Memories of summer at Catalina Island--1958!!!

"Knock, Knock. Who's there? Jo. Jo Who? Jo Mama..."
This is me as an early teen, 14 going of 15. I think I was in eighth grade, thereabouts. I was dressed up and going to Knott's Berry Farm, with Goma aka Anita. She took this photo and was visiting for graduation for my brother Charlie and Me. . So that is the short version of this story.

I noticed when I zoomed in on the picture, that my head is down. But in the one below in a bathing suit something told me to put my chin up and smile. It must have been the (future) photographer son of mine, Michael whispering to me to raise my chin and not cast a shadow over my face with my head down!!!

This this my diary that Goma gave me, it was a five year diary in 1957. I took a few pictures of some pages and what I wrote in it for about three years on this page in February for those three years. Kind of non-descriptive of what was happening in my life around me. I was raised in a strict home, so I didn't have a lot of free time or freedom. I babysat a lot and earned my own spending money. Grandpa insisted I give half my babysitting money to my mother. I did too, it prepared me for tithing, yet the Lord didn't expect more than 10% of my earnings. How Gentle His Commands.

Grandpa was very strict, but I bless him for it now. It kept me out of trouble and spared from the worldly influences of the fifties!!!


This is a picture of me at Catalina with some of my Job's daughter's friends. Goma chaperoned this grand adventure. We had fun and stayed several days, we went swimming in the Pacific Ocean, shopping on the island, and I think we went for a boat ride around the island too. That big cruise ship was docked there, but we didn't go in or on it. This is a rare snapshot of me in a bathing suit. I was in a modest one at that. I know it was an old suit we bought used, so it was whatever was available and not much of a choice other than to buy it or go without...I chose to buy it even though it was more practical than stylish. Look at my friends suits. Their's are more stylish of the day, mine didn't have any kind of bra in it to hold me up like the ones my friends were wearing. I was the natural one and didn't have any padding in my bathing suit.


All in all I lead a very sheltered life. I didn't learn to have fun until I got much older, like now!!! Seriously I can say the last twenty years have been an adventure and I have enjoyed the ride for the most part. I have no regrets.