July 4

1966

First day of school! For once I felt alone. The girls ignored me.

We went to Sears to have our pictures taken for the country club. I bought a vinyl tote bag for $9.90 (about 80 cents) and then went to El Dragon de Oro and got a dish for Mom for $21.25 (about $1.75. It’s beautiful- I hope she likes it.

Mr. D talked to me about something I’ve been doing wrong - like being interested, perceptive, and polite.

At 4 I went to school and had a short lesson and then went to see the club. It’s very nice - has a pool, tennis courts, baseball games, etc. Lovely. I have to get a short white skirt for tennis - I’m going to learn , I guess. I might buy a racquet, too, but I really don’t want to. Of course, if I have to, I have to.

Then - back to school. I listened to part of the Mexican Constitution, and took a spelling test. I got 11 wrong the first time and 2 the second. Tomorrow I take the Constitution again, and penmanship.

P.S. Happy Independence Day!

Comment 2023

This was the first year of a locally-sponsored “exchange” program that was the brain child of Mr. D,  a Spanish teacher at my high school. Sr. Cervantes, who ran two private schools for girls, was a friend of his. One school, the one at his house, was for middle-class girls and met during the day. The other, for working class girls, was in the evening in a building downtown. That’s the one I ended up going to, because during the day Mr. D was showing me the sights. He and his wife wanted to join a club so they could play tennis; I think I eventually talked them out of including me, but I still went with them to the club a few times a week and used the pool. 

I was left on my own quite a bit, hanging out with schoolmates or the other young people at the apartment where I stayed. I think Mr. D’s criticism had to do with the times when I would be at the Cervantes house for a meal, or waiting to go somewhere. My Spanish was ok but I couldn’t keep up with most conversations, and would end up just sitting there, looking at magazines. Even in the best of situations, I am not outgoing in groups of strangers. So yeah, I didn’t act interested, or perceptive, and probably came off as rude. 

And I still have the dish.

1976

After at least a year if Bicentennial madness, it’s finally here. The last week there has been a gradual swelling of pride, imperceptible at first, but no opening expressed. It has been an inspirational event. Hope. It’s everywhere tonight. The country seems reborn. Ought to do it more often.

Comment 2023

It feels like hyperbole now, but coming after assassinations, Vietnam, and Watergate, the Bicentennial felt pretty good, if only for a moment.

1977

Very busy week. R and C came had a real good time, then I finished my papers… At last, then Mom came. Life seems to be slowing down, at last. A bit. Tomorrow it starts again I'll take chemistry 103 for six weeks. Horrors. The schedule is incredible all morning 8 to 1:45, five days a week. BLEAH it is so very hot!!

1978

I have so much to do, and each task keeps alternately pushing to the surface, demanding my attention, and suddenly sinks like stone. So it is list-making time again. There is hope - - my handwriting is fairly neat today, so I think I am in an accomplishing state of mind.

Voila le list:

Sort and discard American Philatelists

Rewrite and retype publicity. (Perhaps write down my ideas and arguments.)

Make neat version of Smithsonian analysis tool. 

Clean bicycle wheel

Make potato salad

Read French

Read for fun!

Maybe iron

Hopefully, practice piano

1987

So this is what a sabbatical is like. So far it’s been full of ups and downs. Ups: not having to dress for the office, not having to schedule grocery shopping around my work. Downs: specifically, the BIG DOWN, not getting as much done as I’d hoped, is my main source of stress. I am chagrined that I didn’t plan better, financially. The big drop in income could have been softened if we hadn’t decided to “eat, drink and be merry” our way to an uncomfortably large VISA bill. Could I have planned more of my work ahead? Maybe, maybe not. I was very busy last semester, and June was taken up with all the loose ends. Too many things to do, not enough time. How long do I also, anyway, sitting on the floor making faces at Kiddo 2? Or making a She-Ra shield for Kiddo 1? HA!

2024

Still testing positive, but feeling much better. Beating the dreaded Paxlovid mouth with peanut butter and chocolate Ensure. That’s all until I regain full functionality.