A Card From My Pen Pal

Hello future readers,

On Wednesday, I came home from school and went up to my room to change into my play clothes. Boomer was in there waiting for me.

I start to sit down on my bed, when I see this pretty yellow envelope addressed to me.

It was from my pen pal, Vivienne. She lives in West Virginia. She was the one who sent me the doll at Christmas that looks just like her.

So I sit down to read the card.  Then I get so excited I can't even believe it!

Vivienne invited me to West Virginia for a week so I can play in the snow! OUTTA SITE!! I yelled so loud, I scared Boomer and he jumped off the bed!

I thought it was a super groovy idea. But I wasn't sure what my mom would think, since I'd be missing school for a week. But I hadn't seen snow since I was really little, and I don't remember that much about it. Oh my mom just has to say yes! I slid off my bed and ran downstairs to the kitchen to ask my mom.

She was taking some chicken out of the refrigerator to make for dinner when I ran in the kitchen, waving the card. She read it and then looked at me. Uh-oh...she had that "I don't know about this, Julie", look on her face. Right away, I start begging...

"Oh please Mom, can't I go?"
"You have school, Julie. I don't think I want you to miss a week of school just so you could play in the snow."
"I could go to school with Vivienne! Or maybe Miss LaSalle could make me a homework packet so I won't fall behind again."
"You just got over the flu, honey. I don't want you getting sick again."
"But I'm all better, Mom. And I'll even take extra vitamins so I won't get sick again. Even that nasty cod liver oil! Please Mommy? I'll never ask you for anything else as long as I live!"
"Now let's not go making promises you know you can't keep. Let's just call Mrs. Walton and see what this is all about."

So my mom called Mrs. Walton. It turns out that Vivienne's school was gonna be closed for a week, 'cos they just had this big blizzard. They thought it would be nice if Vivienne had some company, and they both knew how much I wanted to see snow. Mrs. Walton told my mom that Vivienne's teacher gave the whole class homework packets, and she'd make sure we would do homework every day if I brought a packet too. She said that I didn't have to go out and buy warm clothes, 'cos Vivienne had lotsa extra things for me to wear. She'd make sure I take my vitamins and keep warm and dry. My mom wasn't sure she wanted me to fly all by myself. Mrs. Walton said that Vivienne had gone to visit her aunt in Boston by herself and that the stewardess did a really nice job of looking after her. Twenty minutes later, my mom said YES! She handed me the phone, told me I had 10 minutes to talk to Vivienne, and went back into the kitchen to fix dinner.

We were so excited! I was gonna fly out there on Monday. Vivienne said her best friend Betta , (Kevin's sister) couldn't wait to meet me and had some dynamite things planned for all of us to do.  It sounded like so much fun!

After I got off the phone my mom sent me back upstairs to change out of my school clothes, and told me to make a list of things I wanted to take. She said after dinner, she'd phone Miss LaSalle and ask to to make me a homework packet. Miss LaSalle told her I'd get credit for all my work, and I wouldn't miss anything important, as long as I completed the packet. Far out!

So future readers, the next time you hear from me, I'll be in West Virginia! Yippee! I'll tell you guys all about my trip, and I'll take lotsa snapshots, so you can see all the fun I'm having!
Stay tuned!

Until then, future readers,
Your very excited friend,
Julie Newman

Art Class

Hello future readers,

I'm sorry it's been so long since my last entry, but I've been sick. I don't know what it is about the month of January, but I always seem to get sick after the New Year. My mom thinks it's because we're so busy getting ready for the holidays and running around, and sometimes we'll grab a quick bite, and I just don't get all the vitamins I should from a good meal. She may be right about that. Anyway, after catching up on all my school work, I'm back now.

At my school, we have Art class every Tuesday afternoon when Miss LaSalle is on her "prep period". That's when she gets her lessons together and the class gets to do fun stuff. I really love Art class, and Mrs. Taylor is a super teacher. She doesn't believe in making us kids do the same project all together. She picks a theme and then we can pretty much create whatever we want about that theme. Last week, it was Martin Luther King, peace and brotherhood. (Hey what about sisterhood?) *giggle*

The only rules in Art class are to be creative, have fun, don't fight over the art supplies and clean up our own mess. So after Mrs. Taylor announced the theme, we all got to work.. Danny, Kyle and Shante' were making cool posters.

Kyle drew Martin Luther King, Jr. and "I Have A Dream" in a comic talk bubble. Danny made a peace sign and wrote "Give Peace a Chance" on it. And Shante' drew a globe and wrote "Love goes around in a circle", like the song from "Free To Be, You and Me." (that's a TV special that was on last year). I thought their posters were really far out. Bridget was making a necklace some beads and a cord. And Susan wanted to make a peace sign, too, but she used glue and black beans.

Robyn was getting the brown paint to put the words "Black is Beautiful" on her poster.  And Stephanie went to the supply cabinet for the pastels to make a pretty rainbow, because people come in a rainbow of colors. (well sorta..)

It was my turn at the potter's wheel. It's just like the one who had at camp. I'm making a dish for my mom to put her spare change in. At the bottom of it I'm gonna paint "We can make a change in the world today".

April wasn't quite what she wanted to do, so she's getting some ideas from Mrs. Taylor.

Art class is really a groove. It's great that school isn't all work, and we get a chance to do fun things like make posters and pottery. I wonder if schools still have Art class in the future? My mom says Art is very important and the world would be a boring, sad place without it. I'm just glad I don't live in a sad, boring world.

Until next time, future readers,
Your friend,
Julie Newman

New Year's Eve Doll Party

Happy New Year, future readers!

Well, another Christmas has come and gone. I always get a little sad when Christmas is over. I think it should last more than one day. I mean, all the shopping and cooking and singing, and getting everything ready, seems like a lot of work for just one day. I mean, I know it's Jesus' birthday and all, but people get one day for birthdays, I think Jesus ought to get two. Anyway, this year, my mom reminded me that I couldn't invite all my friends over for New Year's like I usually do. This year Kyle and Bridget moved into the neighborhood, and that would make 18 of us kids all together. There was no way my mom was gonna have all those kids over here, so she said I could invite 9 and with me there would be 10 here in the house overnight and that's plenty. Even though it was a tough decision, some of my friends made it easy, 'cos they had other plans. None of the boys were coming, 'cos they had a basketball game and party at the community center to go to. So I thought this year, I'd have a doll party.

I invited Stephanie, Melody, Susan, Raychel, Robyn, Bridget, Lisa, Kim, and Cheryl over and asked them each to bring a doll with them I dressed Lucy in one of her pretty new outfits and waited for my friends to come over.

Isn't she the cutest little thing? I just love playing with her!

Susan came over first and brought her Heather Hobbie doll. She's Holly Hobbie's cousin.

Right after Susan came in, Raychel showed up with a Holly Hobbie doll! I have one of those! I wonder if Santa Claus planned that? Y'know, I mean since Susan and Raychel live in the same duplex.

Cheryl brought her Derry Daring Western doll. She has blonde hair and blue eyes, and is really pretty, just like Cheryl! She even comes with a bow and arrows! Outta site!

Kim brought her doll Ivy over (Haha, like Eevy, Ivy Over! That's a jump rope song!) She's got really groovy boots and I think she looks a little like Kim.

Lisa brought another Lucy doll with her, but this one is from the Peanuts gang. It even talks! It says "You blockhead!" and "I've been kissed by a dog!" It's pretty funny!

Wow, Robyn got a Cecile doll, just like Shante's! I just love her blue dress. Stephanie and Melody didn't get dolls for Christmas this year, so they brought their old ones. Melody brought Sweet April, and Stephanie brought Enchanting Emerald The Witch doll.

Bridget was the last one to arrive with a pretty new MaryEllen doll. She has a cute swingy ponytail and fancy Mary Jane shoes.

So we all sat down together to play. First we played house, and me and Melody had to be the babies and Cheryl was the mommy, and everyone else were sister and cousins and stuff.  Then we played dance party! It's was so much fun!

We were getting kinda loud, 'cos we were having such a good time, that my mom said it was time to settle down with some snacks. We had cookies and brownies, popcorn and soda! Yummy!

Then my mom turned on the television so we could watch a little bit of "The Twilight Zone" before Dick Clark came on to drop the ball. We watched that kid from "Lost In Space" send people into the cornfield in the episode "It's A Good Life". He was such a creepy kid!

We rang in the New Year with soda and and sang "Auld Lang Syne". I don't know what the song means, but everybody sings it for New Year's. I'm looking forward to a really super groovy year, future readers. I hope wherever you are and whenever you are, you have a Happy New Year too, and read about some more of my far out life in the 1970s.

Until next time,
Your friend,
Julie Newman