In Minneapolis on Saturday, November 30, 1957, Dale wrote, “Stan went to the train station to meet Esther at 8 a.m. but she isn’t coming, we got a letter from her. Army 0, Navy 14 on TV.” Esther was a girl I had dated in Muscatine.
Stood Up
World War II Rationing
On Sunday, November 29, 1942, coffee rationing began, following sugar rationing on May 2, as the U.S. got serious about wartime conservation. Meat, rubber, shoes, silk, and other goods were also rationed as the country tightened its belt to make sure critical resources were allocated fairly and to the war effort. Mandatory gasoline rationing went into effect two days later.
Neighborly Thanksgiving
On Thursday, November 28, 1935, Helen and Dale (living on a farm ½ mile north of the Weldon, Iowa, stockyards) went to Thanksgiving dinner with neighbor farmers Gene and Minnie Peague. Dale wrote in his diary, “Came home to chore then went back at night. Had a good dinner & a good time.”
Stockboy Stan
In Muscatine on Friday, November 27, 1953, Dale wrote that I got a seasonal job at Kord’s drug store as sales clerk and stockboy, to help out after school and weekends during the holiday season. They were located at 114 East Second Street, above.
Holy Smoke!
In Minneapolis on Thursday, November 26, 1959, Dale wrote, “Thanksgiving Holiday. Jim Staebler went to sleep and his cigarette burned a large hole in Shirley’s davenport and filled the house with smoke at 3 o’clock in the morning. I helped him carry the davenport out to the porch. Fool. About 4 a.m. the davenport caught fire again on the upstairs porch and I went up and threw it over the railing into the back yard. High about 15°, cold and clear.” Shirley Staebler rented the upstairs apartment and Jim was her son.
Thanksgiving Dinner In Derby, Iowa
In Osceola on Thursday, November 25, 1971, Dale wrote, “Cloudy and 47°. Helen and I went to Derby for Thanksgiving dinner. Watched football all afternoon. Supper at Manley’s Café. Went to see Mother in the evening.” Above: Dale and Helen in 1971, probably at the home of Helen’s sister Wilma McFarland.
Thanksgiving With Gene And Lela
On Thursday, November 24, 1955, Dale and Helen and Dalene drove from Minneapolis to the home of Gene and Lela Yates in New Ulm, Minnesota, for Thanksgiving. They stayed overnight. It’s about 100 miles each way.
Home Improvement
In Minneapolis on Saturday, November 23, 1957, Dale wrote, “Ate breakfast in the Heights and then went to the grocery store. I laid new linoleum on the apartment kitchen floor. Dalene went downtown Christmas shopping.” Above: a vintage ad for Gold Seal linoleum. Dale and Helen rented out their second floor apartment.
Thanksgiving Dinner
In Minneapolis on Thanksgiving, November 22, 1956, Dale wrote, “I took our car to the Shell station to have the rear brakes re-lined. Stan, Don, and Bill Mullen came at 1:30 p.m. for the week-end. We had turkey for dinner.” Don and Bill were brothers from Muscatine.
Train Trip Plans
In Minneapolis on Saturday, November 21, 1959, Dale wrote, “Helen and I made reservations on the Union Pacific R.R. for January 4th from here to L.A. via Chicago, at the Great Northern station downtown. Watched a late movie. High 42° and clear.” They were going to visit Judy and me in Santa Monica, and I picked them up at Union Station in Los Angeles on January 6, 1960.
Minnesota Beats Purdue
In Minneapolis on Monday, November 20, 1961, Dale wrote, “Had fried chicken for supper. Dalene bowled a 193 game. I watched the Minnesota-Purdue football game on late TV. High 35°.” Minnesota won that game, 10 – 7.
Ten Inches Of Snow
In Minneapolis on Tuesday, November 19, 1957, Dale wrote, “10 inches of snow on the ground this morning. Stan and I shoveled the sidewalks before breakfast. He got stuck in the driveway.” Above: Dalene in front of the house after the snowfall.
Dalene Goes Bowling
In Minneapolis on Sunday, November 18, 1956, Dale wrote, “Dalene went bowling in the afternoon, had one game of 127. I watched pro football in the afternoon on TV. Shirley, Kay, and Jerry here in the evening to watch TV.” Shirley Staebler and her two kids rented the upstairs apartment.
Hawkeyes To Rose Bowl
In Minneapolis on Saturday, November 17, 1956, Dale wrote, “Cat woke us up at 7 a.m. I got breakfast. Got some salted sand for sidewalks. Watched Minnesota beat Michigan State 14-13. Iowa 6, Ohio 0. Iowa goes to the Rose Bowl. Nice day.”
Sunday Bike Ride
In Muscatine on Sunday, November 16, 1952, Dale went for a morning bike ride with Dalene. Stan’s friend Mike Collier and his mother came over in the evening to visit.
Big Snow
In Minneapolis on Thursday, November 15, 1956, Dale wrote, “Worked from 8 to 4:30. Rain in the morning turned into the first snow of the season. Blizzard by 5 p.m. Took me two hours to drive four miles home. Traffic wouldn’t move. I’m tired tonight. 22° at bedtime.”
School Open House
In Muscatine on Friday, November 14, 1952, Dale’s cousin Roswell Gardner visited in the evening, and the family went to an open house at Dalene’s Jefferson School (above) at night.
Feeding Many Mouths
In Minneapolis on Sunday, November 13, 1966, Dale wrote, “Put storm doors on and 2 storm windows. Put snow tires on too. Stans here for lunch. Watched pro football on color TV. Took Stan to the airport at night.” Above: Judy and I with (L-R) Chris, Dave, and Jeff, plus daughter Virginia, before I flew to California.
Take This Job . . .
Thursday, November 12, 1953, was my last day working at Cohn’s news agency in Muscatine. I don’t remember why I quit.
Armistice Day Blizzard
November 11, 1940 – The Armistice Day Blizzard. The weather in Minnesota was relatively benign that morning. Many people were outdoors, taking advantage of the mild holiday weather. The weather forecast that morning was for colder temperatures and a few flurries. Few people were prepared for what was to come. The storm started with rain, however the rain quickly turned to snow. By the time the blizzard tapered off on the 12th, the Twin Cities had received 16.7 inches of snow, Collegeville 26.6 inches, and 20-foot drifts were reported near Willmar.