My diary -April 6-8, 1972
- Susan Fisch Good
- Apr 5, 2024
- 3 min read
Updated: Jun 14
April 6.1972 Thurs.
Dear Diary:
I got a 58 on P.E. test, so I get F or D on report card. Uh! I didn’t stay after. Have loads of homework. Science test maybe, Spanish, Have to talk on History (my trip), math homework & typing. I went to the skin doctor and then to eye doctor. The new drops irritate my eyes. I went to Simmons house for short while to ask about science. Watched T.V. & I studied!!! We had to run around the field cause our team lost 3 games in a row in volley ball. P.E.
BYE!!
Note: Adjusting to hard lens contacts was a difficult task. I had been wearing glasses since age 7 so I was determined to succeed. Nicaragua was a challenging place to wear them as there was a lot of volcanic ash in the air which hurt like the dickens when mixed in with my contacts. The eye drops the doctor prescribed were supposed to help. Such was the vanity of an insecure 14 year old, I wore them regardless of the discomfort.
Making us run laps for losing made me dislike P.E. even more!
April 7, 1972 Fri.
Dear Diary:
The talk in history wasn't to bad because Mr. Lucas had them ask me questions. I got an 88 on English test & a B on report (composition) about being a Virgin!! Mr. Tom didin’t come to school, soar throat. Spanish test I flunked it I’m pretty sure. I stayed for Drama are parts coming along quite well. I went to pick up Becky & David at Tennis (with Mom), Becky got sick. Kim offered to buy us all a Citron. He almost begged me. I said no thank you. Went to Missy. I saw her barbie collection. She came over & ate supper. Watched T.V.
BYE!!
Note: I think Kim must have liked me and I don’t know why I always turned down his nice gestures. A Citron was a special lemonade drink. Becky got pretty sick. She must have picked up a nasty bug from our trip.
Mr. Lucas was one of my favorite teachers. He taught history and was our Drama coach. He made history come alive.
April 8, 1972 Sat.
Dear Diary:
I woke up at 7:20 read a bit ate breakfast & went to sleep again. I got up at 11:00 & took a bath. I was on page 18 in Pepita Jiménez & I had to finish it. Report is due on Mon. Mom cleaned out a bit of the desk & we saw some of our old pictures, drawings,my sewing etc. I read from 3:00 or 2:30 with a few interrupt & finally finished Pepita Jiménez around 5:00 or 5:30 & I wrote the report. Last Spanish Report of 9th!! (for me I hope I don’t lose them are 10 total). I watched T.V. Read mags. Becky still sick. 39 temp.
BYE!!
Note: A 39 Celsius temperature is 102.2 - pretty high fever in fahrenheit.
Pepita Jiménez was a novel by Juan Valera written in 1874. It was about a seminary student who falls for his father's fiancee, a beautiful young widow named Pepita Jiménez. Now the cleric has to choose between his love for the woman, loyalty to his father, and his religious vocation.
I recently gave my mom’s chest of drawers away and ironically when I was cleaning it up found old drawings and an embroidery sample from when I was nine or ten years old. Serendipity!!!
Susie, I don't know who had it worse in the "ceniza" (ash) department...y'all or us.
We arrived in San José only months after Irazú volcano had it's last lava eruption. But from then on, for 2 years or so, the steam and ash was continuous. The steam dissipated, but the corrosive ash was carried by the easterly trade winds and precipitated all over the city. It mixed with the already polluted air from the diesel busses & trucks, to make a real mess. Most folks wore hankies/scarves when going out for the first 6 months after. Ceniza would accumulate EVERYWHERE. Brooms were in high demand.
Of course only crazy gringos, and Japanese with their cameras, had to go see the…
Enjoyed your memories! You were artistic even back then.
Mg
Susie you have me wanting to read Pepita Jimenez; what a triangle! It is such fun to see your pictures and reminisce about the Managua days. So perfect you found your embroidery and nicely done drawing.
It makes me wish I had kept a diary; alas the best I have done is having kept letters back to high school. When I am in my racking chair I am going to take a trip down memory lane., but unlike you no wonderful blog to share... Tootsie
Mr Lucas was my favorite as well. He also taught a photography class which I loved. I was the photographer for one of our yearbooks.
Enjoyable read as always! Your drawing is wonderful and the butterfly beautiful too. I remember doing a lot of embroidery hangings and may still have a few - haven't uncovered all I have stored in boxes! Love for your heart and soul as you continue to recollect memories , items and special times.😊