Memoir Monday, Nov 11, 1966

Nov 11, 1966 

An odd thought--1966 would have been a midterm election but I do not recall anything about it; it should have been November 7, I think. ~ Oh well! If so, I missed it; probably only one of two for all my adult life and only one Presidential. I do take that duty very seriously. And another notion, at that time I knew there was Veteran's Day but it did not mean a great deal to me for it did not touch my life as it has in the last several decades. Today I honor and observe it and those for whom it was created. I salute all Veterans, some of whom are very dear and close to me. 

Nov 11, 1966

Back in the saddle again  and it is always good. Only two places in the world where I feel absolutely right --in the saddle and in a certain guy's arms. I rode Chief. He was pretty high, pretty damn high. In the afternoon we cut up some of the big old junipers for firewood. I went to the "powder puff" football game with Charlie Mike. Jim wasn't there --oh cuss. But I talked to Mrs. Fitzgerald. She is really nice. Lots of people do not recognize me--isn't that funny? I wore my hair up so I guess I do look different. God knows, I am different.

That was a surprise, no? The Boss was in town  and left me a message. so I went.  I do not really know why I went to the Valley a day early but did not miss any critical school stuff apparently. And those classes on Thursday seemed like they should be M-W-F ones? I am confused! Anyway, to run through the week. 

Nov 5 and 6:  Saturday I said, "A free day is always a sort of small treasure to me. I feel a combined sens of abandon and a miserly wish to hoard each precious second." That level of idleness was still so unusual and almost felt stolen after those many days of endless sameness for hours and more hours, and hardly a bit of relaxing or feeling free.  That did not start to be 'normal' until the next spring and not totally until the following fall when all the old was totally gone at last. No one to answer to but myself and only a few responsibilities. This weekend I was out a lot and walked miles again, watching trains and jotting down car numbers for Charlie Mike's books. He kept lists in steno notebooks and I think still has them squirreled away somewhere; we are both hoarding packrats!  Sunday afternoon I wanted a treat and got a pint of Butter Pecan ice cream and ate it all watching trains on my little bridge or near it. Sadly the Lumberjacks lost to the Buffaloes--34 to 7! Some afternoons I was reading True Story type mags and thought of trying to write a few wild tales to earn a few bucks--it was not as easy as I thought!

Monday was a dull day, cold and wet. An accounting test still not back but one was in History and I got a 1 in it, only 93 this time so I said I must do better. The next day it snowed, the first real snow I was to see that year. It was so pretty and not having chores to do made it much more enjoyable! Late in the evening walked over to Chez Bon with Fran --dorm mate mentioned before--for cocoa and saw it had snowed about six inches and looked like fairyland. Made me recall another snowy night--can it be just a year ago? Dusty, do you remember?  By Wednesday it cleared and the snow made a million diamonds in the sun. It was icy though and I fell once. A Science test result--87, but the second highest score. Went to the Rodeo Club and thought Jim Polk was cute but a bit dissolute looking. Nick King, the club prez, was cuter except too short. Well I was very casually 'just looking.'  I did for sure ID Peggy W's roommates--yikes,  they looked pretty street-wise! Dusty's little girl is keeping  rough company but I guess her steady guy is okay--seems rather droll or stuffy really, a pre-law student! Thursday was normal until the point I left early.  We went down I-17 and stopped at Montezuma Stable. No one was around but the animals looked okay. Yes, that highway was still newly completed then.  

Some semi-pertinent photos: Two of Charlie Mike and me riding and one of me alone with the stallions on one of the weekends I was down. Then one from "Mars Hill (the telescope location) looking over at the campus fall 1966 and one of the ATSF units I snapped on my walks. And finally that first snow of 1966