In Muscatine on Wednesday, January 31, 1951, Dale wrote, “Worked 8 to 4:30. Still below zero, -3°. Loaded first 2 trucks with spirits. I stayed until 5:15. Refrigerator is on the bum. TV at night. Boxing, etc.” The vintage refrigerator above has its cooling coils on top; we once had one like this.
It Was ‘Majestic’
Cars Won’t Start
Cold Again
Dentist Visit
TV Sales Booming
Watching TV
Catching Cold
TV After Midnight
In Muscatine on Tuesday, January 23, 1951, Dale wrote, “Worked 8 to 4:30. Palmer came today for a visit to the plant. Warm, 35° in morning & colder tonight. Watched TV at night.” Palmer was a supervisor from St. Paul. Oldtimers remember when television stations would broadcast a ‘test pattern’ at night.
Good TV Night
Cold Again
Osceola Basketball Game
Supper At Jettie’s
Paid Some Bills
More January Thaw
Sad News
‘Destination Moon’
Dale Visits Gilham Gardner
In Osceola briefly on Sunday, January 14, 1951, Dale wrote, “Mother and I went to see Uncle Gilham in the morning. Went to the cemetery, too, to see Dad’s grave. Marie was at Mother’s for dinner. Rode home with Bob Shoup in the afternoon.” That was the same co-worker who drove Dale from Muscatine to Osceola the previous day. Above: Dale’s uncle Gilham, older brother of Williams. Helen’s uncle James Schaffer died this day in Osceola, but Dale and Helen didn’t find out until January 16.
Dale Visits Jettie
On Saturday, January 13, 1951, Dale rode from Muscatine to Osceola with a co-worker, who dropped him off at Jettie’s farmhouse. Dale wrote, “Mother and I went to town in the afternoon and stayed till 11 p.m. Watched TV at Marie’s.” Dale’s sister Marie lived in town. Dale’s mother, Jettie, liked to play her piano, above.