to L. A.", though, I wouldn't have written.

I can hardly wait to see what you and Mike are sending David Wayne. I wasn't going to tell David Wayne anything about another package because he gets so excited, but sure enough, I forgot and read that part of the letter to him - yep! He's just as excited as I predicted.

Let us know as soon as you get the new heating unit as we, too, are concerned about the gas heater. I don't know how you are surviving without heat in the cold weather - 14 degrees! I guess Dave and I will just miss out on any winder this year and from reports, this was a good winter to miss in Texas. I couldn't believe the reports in papers about the temperature, but when everybody writes us about it, I know it's true. Yes, by all means, an air conditioner is just what you need at this time.

Dave and I haven't been doing much since the "joy to the world" season. We stayed home all last weekend except for eating at the Sizzler Saturday night. Monday, David Wayne and I ate lunch with Barbara Hansen and spent the rest of the afternoon just talking and relaxing with her - I can relax with her because I don't have to be getting on David Wayne all the time like I do when Suzie's around. Barbara was having company on Monday night and David Wayne got her feather duster and dusted her whole apartment for her and picked up trash. He loves to help her. Tuesday, Suzie and a Virginia examiner's wife came over and asked me to drive around with them. I declined because I was tired and so was David Wayne. But Barbara also came by (to return David Wayne's Batmobile that he left at her apartment) and you should have seen the way I picked up. Tuesday night Dave vacuumed the rug and David Wayne mopped the kitchen and bathroom and cleaned tub, commode, etc. All I did was wash the dishes, but I was tired from watching them work.

[It's time for a confession. I don't think I ever told Mom this, but when I was putting the Hansen's feather duster back in the closet or wherever it belonged I broke the handle somehow. I didn't want to get in trouble so I just put both pieces back and didn't say anything about it. As far as I know Mom never found out about it, so I'm guessing Barbara Hansen never told her because she didn't want me to feel bad. That's one of those weird little flashback memories that has always stuck with me for some reason.]

Wednesday I went with Suzie and Sam (Virginia examiner's wife) to Olvera Street. Sam wanted a "shoplifter's bag" like mine - a gigantic straw monstrosity I bought there to carry camera equipment. Also, we ate lunch there as Sam had never - yes, never - eaten Mexican food. She loved it and I really enjoyed being with her.

[I checked, and there are Mexican restaurants in Virginia now.]

Thursday I decided to go and buy a dress with the money you sent. (Also, I had my babysitting money, $20.) I had told Dave Wednesday night that I planned on going shopping. That night he talked in his sleep and I plainly heard him say, "Now, don't spend all that money in the same place." Mother, I just about fell out of bed laughing and Dave is dying of embarrassment so I am telling everyone. And Dave doesn't deny it because he admitted dreaming about money that night.

[That's pretty funny yet certainly believable regarding my dad's sleeptalking comment.]

Well, about the dress . . . I bought a green wool jumper with a darker green sweater type blouse to go with it. I am in love with it and Dave likes it, too. I don't look the least bit pregnant in it - just stylish! It was not a maternity dress and I bought it in a regular dress shop - so I can wear it even after the baby comes. I will get Dave to take a picture of me wearing it so you can see it. Next week I plan on getting some new shoes and bag with the rest of the money.

[Alas, if a picture of this outfit exists I have not run across it yet.]

Thursday night we had the Hansens come over. We had been to their apartment several times and I wanted to return the invitation. We thoroughly enjoyed having them and the time passed so quickly that before we knew it - it was 11:30. Barbara and Erland both apologized for staying that late, but really no one realized it was that late. David Wayne was excited all day about "our party" and he made cookies and when I put out snacks (potato chips, dip, peanuts, etc.) David Wayne got a bowl and put Lifesavers and Dentyne chewing gum in it - this was what he was serving for the party. I'm sure the Hansens are not wild about unwrapped Lifesavers, but they ate one and really bragged on them - David Wayne just beamed. These poor people have the misfortune of being favorites of David Wayne.

David Wayne gave Snappy a bath this morning in the bathroom sink - also, he was teaching him how to swim. He really enjoys that turtle. We bought distilled water to put in his bowl because the tap water had so many chemicals it turned his shell white. I guess that's all old Snappy got from Santa.

[Although I liked playing in swimming pools at that age, I didn't know how to swim so I'm not sure how I was teaching Snappy to swim.]

While I slept this morning David Wayne copied the alphabet in small letters and capital. It was very good. I also listened to a song he made up: 2+2 is 4, 2+3 is 5, 2+4 is 6, 2+5 is 7, etc. I have no idea why or how he stumbled on this, but it makes me very proud. His first grade teacher will hate me, but truthfully I have not consciously "taught" him all these things - he just sorta picks them up. Next on his list is learning how to spell and I haven't figured out yet how he is planning on doing this.

I am still pondering the question of coming home to have the baby instead of staying with Dave. He wants me, David Wayne and the new baby to have good - the best! - care and I guess he doesn't feel capable. It would be hard on him and I would have the worry of who was taking care of David Wayne. I really feel sorry for Dave as he was really looking forward to being with me and seeing the baby firsthand. Dave says he thinks that you would be more helpful to me than he ever could - sounds like he's passing the buck, Mother. You better watch him!

[That must have been awful for both Mom and Dad to try to decide what to do about the upcoming birth. Although I know what happened I'm still looking forward to reading about how it all unfolded.]

Since I've used all my paper up, I better close. I should try to play with David Wayne since I slept almost all morning. I feel that I'm doing my little five-year-old an injustice by sleeping so much, but I just can't help it. And, he's smart enough to connect the sleeping with the new baby. I am feeling better than I was, but I still need to rest. David Wayne is most considerate when I do sleep - he colors or looks at books and he has never made a sound to wake me up.

Take care not to freeze. Keep your fingers exercised and warm by writing lots of letters. I'm sorry Mike may come down with the flu - I understand it's almost an epidemic. This kind of flu can realy be bad so do keep him at home - he can miss all activities for awhile.

[A flu epidemic? Seems like I've heard that term recently.]

Love,

Linda

December 16, 1967: Prime Time

Letter postmarked December 16, 1967:

The CCZCC now stands at 10. The record is 11. The tension is almost unbearable, isn't it?

Dear Mother and Mike,

Thought I'd drop you a line this calm Sunday morning. All next week may be a bit hectic with an eight month old baby and a puppy invading our household. David Wayne is so excited about "our company" that he's forgotten all about it being close to Christmas. David Wayne entertains the baby so much that I'm not expecting to do much work there, but that pup is another story. The little puppy is just about over her distemper, but I'll still have to give her medicine twice a day. Besides, the cold weather last week meant that Suzie couldn't take it outside (and she was almost housebroken.) Now, we have a thoroughly confused puppy that potties anywhere and everywhere in the house. Oh brother!

[I'm sure Dad's thrilled about having that pooping puppy in the apartment. I hope we get a full report on that.]

Friday afternoon Suzie kept David Wayne for me and they made cookies. I think they both enjoyed their afternoon together and Suzie said David Wayne was wonderful with Eric, the baby. I went to the beauty shop and got my hair cut. My friend Gary isn't working there any more so another one of the "boys" fixed me up - this one sang to me for two hours. I also bought all the little stocking fillers for the stockings. I discovered that they don't make 5 cent toys any more - that was a big blow to my budget. I really had more fun filling up Dave's stocking. Here are a few things I got for him:

- Scotch flavored toothpaste

- Bourbon flavored toothpicks

- Ear plugs

- Pot holder for cooking outside (cute design of a beer mug)

- English Leather lotion

- Lint remover (the travel kind)

He should have a lot of fun - that is if he never finds out how much I spent.

[I sense an alcohol theme among those gifts. Too bad Mom couldn't find ear plugs that were decorated like beer cans.]

Friday night Dave took me out to eat at a place called "The Lion's Tale." We ate our first prime rib dinner - delicious!

[I'm really surprised this is the first time they had prime rib. I remember them talking about prime rib a lot in Los Angeles, so I just assumed it was the whole time we were there. They must have gotten hooked on it in L. A., though, because they continued having prime rib frequently after we moved back to Texas.]

After eating we went over to the Dirr's to collect our son, who was not at all worried about ever coming home. The Dirrs had the home movies back from the tour at Universal Studios. The parts of David Wayne and Suzie "performing" in the antique car, rock pile, and dancing in the elevator were the funniest things I've ever seen. Gene ran them at all three speeds - fast, regular and slow motion. I think we showed that section of the film nearly 30 minutes and just laughed louder and louder each time. Dave and I have about decided to get a movie camera real soon.

[That would be incredible to watch those movies again. Sadly I'm not aware of any contact with the Dirrs after we moved back to Texas.]

Saturday, we went out to Busch Gardens with Gene and Suzie. We took the boat ride and we saw the bird show again. It was pretty cool, but we enjoyed it - also it wasn't crowded at all so we took the monorail tour.

[I guess I knew to stay away from the birds this time.]

That night, of course, was the big event - The Newlywed Game! Did you watch it? What did you think? They really put on a show, especially Suzie with that accent. Before the show, Gene told the studio audience that Suzie was a speech correction teacher and everyone in the place fell out of their seats laughing - you can understand why. They were sillier watching themselves on TV than they were on the show.

[Mom doesn't mention it in this letter, but I'm pretty sure Gene and Suzie won that episode of The Newlywed Game, based on my recollections of Mom talking about it many years later. I vaguely remember it being a big deal when we were watching their episode with them. And now we know that Suzie must have had a pretty thick southern accent which the studio audience really enjoyed.]

Well, I will close for now. We may go down to Olvera Street this afternoon as I understand there is a beautiful life-sized nativity scene at the Plaza. It is supposed to have been carved in Italy. We still need to get a pinata for David Wayne and also we want to buy us a nativity scene down there. Write soon.

Love,

Linda

P. S. I still need instructions on how to make dressing. My sweet husband has offered to suffer indigestion so I can practice on cooking my first Christmas dinner.

December 4, 1967: Tram hams

Letter postmarked December 5, 1967 (Part 1):

The CCZCC now stands at 7. It is with cautious optimism that I remind you the previous record was 11.

Dear Mother and Mike,

Well, how are things in sunny Denton? Have you been too busy to notice? L. A. is still the same - crowded, smoggy and lonely.

We surely had a good weekend. Friday, I went shopping with Barbara Hansen while Suzie kept David Wayne. I finally got Wayne something and had the store mail it, and I did the same thing on a birthday present for Mrs. Jennings. I bought a wrap-around, after-shower outfit for Dave also. That night (since I had spent the grocery money) we ate out. We went to Olvera Street with Suzie and Gene and ate Mexican food. After eating, we went to Chinatown. We finally found a bank for David Wayne and we also bought matching red kimonos for each of us. Both Davids looked real good in theirs, but can you imagine a pregnant woman in a kimono?

[I don't know for certain since there are no identifying markings or labels to identify it, but this bank (with the obligatory quarter for scale) is most likely the one I got at Chinatown. It is glazed ceramic, and other than the missing stopper in the bottom it is in very good shape except for a few minor chips (like the one you can see in the picture on the bottom of the bag he's holding.)]

Saturday was a big day - we went on the tour of Universal City Studios. It was just great and I wish I had taken you when you visited us. You'll get to see plenty of it though, as we took three rolls of Polaroid film and two color rolls of film in the little Brownie camera.

[Yes, there are a lot of pictures from Universal City Studios in the photo album. Not as many as you would think given how many rolls of film they took, but certainly more than most places except maybe Knott's Berry Farm.]

First, we started off on a tram around the lot. We went through a sound stage and they picked five people from our tour and they made a scene - one of the persons picked was Gene Dirr! This made the whole trip worthwhile as he really "hammed" it up.

Next we got back on the tram (after walking through Lana Turner's dressing room) and drove around and saw several of the houses used in movies, props (such as break-away furniture and bottles), other dressing rooms used by stars, and really I can't remember what all, but it was every bit interesting.

Then we had a rest stop - but no one rested as there was too much to see and do. We took a picture of David Wayne holding Woody Woodpecker's hand. David Wayne and Suzie had a rock (or boulder) fight with great big foam rubber props. Gene got the action on his movie camera and I took a still picture of David Wayne lifting a big rock over his head.

[Here's the picture of me and Woody.]

[And here is the picture of me holding the big foam rock over my head.]

I also got pictures of David Wayne in Laredo jail, a monkey cage, . . .

[The picture of me in the Laredo jail is blurry, but the one of me in the monkey cage came out pretty good. Yes, that sign on the bottom says "Do Not Feed Monkeys."]

. . . and in an elevator from "Thoroughly Modern Millie" which was the show we saw last week. In the show, Julie Andrews and Mary Tyler Moore did a dance in the elevator so Gene took moving pictures of Suzie and David Wayne dancing. What were the other people doing? Watching us, naturally. We had three cameras - Gene's movie, me on the Polaroid, Dave with the Brownie - snapping our two hams, David Wayne and Suzie. They both performed so well, I expected people to clap or throw pennies at them.

[There isn't a picture of me in the elevator from "Thoroughly Modern Millie" from this trip to Universal City Studios, but I can tell you there is one from another trip because I'm wearing a different jacket. I know you're just dying to see another picture of me, but you'll have to wait until we go back. Sorry that's the rules.]

Suzie and David Wayne got in this old car that bounced around and in the background was moving scenery. It looked very real and, of course, Gene captured the whole thing with his camera but all I got was a big blur. There was a stagecoach with moving scenery, but the few people that weren't watching "our show" were riding on it.

[Although I couldn't ride in it, Mom did get a picture of me in front of the stagecoach she was talking about. It was an armored stagecoach used in the film "The War Wagon" starring John Wayne and Kirk Douglas, which had just been released in May of that year.]

After the rest (Ha, I was so tired I was glad to sit) we got back on the tram and we rode around the outside locations - western towns, Mexican villages, lakes, foreign scenes, the "Psycho" house (remember that scary movie?), and a waterfall where they just pushed a button to make it a tall one or a little one - amazing! We recognized several sets that we had seen in movies.

[Alas, the picture of the house from "Psycho" isn't very good. Too far away and not from a good angle.]

I guess the last part of the tour was the best and it was getting too dark for us to take many pictures. We saw a make-up demonstration, a stunt man show - where they fought, fell off buildings, hit each other with bottles, etc. You can just imagine how little sadistic David Wayne enjoyed all that violence! We saw how they make fake snow and rain for the movies. We went in the "McHales's Navy" set and best of all, the "Munsters" set.

[Here's me and Mom on the outdoor set of McHale's Navy, which ran from 1962 to 1966. Mom doesn't look very pregnant there, even zoomed in, although you can tell she's wearing a loose-fitting top. On the left side of the picture you may be able to see fake rain coming off the roof.]

[And here is the entrance to the set of "The Munsters," which ran from 1964 to 1966. (It's not the full house that is shown in the opening credits, but they probably used this for the front porch scenes, like in the opening credits where Herman Munster busts through the front door before the other cast members walk through.)]

[Little did I know that just beyond those doors would occur perhaps the most memorable moment from my early childhood. But that will have to wait for Part 2 of this letter.]

November 9, 1967: Special Deliveries

Letter postmarked November 9, 1967 (Part 1):

The CCZCC starts over at 1 with this letter.

Dear Mother and Mike,

I warn you that this will probably be a very gloomy letter. I wouldn't even be writing you today except I need to send this check quickly. Just keep in mind that my "depression moods" pass and I'll probably be laughing about everything in a couple of days.

Firstly, I am depressed because of the broken gifts. I was very proud of what I bought for you and I got the new baby the "very thing" I wanted for his mother. I fought traffic, crowds, sneering clerks, and a crowded post office to get them bought and mailed . . . then to have them arrive at their destination broken was more than I could bear. So I am through with my great plan of sending everyone something "special from L. A." and the family will each get one lousy Christmas card - and it will probably be bent from the rough handling at the post office.

[It sounds like Mom mailed not only the baby food warmer she has been mentioning in previous letters, but also some Christmas gifts for other family members in Texas. And she is more than a little upset about some or all of it arriving damaged.]

[Also, did you catch the important clue about a recent event in that paragraph? In previous letters you can tell Mom did not know the gender of the baby my Uncle Wayne and Aunt Linda (Linda Kay) were about to have. The most recent mention was in the letter postmarked October 24, when she said, "Well, I'm getting anxious for Linda Kay to have my niece or nephew." Now do you see the clue in the paragraph above? "I got the new baby the very thing I wanted for HIS mother." Now we know they had a boy, who happens to be turning 50 years old today (November 8). Happy birthday again, Steven!]

Now for the solution to the broken gifts. Since it will be impossible for Linda Kay to buy another feeding dish, I'll ask you to get one for her (it's a GE and they carry them at Penney's - It's electric and cost $10.98 here).

[$11 in 1967 bought about as much as $80 in 2017.]

You take the broken one and I'll use it. Now, don't let Wayne know my plan or he will stop you - he told Dave on the phone for me not to buy another and that Linda could use the broken one. But this is Linda's first baby and my first nephew, so we don't want anything broken - especially not a gift. With the money that is left (I hope some is left) buy something for Linda - flowers, candy, gown, bed jacket, anything you think she'd like. But make it something just for her to enjoy. Everyone will be getting things for the baby, but I don't want her to feel forgotten - after all, she had it. If you need more money, just let me know and I'll send it. I hate to put you to this trouble, but with me out here in "the land of sun" (Ha!) there's little I can do, so I wind up depending on Mother.

Mother - with the two broken Christmas packages! There is little excitement in waiting until Christmas to see what broken trinket you are receiving, so go ahead and rip 'em up. Let me know the extent of the damage, which will be absolute, I imagine. I can buy more glass and since I bought these from the man that makes them, he can show me how to install the glass. Thank God, he's one of the few store owners on Olvera Street that speaks English - my luck wasn't all bad. I will not send more glass through the mail, but will carry them home when we come. Then I can repair the damage - I hope.

[I think Mom might be referring to some black metal lantern-like things with colored glass inserts. Seems like she sometimes mentioned those came from Olvera Street. I know there are still two of those hanging from the patio cover at the house where we grew up in Farmers Branch. (My sister lives there now.) Mom may have purchased some for my grandmother as well.]

Secondly, I am depressed because I can't be there to join in the excitement of a new baby. I would love to see, hold, cuddle, and spoil my nephew. I would like to compare notes with Linda Kay and make sure she did everything properly. And mainly, more than anything, I wish I could see Wayne enjoying his new role in life as daddy. I can imagine how proud and happy he is over his first son. You don't see Wayne really happy and this happiness is something he'll never talk about later and no one can describe it to me. It's something one would have to see and I'm missing it.

[I can see where she was coming from regarding Uncle Wayne. Although he wasn't an exceptionally emotional person and almost always spoke calmly and evenly, it wasn't terribly rare for him to get a chuckle out of something. (That's him sitting on the couch smiling at me in the photo posted with the July 17, 1967 diary entry.) But (and this might be true for most people), I can't imagine him coming close to describing what he was feeling immediately after the birth of his son. Mom knew she was missing out on an indescribable one-time event, and given how much she relished experiencing the joy of others I can tell in that paragraph how much it was killing her. Reading that paragraph was sort of an "aha!" moment for me regarding Mom, as it helps explain why she always wanted to know the details about how people reacted to something good when she wasn't there to witness it herself, such as a birthday party or opening Christmas gifts. She hated to miss out on the emotional reaction of the moment.]

Thirdly, I am depressed over Dave's diet. Now, I guess that sounds crazy, but his damn diet is causing a family crisis. The vegetables Dave will eat on his diet - spinach, asparagus, broccoli, green beans, cauliflower - are the ones that David Wayne hates. They are both so stubborn and hard-headed that any kind of compromise is out of the question, so I feed them separately. I know that it's silly, but every meal was ending up with David Wayne in tears, Dave mad at both of us and stomping off to bed at 6:30, and me mad at both of them and not going to bed at all. Oh, I tried the "three bites" bit, but that was "spoiling" the child to Dave and David Wayne wouldn't even eat one bite without spitting it out! See - no compromise.

[I think I've talked about this subject before. I don't remember having these food fights when we lived in Los Angeles, but I remember them from when we lived in Carrollton after moving back from L. A., and later when we moved to Farmers Branch. I have no doubt Mom's description is fairly accurate. I was certainly a picky eater at that age and I hated to try new foods. If they ever did get me to try something I didn't want to try I would usually just sit there and chew it forever and never swallow it. I guess I would eventually spit it out on my plate after Dad got upset and left the table. It seems as though most parents go through the same thing with picky eaters, so here's my unsolicited advice to avoid such conflicts:

1. Young children can't starve themselves. They will eat when they are hungry. 2. Parents can't control what their children eat. They can only control what's available for their children to eat. If you don't want your child to eat something, don't make it available.]

Fourthly, I am depressed because of my condition. I can't feel any movement at all which the doctor says I should. David Wayne bounced, rolled, and did somersaults while I carried him and this baby stays on the left side and hasn't stirred. I'm beginning to think the doctor made a mistake and instead of being pregnant, I've got a giant tumor. I warned you, this would be gloomy.

[Spoiler alert: It's not a tuuuumor.]

[This is a good point to end Part 1 of this letter. Hopefully Part 2 is a little less gloomy.]

November 7, 1967: Golden company

Letter postmarked November 7, 1967 (written November 6):

The CCZCC is reset back to zero due to a missing zip code on this envelope.

Dear Mother and Mike,

How are both of you? Busy, I presume. Dave told me to ask you to please write as I am impossible to live with when I don't get a letter from you.

It is nearly noon and I haven't done anything this Monday morn. I just can't get going. Finally, I made the bed up so I won't be tempted to spend the rest of the day there.

The examiner from Texas came Thursday night instead of Friday. We were so glad to see people from Texas that we haven't given them a minute to themselves. They ate supper with us Friday night, then Saturday we took them to Olvera Street and made them eat supper with us again, then Sunday we took them to Knott's. We are really going to enjoy having them in L. A.

[Mom and Dad were quite the L. A. tour guides after living there less than four months.]

Suzie, the wife, is just really nice. She is an ex-speech teacher. She has also had a bit of training and experience with testing children for I. Q., etc. David Wayne is crazy about her and they have played several little "games" (which are really tests) together. I am enclosing the "Draw a Man" test which is given to all first graders. She was surprised that he did so well on it and that he knew all the parts of the body except hips. She said she would grade his drawing a 6.5 (6-1/2 years old) or a 7 (7 years). Since David Wayne likes her so much, he isn't shy around her and he really shows off his "boundless energy." She looks at him, shakes her head, and says, "Gosh, I'm glad I'm not a first grade teacher."

[Here is the man I drew for Suzie. I don't think my drawing skills have improved much in fifty years, although I'd probably draw skinnier arms now.]

[In case you can't read Mom's handwriting in the lower right, it says, "Notice hair, and 5 fingers on the fat arms. Also facial features - everything but eyebrows. Suzie says the body structure with the shoulders and waistline are really advanced for his age."]

[On the back side of that piece of paper is what must have been my first attempt to draw a man for Suzie. I guess I didn't like the shape of his head so I started over.]

Dave and Gene are about to go out of their minds from listening to me and Suzie planning what we're going to do. Dave claims that every time he looks at a dollar he sees wings on it. Suzie and I are going to take all the movie tours and she even knows how to get tickets for the TV shows. We should have a lot of fun together.

[It sounds like Mom's life in Los Angeles is about to change for the better now that she has someone to pal around with. You can't help but be genuinely happy for her.]

Sunday at Knott's, my boys did something different - they panned for gold. Both of them got a small sample of gold in a bottle, but David Wayne was disappointed - he thought he was going to get rich. We also watched a puppet show that was really cute.

[I remember keeping that little bottle of gold flakes for awhile after we moved back to Texas.]

On Olvera Street they have some cute Santa Claus pinatas. We're going to get one to keep and get him another kind to break. I think it's going to be interesting when we pack to come home - with all the turtles, banks, and pinatas I don't think there's going to be room for me and David Wayne.

We got a picture in the mail today of David Wayne and Santa Claus. It is cute. I would send it for you to see, but I'm afraid you wouldn't give it back to us. I would have gotten more prints, but at $1.70 per picture, I couldn't afford it.

[We might see this picture when Christmas rolls around.]

Mrs. Sivell invited us to eat Thanksgiving with them - isn't that nice? We are going to San Francisco over the holidays, however, so we won't make dinner with them, but we really appreciated their thoughtfulness.

Well, that's all the news for now. Take care and get a letter to me soon!!

Love,

Linda

October 25, 1967: Space for Christmas

Letter postmarked October 25, 1967:

The CCZCC, which set a record of 11 in the last letter, is reset to zero again due to the omission of the zip code on this envelope. Sadness. :-(

For some reason Mom printed this letter instead of writing it in cursive like all the previous letters.

Dear Mother and Mike,

The letter I wrote you Monday hasn't been mailed yet, but I thought I would write again and bring you up to date. As you know from the other letter, I went to Olvera Street on Monday. I tried to buy another, larger turtle for David Wayne and Dave, but they didn't have a bowl large enough to keep one in. I don't know which one of the Davids was more disappointed.

Tuesday I drove to Santa Monica beach to a Penney's store. Here's what I got David Wayne for Christmas: A Johnny Lunar space set (as advertised on TV), a Slap Trap game (also on TV), a circus train, and two pairs of Disneyland pajamas. I had already gotten him a Build-a-Road for his Matchbox cars. Dave has me thoroughly confused - First he says, "Now don't get too much for David Wayne because we'll have to transport everything back to Texas." Then every time he sees a toy on TV or hears David Wayne talk about some toy, he says, "Why don't you get that, too?"

[Since Mom bought all those items on a Tuesday, I wonder if I was with her, and if I was, how did she manage to keep me distracted while she made those purchase? Very impressive.]

[Here's a commercial for the Johnny Astro toy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmLMrMdIy5c. Remember, this was 21 months before Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the moon, so toys related to space exploration were quite popular.]

[And here is a link to a web site with tons of information about Johnny Astro: http://www.johnnyastro.com/johnnymain.htm]

[I'll have more to say about Johnny Astro when Christmas rolls around.]

David Wayne showed especial attention to the Tricky Tommy Turtle, but it costs $9 and I think it would be pretty expensive to mail. He also got excited over a Major Matt Mason set (some kind of weird looking contraption that supposedly walks on the moon).

[Here's a commercial for Major Matt Mason from 1966, which pales in comparison to the 1968 commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q98uWOPGEAM]

[Here's a web site with tons of information on the Major Matt Mason toy, including the 1968 commercial with awesome narration, which I have transcribed below: https://vintageactionfigures.com/major-matt-mason-the-man-in-space.html]

Meet Major Matt Mason, Mattel's man in space
And the bravest astronaut yet
He lives on the moon (we may all be there soon)
And he gets around with a jet

Until Sergeant Storm with his red uniform
Major Matt worked all alone
Now together they face the dangers of space
And seek to learn the unknown

The machines that they drive seem almost alive
As they transport the adventurous pair
The new Astro-Trak whips through the black
And Firebolt even goes where

They meet Captain Lazer, his space gear ablaze
With energy stored from the stars
He's a giant, it's true, but a friendly one who
Spent his boyhood on Mars

An exciting place, the world of space
As all the astronauts know
This world is swell, it's made by Mattel
With it, how far can you go?

By the way, remember those beautiful glass figures on Olvera Street? Well, they wrap and mail those for you at one of the stores. I have decided that's what I'm going to get Dave's aunts. If you are interested I could mail some to your friends for you. You can get really nice things for just about any price. I bought David Wayne a grab bag for 39 cents and he got a pretty glass cat that sells for 60 cents. I tried to get him to send the cat to Linda Kay, but he won't part with it.

[Sorry about that, Aunt Linda. If I still had that glass cat I would send it to you.]

You know what David Wayne really wants for Christmas? To see Knucklehead! I wish we were rich and could fly Mike out here for a few days. That would mean more to David Wayne than all the toys in the stores. He really misses Mike.

[Uncle Mike is just twelve years older than me. After Mom got divorced from her first husband she and I lived in a rental house on my grandmother's property in Denton until Mom and Dad got married in 1966, right after I turned four. Since Uncle Mike and I hung out a lot during that time, he was sort of like a big brother to me during my toddler years. I was six years old when he got married, and when he drove away from their wedding reception with everyone waving goodbye I cried because I thought I'd never see him again.]

Dave plays with him a lot at night though and that helps. Last night they played like Dave was a bucking horse. This morning Dave's knees had no skin on them and he was having a little difficulty bending them. Poor Daddy!

[Having played the part of the horse in the bucking bronco game many times myself, I can vouch for the fact that knee protection is essential.]

We got some new neighbors yesterday - in the apartment right above ours. They must wear army boots and I'm sure they must be changing the location of the kitchen, from all the hammering and sawing going on. Unfortunately, they don't have any children for David Wayne to play with.

[Loud neighbors upstairs - every apartment dweller's dream.]

Last week we had a funny thing happen at the apartment. I had gone somewhere that day so I only got to see the last part. A lady in #6 celebrated her 84th birthday. It seems that the owner's wife, Mrs. Lerner (at least 60) and Mrs. Sabo (the manager that you met) went to wish her a happy birthday. These three old ladies spent the entire afternoon gossiping and drinking cocktails. I came just as the party was breaking up and I never got such a laugh in my life. They had really had a _good_ time!

Well, I will close for now. I've already washed the clothes and gone to the post office this morning. Now all that is left for me to do is wash my hair, drive clear across town to that Penney's store you and I went to and get a present for Linda Kay's baby, go to the doctor, have the car washed and waxed, and clean the apartment. I think I'll take a nap instead.

[That sounds just like something I would say today.]

Love,
Linda

P. S. - I'm going to send Wayne a toy for Christmas since he won't have David Wayne's to play with. Don't tell though.

October 18, 1967: Squeaky grill

Letter postmarked October 17, 1967 (part 2):

This post is a continuation of yesterday's letter, where we went to the North Pole to escape the Los Angeles smog.

Sunday we drove to Olvera Street - yes, again! We had a purpose - David Wayne had to have some "MOUSE SHOES" like his daddy. I wrote you about the Mexican slippers. You should have seen the salesman's face when I told him we had to have a pair that squeaked! I guess they are used to hearing anything from tourists - but . . . shoes that squeaked? Anyway, the boys have great fun seeing who can make the most noise. I bought a pair of sandals - noiseless and very comfortable. I'm going to get Linda Kay a pair for Christmas and if you'll send me Wayne's shoe size I'll get him a pair, too. Dave loves his - good for his athlete's foot, you know.

[I can just see me wanting squeaky shoes like Daddy, and then both of us driving Mom crazy walking around in them.]

I also bought one of those big straw Mexican handbags. Now I can carry extra film, flashbulbs, Dave's billfold, etc. without any difficulty. We bought a pinata in the shape of a witch which is about three feet tall. The only trouble is that it is so cute we don't want to break it. You'd think I was still teaching - our living room looks like a classroom decorated for Halloween!

After leaving Olvera Street (also left a lot of money there) we drove to the beach as it was pretty hot on Sunday. Everybody else had the same idea so we didn't do anything except go to the bathroom while there then drive home. Long way to go just to go to the restroom, eh?

A lady who moved from the apartment house left her grill so we can cook outdoors again - pleased Dave to no end! There is the problem of getting meat to cook though - Safeway had a sale on sirloin last week ($1.59 per pound can you believe it?) At home I got it for 89 cents per pound. It's nice when Dave cooks out because it's less work for me. Last night as he was turning the meat he dropped a good fork in the hot coals. When he came upstairs to tell me about it he looked just like a little boy confessing to some naughty deed. I couldn't get mad because I was too amused at him.

[Dad did love to cook out on the grill. Here is a picture of Mom's birthday present for him in July of 1966, which would have been right before they got married.]

[This picture was taken on the front porch of my grandmother's house in Denton. It's an apron, a hat, and some grilling tools and gloves outfitted on my grandmother's dress form. In the lower portion of this picture there is a little boy about to turn four years old.]

[And here is a picture of me and Dad standing in front of the grill in the back yard of our house on Osceola in Carrollton, followed by a better picture of the grill with me and Mom in front of it.]

[Mom's caption on the one with me and her is: "David Wayne and Linda in back yard. Dave loved the grill in background." That's our dog Taffy walking behind the grill. Note that I am wearing cowboy boots in those pictures. They are probably the same pair I put on the morning of July 17, 1967 when we left Carrollton to move to Los Angeles.]

[So yes, Dad loved to cook on the grill, but he hated it when I would put ketchup on my steak he had worked on so hard. I do remember that being a source of conflict when we lived in Carrollton, along with the usual issues between parents and children over food.]

I am going to start sending Christmas presents next week - in order to beat the rush. In case you get anything before Christmas, don't open it. If you have any ideas for Mike let me know. He is one person I'm stumped about. Also, it is going to be expensive to mail things, so remind everybody that this year it will be nice to think of the "idea of exchanging gifts" instead of the gift itself. I have already bought David Wayne a "Build-A-Road" set for his matchbox cars so that might be an idea for y'all to get him - some more cars!

[I know what I'm getting for Chrisssssstmas, I know what I'm getting for Chrissssssstmas.]

I will close for now. Write when you can. I am still pestering the mailman and I've made a rule never to leave the house until the mail has come. Take care.

Love,

Linda