Welcome to my World

Welcome to the domain different--to paraphrase from New Mexico's capital city of Santa Fe which bills itself "The City Different." Perhaps this space is not completely unique but my world shapes what I write as well as many other facets of my life. The four Ds figure prominently but there are many other things as well. Here you will learn what makes me tick, what thrills and inspires me, experiences that impact my life and many other antidotes, vignettes and journal notes that set the paradigm for Dierdre O'Dare and her alter ego Gwynn Morgan and the fiction and poetry they write. I sell nothing here--just share with friends and others who may wander in. There will be pictures, poems, observations, rants on occasion and sometimes even jokes. Welcome to our world!

Sunday, June 15, 2025

Memoir Monday, June 16, 1967

Ended this week back at the U after a long but also fast two weeks down in the valley, a time tangled in trauma, trouble, dread and uncertainty about much of the future.  But all things do pass, this epoch not completely or for some time but it did.

June 16, 1967 a Friday

Already? One week of summer school gone, just like that. Had a quiz in Econ today which I think I did okay on. Got a letter from Jim on Wednesday which I answered last night.  Wednesday night I was home--I had to deliver some "documents" to Dr D Bright and Sam Slaughter. We came back up early on Thursday  I now have rugs on the floor and my phonograph to play. That's nice, no? Jim was very apologetic and signed 'love' which seems to be his habit now. I've got to to establish a positive schedule to get more done. I can't afford to let the whole summer slip away from me. I went to the library to study last night. I am going to have to work to get A/1 in these two classes. Got some photos back. I'm going to send some to Charlie Mike plus a radio battery and any other treat I can think of because he had to miss the trip yesterday. Someone apparently had set fire to Twinkles' feedbox and we saw it just as we were leaving so he got out and stayed. I got a letter from Mary that came to Clarkdale. She is in California now. I gave the folks $50 and have the same in the bank. Haven't paid RCA yet but I'm not really sure what I owe so I'll wait on a bill.  It is now 1:00 pm and I guess I'll go uptown in a little while. Lynn has probably taken off with her guy.Just have to bea back by 6:000 for dinner.  None of mine are here. I wish Dusty would call. They brought his old 193680 back to the outfit in Clarkdale on Tuesday., Have the popcorn popper here now too, so I can cook some with it, heat stuff. anyway Guess I'll say Hasty Luegi (the cook at a busy pizza parlor, you know) Oooow, that is corny!

Explains? The'documents' were part of some lawsuit crap. I just acted as a process server, unofficial, of courses. Dr Bright was on the Clarkdale City Council  then and Slaughter was or had been the brand inspector.  Was the feedbox fire the next day related? Have no clue. There had been odd acts of vandalism for months but I was never sure of the cause or the perps. I had thought the foreman car came back sooner but this seems accurate.  I had two or three Good Will rugs I used to warm the cold tile floor in my room. Recall they were pink and fairly light.

So back to the prior weekend or at least my return on June 12. What went on from June 13-15 was not recorded except a bit on Friday. I think I stayed on campus for the next weekend after the brief visit midweek..

June 12, 1967 The "vacation" is all over, Last night the old Silver Eagle sped me up the road and dropped me off at the south entrance gate to campus. Walking, I was picked up  by a sharp looking guy in a convertible from whom I will probably never see or hear of again and he delivered me to the dorm. I climbed the stairs and opened the door to 323 to find I had a roommate. I really think I'l be glad. I thought she'd be a cat, but she's nice, tall and lean, a little like Maureen and teaches PE at Tuba City. She comes from a ranch in New Mexico. Her name is Lynn Erickson.  I had dreaded the day but there was not a slip. It all rolled off smooth as satin. Now to hit two courses for five weeks and make some more ones. Statistics is going to be hard, I fear, but I'll work on it. I've got to see about a job--maybe I could babysit from 1:00 to 5:00 for older students back for continuing education etc. It is almost too quiet after the noise at "home". Lynn is very quiet. So far I have had phenomenal luck with roommates. Registration is over and I ran through $200 of the $300 I got.  I am taking Economics I and Statistics, five mornings a week and done before noon. All I have to buy now is one more book. I'm really tired but I had dinner and took a nap. The cafeteria is a fair walk away, the one the athletes use in the regular year, where Mary worked. It is 8:00 now and I am wishing Dusty would call.. Oh, I got my last semester grades. I did okay on that home stretch and came in under the wire.  Five lovely ones!!! I could hardly believe but very happy!! A couple were very unexpected!  Man and the Arts--wow, that class had been so dismal and I was sure Dr Smallwood hated me!

A few random pictures:  An example of a Continental Trailways bus like I traveled in a lot  for a couple of years. It seems they had once been affiliated with the AT&SF but how and when I don't know.Then another view from my Wilson room--dark and poor shot. I cannot identify the cafeteria here. At that time this was the far south end of campus!  I never got a picture of Lynn but recall her as tall, blonde and rather athletic looking. We got along flawlessly but hardly associated on a social level. Last is a very old shot from spring 1958 which shows the corrals in Clarkdale much as they were until the last with a few more pens tacked on. This was when we traded two mules with the Grand Canyon ride concession. One wrangler and Charley Bryant were talking while Dad and the head wrangler. finished the swap.  





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