Memoir Monday, Nov 1, 1960

I'd been back in school for a couple of months after my year off.  It was a big change since Mingus Union came to be that year with a whole bunch of new teachers, a necessary bus ride daily up the hill to Jerome and even more new students since the Sedona area outside of Coconino County was now part of our district. My former classmates were now ahead of me by a year but that did not matter greatly to me. I was not uncomfortable with  the next lower group.

Nov 1, 1960 Tuesday

I guess today was a pretty good day. At least nothing bad happened. Neither Evelyn nor Arlene went to school today but I wasn’t lonesome. Classes were ok. Guess who Owen Childers was flirting with—Vickie Cranmer! Ye gods. Guess I will stick to John (Ferebee) and Robert (Boyce). I even lived through PE. We had a mock election in school. I voted nearly a straight democratic ticket with the exception of Sam Steiger and “Alvie Self” who I wrote in for Sheriff because I didn’t want to vote for Cramer.  Weird, no? That Ferebo is really crazy. He is fun though when he comes down off his high horse. Robert sat with Judy (Davis) and me on the bus like he always does. I like him even if he is a sort of wild character. He must be at  least 19 or 20 since he has quit school twice . He for sure looks older than Bill C and Howard S. He never does a very thorough job of shaving  and wears sideburns. I got my boots earlier than I expected. They are real nice looking—black with turquoise stitching, They are very comfortable and the 12” tops are tall enough to look like real boots without overpowering me. Rode Tiz this evening. She  behaved very nicely. Didn’t see any of my “friends”. Since this is “All Saints Day” I guess they weren’t allowed out of their cages as Mr McLarney would say. Tomorrow I get a vacation from school because I am a witness for the prosecution in the trial of Bill Mack vs the State of Arizona. Maybe I can work in some shopping and who knows what else? Wish Gug would write me an insulting letter so I could tear it up right in front of him. I never said a thing about writing, only talking, waving and looking. Adios, Filly

John Ferebee was one of the Sedona area students He was in charge of the yearbook that year and I was on the staff in Publications Class.As I noted in my journal, he could be fun at times but at others was kind of stuffy or serious or superior acting! In fact I did most of the lettering in a kind of cuneiform style and was pretty proud of my work. I lost my copy and asked on Classmates and was given one--it is all signed over to someone else but at  least I got my own for my senior year.

I am sure Robert Boyce was older but that was okay. I was a year older when I graduated too. I did not think he lived in Clarkdale so I am no sure why he often rode that bus. Judy David and I were definitely Clarkdale kids. I never had a crush in him or considered him boyfriend material but did like him as a regular friend.

it is kind of funny how my high school stuff and my cowboy girl life tended to be all tangled back and forth.  I faintly recall those boots. I wore them for some time, mostly riding since they were regular cowboy boots. As for Tiz, yet another mule that we had. We had Lizzie and Frizzie and Tizzie--all  taller leggy female mules  who were a bit alike in temperament. They were generally pretty easy to handle and not too kicky, spooky or difficult. Liz--there were a couple of them, dark buckskin or brownish with a bit of yellow tint to their coat. Then Friz was solid dark bay-brown and Tiz was lighter, a shade darker than tan but not true brown. 

The "friends" I mention were my nemesis "Gug" and some of his compadres at the propane company etc. They had pretty much fallen off my "handsome hero" list for various reasons and I had finally broken away from Gug, the one I just missed getting into some major trouble with.

I  honestly do not recall that legal matter at all. I guess I did go to Prescott since it was apparently in Superior Court but have no idea if I testified or not! I do not even recall for sure who that guy was. Maybe there was a plea agreement and no trial was even held. It does not seem to be very significant anyway!

Get a chuckle out of the mock election.  Sam Steiger was a horse dealer and quite a character who had a place just outside of Prescott. He and my Dad were kind of friends. What he was running for I have no clue! And Alvie Self for sheriff? That is a hoot! Well,why not; a rockabilly musician could hold that office I guess!

A few pictures--excuse the sideways  views. I'm still messing with photo editing issues for scanned   pix. Self explanatory!

Memoir Monday, Oct 25, 1961/57

Just for spits and giggles, here are two versions of  October 25,  five years apart.  In 1957  I was thirteen and in 1961 I was eighteen.  I am not sure if the tone and  ambiance of what I recorded had changed much or not. Was the senior more mature than the freshman?   What do you think, "gentle reader"?  ( to borrow a  silly Victorian affectation here.) Feel free to comment!

Oct 25, 1957

Got up medium early, Usual horse chores. Ate, dressed and off to school. In study hall wrote a story. Helped Bill, Dave and Andy with Algebra and worked on Indian head bands. Usual English. Recess.To the PO as usual. Had a ball in Algebra. Tyce sat on the desk behind me for a bit. I played with Dave, Bill, Andy and Howard. Home for lunch. It’s hunting season weather and I’m on the clouds but the inevitable happened. The bottom fell out. I joined Effie and others on the east steps. Tyce came out of the cafeteria and up the steps. I was blocking the door. “You’re not getting by until you ask me polite.” “I ain’t askin’ nothing polite.” He said and began to jerk at the door. I wouldn’t budge an inch. He grabbed my left shoulder and jerked me away from the door. I saw sparks and raised my hand to hit him. He dodged. I kicked. My second shot hit dead center. ((I think it was knee and not   elsewhere!)) Tyce released me and strode in. The bell rang. Typing was okay. I wrote Tyce a note saying I was sorry and put it on his desk in Espanol. He picked it up and read it slowly. Then he put it in his pocket. Usual History. Had the assembly and skit. It turned out real good. Tyce was a good but skinny Indian. Came home. Usual chores. Dentist trip. Ate, read and to bed. Adios, Peg.

Oct 25, 1961 Wed

Today was just an ordinary day more or less. The weather was really nice. I was off almost early for once. In study hall I worked on my spelling words. The test was pretty rough but I got a 1 on my report card. Doubek gave me no reasonable explanation. I will just quit at the end of the semester. I am plumb riled. In Civics I got a 1. Ditto in Art and Journalism. I’m real proud. ‘Reen and I were bored at noon. We both agree that lunch hour is too long. We should only have thirty minutes and get out earlier. I can’t see why Doubek had to be so hard, All my other teachers appreciate my abilities. Well to heck with the puke faced slob! I came home—no mail—rode Queen out and did the usual evening chores. Little Jay-Jay is so lovable. She ‘kissed’ me bye. I hope ‘Reen rides over tomorrow. I also hope we go shopping or something. I want to go somewhere—(anywhere but deer hunting!)  Maybe my friend Dr Joe will come over again Sunday. I hope so. This evening I rearranged my room.  Now if/when I get a radio I can play it It can go right by my bed. So far I have a 1.7 average for the three years of high school. I’m quite proud of my four ones. I think that is pretty good.

I  think my freshman classmates are now mostly known to my regular readers but just in case--of course Tyce  (Miller) was my --hmm-- Crush? Boyfriend? Heartthrob? Even frenemy at times. The others were Bill Christenson, Andy Peterson,  Dave (Brilhart or Norton--not sure which  but likely Brilhart) and Howard Schwab. I know Bill and Howard have passed away and Dave too if it was Brilhart and Andy is not well. That's the sad part of getting older. 

By my senior year I had moved far past boys; if I was interested in anyone, he would have been over 21 and only written about on occasions. I did not date and was probably rather unsocial if not unsociable. Dr Joe Hudson was certainly not a  'love interest.' He was a senor surgeon at the Veteran's Hospital over at Fort Whipple  near Prescott  where he had provided care for my Dad's various ailments. He  came over and went riding with us off and on.  He was quite a dashing character, single at the time though in his 50s--too old even for me!--and dove a pink Cadillac  convertible, a year or two old. He was kind of an honorary uncle; I suppose  that is about the best analogy to his place in  my world. Doubek was the music teacher and he really did not like me, for what reason I do not have a clue! I didn't quit and he finally relented the last grading period of the year after I had been named Valedictorian and gave me a "1."  And I seem to recall there was a holiday or two for the opening of deer season.

 Photos of Jay-jay (a baby burro) and Queen, a sorrel mare, just for 'tax' as  they say on Facebook.Text with no pix is b-o-r-i-n-g?!   This mare in the foreground is either  Queenie or Peppy--they looked a lot alike.  And Jennyfur, the mommy,  with Jenny Junior or Jay-jay. Baby burros are so darn cute!

Memoir Monday, Oct 18, 1961

Finally my senior year! In most ways it was the happiest time I had in school except maybe sixth grade down a Willard in Bridgeport.  I really did not mind going to school very much. 

Oct 18, 1961 Wed

Today was a good day, I guess. I got up, dressed etc. I was a little earlier than sometimes. The bus seemed to be slow. Once in school the morning passed quickly. I worked in study hall, extraordinary for me. English and Civics were about ordinary. At noon ‘Reen and I talked about everything from horses to whores. We really do talk about everything. We don’t try to change each other’s opinions. That’s why we get along so well. The afternoon really hurried by. In Journalism I’m always busy. That’s just the way it is. Then homeward bound. Guess what, my pictures came. I am so pleased with them. For once I looked like my ‘lovely self’. I shall get vain! I rode Ruby out. She didn’t want to cross the Verde River bridge but my ‘friend billy’ made up her mind in the other direction. The chores aren’t too difficult anymore. I’ve sent off for my small photos all ready. I’m in a hurry to get them so I can give them to people. I’m so proud of them!  Wrote Dee. I’m rather tired of him but… Dad gave me 64 cents and I had only asked for a dime—see what being sweet does for you? Well, I’ll go to bed feeling happy. I need to do that now and then. 

Of course there were still chores.  Mom did the morning feeding for me sometimes, a bit more in the spring as I was heading down the final stretch and hoping to graduate with honors etc. That gave me  a little more time to dress and get ready since I did not have to jump into dirty work clothes, do the chores, and then rush to change and be ready to go catch the bus. Anyway this day I am not sure but sounds that way. 

It was a novelty to study in study hall--I often read a book, wrote letters or just fiddled around. I really did not have any 'hard' classes this year. Math and Science were always the most challenging for me but I had completed all the required ones.  I was on the way to becoming the editor for The Mingus Spirit. For now, Jean was editor--last name? draw a blank--anyway she quit and I took over before the 2nd semester I think.  At this point I was writing several articles for each issue and typing part of the stencils.

Maureen Jewell had come to Mingus the prior spring and we got to be good friends since she was into horses and cowboy stuff too. If we were both there, we almost always ate lunch together, both brown bagging. When I was at the recent reunion, I  meant to get a photo of the window ledge where we sat in decent weather but I missed that  It was on the ground floor, north west corner anyway. 

And my ordered senior pictures came. I was so used to having ghastly, ugly, awful pictures that I totally hated, so it was nearly a miracle to get some I liked enough to want to share. I could only afford about three or four 5x7 prints of my favorite pose but I sent one off to a place that would do wallet size copies--I  think they said they would not do copyrighted which most school photos were, but they did do mine! Of course the copies were to go mostly to my favorite pen pals. 

I know  I mentioned little Ruby before-she was a very petite, dainty little mule and the prettiest deep red color with a white star on her forehead.  She was good but had a few pet spooks, one of which was the bridge there at Clarkdale over the river.  I carried either a quirt or a little persuader called a "billy" which was a short length of hard wood with a leather thong wrist strap. A bump between the ears with it was very helpful in convincing a reluctant mule they did want to do something after all. Right then we did not have too many animals at the pasture out behind Tuzigoot so that set of chores was not very lengthy or hard.  

Dee was another pen pal, a kind of farm boy/cowboy who was living in Kansas at that time. He did actually come for a brief visit, maybe the next year, but he never got to be a  real favorite.  I do not even have a photo, I don't think, although he sent me one on a horse. He was a rather big stout looking guy, wide shoulders etc. 

No new pix but anyway: Here is Ruby and me looking a bit surly holding her, that old bridge--which is now kind of falling to ruin and the ends blocked by trees and junk-- and yours truly (looking sooooo young and innocent.) Well, I guess at that time I really was. I was eighteen that fall or eighteen and half,  since my birthday was in April. From  the viewpoint of 78 that is very young!!

Memoir Monday, Oct 11, 1957

Back to that crazy freshman year at Clarkdale the last year before it became Mingus, the 1957-58 school year.   

Oct 11, 1957

Got up early. Did the horse chores. Ate breakfast and visited with Mom a while. Dressed and up to Kit’s (Evelyn’s) to pick her up. We were quite early. We talked until the bell rang. Up to study hall,  Howard, Bobbi and Tyce were discussing me. In reference to my sobriquet “Mosquito,” Tyce said, “Maybe she ain’t big but she sure has a heck of a bite.” I nearly laughed out loud. They had not seen me. English class I turned in my report on “Jumper” and read Tyce’s. His is good but not as complete as mine. The senior gals brought the school paper around. I bought a copy. My first published work, mentioning TWM too. Recess. Visited Carolyn (Nobles), Tracy (Ensign) and Linda (Crose). Algebra. Did some board work. Home for lunch and up again. Teased and talked with Howard Schwab and some of the girls.  Usual typing. In Spanish had a time. Mrs Horsepower asked us questions. I got all the easy ones and Tyce got all the hard ones. He made La Professora mad! Down to History. Bobbi left on the early bus. As there were only four, Mr Cantrell let us out. Tony and Delores went home. Tyce and El Professor to the gym and I came home and saddled up Louie. About the first canyon after the Indian Hills gate, a yellow truck came up,. A loud whistle startled me as the truck drew along side and passed. I looked up into the laughing eyes of Tyce. He grinned and waved at me as he leaned on the ledge. He looked out the back window as they (he and the foreman) drove on. Louie and I had a nice ride and I rode Tina too. Usual chores. Ate. Did some writing and hit the hay. What is on the book for tomorrow? Quien sabe.  Adios, Peggy. PS 11 is now a lucky day.

For a short while my friend Evelyn decided she wanted to be "Kitten", thus the 'Kit'. I can laugh now recalling how many silly aliases I aspired to over the years. Such as here going by Peggy instead of Maggie since I had become Margaret for awhile. I have no idea if girls still do that. Maybe not; young people are more inclined to want to change their pronouns if I can trust the news.  Sometimes that means names too, I suppose. Shrug!!

As I have said before, the first class of the day happened to be study hall. I must have wandered in a few minutes late and overheard this conversation. I often felt I was an odd gal out, not quite fitting in to the rest of  the group and maybe often really not liked. I have no idea how much of that was actual or just my perception. In later years I am inclined to say it was mostly me, how I felt--I was prickly and shy and knew my life and family aside from the school scene were very different. I had friends, maybe more and better than I recognized in those days.  For example, Carolyn(Nobles), Linda (Crose) and Tracy (Ensign) were all 8th graders at this point and later were part of my graduating class, except Tracy had moved away.And I did and do think of them as friends. 

Charlie Mike was now home from the hospital after his broken leg but still in the half body cast and of course not going to school.  For the most part, life went on pretty much as usual. Mom spent some time most days home schooling him so he would not fall too far behind. First grade is a rather critical point in schooling. Otherwise she had resumed the household tasks and I was back mostly doing horse and mule work. I'd have to check back to see what we had right then. I know Tina and Louie--not sure of others. 

I was not fond of Ms Taylor, the typing teacher who also was in charge of the mimeographed (maybe a 'ditto' machine with the purple gunk?) school paper, but she knew, perhaps from Miss Rayle, that I liked to write so she had made me more or less the freshman class reporter. It was part gossip column and some relating various events. I'm not sure what this article was, my first effort in that line. I think the paper cost five cents. I usually could not have found much more to spend!

Our family privately called the small hills west of the Cottonwood highway "The Indian Hills" because Vince and Vernon Randall's mom lived up there. Other than her small house, they were bare and we often rode up there. I think they may have been Yavapai tribal land.  

 For "pix" tax--One photo of me on Louie out on the open area west of the assorted houses where the Nobles family and several others lived. An earlier friend named Michele Boyle was there for a bit and I think perhaps Kathy Feld and her mom lived there also. At this time I think Louie was teaching me more than I was training him! He was one wily old mule and well trained when we got him. Then Tina up the the canyon, near the time and place when she broke Charlie Mike's leg. 

Memoir Monday, 4 Oct 1963

 I will get back to school days in time but my first full year of cowboy girl life was full of a lot of things also. In a way I see that as a detour and even an error on my part but I am also glad I did take those four years away from the rest of my life and must admit I did a lot of growing in some aspects and certainly learned things  few of my contemporaries ever experienced. The Old West was gone but this was the trailing fringe of it and certainly marked my character and of course my later fiction writing.

Oct 4, 1963 Fri

It gets harder every day to get up but I always manage to do it somehow. I fed and cleaned pens. After breakfast I brought up Leo and Jolly. Prez and I had a fairly short haul. No grain and the critters were okay. I went up for mail. At last I heard from Judy and that was a small bright spot. I  led Chief around and picked up two pop bottles. That’s eight cents much needed. After lunch I wrote a letter and finished outlining my “Pony and the Dark Horse” story. I really believe it has possibilities. I went up to the library at 3:40. Finally I broke down and told the librarian my purpose in checking out these teenage horse books. Back home CM and I went to work. Buzzie had colic. We drove out to do the chores while Dad and Doc S worked on her. We had to eat in shifts and walk her etc. Finally at 9:00 she began to improve. We were ready to put her up by 12:00 or a little before so a long day came to an end. Man, I am really shot. I feel like I haven’t slept in years. I’m glad Buzz is recovering but it sure costs to keep these ponies going. Better luck tomorrow.

I'd been doing "chores" for a good eight years or more by now but they had expanded over time to be a full time job, a very full time job. Although Charlie Mike and of course Dad did a lot of work also,  their efforts were more sporadic and the ultimate responsibility was always squarely on my shoulders. Ostensibly it was Dad's business but he pursued other projects and his worsening bipolar problem would often sideline him for hours or even days in a stretch. The work did not stop at those times. 

That spring we had gotten several young registered Quarter Horses to 'improve our herd' and  they did not take well to the rougher feed and accommodations the old cow-ponies and mules handled easily.  We got well acquainted with the local veterinarian. (Doctor Schauffler). Buzzie was especially subject to colic. 

Judy (Crouch, at that time, nee Quigley) was one of my first pen pals so by now we were well acquainted. She was a very good artist and we were trying to collaborate on some  writing projects with an eye on publishing eventually.  I had begun one girl-and-horse story which became Cindy and the Challenges (never published but I still may someday). Pony and the Dark Horse was another idea I had been considering. I checked out nearly every similar book in the Clarkdale Library to immerse myself in the facts and flavor of the genre. 

I was never actually paid for my work or even had an 'allowance' while in school. Some of the animals were supposedly mine but that was always a bit doubtful! It seems harsh and was but then the family was constantly on the edge of poverty and there was seldom much to spare. Turning in found pop bottles was one way Charlie Mike and I got spending money.  Most people threw them out or hoarded in a shed or back yard  but never recycled. We took advantage of both!

So here are some early shots of the colts I mention.  In order: Jolly--grey filly with big white blaze and 3 white feet--Leo bloodline; Buzzie-bright sorrel with blaze and white foot--Buzzie Bell bloodline; Leo Mix-gray stud colt with star--Leo bloodline. (Yavapai) Chief was the registered Appaloosa stallion we had gotten the year before. Last shot is me on him. For a stallion he was very well behaved and handled as easily as most geldings. I had no problems riding him, even leading other animals so long as not a mare in season.