My diary - January 19-21, 1973

Loretta and James Hughes, my grandparents

January 19, 1973 Fri.

Dear Smiley:

Got up at 11:00. Watched T.V. Took a bath. I was bored most of the afternoon. Watched  Good- movie on T.V. “High Society”. Talked to Mary. Father Botzman came over. We probably leave on Thrus. Mom rolled my hair with the new electric curlers. Right-on.

BYE!!!

Note: I can’t imagine sleeping that late now. My grandparents had only one bathroom, with one of those wonderful old claw-foot bathtubs. In Managua, we had showers, so this was a luxury. However, one could not linger, as someone would soon be knocking on the door. Grandma had pink Sweet❤️Heart soap that smelled so wonderful. Do any of you remember this soap?

We liked Father Botzman because he talked to us like adults.

Sweet ❤️ Heart Soap

January 20, 1973 Sat.

Dear Smiley:

Got up late. Grandma & Mom went to the Super. After lunch Mary came. She took me to see her room in the hospital. Its NEAT-O! We came back & then we all went to K-Marts. I bought some natural lip gloss turned out to be a pwek! Watched T.V. I’m going to spend the night at Marys. Went to Mass.

BYE!!!

Note: It was such a treat to spend time with my cousin Mary. I considered her my big sister and often sought her advice. I still do! It was exciting to see her room, and I felt special getting to spend the night at her parents’ house.

January 21, 1973 Sun.

Dear Smiley:

Guess what time I got to bed! A bit past 4:00 A.M. Latest I’ve stayed up. We stopped at Clarkins (Aunt Helen, Mary & me). Guess what we had for supper. Turkey & the whole works!! Biggest surprise is to come yet. Guess who walked in. Dad!!!!! YIPPY! Bad news, we leave Tues. Mr. Hardgrove commited suicide. Watched T.V. I wore my new vest. Dad is so skinny. I think he weighs about 220. Used to weigh 250!!! Thanks God for keeping Dad safe!

BYE!!

Note: I am not sure what Mary and I talked about until 4:00 a.m., but it was fun, and I felt so grown up. 

I was very grateful to see Dad. What a wonderful surprise, but sad to hear about Mr. Hargrove. I didn’t mention it in my diary, but his son James was in my class.

The situation back in Managua must have been quite stressful, as my Dad lost so much weight. He never discussed it with us.

My cousin Mary Metz Yambor

January 19 Friday (David’s Diary)

Dear Snoopy, Today I got up late. 15 to 10. I took a glass of milk and helped Grandpa. Funeral today. At 11:25 I got home, ate lunch, and Gramma decided to give Fritz a bath. He sure respects Gramma. He was to give a bath. When she finished he ran up the stairs, something he had never done before and ran around the house like wild.

Sue and Beck were pretty nice to me today. Besides helping Grandpa, I walked Fritz, bough milk (1 gal) and a super large loaf of bread. I watched T.V. of course and father Boltzman visited us. We talked all about eeky thing  of art.

PS. Grandma and me sure were laughing today

Note: I wish I could make out what I wrote at the bottom of the page. My recollection was that Father Botzman encouraged me to ask questions that might challenge accepted beliefs and emphasized that you did not have to take what’s written in the Bible literally.  7 days could be 7 billion years. How lucky we were to have him around.

The main altar at St. Stephen's Catholic Church

January 20 Sat. (David’s Diary)

Dear Snoopy, old friend. I feel slightly depressed today. I got up at about 9:00 today.  I think I walked Fritz after watching TV. Well we went to K-Marts and I got a bathing suit. I look fat in it. (I wonder how I look to girls. Well Mary came over. She took us to K-Mart and then Red (Grandpa) (shorter to write) treated us to Burger King

Mary and us played scrabble. So far I have 124 Runner up. Mary has 64 I think. Well we all Metzes and Hughes went to church. I saw to quite cool girls. I slid in the snow a  bit today. It’s been four days of heat until now. Me and Beck played running games. She’s catching up with me. I’m going on a diet.

Note: What strikes me today is how I worried about my weight. I think much had to do with the example my Dad set, being so overweight. I did not want to end up like that.  I also clearly wanted to look attractive to girls. I had just turned 14 after all!

David's diary

January 21 Sun. (David’s Diary)

Hi there Snoopy, I got up slightly after seven today. Went back to sleep and woke up at nine 15 to. I didn’t eat breakfast (on a diet). Beck and I took Fritz for a walk after lunch. We went down a dark (really bright) alley full of dogs. Fritz disliked that. We passed a girl. Beck’s enemy but I think she’s cute and …. Metz came over for turkey dinner. We sure watched TV. I had a feeling and I was right, Dad came today. We leave on Tuesday. Mr. Hargrove committed suicide. I took Fritz for another walk at night. (A short one. I watched a cool movie. (It ended at 1:30.)

Note: Wild how I noted the suicide and didn’t express any feelings, though I’m sure it shocked me. I think I was just intent on writing down what I did every day and didn’t write much more!

Looking back, I wonder who that girl was who was Becky’s enemy. They must have exchanged some words. 

Looks like we’re heading back to Nicaragua, just when we’re settling into a routine at our grandparents’ home.