We, Too, Have "Made Way for Ducklings" Near Boston - Tuesday, July 20, 1965

Jim, Larry, Janet, John, Betty, Linda and Shirley came here this evening. I played Touring with Larry, Janet, Linda and Shirley and the others played Hearts. They wanted to go to Iowa City or someplace, but it wasn't a very good night for driving. This afternoon I went to town with Phyllis. I got the things I had taken to the cleaners. They weren't able to clean my two red dresses. I checked out Robert McCloskey's Make Way for Ducklings from the library. The line of eight or so baby ducks that also caused us to "make way for ducklings" as eight lanes of traffic stopped for them near Boston last Thursday reminded us of the book.

We Had a Family Reunion at Grandma and Grandpa's - Monday, July 19, 1965

We had a family reunion at Grandma's tonight. Lorahs, Leets, Varners, Parcells and Cuddebacks were there besides us. Varners are going back home tomorrow. Last evening as I was going back through pages of this diary, I had a phone call - it was Tex calling from North Texas State University where he has been since Saturday. If he can keep a 2.5 average (on a 4.0 scale) he won't have to pay back the loan that he got through his church until after he graduates. I mowed some grass until the rain came, then wrote to Tex.

We are Home and the Cousins are Arriving in Iowa - Sunday, July 18, 1965

We got home at 6:45. It took us, to the minute, as long to return from Cleveland as it did to go last Saturday. We are a little tired - and cramped from riding two in a seat belt in the back seat for nine days and 3,113 miles - but other than that, pleased with the results of a wonderful trip. I drove some again in Indiana and Phyllis did in Illinois. Now the fun begins - the relatives are arriving at Grandma and Grandpa McDowell's for another "invasion of the cousins." Ruthie and her three boys have been here, and now Leets and Varners are here.

Learned about Glass Making at Corning Glass Works - Saturday, July 17, 1965

We arrived back in Cleveland at 7:30 this evening. We drove past the stadium crowd on the way in, but there wasn't much chance of our going, I don't think. We watched on television - Cleveland beat Boston, 8-5. They are four games out. This morning we drove past two different houses where Grandma used to live in Elmira, New York. I sent Linda Cleveland a postcard from her hometown. I sent another to Seth of the telescopic mirror at the Corning Glass Works where we stopped this morning. The glass on display was fabulous and the glass making factory and exhibits pertaining to the industry were also good.  

Went by Aunt Emily's House in Oswego, New York - Friday, July 16, 1965

We crossed the rest of little Rhode Island, Connecticut and the Catskills of southern New York and tonight we are west of Oswego. We stopped in the town and looked at the house where Grandma came to visit Aunt Emily. We had an early lunch (delicious ham and potato salad with lots of greens) at a nice little German restaurant. I drove in Connecticut and some of New York. The hills again were so pretty. At times we were completely surrounded by a circle of hills. We had a dip in our motel pool. I've sent a postcard to Tex every day - if I were to stop now he'd think something had happened. Recent news: Adlai Stevenson died suddenly Wednesday in London. Mariner 4 is sending back more pictures.

Saw Plimoth Plantation and the Restored Mayflower II - Thursday, July 15, 1965

Today we went to Plymouth, Massachusetts where we saw the restored Pilgrim village of "Plimoth Plantation." The area was so congested that we stopped only briefly at the "rock" and Mayflower II. We didn't go aboard the restored ship, although it is possible to do so. We are west of Providence, Rhode Island tonight, headed home. We've been having a very good trip and enjoying our sightseeing although seven in the car gets kind of crowded. Before we left Pemaquid Point this morning we helped feed the seagulls. They would sometimes eat right out of our hands.

Saw Ocean for First Time at Pemaquid Point in Maine - Wednesday, July 14, 1965

It took 22 years, but now I've seen an ocean (Mom's first time, too). We found our way down quiet Maine country highways to Pemaquid Point. We have a whole house for our sleeping quarters next to an inn where we had halibut tonight. We explored the huge rocks that line the coast here and watched the tide recede. High tide was at 12:50 today - we got here about 4:00. There is a lighthouse on the point. Ann and I sat there spellbound by the ocean, waves and seagulls for a while this evening. Everyone is so friendly here - mainly older people. We met a college student from Grinnell, Iowa who is working here this summer.