For the Family After flatlining for the better part of a year, our church renovation project is finally being resuscitated. We're ready to do some major demo work on the interior, which means we need to vacate the place for a few months as we tear down in order to build up. This weekend I began moving non-daily essentials to the basement for storage and came upon an old diary of mine.
I began it in 1989 when I was 9 years old. My world then was small, easily upended by a lost softball game or bad grade on a test (OK, things haven't changed too much in 21 years).
As I was reading through it, I thought my family might get a kick out of revisiting some old memories.
Jan 1, 1989
I am 9. We went to our Grandma's today. We had noodle soup. It is 10:30 now. We have a dog named Scruffy. Randy has a bird named Polly. David has a bird named Woodstock and I have a bird named Barney. My grandma gave us an Apple II GS computer. All our pets are doing fine. HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
Jan 8, 1989
This is the best day of my life. Mom took me to Venture and got me a big barret, a hair crimper and a hair waver. David crimped his bangs. He looks like a baby. No offence David. We waved Scruffy's hair. All the pets are doing fine.
Jan 16, 1989
We made cookies today. Peanut butter cookies. I wonder what Honkie means. [I wonder why I wondered that?] I went to Peases with Rhiannon and got $1.76 worth of candy. We had Macroni and Cheese for dinner. I wish Barney and Woodstock would have babys. There's not such a thing as the tooth fair and Santa.
Jan 17, 1989
Randy's sick. Jan. 20 George Bush is going to be our new president. Ronald Regan was good. Andrew is a dumb donkey. [Foreshadowing, perhaps?]
Jan 26, 1989
Still sick! David went to school but me and Randy and Mom stayed home. I have TONS of homework. Mom was really nice to me. She treated me kind and read me stories. Dad and David were too. We watched David on Battle of the Books.
Feb 9, 1989
I lost my applince today. David found it in the Kleenex box. I lost a tooth 2 years ago. I'm putting it under my pillow to prove there's no tooth fairy. [Why did I question money appearing under my pillow?!]
Feb 10, 1989
Tooth fairy didn't come last night. I want to be an astronomer and astronaut when I grow up. I want to go to the Moon or Mars or just float in space.
Feb 21, 1989
I feel great!! Reason #1 is we have puppets tomorrow. #2 is the boys didn't bother us. #3 is I don't have to take a bath tomorrow. [These are still good reasons for feeling great.] We had cream ship beef for dinner.
March 7, 1989
Dad took me out to see the northern lights. But we didn't see them. Mom is yelling at me for my room. It is a mess!! I'm grounded till it is cleaned.
March 15, 1989
I can't wait! We were eating dinner and Mom said that we get to go to North Carolina for Easter!!! I can't wait! I get to see my relatives! We had speggtigh for dinner. My Two Dads is one of my favorite shows. It was about sex this time. EWW!
March 17, 1989
Me and Dad have Pinch Bug and Love Bug but Dad gave me Green Bug. It is green with googly eyes. We had macronia and cheese.
March 26, 1989
It doesn't seem like easter at all! Guess what! Sarah (our counisin) is spending the night with me at our hotel. David and Randy are spending the night at Matthew.
March 27, 1989
Aunt Janet's here! She is SO nice. She put Emily, Sarah, and my hair up into a bun. Brian was being nice when we were playing hide and see. We ordered 6 pizzas!
March 28, 1989
Unfortalany we have to leave tomororw. At Krispy Kreme me, Aunt Janet, and Mom made something like a club or a name. We called ourselves the SS treois. We went to Uncle Bob's office and we took a tour of it. His job is a graphic artist. David wants to be one. I want to be one in my spare time. [Ha!] I will miss all my counsins and reltivits.
March 30
Me and David are making a bueissness like Uncle Bob. David is my boss. Randy is yelling at me to get my light off so bye.
April 7, 2009
Mom and Dad went out to eat at Mountain Jacks. We stayed here alone and had pizza. Randy and David made some pranks. They were SO funny.
April 20, 1989
Happy Birthday Mom! Me, David, and Randy went to Peases to get her some candy. I got some for me, too. We were going to have a party for her but it was too late because I had my Art in the Round workshop. When we got back it was past 9:30! It was too late to give her my gifts. We had tacos for dinner.
May 1, 1989
Guess what!! David has a girlfriend. Her name is Cournty. David and Cournty, sitting in a box, kissing naked, oh my gosh! [Could that be THE Cournty??]
We are going to the Ranger's funeral Wednesday. Aunt Janet is sending me earrings.
May 14, 1989
It is Mother's Day today! I love my mom, and I'm glad she's my mom. I'm SO upset. Like a Prayer is #2. Bonjovi I'll Be There For You is #1. I listened to Caysey's Top 40. We went to Grandma's today. She made noodle soup.
June 1, 1989
SCHOOL'S OUT!!! My last day in Laketown. My last day in fourth grade! I'm looking forward to Jefferson!!!
June 9, 1989
HAPPY BDY TO ME!!! Mom and Dad gave me a boom box on top of my 10 speed!!! I love Mom and Dad. Randy and David gave me a CARD. Randy is STRANGE! I apperitaite it though.
June 16, 1989
Mom took me strawberry picking this morning. We got tons of strawberrys for only $5.00. Mom also took me to B&J Coin Shop. It really should be called Baseball Assericois Shop. There is more baseball stuff than coins.
June 18, 1989
Happy Father's Day to my top pop. I love dad. Mom made a cake and icing. I gave dad blue mints and a card. Since Randy is gone, Mom is doing the paper route every day and me and David take turns. I'm doing it tomorrow.
June 19, 1989
I had to deliver the paper this morning. It is a drag. David is having Jhon spend the night in the tent in the backyard so that means I have to deliver the papers again in the morning. I want to to have Emily spend the night in the tent. Dad got us MTV. I love it. It is so cool. We had pot pies.
July 1, 1989
This morning was totaly boring. Then our hole family went to Jeffery Alans. Randy got some model rockets. David got 2 and I got a pack with 3 model rockets. I haven't started painting it yet. Me and David are going to wake up at 7:16 in the morning and work on them. I love Bobby Brown.
July 13, 1989
Mom said that if Bobby Brown or Debbie Gibson came for a concert she would let me go. I wish Bobby Brown would come for a concert, I would just die!! We took Rhiannon to one of Randy's All Star Team.
July 19, 1989
Our family went to Showbiz today because that's where Randy had his baseball team had a party. Woodstock and Polly had been kissing each other a lot and preaning each others feathers. We are going to hold a wedding for them July 21. Scruffy's bdy. is tomorrow. We got our van windowns tinted. There neat. It is 10:21. Still love B.B.
July 20, 1989
HAPPY BDY TO SCRUFFY! We had a bdy party for Scruf. He is 5. Mom got him a bone and a toy hamburger and all sorts of cookies and snacks. Mom took us to Eagle. They have all sorts of Batman cards.
July 21, 1989
Randy is lucky. His friend took him to see a movie - Honey I Shrunk the Kids. He said it was really good. Well the birds didn't get married because Randy (brat) didn't want Polly to get married.
My last entry was on October 9.
Oct 9, 1989
Well that's it for the CUBS. They lost enough games agiatz the Giants. So the Giants are going to the dumb world series. I thought the CUBS would make it for sure. Oh well. Randy got his braces. He looks WEIRD!! David's bdy is in 2 days. I love Batman. It is the best movie.
After our little talk at the beach about intelligent life existing in the universe I can see your roots for this go back to at least the fourth grade.
If you don't become an astronaut, I hope you at least get a chance to float in space.
It also reminds me of the time that you came home absolutely furious at me. You said I had lied to you. Rhiannon's parents had told her the truth about Santa Claus and you were furious at me for lying to you. Needless to say, I felt pretty awful but I held my ground and wouldn't give in when you demanded to be told the truth!
This is a precious blog, Sally, just like you!! I laughed until I cried. I think it is evident to everyone who reads this that I was the lucky mom who got to raise such a bright and interesting and delightful little girl who still has my heart today! Thank you so much for this! More fun than I've had since the beach!! You were a wonderful writer then too!! I thought it was interesting that in your diary you didn't even complain about the cream ship beef!! Love you, honey!
Thanks for sharing that. It is much more enjoyable now than when I used to break into it (that lock isn't exactly military-grade).
Oh and I'm still waiting for Debbie Gibson to come to Springfield.
Thanks for sharing!
I would love to say that I remember spending the night at the hotel, but I really don't...I guess we didn't party too hard. I am sure we enjoyed getting a break from the boys!
Happy to be your counisin!
S