In Muscatine on Sunday, January 11, 1953, Dale wrote “Up late & indoors all day. Quiet day. Sunshine. 20° above. Roast beef for supper. TV in afternoon & night. To bed about 11 P.M.”
Good Supper
Watching ‘Gunsmoke’
In Minneapolis on Saturday, January 10, 1959, Dale wrote, “Helen still in bed with pneumonia. Stan and Dalene took Skipper downtown to get his beak and claws clipped. Stan had to get a new generator for the Dodge. Helen came to the front room to watch ‘Gunsmoke.’” Skipper was our parakeet.
Moving To St. Paul?
In Muscatine on Friday, January 9, 1953, Dale received a letter from St. Paul asking how much furniture we have to move to St. Paul regarding a change in his Post of Duty. His last day at Muscatine’s Grain Processing Corporation was to be January 27 – except that it wasn’t. We didn’t move until November 1955.
Helen Has Pneumonia
In Minneapolis on Thursday, January 8, 1959, Dale wrote, “Took 8 hours annual leave to take care of Helen, she has pneumonia. Wrote Lela a letter. Helen is resting easier as long as she takes the pain pills. Took tomorrow off on annual leave.” Lela was Helen’s sister.
Career Limitations?
In Minneapolis on Tuesday, January 7, 1958, Dale wrote that I had a conference with an advisor. I was a math major at the University of Minnesota and the advisor told me that math majors had only three career choices: actuary for an insurance company, statistician for an accounting company, or math teacher. I found that depressing but continued majoring in mathematics because it was easy for me and I didn’t know what else to do. My advisor was unaware of the fledgling field of computer programming, which is what I fell into the following year.
Fast Skating
In Minneapolis on Sunday, January 6, 1957, Dale wrote, “Read the Sunday paper. Developed and printed some pictures. Dalene and I drove to Powderhorn Park to watch speed skating.” The National Speed Skating Championships were held at Powderhorn Park in the 1930s and 1940s (above).
Making Photos
In Minneapolis on Saturday, January 5, 1957, Dale wrote, “Took Dalene to Broadway and bought her some shoe skates. Snow flurries. Low 3°, high 22°. Set up my photo developing and printing equipment and developed one roll of film at night. Letter from Mother.” Dad had his own darkroom for developing negatives and making prints. For those of you who have used only camera phones or digital cameras, the previous sentence may make no sense. Above: chemical baths in a darkroom.
Yummmmm
In Minneapolis on Sunday, January 4, 1959, Dale wrote, “16° below zero in the morning and warmed up to 3° above. We all stayed home all day. Had roast pork for dinner. 45° below in Hibbing, Minnesota.”
B-r-r-r-r
In Minneapolis on Tuesday, January 3, 1961, Dale wrote, “10° below zero. Letter from Mother, she is moving back into her house in town soon. Took Mrs. Magnuson to the grocery store and drug store.” Mrs. Magnuson was a neighbor.
Number 1 Grandson
Vacationing from Minneapolis on Tuesday, January 2, 1962, Dale wrote, “Annual leave. 82° in the shade on Stan’s front porch in Reseda. I rested today. Called Marie Kimmel, we are going home together tomorrow. Packed for the trip tomorrow.” Marie was Dale’s sister. Above: Dale and his first grandson, Jeff, in Reseda.
Washing Clothes
In Muscatine on Monday, January 1, 1951, Dale worked all day, and he and Helen washed clothes before supper. Doing laundry then was hard work involving a wringer-washer, with clothes hung outdoors or in the basement to dry. Above is what “washing” looked like.