Catherine Sevenau is a writer and storyteller who is out to capture your skittery mind. She's penned three books, compiled numerous collections of family genealogy, and has been a regular columnist in the SUN since 2016. She can be reached at [email protected].
Entries from my brother’s diary…
Chapter 61: 1949-1950 • Sonora, California
1949 • Larry’s diary (age 15)
The month of October was about school, basketball games, orchestra, movies, books, and work
November: much of the same
December: same, but these few entries were of interest:
Dec 22 Got Christmas tree up with angel hair and lights. Made almost $1000 at the store, about the biggest business day of the year. First day of school vacation.
Dec 23 Store took in over $800. Picked out electric clock
Dec 24 Got my electric blanket and made bed. Also got wall electric clock, leather slippers, and book from Charlie and Velma same as last year. Cleaned up room. Store stayed open till 9:30.
Dec 25 Store stayed open part time and decorations were taken down. Heard high mass over KROG at midnight
Dec 26 Played 3 games of Monopoly. Stayed in bed till late. Cleaned horn
Dec 27 Balanced Wildcat books. Lock on door got broken somehow.
Dec 28 Started inventory, started to put away Christmas cards. Also put away Halloween and Thanksgiving cards. Played Monopoly
Jan 1950 • Larry’s diary (age 15 and 16)
Jan 7 Started reading How to Win friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie.
Jan 14 16th birthday. Quit window washing jobs at Maxwells, Lode O’ Gold, Blisses, Adrians, and Sprouse Reitz. Worked there for almost 7 years. Got leather jacket and started getting allowance of $3.00 per week.
Jan 15 Snow on top of church came down loudly during 11:00 o’clock mass.
Jan 16 Got sick and had to leave first period chemistry, almost blacked out. Dawson sent me home with bus driver
Jan 17 Stayed home today.
Jan 18 First day back at school after illness. Bought shirt at Pennies
Jan 19 Played basketball at noon and took shower without towel.
Jan 21 First Saturday that I haven’t washed regular windows. Wore new clothes.
Jan 28 Washed keys and other parts of typewriter, took it apart and cleaned out inside
Jan 29 Had High Mass at church lasted one hour, Choir sang. Took bath downstairs because pipes upstairs are still broken.
Feb 1950 • Larry’s diary (age 16)
Feb 1 Learned to play Canasta, played over 4 hours. Won every game but 1.
Feb 4 Played Canasta for second time. Got haircut, cut off wart with nail clippers
Feb 5 Went to Redwood City with Dad, drove part way. Stayed overnight.
Feb 8 Baby Cathy is sick with cut finger.
Feb 9 Polished up bottom half of horn. Dropped it on way home and made a big dent in it.
Feb 12 Lots of skiers in town, mostly girls and women. Am still sore in neck and arm from tumbling.
Feb 13 Holiday today. Burned up bunch of pocket books and magazines. Took pictures out of my room and cleaned it
Feb 16 Asked Dad about getting a tuba this summer, he said maybe.
Feb 26 Dad was sick so I kept store open all day alone.
Note: Larry had daily entries in the months of January and February, typical of those in the past dealing with school, sports, band, and work; I noted what would be of most interest in those two months.
Catherine Sevenau is a writer, humorist, and storyteller living in Sonoma, California. The stories in this series are excerpts from her book, Through Any Given Door, a Family Memoir; the full memoir is available as a web series at Sevenau.com. A longtime Broker/Realtor at CENTURY 21 Epic Wine Country, she can be reached at [email protected]
