In Minneapolis on Sunday, March 10, 1968, Dale wrote, “Painted the buffet and small chest of drawers TWICE trying to make it look decent. Too dark. Watched ‘The Bridge on the River Kwai’ in the evening.”
Good Movie On TV
Good Supper
In Muscatine on Sunday, March 9, 1952, Dale wrote, “Warmer today, 40°. Snow is thawing. Stanley sang at high school in the afternoon. Dalene has a head cold. Had fried chicken supper.”
Red Owl
In Minneapolis on Saturday, March 8, 1958, Dale wrote, “Helen and I went to the new Red Owl grocery store in St. Anthony before noon. Watched basketball all afternoon. Dalene went to a high school basketball game at night. Stan went to a show.”
Shrine Circus
In Minneapolis on Friday, March 7, 1958, Dale wrote, “Helen and I went to the library after supper. Stan and Dalene and friends went to the Shrine Circus.”
Lots Of Brandy
In Minneapolis on Wednesday, March 6, 1968, Dale wrote, “Routine day. Bottled 125 cases of pints of brandy in bond at Ed Phillips & Sons.” ‘Bottled-in-Bond’ or ‘Bonded’ means the distilled spirit must be the product of one distillation season and one distiller at one distillery. It must have been stored (i.e., aged) in a federally bonded warehouse under U.S. government supervision for at least four years and bottled at 100 (U.S.) proof (50% alcohol by volume).
Iron Curtain Begins
On Tuesday, March 5, 1946, Winston Churchill, above, delivered his “Iron Curtain” speech at Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri, declaring “From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across the Continent.”
Reagan Marries Davis
On Tuesday, March 4, 1952, Ronald Reagan married Nancy Davis in San Fernando Valley, California (Brenda Marshall, left, was Matron of Honor; William Holden, right, was Best Man).
Gilham Died
In Muscatine on Wednesday, March 3, 1954, Dale wrote that Gilham Gardner – older brother of Williams – died in Los Angeles.
Dale Watches Bowling
In Minneapolis on Sunday, March 2, 1958, Dale wrote, “Snow flurries. High 35°. I watched bowling at the Heights in the afternoon. Dalene went to a show. Stan went on a date at night. Nice day at home.”
Going Steady
In Minneapolis on Sunday, March 1, 1959, Dale wrote, “High 45° but cold wind. Cleaned the Chevy. Watched basketball on TV all afternoon. Had baked capon for dinner. Stan brought Judy MacDonald over in the evening. They’re going steady.” Judy (above) would become the mother of all my children.
Steel Sales Company
In Minneapolis on Tuesday, February 28, 1956, Dale wrote, “5° below at 7 a.m. Helen got a job at Steel Sales Corp., 401 Harding Street, Minneapolis. She starts Thursday at $200 per month.” The next day, Mom decided not to take that job (location above). She kept looking for one.
No More 3-Peet
On Tuesday, February 27, 1951, the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution, limiting a president to two terms of office, was ratified.
To The Zoo
In Minneapolis on Sunday, February 26, 1956, Dale wrote, “I got up at 8 and got breakfast at 10 for the family. Dalene and I took a ride to the zoo, etc. Cold, 9° above when I got up.”
Greatest Story Ever Told
In Minneapolis on Friday, February 25, 1966, Dale wrote, “High 35°. Helen and I went to the bank and library after work. Brookdale for supper. We went to the Cooper theatre to see ‘Greatest Story Ever Told.’ Helen liked it.” I guess he didn’t.
Roast Beef Again
In Muscatine on Sunday, February 24, 1952, Dale wrote, “Lazy day, resting. I got a sick leave slip signed by Dr. Swayze in the morning. Had roast beef dinner. Dalene played out doors.” Dale had the flu.
Sad Osceola Visit
In Osceola on Sunday, February 23, 1958, for Pearl Yates’s funeral, Dale wrote, “Took a walk out in Lloyd’s field. High 54° and wet underfoot. I went out to Ruth and Louie’s in the afternoon and to the cemetery. At Mother’s at night and watched TV.” Pearl was married to Dale’s aunt Lena; Lloyd was Dale’s brother; Louie (wife Ruth) was Helen’s brother. Dale drove back to Minneapolis on February 25. Above: Helen and Dale on a happier day in 1958.
Shop Class Project
In Muscatine on Friday, February 22, 1952, Dale wrote “Holiday. Wrote Mother a card. Took Helen to Dr. Lease for her teeth. I got a cold shot at Swayze’s new doctor office. Stan worked all day at high school on a project for shop class.”
Goodbye Uncle Pearl
In Minneapolis on Friday, February 21, 1958, Dale wrote, “Uncle Pearl died of cancer about 2:30 p.m. Marie called Helen.” Pearl Yates was married to Lena Gardner, a sister of Dale’s father Williams Gardner.
G.B.W.W.
In Minneapolis on Thursday, February 20, 1958, Dale wrote, “Stan bought a set of books for $360. Crazy.” The set of books (above) was Great Books of the Western World, which I kept for many years and eventually passed on to my kids. Dad was right about me being crazy – that would cost nearly $3,000 today. For books!
On Iwo Jima
During World War II on Monday, February 19, 1945, some 30,000 U.S. Marines begin landing on Iwo Jima, where they begin a successful month-long battle to seize control of the island from Japanese forces.