Colleen Moore's Doll House - Wednesday, July 31, 1963

Ruth and Bob and Shirley stopped for a minute this evening. They're leaving tomorrow. I finally got a letter written to Terry Seelye and one to Barbara Page. I sent along the WRA minutes I finally got typed to see if she could duplicate some copies and file them. I got the information about Colleen Moore's doll house. It didn't give too much specific information about the glass part, so I still don't know for sure what Mr. Melville part was.

Grandma and Grandpa's Anniversary - Tuesday, July 30, 1963

We had Lorahs and Shirley here for supper. Then Grandma and Grandpa, Leets and Cuddebacks came for ice cream and cake for Grandma and Grandpa's anniversary. We kids played soccer for a while - thus I have a bruised leg. We showed some slides later this evening to Ruth and Bob. There were certainly a lot of local news items today, and a couple more I could have had but saved for tomorrow. Kathy Amayo, my "little sister," wrote to me. I'm sorry I didn't see more of her last year, but she was able to take care of herself so well.

Fourth Place in Miss Iowa Contest - Monday, July 29, 1963

Peggy McKinstry was third runner-up in the Miss Iowa contest. I heard on the news last night that she was one of the five finalists and found out at the Journal this morning that she was fourth, after we heard she wasn't one of the top three. I just had a feeling she could be among the finalists. Miss Davenport won (from Illinois), followed by Ames (from Minnesota), Burlington, Washington County, and Manona. Leets, Shirley - the girl Lorahs brought to Iowa with them - Betty Peters and we girls went miniature golfing tonight.

Leet-McDowell Reunion Had 50 There - Sunday, July 28, 1963

We had a Leet-McDowell reunion at Grandma's today. There were about 50 people there this time compared to over 70 two years ago. Quite a few of us were out there for supper, too. Well, I didn't get my letters written again. Some I really must get off. I played softball with Jim, John and Arney, and Phyllis joined us for badminton foursomes. Donnie Bishop had Carol Jungbluth, the girl he's engaged to, there. A year ago tonight we were in wondrous Winnipeg.

State Traveling Library Information - Saturday, July 27, 1963

This seemed to be another one of my lazy afternoons off, as I don't believe I accomplished much this afternoon. I finished up my article on Mr. Melville. It seems like I'm so often coming out with four and one half page feature articles. I think I'll wait for the State Traveling Library to send information on Colleen Moore's doll house for which he designed some pieces. They went ahead and used my story on the girls 4-H fair preparations. Iris and I were hoping we could get a picture to go with it.

The Oldest of All First Cousins - Friday, July 26, 1963

We went down to Parcells for a buffet supper. There seem to be a lot of little boy cousins again. It's sort of nice to be the oldest of all my first cousins. I bought a green corduroy car coat with red, white and green pile lining today at Wards. I finally decided on it after comparing all the town had to offer, including those at the new Spurgeon store. Charles was in a pretty good mood today and seemed pretty tolerant of my ideas - not that he usually doesn't - it's just that he has to have the upper hand.

Interviewed a Herman Melville Descendant - Thursday, July 25, 1963

I love Evelyn. She finally wrote just when I did (as I figured would be the way). We wrote about and asked about practically paragraph for paragraph, the very same things. We are a lot alike. This afternoon I went out to interview Ralph Melville, a glassblower who lives in Washington. He's quite the person - educated at the University of Leibniz in Germany, lectured at Stockholm, taught at the University of Washington, been on the Ed Sullivan Show, and is a descendant of Herman Melville. He gave me a tiny orange vase he had made. Mrs. Hahn came tonight so we girls could order some Avon products. Varners and Lorahs are at Grandma's now.