Category Archives: Memories

Phyllis Diller gets an Oscar

Memories, ,

I was blessed with a whole bunch of cousins whose families would get together on holidays or for other special events. Often we cousins would put on a “show” for the parents. I wish we had videos of even one of those shows, because they would be precious to us now, but all we have are vague memories of them.

I didn’t even know a photo existed of any of the shows until I was going through and scanning a bunch of photos I borrowed stole from my mom.

Here is my cousin*, Beth, and me (as Phyllis Diller according to the back of the photo — thank you Grandma, for writing on the back of photos!) in one of our shows. I do remember this one, but don’t remember any of the skits. I wonder if Beth does. Perhaps she’ll comment below.

Dona and Beth in a skit where Phyllis Diller gets an Oscar
Beth and Dona putting on a show. The back says” “Phyllis Diller gets an Oscar”. Chetek, July 1968.

I wish I’d scanned this last week. I would have posted it on Facebook along with my RIP message to Phyllis Diller.

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*she’s really my mom’s cousin so that makes her a second cousin or something

Old Writing: Part 3::Untitled 1

Memories, Writing,

This is the piece I thought was lost forever. Luckily for you, dear Internet, it was actually stapled behind some other writing from my youth. This was written on January 26, 1969. Please note, I still believe in fairies. This should probably be called “Fairyland”. Or something. As with the other old writings, spelling and grammar have been fixed. Also I fixed bits and pieces that made little or no sense in the draft.

I vividly remember writing it at the Formica table in my mother’s kitchen. On the table (or flitting around), watching me write, were Tinkerbell (the original Tinkerbell’s descendant) and Daisy, my brother’s fairy. Yes. I was a strange kid.

Untitled 1

There is a place where fairies and other super-beings live. A place where everything is beautiful and no mortals could go there only people who believe in fairyland with all their might could even dream about it.

Well Love, Hope Faith and Happiness were the rulers there (this was before they were turned into feelings by Fear, Hate and Sadness). I know you have felt love, hope, faith and happiness sometime in your life. They are wonderful feelings. Well, this wonderful place was called Fairyland. Past, Present and Future lived there. So did Joy. You know Tinkerbell from Peter Pan? She was born there.

Now I will tell you about the time when Fear, Hate and Sadness tried to overcome Fairyland. One day Hope was strolling through one of the many flower gardens in Fairyland and she saw an ugly creature before her. She was frightened but asked if he wanted anything. He said he needed help so Hope went and got him. When Help arrived he discovered that the ugly creature that Hope saw was gone. When they returned home they discovered that the ugly creature was holding her sisters prisoners. He said he was a messenger of Fear, Hate and Sadness and he came to let them through the gates of Fairyland and conquer it!

But Hope had hope and Faith and faith in Hope’s hope and Love loved their country and would not let anybody, either friend or foe, take over Fairyland. Happiness tried to cheer everyone else up and Help helped.

It ended up that Fairyland won by pure love, hope, faith and happiness for they are stronger than anything else in the world. Although they were turned into feelings by the wicked team Fear, Hate and Sadness, they still rule Fairyland and are cherished by everyone around the world.

And Help helps.

 

Old Writing: Part 2::A Rainstorm

Memories, Writing

The previous entry was stapled on top of this and the next few. For years I thought it was just the final copy of a series of drafts. Today I looked at the pages below it and found a few stories I thought were long gone. This was not one of them. I do not remember it. It is full of cliches. It was written on March 25, 1969. I was 12. Cleaned up for spelling. Please note that I do not feel the same about rain now. Or worms. Also not meteorologically correct.

A Rainstorm

The air was damp and musty moisture was hanging in the air. Then all of a sudden it started to rain. The rain beat against the windows and the wind howled around the house.

Even in the house one could smell that awful odor: a combination of mildew, wormy muddy smells that always come along with any kind of rain.

Now the rain was stopping a little. Not much but enough so that one could see out the big picture window. Ick! look at all of those worms oozing in and out of the wet, muddy ground.

The rain finally gave up and it stopped raining and making everybody grumpy. Fresh smelling air overcame the mildew, wormy muddy-smelling air and after most rainstorms (if the sun comes out) a rainbow could be seen in the western sky!