My diary - January 31-February 2, 1972
- Susan Fisch Good
- Nov 3, 2023
- 2 min read
Updated: Jun 15
January 31, 1972 Mon.
Dear Diary:
Daddy left this morning. Mom took us to school. I don’t know I felt real out of place in school like no friend. We had homeroom guideance. Handed in reports. I did my homework. I went over to Simons house her dog Yogi died. We talked. I talked to Missy. Mom bought me a flag shirt. David too. For school tomorrow. I watched T.V. I read comics. Becky sleeps with mom.
BYE!!
Note: Dad traveled a lot on business ever since we were little. We took turns sleeping in his bed when he was gone.
February 1, 1972 Tues.
Dear Diary:
Daddy’s birthday 44. I wore my star blouse & blue jeans. I was really patriotic. I got a 60 on Spanish Dictado. I had my tennis lesson. I’m real red!! Today I read some newspapers. I did my homework. Watched some T.V. a new Novela “El Amor tiene cara de Mujeres I think. It looks good. Mom tried to talk on Radio. I studied for science on rocket engine cassette. Uh! Dave sleeps in Dads bed.
BYE!!!!!
Note: There was no internet in this era and international telephone rates were ridiculously high. HAM (amateur) radios worked in special radio frequencies enabling communication across cities, regions, countries, and even continents. HAM operators could send, receive, and relay messages to fellow operators who could make a local telephone connection. This is how we communicated with relatives and friends overseas. Dad had friends all over the world. His handle was Happy Fish; Mom’s was Golden Fish. I always had to remember to say “Over” when I finished my sentence or response because communication was one way at a time.
February 2, 1972 Wed.
Dear Diary:
Today was hobo day for 12th graders & only 2 wore it. Science test mas o menos hard. I stayed for Glee Club. It was alright. I came home changed. Caught up on Newspapers & magazines. I went over to Simons. Missy came over. I watched TV. wrote letters & valentine cards. Davids at boy scots. I sleep in Dads bed.
BYE!!!
Note: “Mas o menos” means “more or less”
We did not have store-bought St. Valentine cards so we made our own.
@debbiemts57: I think we used that method too. Remember how, when you talked (yelled), sometimes the delay echo made it hard to communicate? We had those Euro-style phones that had the dial (yes children, the dial) on the bottom; the off-hook button was in the middle of the dial, and hung the phone up when you set it down. Uptown stuff! Local calls were 5 digits.
Always good to know somebody with a ham radio. Had to wait for late night tho for good comms.
Thank you so much for sharing these, it's such a special immersive read! I love reading about the rotating spot in mom & dad's bed when dad is off traveling- takes me back to my own childhood! - Brenna Fisch
You have good recaps of your day in your diary entries- maybe the beginning of your writing today 😉 when i went to teach in Guatemala there was another American at the school whose dad had a ham radio. My mom and dad knew someone in Clinton who had one. Quite a process to work out all the details, but we were able to chat one time. It was so cool and amazing. When I traveled I would call home through an operator, asking to speak to Lili ( my middle name) and my mom would say she wasn't home. I'd say ok, I'll call later. That way they would hear my voice and know I got there safely and…
Had not thought of Ham Radios in a long time! Tootsie
One of our church pastors many years ago was a Ham radia operator and would help families communicate with each other. Maybe your mom or dad was one of those people. I like to think so.😍 Ginger