The Condition of the Roads

In the aftermath of T Bar M, the summer of 1995 seemed to be a quiet time for me.  I appear to be following Jane Austen-esque standards for the priority of conversation in my diary and discussing things such as the weather, books, and films.  Suitable topics for dialogue with Edward Ferrars:  

"The roads were very… dry."  

"Sigh. Looking at these little yellow flowers is so tiring, I need to lie down." 

July 11, 1995

Amy came over on Sun. It was fun! (it rimes) Yeasterday I was kind of sick and I watched "Return of Jafar."  It's not as good as "Aladdin."  Today I'm feeling better.  

Theres not much to do, so bye. 

I feel like there was also a Disney TV show?

July 15, 1995

Hi! How are you? I've been doing good lately.  An occasunal stuffy nose, but otherwise, as fine as a blue band box.  (That just popped into my head.)  Amy came over on Sunday.  It was lots of fun!  Yeasterday we saw a movie called "The Indian in the Cuboard."  It was good.  I've read the book and 2 sequels there's 3, and I want to read the 3rd. 

A Blues Band Box?

July 30, 1995

I'm reading 2 books right now.  "Little Wemon" (again) and "Tom Sawyer" (for the first time).  right now I'm supposed to be cleaning my room, but I'm doing this instead.  (heh heh).  

I saw a really good movie.  Its called "The Jungle Book."  It's the movie.  Not the Disney cartoon.  

I'm not as enthusiastic about TJ as I was.  Well godda go! 

July 31, 1995

Hi!  It's raining! It hasn't rained sence we went to Rockport - a mounth!  It's like, what is this stuff?! I think it's called rain!  Ise sos 'happy!  

I raised my window so I could hear it and smell it.  

I finished up "Little Weman" this morning.  Better than ever!  Today is the last day of July.  To me, summer has gone by fast!  Well, I must continue cleaning my room!  

PS. You're running out!  

I like how I spell it "Wemen" when the correct spelling is IN THE TITLE OF THE BOOK!

August 1, 1995

Hello!  Today I'm almost finally finished cleaning my room!

August 2, 1995

Hi! Today the Nelsons are going to Faimly Camp at T Bar M.  They're going to come by today before they go.  Yea!  I'm working on my splits and streatching out every morning and night before I go to bed.  If I do them both times I put a star on the day on my calender.  I'm doing it for the mounth of August, and maybe I'll be able to do the splits by then, but I'll keep on doing it anyway.  

Did you know that Adam is working at Schliterbon and is taking Drivers Ed?  Well, he is.  And for Drivers Ed you have to get something from school, I don't know what, but today we went up there to get it and 3 new people are coming to our class for 6th grade!  

SCHLITTERBAHN! (Ick.)

Three new people in sixth grade!  At a school that graduated senior classes typically around 15-20, gaining three new students in a single grade was truly an event for excitement and speculation.  

Also, I never got the splits.  Now that I am a (mostly) dedicated yogi, I have some optimism that perhaps I will finally achieve this goal in my 30th year.  

But also my legs just might not do that.   

Camp Notes

June 29, 1995

Hi!  Sorry I forgot to take you to Rockport (oops).  It was really fun!  But I'm soooooo glad to get back!  So cho mo!  Adam's birthday is on July 1st!  15!!!! Oh!  And me and mommy got my new MITTLE SCHOOL uniforms!  I heart them! 

School uniforms. What's not to heart? Look at these kids
having a great time.  For the record, we did not wear blazers. 

July 2, 1995

Hi!  I'm sitting on my top bunk at T Bar M "Sundown" cabin!  T Bar M is pretty cool so far.  Our cabin girls are COOL!!!!!! The skits are sooooooooo funny!  But I gadda hurry 3 min til B-time! 

T Bar M cabin! 

July 3, 1995

Hi!  It's FOB (feet on bunk).  Camp is a lot of fun!  I like all the conselers (very much) escpesically Micky she is SO funny!  Food - so so could be better.  Last night was CRAZY!  We didn't go to sleep till coach nailed the ringleader.  

July 6, 1995

Hi!  Yeasterday we went on the river floating, it was really fun!  My window at camp has a great view!  Camp is fun, but I kinda want to go home.  I mean, I've had a busy June - barely home, so I miss it.  But when I'm not thinking about it, I'm ok. 

My specialty is volleyball and today I returned like the best players serve!  A really good girl came up and hugged me!  She's nice, her name is Shena.  I like a girl in my cabin, her name is Susan.  

At the fireworks on the 4th, a group of guys kept on going oooo, ahhh, oohhhhh, it was so funny.  Well, now I've got to go (write to Sarah).  Love, Lee. 

What's funnier than going "ooooh, ahhhh" while watching fireworks?

PS. I have a top bunk! 

July 7, 1995

Hi!  Today mom and dad (y) are coming for parents day, then their goinig home, and then tomarrow after breakfast we're going home. (can't really say I'm really sorry) 

Today I rode the screamer for the 2nd time! And the grapevine.  Here are demonstrations of both. 

The screamer is SO cool.  The grapevine is fun too.  When I was on the grapevine my legs were shaking SO bad the whole line was shaking.  

This is a slightly better "demonstration" of what the ropes course looked like. 

Thoughts - 

I'm surprised I don't mention this in my diary, but doing the screamer and grapevine were actually HUGE events for me.  The previous summer, I'd tried to do the screamer (essentially a humungo swing...you ooched yourself off of the repelling tower then went into a free-falling drop), but chickened out and made the walk of shame back down the repelling tower stairs, instead of swinging to the ground in glory.  All year I thought about it, purposing in my heart that I WOULD do the screamer the following summer.  And so I did.    

Chippen Awee

June 7, 1995

Hi!  I'm at Corpus.  It's my last day here.  HOOHOO.  But MOMMY'S coming home tomarrow!  And I'm hopefully going to a ballet workshop next week, I think, and I got to get in shape - I've been laying around like a slob. Hum de ho. B-B! 

June 11, 1995

Hi!  Today Holly is going to camp and the Nelsons came by here and ate lunch and chit-chatted before they took Holly to T Bar M.  After they came back, Rick took Bonnie and me to go swimming in the spring fed pool.  It was cold - the first few seconds!  It was really fun.  Then we went to eat at Molly Joe's!  And then they left. 

The freezing waters of the spring fed pool!

 Tomarrow me and mommy are going to a Myra Worthen ballet studio, for a worckshop.  It will last two weeks, 9AM - 1PM, but not on Sat or Sun, I don't think.  But you have to try out for it and what if I don't make it?  My ambition is to be a ballet star, and I want the best of everything.  I'll write tomarrow and tell you if I make it.  Love, Lee.  
PS. I gotta go to BED!

Hmm...Another "ballet star" who had to have the "best of everything."
Maybe it's good my ambitions took a turn. 

June 19, 1995

Hi! Today isn't "tommarrow" but I did make it.  But it's not very fun.  In fact, I don't like it at all!  It's boring, it's hard, it's long, it's not at all like Connally's.  Well, when the Nelson's got here we played a lot and went out to eat. It was fun!  On Friday we're going to Rockport!  YEAH!  

June 20, 1995

You know that feeling of satisfaction when you have a (partialy) clean room?  We're going to Rockport in (not counting today) 2 and a half days! YAHOOO!  Then T Bar M one week OVERNITE camp and then nothing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

T BAR M! Center stage for my childhood and teenager summers. 

My two favorite cartoon shows are - 1.  Goof Troop  2.  Aladdin.  De're fo tunndy!  (Note: I have no idea what this dialect is that I was attempting. None.)  But did I ever tell you that I have to write a Revolutional story for Mrs. A for next year over the summer?  MAN!  Its harder than I thunk!  Talk about Writer's Block! But somewho or oder I godder start chippen awee.  Whell I muset gor.  Bee Bee!  

Yes! This show! I think a spinoff of A Goofy Movie, which I
remember quoting endlessly with my friends.

Thoughts - 

Is it actually possible for any rising 6th grader to "lay around like a slob?"  Doubtful.  I think there's a minimum amount of energy necessary for them to burn in a day before self-implosion. 

Ah, the Spring Fed Pool and Molly Joe's.  Two New Braunfels institutions.  I have very fond memories of the Cookie Monster dessert at Molly Joe's.  Sadly, the restaurant is now gone, but I think people are still using the pool.   

I find it funny that in this section of passages I seem to be encountering the grind of hard work necessary before producing anything of worth.  Myra Worthen's was a much more challenging studio than the one I'd gone to before, so the atmosphere of hard work and seriousness is basically what I'm complaining about in the entry above.  Also, as way of explanation, my 6th grade teacher, knowing how much I loved to write, asked me to write her a story set during the American Revolution over the summer, which is why I'm encountering writer's block.  

Maybe this lapse into odd baby-talk was my way of coping? :) 

May Miscellany of 1995

Revisiting these old journals really has been a window, not only into my past self, but into the minds of the students I work with now, in terms of what's important to them and how they probably interpret events. 

Miscellaneous reflections after reading through these entries:  

1) My spelling is largely improving, which makes the errors all the more strange looking. Although Beethoven remains a very difficult word. 

2) My use of the word "cool" as an all-encompassing adjective was...probably very annoying to the adults in my life. 

3) My reasoning on church membership was absurd. Except I was 11, so...right on track?

4) The narrative about the ballet recital is a hoot.  I now understand the focus on developing students' chronological writing skills in my grad classes.  Apparently, it's rather difficult to communicate a chain of events clearly.     

May 4, 1995

Hi! April is finally over! 22 more days and we're otta here! 17 more days till Piano recital.  I'm playing a Scott Joplin song and Fur Elise by Beetonvan.  Strange combo - huh?  We finished our dance in ballet and got our costumes!  There so pretty!  They look like Juliets!  Empire wast, puffed sleeves, pink ribbons, and white gauze! 

The "Juliet" I'm referring to was the glorious Janie Parker in Houston Ballet's production,
which I probably saw with my mom and grandmother earlier that year.   

PS. It's awful the way they beheaded people left and right in the middle ages, huh. 

May 20, 1995

Hi!  Schools almost out (yeah yeah yeah) Schools almost out, (yeah yeah yeah) Arn't I tallented?  (HAHA) 

Tomorrow is my piano recital and I'm playing Fur Elise by Beetoven and The Entertainer by Scott Joplin.  I hope Amy can come but she has a bad sunburn on her legs and feet.  

On Monday is DARE graduation and we get to wear our DARE shirts and jeans all day!  

It's difficult to communicate to anyone who did not wear school uniforms
how notable and exciting a "casual dress day" or even a "DARE t-shirt day" was on the Bracken campus.

I went swimming today, it was so much fun!  

Summer, were are you?  Just around the corner.  But schools in my way! 

I hate school.  (Well, the work part.) 

May 25, 1995

Hey!  on Wednesday at ballet, Dorthy came to dance with us.  It was pretty cool!  

Today we went to the Riverwalk for our 5th grade graduation!  It was fun!  Tomorrow is the last day of school!  I'm so excited!  Well I'de better go and clean my room!  

Yaaaay 5th grade.

May 28, 1995

Hi!  You know I really want to go to church at Shepherd of the Hills.  I mean, I like ACBC but, I just feel more at home at Shepherd of the Hills.  The preachers good and plus almost everybody from school goes there.  (TJ & Amy)  Like, a lot of middle schoolers and high schoolers.  

Well, yeasterday we had the first major rehersal in ballet.  It was pretty cool.  

Friday was the last day of school - YES! 

Mommy leaves on Tuesday, BOO-HOO.  

This is where "Mommy" was headed for a week or two, along with dear Auntie Mary,
leaving the kids with the dads.  My nearly-30-year-old present self says,
"GOOD DECISION, LIBBY AND MARY!"

June 3, 1995

Yo!  The ballet recital was cool!  Jennifer and Betsy picked me up and took me to a hair place and they did my hair in a bun and plastered (I mean plastered) my bangs back (Since mom is in London and Aunt Jeniffer isn't to sure of herself).  Then when we got home Betsy caked on base, blush, and maskara and some other junk.  Then we grabbed the costume and left for Lila Cockeral (The place where we had our recital - it's huge!)  Then we got to the dressing room and I got into my costume and Betsy caked on more base, blush, maskara, and lipstick!  

Then I got everything done and Jennifer and Betsy left to go sit with daddy in the seats.  Some of the girls were acting up but I streached out.  Finally we were called.  We're Dresden Dolls who are up in the attic.  A girl Dorthy finds us and we come to life.  After our act is a maypole scene with 3-8 yr old dancing.  Since it takes so long to organize the "babies" they put a screen behind us and behind the screen is the babies.  After our act, the screen rises and there they are.  Set to jet! We are behind a curtain, while the overture is playing, it's closed.  We where all talking and laughing while it was playing.  Of corse - there were several false alarms.  But finally it was ready.  
I don't think I messed up.  

Today we called mommy!  She was good.  But, I miss her.  But, tommorrow I get to go to Corpus!  YEA! And see Hol-Hol and Bonster!  (Otherwise known as Holly and Bonnie)

Tonight we watched a movie called "From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweilder."  It was good!  I had already read the book (wouldn't you know it?!)  

So good.

Although the experience didn't make it into my diary, I believe this Mommy-goes-to-London trip was also the first time I operated a washing machine, thus learning the life lesson that teal underwear will cause white socks to become a pale shade of blue.  

PS. Beheading people WAS awful.  

No Noticable Cuts

Note: The heading of this entry is a revealing window into my decades-long battle with how to spell the word "Saturday."  Even post-college graduation, I would pause while writing and briefly wonder "E or U?"  I'm delighted to share that now, in my 29th year, I believe I have finally mastered the word. 

Saterday 

April 15, 1995

Hi!  Yeasterday (another tricky word) we had lunch with the Nelsons!  It was really fun!  Today me and mommy went to Beth's house and me, Beth, Sarah, Josh, Jared, and Elisha had an Easter party!  It was a lot of fun!  Tomarrow is Easter!  Cool, huh?  Well, now I'm going to play King's Quest V!  

Kings Quest V was a CD-ROM computer game to which Adam and I devoted many hours.  A king loses his castle and family somehow and has to travel around his magical world with his friend the owl searching for them and encountering adventures.  Like drinking tea?

I mean, you had to fight a Yeti by throwing a pie in his face! How awesome is that? Sadly, there was a glitch in our copy that caused the computer to basically shut down every time we reached the final, climactic showdown with the evil magician, so we never knew how it ended.  Bummer.

Sunday 

April 23, 1995

Hi!  Yeasterday (there it is again) I shaved my legs for the first time.  I didn't get any noticable cuts!  I saw a movie at Amy's called The Princess Bride. It was really good!  Well I can't think of anything else to say so - bye! 

Woa - the first time shaving my legs AND seeing The Princess Bride all in the same day?!
That's one exciting day.

And I'm still quite relieved when I have no "noticable" cuts after shaving.

In Your Face, Becky!

Note: Wow. This entry reads like I downed a double shot espresso into my little 5th grade body.  I don't mention the romantic escapade again in the diary, but I'm pretty sure "the relationship" lasted about a day.  It's just too funny not to share.  I think the experience is made better if the entire entry is read aloud super fast in a high-pitched voice. 

March 9, 1995

Dallas likes me!  Can you believe that?  And I like him too!  It's wierd isn't it?  (Note: Ha! Yes.  Liking people is SO wierd.)  I knew because TJ and Dallas are best friends, and tomorrow the speech meet - oh and I'm going, I'm saying "I have a dream" - so we put our chairs in a cemi-circle and played "gossip" and at the end when we were all leaving Dallas said "I know what I would have said, It's about Lee!"  I kept on bugging him and finally I said "Sarah, make TJ tell you!"  So she did and she started cracking up!  and I'm all "What? What? Tell me!" And she did!  And I felt kind of wierd.  Then I asked TJ if it was true and he said "Yes" and told him I like Dallas too!  Beth told me later that after I left Dallas asked Beth if I liked him and Beth said, "Lee would kill me if I told."  And TJ said "Yes, she likes you!"  And Beth said Dallas started jumping around majorly! Anyway, I'm happy and now when this brat Becky at ballet asks me if I have a boyfriend I can say "yes!" 

After all, what's the point of liking someone if you can't brag about it to your arch-nemesis at ballet? This entry is quintessential example of why I'm glad I've kept a journal throughout the majority of my life.  Without documentation, I would've forgotten all about this, but thanks to the trusty college-ruled single subject blue notebook I kept from 1994-1995, the moment is recorded in all its pristine, 5th grade ridiculousness.  Too bad I didn't write about the "break up"....if it could even be called that? Maybe we just went to school the next day and acted like nothing had happened?  What happens in the "gossip cemi-circle" stays in the gossip cemi-circle?  

Valentine's Day & '90's Jeans

Feb. 13, 1995

Tommarrow is Valentines!  I'm giving out Beauty & Beast cards.  Evan tho I'm 11, my favorite cartoon is B.B. and then Lion King, then Aladen.  Disney's coming out with a new movie "Pocahontist."  I don't think it will be that good.  

Tomarrow we have to wear red, white, and pink.  Hey!  At least it's not uniforms!  I'm going to wear my rock-washed jeans, and a T-shirt.  I wanted a white one - but I don't have one so I turned one arounnd.  And a BEAUTIFUL vest daddy bought me!  And my prarie boots and my silver hoops clip-on earrings.  

On Friday me and daddy went on a date.  To the mall and to a camo and lace dinner (Father and daughter) at church.  It was fun! 

I feel like Lisa is sporting a pretty solid example of what I remember as "rock-washed" denim.
This is a super intense looking scene from Saved by the Bell.  Maybe they are discussing their own chosen outfits for Valentine's Day.  

March 11, 1995

Hi! At the speech meet I got "supirior" on "I Have a Dream!"  Now I will tell you about ballet. 

This girl in my class, Becky is a real nerd - I do not like her.  Margo, the teacher's daughter is my best friend in ballet.  Sarah is a showoff but I geuss I juged her because shes been nice lately.  But she comes only once a week.  And Becky comes 2.  So does Margo.  So she saves me.  

Another dramatic day in ballet.  

Note: You GUESS you judged her, 11 year old self?  I'm amazed you had time to learn how to pointe and pirouette at all what with all the judging going on.