June 19
Is it just me, or do all the June 19ths seem to flow together?
1966
Happy Father’s Day! Dad liked his present - an 8x10 enlargement of an old photo of me, Bob and him. Now he’s got a whole pile of snaps he wants done.
Four days! I finished my bathing suit - light blue denim with red and white trim. It reverses to a navy blue granny print. It’s not a bikini, but it will do.
Right this minute the shorts part is in the dryer. I’m trying to shrink them. Hope it doesn’t shrink too much. The top already makes me look like a boy. Well, not exactly like a boy.
1978
Another incredibly hot day. I took my bike to campus today, despite the heat. It's always comfortable riding there as the air cools me off. When I get there, though, I feel I’ve been in an oven. BW bought me lunch today, to celebrate my fellowships. We had a pleasant lunch of mushroom crêpes and Chablis. I have neglected her because I've been busy. She is a really nice person and very intelligent and interested in many things. Must cultivate this friendship.
Comment 2023
She moved to Massachusetts, but we are still in touch, and even visit now and then. Good decision, Jo!
1979
So I have been 30 for a month, whatever that is worth. It’s still the same old me, procrastinating, having an odd sandwich and a beer for lunch. (Today, chopped hot dog, tomato, lettuce and bean sprouts on a hot dog roll.) There are things to do, many of them chores. What isn’t a chore? Ironing. I do a lot of ironing when I have anything else to do. Right now I am watching the 700 Club marathon. I admire their faith. I wish I had it, in anything. But being an evangelical Christian just isn’t me.
Comment 2023
Said the lapsed Lutheran preacher’s granddaughter. Four years to go before I found my religion.
1982
Kiddo is seven weeks old today and she learned her first trick. She turned the pages in her book! She just pushes them aside with your hand, but the intention is obviously there and she seems pleased with the result.
I am very, very gradually fitting our lives together. For the first eight months before she was born, she went my way. Now for a time I'm going hers. Come September, we must go our separate ways a bit. I am both dreading it and looking forward to it. On the negative side, I will miss her. She has become quite a companion, when she sleeps I start to miss her and even anticipate her waking. Also come September I will have an accounting to do – – the research work that is necessary. But I did promise to take June off, so I should put that out of my head.
The positive side, I'm sure by then she'll get more stimulation at daycare than at home with me trying to work. And I'll get more work done. Most important it will be stage two of adjusting to motherhood – – reincorporating the job. I'll be ready to go back, by then. (I think. I am enjoying my newfound leisure.) It isn't all leisure, though. There's a research project in the back of my mind. The course I'm teaching this fall, too – – historiography. So much to do! The collection… Mary C’s thesis, Joan's thesis, writing! Kiddo divides my time a bit too finely. I never did like working in short spurts. Maybe it's time to learn.
1997
Today I take a graphics class and Kiddo 1 begins a voice class. Yesterday we took ourselves out to lunch and talked about summer dreams. I have lost my exercise habit, with so many morning events. But soon I will regain it.
2003
Well, maybe today. It is still raining, but Kiddo 2 is feeling better. That makes me feel better. I need some exercise, and to do some writing. (It’s been big time avoidance week.)
2006
Jim is off to General Assembly in St. Louis for a week. I am hoping for a productive 7 days on my own. I’ve done my project planning for the week and got some stuff out of the way today. Some important emails, some cleaning, and a meeting with a landscape designer. By the end of July, we’ll have better drainage in the back yard and a new patio. I also watched bit of “Pollack” until a huge thunderstorm rolled in and convinced me to turn off the TV and computer.
I am so enjoying my drawing class. It is fantastic having the chance to focus on drawing. Time slows down and I am totally in the moment. I think this experience of being suspended in a task is a necessity.
Time to go to sleep!
2019
New Jersey is boring.
Comment 2023
What did New Jersey do to deserve that?
Is it just me, or do all the June 19ths seem to flow together? This is turning out to be a fascinating way to organize my personal history. At some point I might remix it chronologically, or at least provide a time line of sorts.
2024
I decided to take the writing workshop, which focuses on Japanese poetry forms. So far it’s been haiku (5-7-5) and katauta (two groups of 5-7-7). The first day, I realized that I think in sentence fragments. The second day, I began compulsively counting syllables. Star Island has always been a place where I find poetry; this year I practically have to dodge the incoming lines and phrases. In two days I have produced (caught?) nine poems.
Here is one:
That first sip of coffee
Light streaming through the clouds
Morning on the porch.
Poor NJ!