notsofancynancy

Posted by: notsofancynancy | December 7, 2012

My Brother is Santa Clause

Santa’s Updated 2012 look

Last week I divulged the secret of my sister in “My Sister is a Clown,” well now I have another confession. My brother is Santa Clause. Shhhhh, don’t tell the kids. Of course being Santa and all, his wife is the famous Mrs. Clause.

Santa and Mrs Clause

He already has to disguise himself in the off season.

Santa in disguise.

But that does not stop the kids from recognizing him. A couple of years ago a young tot thought she was so special when Santa came to her house for Christmas Eve dinner. That was with no prompting from adults. He did not even have his red suit on, but donned shorts and a Hawaiian shirt. She kept saying “Look at me Santa!” and “Santa watch this!” When asked the next day, who had come to her house for dinner she cutely replied with a sweet innocent smile, “Santa!”

Some of the year he hides at the Renaissance Faire

Santa and Mrs Clause in the summer

All in all I have quite the family. Sonshine the Clown, Santa Clause and the Seamstress who make the Emperor’s new cloths. What? I didn’t tell you about the seamstress? Well, I have to keep some secrets.

Today I am thankful for my brother, Santa Clause and his wife, Mrs. Clause.

Updated 12/6/12

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Posted in Daily Ramblings, Family, Humor, Thankful Tuesday | Tags: brother, California, family, mrs clause, Renaissance Pleasure Faire, santa clause, Santa in disguise, Santa lives in California

Posted by: notsofancynancy | December 6, 2012

World War II, chapter 41, Grandma Susie, Friends and Family

World War II

Grandma Susie, Friends and Family

Chapter 41

Pop and Grandma Susie’s Wedding Photo

In this chapter we will look at a couple of the dozen letter’s Grandma Susie sent to my parents in Durham, North Carolina. Grandma’s Susie’s letters are four to six pages long and read like a journal. They talk about the hardships the young brides around her were having with their husbands serving. How the young woman were surviving in boarding houses around the states. They tell of bedtimes and church gatherings. What she cooked for dinner and detailed laundry days. In one letter Grandma tells of needing new shoes and when it was time to get her ration for them she would need a pair of everyday shoes. I knew a lot of stuff was rationed but I never knew shoes were.

Grandma Susie made her own clothes and writes in detail of what she is making, colors of the material and how far she has gotten on the projects and what needs to be done. She continues to work on projects for the war effort, robes and baby layettes. Pop is working in the shipyards in Long Beach, California which leaves Grandma Susie at home with no car. Funny but she did not get her drivers license until Pop passed away. She was in her 70’s when she finally took the test and passed it. Here are a couple of her letters so you can get an idea of how she wrote.

15 March, Pasadena, California

Hi-Hows [sic] our kids tonight? Well the old folks are tolerable good. I went to circle today. Met at Mrs. Kit Carsons [sic]. Got some more Navy relief work to do this time. P.J’s. for the hospital and kimonos for the Navy wives layettes. Mrs Chapman is doing the machine sewing of 4 of the kimonos then Grace and I are going to feather stitch the edges. We only got ½ a dozen of the P.J’s. for the hospital. II don’t know if I told you yet but we decided at last meeting to make some quilt tops for the baby beds at the Navy orphanage so I brought home some of the blocks (or rather patches) and am going to piece them together in a “four patch,” and piece one of the baby bed quilt tops. One of the ladies down at the church, I forget her name cut a lot of them out for us so it won’t take long to sew them together. You know I never thought about you kids getting married on Dena’s birthday until you told me. It could be worse you could have been born on her birthday and then she’d of thought you ought to have been named after her. Does Ann have some place to cook? If so maybe you could buy some “groceries,” and you girls could get a “home cooked meal.” Sounds like she’s nice. Sounds like you kids have really been seeing a lot of good shows. Did you find an alarm clock? I guess I got in kind of a hurry sending that package but I thought you ought to have some aprons-and an everyday dress, Vi to do you washing in-I mean to wear while you were doing your washing. For I was afraid you’d get your wool skirts so dirty you’d have a big cleaning bill. I’m sorry I sent your pillow cases but you can use then once in a while, make it seem more like home to have “things” of your own. In case you have not guessed I got you airmail letter you kids wrote the 10^th and your house address. Sounds as if your landlady lets you use the living room too cause you spoke of toasting you shins and the dog snoozing by the fire. It is a “Sooner” dog? These people who live in the front house have one of those great big white and black dogs with black polka dots and they keep it in the house! Just wait until Mrs. Bain finds that out. I don’t blame landlords for being cranky some things people do! They have Mrs. Bains[sic] front room rug! Well it ‘s 12:00 so nighty-night. Gobs of love, Mom and Pop.

I had forgotten that about my grandmother. She did not allow dogs into her house. That was until my dad went to Grandma’s and he would sit outside with his dog, Missy while everyone else was inside. Grandma eventually began to really like Missy and towards the end of her life she did not mind Missy in the house. Well it looked that way, Dad would give the excuse he was going to go out and whittle and his dog just happened to be there.

Uncle Gerald

Next in the suitcase I found a VE Letter from my Uncle Gerald. He was married to Grandma’s sister, Margarette , fondly known to us kids as Aunt Dick.

Click to see bigger

31 March, Pasadena California

Dearest Family, We got your welcome letter today. It didn’t take it any longer to get here than the last air mail letter to here so don’t waste air mail stamps on us- cause now they cost 8 cents! Gosh sure sorry to hear you, “hit yourself in the head with a hammer,” Lefty hope it is healed up OK and didn’t leave to bad a scar. Pops head healed up fine and the hair is growing in good so it isn’t very noticeable anymore. He fell over a cable awhile ago and banged his knee pretty bad sure limped around a couple of days, Betty kind of wanted to go to Riverside Drive Sun. night but Pop didn’t think his knee would do much dancing so we didn’t go. Had a long letter from Ralph today too, he said his Bn (battalion) have all had their furloughs and have overseas clothes and equipment so he said to expect his A.P.O. in care of New York postmaster just any day. He said they have a outfit of WACS there and they’re all hoping to come to Calif so he said for Pop to tell him which type he wanted a Big Mary or a pocket size edition and he thought he could fix him up. Fine thing! Wait till I write him! They welders are starting on a 10 hr shift Mon. I hate to see it for he hardly has time to eat and shave and keep his truck in shape now. I can see I’m going to have to get a shopping cart and go to the market while he is asleep. Maybe you are doing Lefty and his family a good turn by getting married after all if you can get Dad Woodside to write to Lefty, Vi. Now don’t forget to write him a letter too once in awhile. As I was reading your letter to Pop and came to the part where you said you just couldn’t get anything done Pop said “She might try getting up in the morning” now where have you heard that before? Of course going out to eat takes a lot of your time. You kids sure have been seeing the movies. Whats [sic] become of Bob had Lefty divorced him since he married you? I’ll bet he does feel kind of lonesome evenings cause [sic] he has always had Lefty to tell troubles to then. Well I guess I’m about run down so guess I better scribble a few lines to Dorothy as I think she has written to us twice since I wrote. Lots of love and good luck and good night. Pop and Mom.

26 April, Pasadena, California

Dearest Viola and Lefty, Well I’ve been writing to Deloris so will write a few lines to you kids too. I thought I wasn’t going to write so much to her but you know me-I just ramble along and don’t say anything. Do you remember Dad telling you about working on the S.S. Cape San Juan? Well there was a picture of it in the L.A. (Los Angeles) paper, it was sunk by the Japs in the South Pacific some time the last of 43, and the Navy just released the dope on it. There were 1429 men on board and all but 70 were saved, most of them were killed in explosions before the ship sunk.

Courtesy of Wikipedia

I did an internet search of this ship and here is what I found;

Cape San Juan, a 6711 gross ton C1-B type cargo ship, was built at Long Beach, California, for the U.S. Maritime Commission. Completed in June 1943 and converted to a troopship during the next two months, she was assigned to the American Hawaiian Steamship Company for operation. Cape San Juan made one round-trip voyage between San Francisco and the south Pacific during August-October 1943 and late in the latter month began a second trip, this time to Australia. While near the Fiji Islands on 12 November 1943 (local time — 11 November in the U.S.) she was torpedoed by the Japanese submarine I-21. More than a hundred lives were lost among her crew and passengers as a result of this attack and the subsequent abandonment of the ship. Attempts were made to tow Cape San Juan to port, but she sank on the following day.

(Click here to learn more about this ship Pop worked on)

There are many more letters from Grandma Susie but it would take a whole book to transcribe every letter here. She mostly relates family and friend’s happenings, including many men in the service from family members to boarder’s, boyfriends or husbands. It seems as though this war affects everyone in my grandma’s circle of friends and family. Grandma Susie did what she could to support the war effort sewing baby stuff for the Navy wives, to picking up soldiers hitchhiking. As with my dad it seems as though all the men are getting ready in one form or another, to go overseas.

Robert “Bob” Winter,

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Posted in Family, My Father's Letter's | Tags: 110th Quartermaster, 35th Quartermaster, Army, family, Family History, Love Letters, My Father's Letter's, Robert Winter, World War II, world war II letters, World War II Love Letters

Posted by: notsofancynancy | November 29, 2012

World War II, chapter 40, Carbine Marksmanship

World War II

Chapter 40

Carbine Marksmanship

Rifle and Carbine Sharpshooter Medal

The next letter is the first letter my father wrote to my mother as Mrs. Lorens Woodside; it seems Mom and Dad rented a room in Durham North Carolina where Dad is now stationed. Amazingly enough with Google Maps you can check out the street view and see what this neighborhood looks like. It looks like a nice place to live in with green all around. Maples and birches line the street and dot the neighborhood. I do not know if the houses there are the same ones that were there back in 1944, but it is the same area my parents lived in as newlyweds. I love the fact that our technology allows us to see actual pictures of the very street they lived on.

It seems Mom is settled in to the place in Durham and Dad is on the move. He has traveled about 150 miles and is in Wilmington which sits on the Coast of North Carolina and once again training. My father has now been from the Coast of California, to the beaches in Florida, and has now landed on the beach of North Carolina.

Mom and Dad

12 March 1944, Wilmington, North Carolina

Dearest Wife, Hi honey hows [sic] everything tonight. It’s quite wet here. Boy as Ben and I were talking it rained all the way down here. But you can’t prove it by me cause all I got was the drippings. I slept all the way. And the tarp leaked and I was underneath it. They were on the ball though we left about 7:00 and was[sic] here at 3:00. Besides being lost a couple of times we made the trip in good order. This is a dump. Man we are about 100 yrds from the ocean and as it is in Calf its foggy. But much warmer than at Durham. The streets are just sand no improvements. I guess we can stand it awhile though. Bob and I went to the show here and had to set down in about the front row. I guess it was raining there too because we had our feet in water about 1 ½ inches deep so you can see the way it is. I guess it would be good if we were use (d) to it. They have a man telling wild stories. Boy was he a mean civilian and I believe even he believes his stories. Well Darling I’ll go to bed now. We haven’t done anything to write about so you see I’ll have to waite [sic]. I love you my Darling, I love you, I love you, all my love, Lefty

Mrs Lorens Woodside

13 March, Wilmington, North Carolina

Dearest Wife, Hi honey Hows [sic] my wife tonight. We are in good order I think anyway. Had a very boring day though. We sat 8 hrs listening to an instructor who knew less about a machine gun than we. Only thing he knew was the names of the parts and I guess he read that in a book because he took it apart this morning and couldn’t get it back together again. So since then he has called on an enlisted man to assembly [sic] it again. We gave him the “he knew it” too. He seems to be a good egg though. I guess we can survive the issue though. Only 1 ½ days of classes yet then we are suppose (d) to know it all. Won’t he be fooled. I sure wish I were back cause I certainly don’t like this place. Although it is warm. I had my feet in the ocean today just think that is two of them (the Atlantic and Pacific oceans) Bob and I had to go down. Its [sic] about the same as the other only a little more sandy the water I mean. Cold too. I love you my sweet. I guess I better quit. I still haven’t anything to write. Only I love you very much. I hope you get my letters Darling we are taking a chance on getting them out. Sending them with someone’s elses [sic] mail. We haven’t a mail man of our own. I love you, All my love, Lefty

14 March, Wilmington, North Carolina

Dearest Wife, Hows[sic] my honey tonight. I just woke up. I laid down after dinner and guess I slept cause it is after nine now. Do I feel tough like I had been sleeping [sic] What do you know? We watched some Anti Aircraft firing last night. Boy was it fun. And would I hate to be a pilot and have someone shooting me like that. Wish you could have seen it. We get some firing in tomorrow. Guess we fire a 30 Cal. (caliber) Also then the 50. We were also told we had so much firing to do and we would do it even if we had to be here Sat and Sun. So we have to do some damn fast shooting but we will be there. As we were looking around today we found a couple exam papers that were left here by someone before us and are we ever studying now. Just like school cheating.

Oh no he didn’t! My dad did not just tell us he was cheating did he?

Vi and Lefty

I guess I better quit cause I’m sleepy again. Have I ever been catching up on some sleep. Boy early to bed late to rise. Hope you are doing the same honey. I also hope Junior is in better shape and also your back. I’m fine sweet and now ever hoping for an early return. I love you my sweet, All my love Your Husband.

Junior? Who is Junior? Now that I think about it I am not sure I want to know.

15 March, Wilmington, North Carolina

Dearest Wife, Well this should be the last letter I have to write on this excursion. We will finish our work and be back sometime on Sat unless of course the weather turns bad and then we have to stay longer. The planes won’t go up even if it is cloudy. But with the weather the way it has been we should worry. Have you written anyone this week. Gosh I haven’t. Only to Elmer and Harold (Two of Dad’s brothers). I have really been sleeping though. Boy will I be caught up by the time I return. We had our hopes up that we might return Fri but due to circumstances we won’t make it. Boy were we happy for awhile. We had a class at 7:30 tonight. Not much just a little observation and that was interesting. Say you know how I have been in this camp almost a week and can’t even get outside the door until I’m lost. Boy this is worse than Durham. We are actually less that 1 block from the classroom and if you don’t know the way over there you find yourself walking for hours. Bob and I got lost one nite [sic] and ended out in an open field somewhere. Since then we haven’t been able to find the field. All we can find now is trees. What a place. All my love, Your Lefty It’s legal now!

Carbine Sharpshooter on Dad’s Discharge Papers

According to my father’s discharge papers he earned a carbine marksmanship medal on 16 March 1944. It seems a carbine is an automatic rifle that has a shorter barrel on it making it a little more compact. It is interesting to find documents to back up these letters and now we know exactly what this trip away from his new bride was for. He was getting ready to fight.

Truman “Ben” Howard, Robert Winter,

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Posted in Family, My Father's Letter's | Tags: 110th Quartermaster, 35th Quartermaster, Army, family, My Father's Letter's, Robert “Bob” Winter, Trueman "Ben" Howard, World War II, World War II Love Letters

Posted by: notsofancynancy | November 22, 2012

World War II, chapter 39, The Wedding Postcards

World War II

The Wedding Postcards

Chapter 39

Capitol Dome and Snow Scene, Salt Lake City, Utah

To tell this story we must go into the future. We must move away from the 1940’s and into 2000, for just a chapter. By now you know that on that furlough in 1944 my parents got married. But in 2000 my family received horrible news. My sister’s home was burned to the ground. It was fully engulfed within 15 minutes. Our history was in that house: Our family Bibles; genealogy, Grandma’s and Dad’s bonds etc. who really knows what else we lost that day?

18 February 1944 Dear Pop & Mom, having a swell time so far. Won 64 cents in a blackjack game today. Met a sweet girl on her way to see her Hubby. Write when I get time. Love Viola

My husband and I were on our honeymoon when we heard of my sister’s house fire. We had come into town for my daughter’s surgery. I will never forget the conversation with Dad sitting on the cool stone hospital bench in the heat of the summer as he told me what had happened. It was a devastating blow. I knew our family history lie in those ashes.

San Juan County, Utah

About a week later Hubby and I headed up there to see what we could do. We ended up staying a month to get Sharon and her husband Harve back on the property. My sister lost 41 beloved cats in that fire. It was a special breed of Silver Tip Persian Cats. You can see her cats in movies like “Stewart Little.” One of her cats played Snowball, the big white cat in the movie and she sold a couple to Fancy Feast. “Gimmel” plays the pampered cat who gets his fancy feast served in a stemmed crystal bowl and the person in the scene clanks the spoon against the crystal which causes Gimmel to come running. She loved and took pride in these special cats. We set cat traps in hopes a few were able to get out of the house on their own. Doug and I went out each morning to check and reset the cat traps praying that we would find just one of her precious cats and disappointed each time we found the trap empty. I spent hours walking among the old oak trees calling for cats. I never found one though.

February 19 1944, Dear Mom and Pop, It is 11:10 and I am now $1.38 ahead Gee talk about beginners luck. One more day! I hope no one wants to play tomorrow I don’t like to win all the time, Love Viola

We were sifting through the ashes that had turned to muck from the water of the fire hoses. We were finding small things so it kept us going. A wedding ring, some jewelry, some coins and stuff like that. We had taken a break from sifting and had just come back to it. I knew we would never get through all of the ashes, but I was determined to find something important. It was hot, starting to smell really bad. I dreaded having to wear those masks that doctor’s wear. It was suffocating to me, as I am claustrophobic. I could not breathe. We were dirty, smelly, tired, and living in our motor home with two crazy Jack Russell Terriers. We only had the shower in the motor home so that meant very short showers. It was so discouraging we wanted to give up. I thanked God every morning for bringing me a wonderful husband who stood by me during this daunting task. He had to do things that I could not do. It was bad and he was by my side the whole time. I was assured that I had finally found the right man.

The Pioneer Monument, Salt Lake City, Utah

I was standing looking at my sister’s whole life turned into nothing but ash. There was not much left but hope. I thought what would Dad do? And I got back to work, because that is exactly what he would have done, without a thought. As I walked back I noticed in the area where I had been digging a piece of white paper that had not been there when we had left. I bent over to get a better look. It was an angel that my sister had drawn and cut out before the fire. It was the weirdest thing. It did not have one smudge on it, no burnt places, no water damage it was just sitting there where it had not been before. As I stood up I saw a small stack of what looked like postcards. The postcards in this post were in the middle and did not have too much damage. It was a miracle! Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, these pieces of our history had made it. I did not know at the time what an important role they would have in telling my parents story.

24 February 1944, Dear Folks; We dood [sic] it! We got married at 7:45 last night. We are on our way to see Aunt Dick & Grandpa & Grandma. Will write when we get time, Love Viola and Lefty

I now know why they were spared: To help me become interested in preserving the story of the journey of the postcards that began in February of 1944 and ended 56 years later when an angel pointed the way to me to find them and retrieve these tiny pieces of our history.

I feel like I should say The End….

Update 2012. I wrote this originally back in July 2011. Back then I did not think that I would be writing Dad’s story and wanted to tell the story of the postcard. I also focused on this last post card I never realized that the other two postcards were written right before Mom met Dad in Nebraska. I did not know why Mom would write “We dood it.” on the wedding announcement. Finding my grandmother’s letters I came across this newspaper clipping she had enclosed in one of them. It seems in 1944 Red Skelton had an incident and at once I knew this was the key to the mystery of “We dood it.”

‘Dood it’ Kid and His Bride to Be

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Posted in Family, My Father's Letter's | Tags: 110th Quartermaster, 1944 postcards, 35th Quartermaster, Army, family, Love Letters, My Father's Letter's, Salt Lake City, Utah, Wedding postcard, World War II, World War II Love Letters

Posted by: notsofancynancy | November 21, 2012

German Prisoners at Santa Anita Race Track

Santa Anita to get Nazis

This clipping was in one of the letters Grandma Susie sent to Mom while she was in North Carolina in about March of 1944. Santa Anita is a famous horse race track here in California. Although I knew it was used to inter Japanese Americans after Pearl Harbor I had no idea there were 2,000 German Prisoners

According to Allison Bell at the New York Times,

After the bombing of Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt ordered the evacuation of Japanese Americans to internment camps. While these relocation camps were being built, evacuees were ordered to stay for a few months at assembly centers throughout California, as well as in Arizona, Oregon and Washington.

Beginning in March 1942, about 19,000 Japanese Americans from Southern and Northern California lived at Santa Anita in hastily constructed barracks or in converted horse stalls, which some evacuees said never fully lost the stench of manure.

(Click here to read the full article)

It seems that once they got the internees to their camps they used the track for German Prisoners. Grandma Susie has not said anything about the article but they lived about five miles from the track and I have to wonder what her thoughts were on the subject, but then maybe not.

I find it very interesting having lived near Santa Anita most of my life. I never knew this. Once again I have learned something new. It’s not like I spent a lot of time at the racetrack, well ok there was that couple of years I dated that guy who loved to play to ponies.

I also found information about Camp Santa Anita at militarymuseum.org.

(Click here to read the article about it)

Don’t forget to tune in tomorrow for the latest chapter in my fathers World War II Journey

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Posted in Family, My Father's Letter's | Tags: Blog, blogging, California, family, German Prisoners, History, My Father's Letter's, Pasadena, Post a day, postaday, Santa Anita Racetrack, World War II

Posted by: notsofancynancy | November 15, 2012

World War II, chapter 38, Grandma Susie’s Wisdom

World War II

Grandma Susie’s Wisdom

Chapter 38

Nebraska Newspaper Clipping

As I related in the last chapter there are no letters from Dad during his furlough. What I did find in the suitcase were letters from my Mom’s mother, Grandma Susie that cover this time. Grandma Susie was quite the story teller and her letters include a lot of information about family and the day-to-day happenings so I will try to condense them to a manageable chapter.

21 February 1944, Pasadena, California

Dear Kids, We received your telegram just before Dad went to work and must admit we were surprised. Especially Dad for he said whenever anyone asked you Vi if you were going to get married while you were gone you’d said no. He said if he had known you were going to, he would have had a long talk with you, but I know you reached your decision after you met in Lexington. You both know we think a lot of Lefty and think he’ll be very good to you-our only objection is the war, knowing the life of an Army family isn’t easy, and we’re hoping you both are old enough to overcome all obstacles in your life and be very happy. Now you both will have more responsibilities and I hope your family responsibilities will help you be a better soldier instead of distract from your Army duties Lefty for during this war you are a soldier first and a husband second. You are now taking on the biggest job of your lives-the job of being happy in your married life-of having a happy home, wherever and whatever it may be, and this happiness is up to both of you, together and individually-for no one can make you happy unless you want to and try to be happy, and with both of you I think controlling your tempers and being reasonable will help a lot. I know we all get mad at times we wouldn’t be human if we didn’t, but I’ve learned as I grew older that my temper hurt me more than anyone else and made me and those I love most very unhappy. No two people think the same on everything and when you do disagree try to talk it over and decide whose way is best. Right now I’m feeling kind of sorry for myself for I had always hoped I would be there to see my daughter married, but don’t let that make you unhappy for above all else I want you kids to be happy and I know you are so that is all that matters. It seems impossible our little Snoodles [sic]is to be married Wednesday-Why it seems like it has been only a couple of years since I was a bride myself. So crowd as much happiness as you can into your lives while you are young for the years go rushing by so swiftly before you know it you’re 40 and you wonder where in the world the time has gone. I hope you had a nice wedding and that it was a lovely day. We were married on a Wednesday. Hope you had a talk with your Dr. and minister before you were married, sorry you didn’t get to talk to George.-Oh well maybe you found someone just as good or better. Our dreary weather continues, so dark and raining all the time. Lefty if you are as good to Viola as the Big English man (my grandfather) has been to me she will never have cause to complain and Vi if you aren’t’ as good a wife as I have tried to be so help me I’ll take you across my lap and spank you big as you are cause being Pops wife has been plum easy. We are looking anxiously for your letter telling us your plans. You know Vi we’d like to have you come back and stay with us until the war is over but whatever your plans are let us know. God Bless you children and all the happiness and good luck in the world. Lots of love, Mom and Dad We hope you bought something new to be married in, if not a dress at least a new blouse and let us know what it cost and we’ll pay for it-for at least I’d like to buy something for your wedding even if I couldn’t be there.

Nebraska Newspaper Clipping

My parents were married 23 February 1944 at the parsonage of the Methodist Church in Lexington Nebraska.

1944 Clipping

1 March, Pasadena, California

Dear Kids, Well I’ve been trying to write a long letter to Clara and George for the last 2 ½ hours. Finally got it wrote-seemed like there wasn’t a lot to write-like when I write a lot of crazy stuff like stories etc which reminds me. Yesterday after Dad went to work Grace and I and Anna Grey went over to Mrs. Chapman’s to finish up some of those slips we’re making for the navy relief and of course the faster we worked the faster we talked and we told a few stories. Anna told one of the guy who went into the store to buy his wife a nighty and the sales lady said they had 2 styles and asked which one he’d rather have, the style with the ruffle around the neck or the style with the ruffle around the bottom and he said “Oh give me the one with the ruffle around the bottom it’ll be up around her neck before morning anyway.” Pop said a fine way for a bunch of church woman to talk! Anyway I thought it was cute-not like his shipyard stories. Well I’m sort of getting off the subject. Mrs. Chapman served us coffer and cream pie this afternoon. I had to go down to help cook the church night supper. We had apple cobbler and were going to serve ice cream on it. Well they won’t sell one person over a qt. at a time so George took 8 of us down to the coast and we each bought a qt. I told him you were married and he wanted your address so I imagine you’ll hear from him. Say Della is working your pillow cases and she wants to know if you want her to send them straight to you. She said she started them as soon as you left for she was sort of expecting it. George said he wasn’t surprised after what you said at the last church night supper. Betty Winters said to give you her best wishes as did a couple of women who sang with you in the choir. Miss Sayre came up and someone was asking about you and of course she had to get all the low down and she said “You mean little Vi is married? Why the little dickens!” The service starters worked on Navy wives layettes at their last meeting. Well it sounds like you kids got to see a lot of people while you were in Kansas gosh I don’t know how you got to see so many in such a short time. When you get settled and rested from your trip you’ll have to write us who all you seen. Has Brookville and Salina changed much? You must of seen Pop Halsey cause you paid Dads dues . I think you kids have done a very good job of writing to us. So busy and so on the go from place to place. I don’t see how you found time to write. Thanks for taking the time for we have been so glad to get each letter and card and to know you are so happy and getting around so good. I imagine we can thank Lefty as much as Vi for the letters cause I know how she is about writing. Lots of love Mom and Dad

There are a dozen letters from Grandma Susie. Most of them are just daily happenings. But there are a few that pertain to Mom and Dad. Rather than bore you with Grandma’s washing and ironing here is some key information.

Newspaper Clipping

8 March, Pasadena, California

Dearest Family, We got your letter yesterday that you had written the next night after getting to Durham. Sure was glad to hear you got there and had a good nights [sic] sleep although it sounded like you must have slept some on the train Vi but I’m wondering if Lefty had a chance to sleep for taking care of you. I thought you’d just about come sick on the way to camp. I hoped you wouldn’t get sick to your stomach for Lefty’s sake as well as yours especially if some of the boys in his outfit were on the same train. So am glad you didn’t feel so bad, I really think those shots have helped you a lot. We were in hopes Lefty that she would be clear over that before you got married, don’t worry about it too much she may feel like the dickens for a few hours but it isn’t fatal. I never heard of a girl dying with cramps-sometimes we feel too sick to die ha ha!

My mother had Endometriosis. She would suffer three miscarriages between my sister and me and would eventually have a hysterectomy a few years after my brother was born.

We picked up 4 sailors on our way to Burbank. They were going to school here in Pasadena and just came out here to get to “the corner of Sunset and Vine,” and do Hollywood. Gosh two of them didn’t look a day over 16, I know one of them had never shaved yet you could tell by looking at him. Coming back we picked up 4 soldiers-they were older a couple of them were pretty tight. Gosh you make me dizzy, Omaha, Chicago, Pittsburg, Washington, Greensboro, and Durham all in one paragraph! Why at your age if I’d done Carneiro, Brookville, and Salina all in 2 days I felt like I really made a trip! Listen here kid I think you’ve been doing the United States the last three weeks! If anyone asks you that’ll be a honeymoon to tell the Grandchildren about. How far is Durham from camp? And can Lefty make pretty good time coming and going? After all he does have to have his sleep. Yes Vi I knew as soon as we got your telegram that you’d stay with Lefty as long as you could, that is as it should be, and I don’t think you’ll get very homesick for Pasadena-remember how I acted when Pop came out here without me? Just think how lonesome Lefty would be without you and how lonesome you’d be if you were back here without him! The two of you know how you’d have to put up with my scolding you just like before you were married, every time you got lonesome and cried. And now that you’ve had some time together you’ll be more lonesome without him than you were before, so just be thankful you’re together every minute you can be and crowd all the happiness you can into each hour so if you do have to be separated for a little while you’ll have a lot of pleasant memories to tide you over till you can be together again. But you just mustn’t think of the miles just think how doggone lonesome you will be if Lefty does have to go overseas. So until next time, Lots of love and best wishes. Mom and Dad.

In the last letter from my grandma, she encloses a note from her younger sister. It really says a lot about who my father was so let’s read on.

I don’t know where you get that stuff about your son-in-law being bashful or quiet. If you had seen him hugging Mom all the time and kissing her and everyone else. In fact Vi put on a good act of bawling cause she was being “left out” so early in married life. (but she loved it) I was surprised at the way the folks “Fell for” Lefty.” He does seem to fit right in though. He loved Mom’s dumplings and kraut and pudding. We were all sorry when they had to leave but were so very glad they could be with us when we needed them.

Grandma’s sister Clara lost a son just before my parents arrived in Kansas. It was a hard time for Aunt Clara and her husband George. I am glad that my parents were able to bring them some happiness in their time of need.

Vi and Lefty’s Wedding Picture

This pretty much sums up how all of Mom’s family felt about Dad. He always fit in and went out of his way to do whatever was in his power to help them out. Dad and Grandma Susie became fast friends and after Pop died Dad became the main man in her life.

It seems as though Mom is now living with Dad in a boarding house in Durham, North Carolina while he is at Camp Butner. What a happy time it must have been for both of them. Sadly I know this will not last as it is just about time for Dad to be sent overseas.

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Posted in Family, My Father's Letter's | Tags: 110th Quartermaster, 35th Quartermaster, Army, family, My Father's Letter's, World War II, World War II Love Letters

Posted by: notsofancynancy | November 14, 2012

Caught in the Draft, The Movie

Staring Bob Hop and Dorothy Lamour 1941

I found this news clipping in one of the letters in the suitcases. It was in a 1941 letter Grandma Susie wrote Dad. Billed as “The Big Laugh Blitz of 1941,” it stared Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour. According to the website IMDb.com:

Don Bolton is a movie star who can’t stand loud noises. To evade the draft, he decides to get married…but falls for a colonel’s daughter. By mistake, he and his two cronies enlist. In basic training, Don hopes to make a good impression on the fair Antoinette and her father, but his military career is largely slapstick. Will he ever get his corporal’s stripes? Written by Rod Crawford.

How cool is it that I was able to find the completer movie on You Tube?

So if you have an hour watch the movie it will get you in the mood for the latest chapter in my father’s ongoing World War II Story. Don’t forget to tune in tomorrow!

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Posted in Family, My Father's Letter's | Tags: 1944, Bob Hope, Caught in the Draft, Dorothy Lamour, family, historical, Hollywood, Movie, My Father's Letter's, Post a day, postaday, The Big Laugh Blitz of 1941, World War II

Posted by: notsofancynancy | November 13, 2012

1944 Newspaper Clipping

Pop Worked on the USS Appling

This is a newspaper clipping that was in one of Grandma Susie’s 1944 Letters. Pop, my grandfather worked, welding for Consolidated Steel Corp during the war effort, In Long Beach, California.

Check back Thursday for the next chapter in my father’s World War II, real life story or you can read from the beginning by clicking here.

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Posted in Family, My Father's Letter's | Tags: blogging, California, Consolidated Steel Corp, family, Family History, History, Long Beach, My Father's Letter's, Post a day, postaday, Worl War II, WWII Letters

Posted by: notsofancynancy | November 11, 2012

Veterans Day 2012- 110th/35th Quartermaster

In honor of my father and his fellow soldiers please help me in honoring them this Veterans day

Dad on the left in the Color Guard…. sometime in the 1940’s

Dad and his best buddy, Robert “Bob” Winter Overseas 1944-5

Dad on Left

35th Quartermaster Battalion

Join me on Thursday’s for the telling of my father’s WWII Story. Or you can check it out chapter 1 now by clicking on this link!

Read my favorite chapter here: The Yoo Hoo Incident

Or you can click on my WWII Category to find a list of all chapters

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Posted in Daily Ramblings, Family, My Father's Letter's | Tags: 110th Quartermaster, 35th Quartermaster, Army, Family History, History, My Father's Letter's, photo, photograph, Post a day, postaday, Robert Winter, soldier, Vetrans Day, World War II

Posted by: notsofancynancy | November 8, 2012

World War II, chapter 37, Counting the Days.

World War II

Counting the Days

Chapter 37

In the last chapter we saw Dad uncertain whether he would actually be granted a furlough to go home. This next letter finds him a little more confident that the furlough will happen. He is counting down the days.

March Letter

7 January 1944, Camp Butner, North Carolina

Dearest Vi, God Darling time is going so slow. We have 10 days to get started in now. Seems like a million years though. Sure wish we were starting today. I guess Madeline is counting the days also. Bob keeps telling me such. Between the four of us I believe time is at a standstill but each night I’m tired enough to drop into bed so I know it has come one day closer. I have to haul Officer’s mess rations tomorrow so that will be a long day. Nothing to do but sit around and think. It’s getting so thats [sic] all I do in the shows(movies) anymore. I guess I just go to be alone and dream. I hauled Italian Prisoners today and the more I saw of them the madder I got. I was about ready to run the whole bunch down with a 6×6. They seem to [sic] damn happy for me. 9 months ago they were shooting us in the back if possible. Now they have as good a deal as we. Even better. Some can understand us and I believe if I had known what some of them were saying to laugh at I would have gotten me a dozen right there. They were a bunch of little guys or I wouldn’t have said that. They sure had me mad though. Then one of the interpreters had guts enough to say they wouldn’t harm a thing. He went out of the cab of my truck so fast. He rode in the rear of another truck and I rode alone. We almost had a Civil War right there.

What would that have been like, hauling prisoners around and not knowing what they were saying? He must have felt intimidated with all the Italian being spoken and not being able to understand what they were saying and joking about.

You asked what Lt. Gordon meant when he said I would be sure to get my furlough the 15^th. If I were getting married. Well he just did not want me to miss my wedding I guess. In other words if Bob and I wanted we could have priority on the furlough then. We have anyway and we will all get out by the 17^th so that’s suits me fine. Wish you could have been here Sunday for dinner. We had chicken and ice cream. Anyway they drew rations for 185 men and only about 25 turned up and we just couldn’t let anything go to waste. I made up for my Christmas dinner then. Both Bob and I were hardly able to move all afternoon. Boy was I full. About 6 we went over to the service club and watched the dance awhile. Oh! Yes we danced some but not over 3 steps at a time. It was a tag and that’s about as long as one could keep a partner. I have sure attached myself to a good cough. Sure hope it finds a happy ending before I come home. It will though. It has too. You know Darling I love you so much. Yes I do Honey. And will I be happy when we get together. I certainly hate for you to have to take that trip alone though. I’ll have to close now Sweet so for another 10 days let’s just dream. Don’t make to [sic] many plans for Sat night after you get there because you’re going to bed and no kidding. I’m going to hide you somewhere so you can have a good rest then I’ll come and get you. How do you like that? Good nite [sic] darling. All my love, Your Lefty. PS Bob’s gone batty. He’s drawing pictures of the man in the moon. Next he will be going around snapping flies.

February Letter

10 February

Dearest Vi, Hi honey. Only 7 more days. Gosh just think. I hope nothing goes wrong between now and then. It positive I leave the 16^th or 17^th. I guess I could leave either. You know which it will be. I want to get home as near the time you do as possible. God Darling that won’t be too soon. I have some bad news. For me of course. Dad was operated on for the rupture around the 2^nd or 3^rd. I guess he was to have waited until I left here then took sick again and had to go then. Instead of going to Omaha though he was taken care of in Lex (Lexington, Nebraska). No I don’t know how he is. You see I’m not important enough in the family anymore to let things like that have any effect. I got a letter on the 8^th saying he had been operated on and such. They evln said he wasn’t out from under the ether yet. Not a word of how he was. If you see an awful blue haze over Lex. when you pull in you will know I got there first. Honey I wished again I had taken chances on coming out there. I’ll bet before this is over with you’ll wish you had let me waite [sic] or something. We certainly haven’t been doing much here. Have been trying for two days to take a 15 mile hike. One day it rained and today we didn’t have enough men left. After the details were out to go. It was wet too. We had to work on our trucks. We are back on that again. Have to make a trip to Virginia this month. And there are some awful mountains up there. I won’t be making this trip but I suppose there will be others. My sister whose husband is going into service is in Lex. He got word some time ago that he was going and moved back. I guess he has passed all exams now and waiting to be called. Maybe he’s in now. I don’t know. If not it won’t be long. I haven’t seen him for over two years. Well on my first furlough from Arkansas is the last time. They are home though. I hope you haven’t a cold honey. I know just how you feel if you have. I have one. And what’s more I have to be running around enough in the damp to keep it going and that’s about all. Guess a furlough will do me good. Darling time certainly going slow. I’m down to counting the hours now as they go by. God what will the last couple days be like. Guess I will be as worthless as now even then. Anyway it isn’t so long. I love you very much my Darling. Am hoping you the best trip ever. Take it easy Darling. I love you so. All my love, Your Lefty.

13 February

Dearest Vi, Hi Honey. Guess you’ll get this before you leave. Anyway I’m hoping I haven’t much time. But am going to scribble anyway. I’m in a much different mood than this though. We just had a drunken argument. Of course I as usual stood a happy medium and tried to keep it down. Well they didn’t come to fist work but lots of tongue. I got a little tired of it. Thanks sweet for the valentine. It was swell. I guess I need a (unreadable) because I can’t remember to think of anything but you. I’ll bet I made up my mind to go to town and get some things a dozen times. Theres [sic]always so many G.I.’s in town and God I hate to do anything that has to do with them. I have a million things to do anyway. I’ll make up for it someday darling. Believe me this is a hard night to write. Everyone is trying to talk louder than the other and boy what a mess. Just 4 more days Sweet. I also leave Thursday. At least I think so. We might leave Wed. That is if Bob has his way. And I’m not sure about that because he put his word in first and mine. I don’t know how much good I did at that. I’ll only be there a few days longer. May I stop for now sweet. At least you know I love you very much. I do darling so much. Nite [sic] now sweet. All my love, Your Lefty

That is the last letter Dad wrote to Mom until late March. I guess he got his furlough. I did find some letters from Mom’s Mother written to both Dad and Mom. Inside the first letter what did I find? A letter from MOM to Dad! Let’s read it!

Letter from Mom

Pasadena, California 13 February 1944

Dear Lefty, Do you think you can love a heathen? Well why I ask I haven’t gone to church for ever so long and I guess some people think that is what I am. We are supposed to go to Bill and Florence (John’s brother-in-law) for dinner today. But Mom went to church. The pickup stopped about two miles from home last night and Pop had to leave it and walk home and this morning the Buick would not start until Mr. Bain siphoned some gas out to put in the carburetor and pushed him. The battery is almost dead and setting all week the gas drained out of the carb. Tomorrow is Valentine ’s Day. I hope you got the Valentine I sent you. Well only four more days after today and I will be on my way. I am not sure whether I will work Wednesday or not. I hope so. One day is enough for me to get ready in. Mr. Bain and I pushed the Buick out to the street and I am so nervous I can’t write. That’s the first physical labor I have done in ages. Guess it got the best of me. All right so I never did I won’t argue with you over a cause in which you are very likely right on. We had a shower Friday night for one of the girls down at the church. She is getting married the 26^th. How her husband escaped the draft I don’t know. He is some kind of mechanical engineer at an air craft factory. Hal passed his physical but he has been sick ever since. His wife said she didn’t know whether it was a bad cold or the flu. You should see the girl who is taking my place at the office. She is homely as a mud fence. At one time her hair was blonde but it is growing out. A dedicated brunette. She is from Texas and what a drawl she has. I think Bill hired her because he is from Texas too. She is a good bookkeeper though and I am sure glad of that. I have been reading in the papers about the awful blizzards in the middle-west. Boy I am frozen already. We had a beautiful spot light or I guess I should say search light display up in the mountains Thursday and Friday nights. I don’t know what it was but they were all over the place and fanned out in the sky. Boy it sure was pretty. It sounds as though those trucks were about worn out to me. Gee are parts hard for you to get too? They keep telling us the Army is getting all the parts so we can’t get them but I guess you are getting them all. Maybe they mean overseas or something huh? You thought you would fix me by telling about the new parts they had to put in Bob’s brakes didn’t you? What do you think I hung around the parts dept so much for? I sure would like to work in one. I love to monkey with auto parts. Honey I had hoped you would get home a few days before me but you might yet. I thought you ought to kind a get acquainted with your family before I dropped in. Well dearest I must close and get the bedroom kind a cleaned up before Mom comes from church and wants to know what I have been doing. I love you dear. I’ll see you in a little while now. All my love, Viola.

With that we end all the correspondence between the two from February until March 18, 1944. I will have to speak with my family to see if they have any memories of what happened during this time. What I do know is they both made the trip to Nebraska. I guess you will have to wait until the next chapter to see what happens.