Found Two New Dresses at Bridges - Wednesday, July 22, 1964

Hair always looks the best just before you go to bed. So true! I just came forth with a style that the girls think is pretty great for something I did myself. That's true, too. I hope I can keep it this way till tomorrow, but I guess I won't sit up all night. I went on one of my once in a while shopping splurges and, for the first time in my life, bought something at Bridges. In fact, I got two dresses, both on sale - a $15 (regularly $20) Rosecrest arnel and nylon pink-yellow-blue print two piece, and a tailored blue shift with a red belt and trim. I started sewing on my shirtwaist.

Am Reading The Catcher in the Rye - Tuesday, July 21, 1964

I'm about to finish reading The Catcher in the Rye. It seems too depressing for me to get the full enjoyment of its meaning. I cut out one of the shirtwaist dresses that I've had the material and patterns for all summer. Maybe I'll get it sewn before much longer. It has been so hot these days. The air just hangs on you. We enjoyed corn on the cob and watermelon tonight. Mom, Virginia and Ann had a dentist appointment at 10:30, so I got dinner. Daddy likes his secretarial job at the high school. It seems strange to live in a home where the head of the house has an 8:00-5:00 office job.

Philosophizing About Goldwaterism with Mom - Monday, July 20, 1964

At last - Daddy mailed the yearbook pages from the Wellman post office. It came to $4.80. I wrote to Verna Thompson to tell her I hope to be able to see her in Cleveland and to Flo. I got quite a few local news items today. Nic was at the races in Indianola, Iowa, yesterday taking pictures. He got a bad sunburn and nearly got run over by a car - he had a picture that someone took that really showed the effects of his misadventures. He taped it above his desk. That poor guy. Mom and I think that Goldwaterism has something to do with Communist infiltration, and I've taken it as far back as Kennedy's win over Nixon.

Substituted on a Corn Detasseling Crew - Sunday, July 19, 1964

The kids detasseled corn this afternoon, and Virginia, Linda Pence and I substituted to help them make a crew. We worked from 1:00 to 6:00 at $1.15 an hour since Sunday is overtime. I guess I finally got broken in, although I don't know how many tassels and suckers I missed. I guess Varners think they'll be getting to Kansas City too early to take the yearbook pages. Mom talked to Betty Bishop out at Grandma's today, and she said just to mail the package first class, so I guess we'll do that from Wellman. We went out tonight to give Jeff and Calvin horseback rides.

Drove the Tractor to Put Straw in the Barn - Saturday, July 18, 1964

I drove the tractor this afternoon to put up straw. It finally cooled off and almost blew up a rain, but it was hot enough for a while. KCII said it was 100 in Washington. I presented most of my proposal to Pat about taking my package of yearbook pages to Park, but then a load of straw came into the driveway, and she took off for town. They'll surely be able to do it for me. I've been enjoying my evening bike rides again, now that my part of the yearbook is done. I can't believe that yet - I've had it to do for almost a year. I got a letter from Verna Thompson. She's at Case Western Reserve University this summer, so maybe I'll get to see her.

Encountered Problems Trying to Mail Yearbook Pages - Friday, July 17, 1964

I've been delayed again. I got the yearbook pages ready to mail, but a man at the Washington post office said it would be better to send it by registered mail than insured (seems the latter is more easily lost), that do so would cost at least $6 because of the weight of the package, that it had to be sealed airtight, and that it could be addressed on one side only. He asked me if I knew anyone going down there. So after finding no envelope at the bookstore or Journal office large enough to put the package in and start over, I decided to bring it home. I guess I'll have Pat and Delbert drop it off at Park when they go back.

Goldwater and Miller Are Republican Candidates - Thursday, July 16, 1964

Barry Goldwater of Arizona is the Republican candidate for President. I don't care much for his running mate, Bill Miller of New York. He looks a little sneaky. I don't know what to think of Goldwater. I think he'll be pretty hard for me to buy. It's interesting to observe and try to interpret political history in these trying times. I just found instructions from Karen today for me to do two yearbook pages on "Hell Week," so I got them done tonight. This morning I checked through page by page and wrote special instructions for Karen. It should be ready to mail tomorrow.

So Much Trouble as States Prepare to Vote - Wednesday, July 15, 1964

I have not given up the fight for Scranton - nominations are going on now. I'm going to stay up to watch the voting. They've had so much trouble - counterfeit tickets, refusal to let Scranton demonstrators into the Cow Palace, failure to deliver letters for the Scranton cause (ours included?) to state delegations, and I don't know what all else. As I said today on the "Man on the Street" program when asked what I thought about political conventions, "I'm beginning to wonder what some people are thinking of American democracy." I went to Aunt Bertha's funeral between my news round and press time. Varners are here. Debbie is so cute.

Former President Eisenhower Spoke at Convention - Tuesday, July 14, 1964

The convention - Eisenhower's speech - drew a little more of my time than the yearbook did tonight. I can't believe that I'm almost done - no more copy to write! This yearbook ought to be superb from even that standpoint, considering that none of the organizations have been written about, at least in recent past years. Nic evidently spent most of last night along with officers watching the Skunk River for a body that a fisherman said he saw floating - but nothing more was seen. Oh well, it adds excitement to a quiet town on a summer day.