My last semester of high school, going along smoothly enough. In many ways that was the best block of my school days with perhaps an exception of 6th grade at Willard. Anyway, I was coasting to the finish and not too worried about anything--at least on good days!
Jan 17, 1962 Wed
When I awoke the sky was scattered with a patchwork of clouds which thickened and lowered all day. I could have stayed home but I chose not to. Studyhall and all morning I read She-caught in a web of fascination. A beautiful, horrible, fascinating book it is. Thank you, Jose, for recommending it to me. I turned in my theme and got last week’s with a “1” at the top of it. ‘Reen and I ate lunch together as usual and worked on our clay projects under the supervision of “Bassett Hound” (Mrs Bud Bassett) who is standing in for the absent Miss Mahoney. In journalism chaos reigned as usual just before a deadline. I was glad to get on the bus and head home. No mail for me tonight and no riding either. Charlie Mike and I did the home chores and he related to me a funny conversation he had with Lila King. I think he is going to have a fatal attraction for women being one of those ‘helpless’ type guys who seem to need mothering. Only they really don’t. I didn’t do much useful tonight. Tomorrow I shall go to Prescott with Dad. The latest is that the insurance company wants to settle. I quit writing for awhile and went to listen to the radio.Thinking of Jose, I stared off dreamily into space. What did they play but Moon River--thanks again for the recommendation, amigo mio. It is a lovely song and seems to fit you as I picture you, at least. We are still trying to decide what to do. I wish we’d get our land sold or a loan so we’d have to come to a decision. I want to do something, but I am too impatient. Time heals all? I shall call my pinto filly “Flying Colors.” She is a pretty little mare. My Arabian is named “Winged Victory.”
Fanciful, sometimes snarky and noting odd things that I saw, experienced or questioned. Whether or not I mentioned them, 'chores' were part of every day, regardless, mostly so routine they were not addressed. At this time Jose Cazador--my nickname for a pen pal I've mentioned before--was my favorite correspondent and much into the exotic, esoteric and paranormal as I was.
She was a novel by H Rider Haggard and part of the series that contained Allen Quatermain and King'Solomon's Mines. They were all fantasy of sorts and set in Africa. She really was all I said here--an amazing, disturbing book to me. Of course I was an avid reader and often read when I might have been better off studying or doing something else! Goodness knows I was told so often enough! But the escape of literature was almost addictive--especially if it were romantic. And Moon River was a song I loved for many years, still do really. I think it was the theme of an Audrey Hepburn movie, Breakfast at Tiffany's?She also played in Dark Mansions, from an Anya Seton novel of the same title, one more fantasy than the historical books which Seton did so well. Several favorites mentioned here!!
I think those horses mentioned were imaginary or wishful, not actual. I never had a pinto filly until 1965 when Ginger was born--aka Virginia Dare, Ginger for short. And I never owned an Arabian. So fanciful equines with fanciful names.
"Reen was of course my friend Maureen Jewell; we were best buddies since we met in the spring of 1961. She was a very good artist and I hope she later used that talent to some advantage. I think Mrs Bassett was a regular substitute teacher at Mingus. Did she have that droopy sad eyed look of a Basset Hound? I have no recollection! Anyway that was what I called her (snarky!)
Photos? Not many and I think none new .. So here is Susie and a new Ginger, Jan 1965, Jose and his pinto horse--he had several different ones--and Maureen at the end of the 1962 spring term, on the steps to the art class building.
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