New Year's Eve Party at Mary Ellen's - Monday, December 31, 1962

We welcomed in the New Year at Mary Ellen's house while playing cards and listening to the radio countdown with "toasts" to 1963. After that we danced till 4:00 with time out at 3:00 for meatballs and spaghetti at 3:00. No one except Helen and I showed up (we thought some of the guys tried to come but couldn't find their place where they live now between Tiffin and Cosgrove) but we had fun with her brother Dave and his friend. I finished up my red dress this afternoon and wore it tonight. They liked it and so do I. Phyllis and Virginia drove me to Birkeys and then they took us on to Frytown where Dave met us and took us to their house.

1962 Has Been a Good and Profitable Year - Sunday, December 30, 1962

1962 is about over (one more day but I probably won't be writing again before the year is gone). It has been a very good and profitable year for me. I am really very lucky, so many nice things have happened to me. This afternoon we worked on my financial aid application blank for next year. I probably won't be able to get anything since I don't have a 2.0 average (Park's top, by the way is 3.0, whereas most colleges use 4.0 for A) and they have always said we have enough income that I didn't need financial aid. Virginia is staying all night at Bonnie's. Betty was here for a while this afternoon.

Went to See Karen and Her Baby - Saturday, December 29, 1962

I got a good start on my dress, though I didn't work too hard on it. I'd like to get it done in time for Mary Ellen's party. This afternoon I went to see Karen Baker Speas. They live where Karen used to live now and have a baby girl, Tammy Lynn, born a week ago yesterday. She's real cute. Except for the chance meeting last summer, I haven't talked to Karen since the day of her wedding. It was sort of interesting catching up on the West Chester segment of the class and recalling old times, but it makes me feel rather old! Yesterday I went to Advance Ross Manufacturing and to the Journal office to see about the possibility of a job starting the last week in April. Maybe I can get one or the other.

First A in a College Course is in Psychology - Friday, December 28, 1962

My grades came this morning. I finally got an A in a college course - psychology! Thank heavens, I got a C in religion. I was sort of sweating that one out. I got a B in French and phys ed, and C in history and sociology. It comes out to a 1.6 average [on a 3.0 scale] - not quite as good as my planned B average. Oh dear. We went to town this afternoon. I exchanged the brown skirt for a pink wool sweater with hood and two print blouses. I also got a cute print dress on sale at Penney's for $3.00 and my pattern. I cut the dress out tonight. I called Helen and then she called me back tonight about going to Mary Ellen's New Year's Eve party. They wanted me to call Bob Parcell and tell him about it, but he  already had plans made (he may see about going, though).

Bought Material For a Red Cocktail Dress - Thursday, December 27, 1962

I have a headache, but I guess I should be glad I don't get them in college (can only remember having one) like Gloria, I think it was, who said she had had one for the last year. We went down to Parcells for dinner. It was the New Year's dinner early. We stopped in Fairfield on our way down and I got three yards of a pretty red material to make a cocktail dress. It's going to be stunning! Mrs. Kline was here tonight. She's selling Minnesota Woolens now and I ordered a knit (cotton) shift dress in a green and white stripe with a green tie. It's real cute. Phyllis is getting a tan one.

Made Cookies For Children's Home - Wednesday, December 26, 1962

This afternoon Phyllis, Virginia and I and the rest of the girls in the Sunday School class went out to Grandma's to bake Christmas cookies for the children's home in Ottumwa. Jeff was so cute and "helpful" rolling out cookie dough with his own little rolling pin and so forth. These days seem to go so fast. I wrote a few more Christmas cards. It doesn't seem to me like Christmas should be past already, I guess because it was so late in the season before I could even think about it. I patched my blue slacks where I caught them on a nail down at the gym, but I see it didn't hold.

Christmas 1962 Was Truly a White One - Tuesday, December 25, 1962

Christmas 1962 was very nice. It snowed here last night for the first time this winter. It won't happen that way very often, that you get the first snow of the year right on the day for a truly "White Christmas." I got a new tan sweater, brown skirt (that I'll probably exchange), Laura Ingalls Wilder's new book, On the Way Home, red knee socks, billfold, diary, post-a-notes, silk blouse, and girdle from Santa Claus, necklace from Ann, magic mascara from Virginia, circle pin from Phyllis, note papers and star fish pin from Schwartzes, and $3.00 from Grandma Kay. We all got the game of Troke from Schwartzes. Cuddebacks, Grandma and Grandpa, and Varners were here for dinner. This seemed like a fast Christmas. But it was really a nice one.