Category: Diary

1st September

1st Sept Friday. Got up early, had a
shower, dressed and had breakfast,
wrote some letters, went to Avenue J,
came home, had lunch, then we all
went to Kennedy Airport, where we
met Harold, then called at the B.J.H.
for Samuel, and all on our way to
Elizabeth. Arrived in Elizabeth 6 P.M.
a wonderful welcome, but found that
Nellie hadn’t been well, and was in
hospital for a few days, but thank G-d
she is home, and will get stronger each
day. Unpacked had dinner, had
plenty to talk about, and in spite of
the fact that I have on so much
weight, I took my usual ice cream soda
and then to bed.

STREAMLINED CUSTOMS FACILITIES
NEW YORK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Aerial Gateway to the United States
Typical of the attention given to passenger con-
venience are the new streamlined custom facilities
which speed incoming passengers through customs.
Passenger claims his own baggage and takes it
to any of 36 supermarket-type checkout counters
in each of the two custom halls in the building.
Once he is past this counter he is clear of customs.

31st August

31st Aug Thursday. Slept late, got up, had
a shower, then breakfast, went out with
Mary to Avenue J, my favourite shopping
place, came home, had lunch, shopping
again, went to Devorah’s with messages,
boy, what a stock, came home, had
dineer, spoke to Lou & Jacqueline Wallin [?]
phoned Ray Dobbie, had an early
night and then to bed.

30th August

30th Aug. Wednesday. 7-20 A.M., arrived at
Harrisburg, dropped off and picked up
passenger, had breakfast, and off again
10. A.M., arrived at Philadelphia,
had tea, a very large & busy city.
Now on the road again, very bad
weather over the mountains and now
Newark, New Jersey. Let off passengers
and now on to New York, arrived
mid-day, and was met by Jack and
Mary, and as usual was nearly
smothered with their welcome and love.
1-30 P.M., a lovely shower, changed all
my clothes had a marvellous dinner,
got all my mail, and am now
relaxing, had a sleep for few
hours and now supper, Mary has to
got to Samuel’s office as receptionist is
off, so wea ll go. Arrived at 8-30 P.M.,
and found a crowded waiting room, I
wrote some letters, and now at 11-30 P.M.,
the last patient has gone, so we all up
and home, oh what a treat to get into
a bed again.

29th August

29th Aug. Tuesday. Tuesday morning 6.A.M.
Springfield, Missouri, stopped here for
breakfast, still dark, now light, after
a drive through delightful wooded
country have arrived at “Waynesville
Missouri” for coffee at 8.30 A.M.
Beautiful scenery all the way to St
Louis, Missouri, a lovely and large
city, very modern, and a huge
arch over the Mississippi, announcing
it as the gateway to the West, on the
road again still hilly country, and now
at 2 P.M., we are at Effingham, Illinois,
stopped and had tea. Now at 3-30 P.M.
have crossed into Indiana, a most unusual
church here, just built and in the shape
of a mushroom, all the way along
fields of corn on the cob. 5-30 crossed
beautiful country in Indianapolis
had dinner and once more on the
road. 11 P.M., have arrived at “Columbus
Ohio” had tea and went to sleep.

28th August

29th August. Monday. Breakfast at
Alberqurque, in New Mexico, a fair sized
town, large Indian settlements, and trading
posts all around. Through rugged mountain
country, then into peaceful flat country,
and now at 12 noon, have arrived at Santa
Rosa, still in [New] Mexico, for lunch, passed
through more rocky country, then flat,
and have now left [New] Mexico and am in
Texas, have put our watches forward an
hour, new time 3-30. Through more
rugged country, now 5PM., and have
arrived at Amarillo, Texas, quite a
fair sized town, plenty of shops, including
a “Safeway”. Have again changed drivers,
this one a marvellous sense of humour,
an airoplane has just passed us by,
and he drew our attention to it, describing
it as a Texan mosquito, also a huge
white sphere as a golf ball. 8-30 P.M.
have now crossed into “Oklahoma”, and
at 10 P.M., have stopped at Clinton Oklahoma
for supper. 12 P.M. “Oklahoma City” stopped
to take on passengers and have a ticket
check.

27th August

27th August. Sunday. Left Santa
Monica Station at 12010, pleasant
surprise Dianna & Sybil were at
the station when Ethel, Al and I
arrived, they gave me a wonderful
send off. Changed bus at L.A. station
and left at 1-30P.M., so now New York
here I come. Stopped at San Bernadino
Calif, about 65 miles from L.A., this run
has been through the dessert, and very
very hot. Next stop at Indio, Southern
California, then to Blythe, still desert,
and dates hanging by the thousands on
the trees, plenty of brown cattle but
most peculiar all have white faces,
have now left Blythe, crossed the
Colorado river, and now in Arizona,
which is still vast dessert. My lady
companion Mrs Allan bought me a lovely
souvenir in Indio, she is most charming
and very acquainted with this country
and has kept me well informed. Temp
is 113 and absolutely boiling, have
put watch forward 1 hour, it is now
dark, and most of the passengers have
put out their lights, will do so my
self. Mrs Allan got off at Prescott,
Arizona

26th August

26th August. Saturday. Got up late
went out shopping, bought a few
gifts, then came home, had lunch
went out again for box for my
packing, came home, rested then
dressed and went to the Century
Plaze Hotel, to the West Side room
for the dinner show. The meal was
superb, and the show was wonderful,
Shari Lewis and her puppets was
the main attraction, and she was
marvellous. W As we went into the
lobby of the hotel, lo and behold
who should I see but Rae and
Sandford, Rae shouted Minnie Kapper
and I was thrilled. We came home
and are [dining?] in to Rhubarb
pie and tea.

25th August

25th Aug. Friday. Had my shower,
wrote some letters, then went with
Ethel to town, lunched in Van de
Kamps, then walked through the stores,
came back home, have had afternoon
tea, and will soon get ready as we
are going to Millies for dinner. Had
a lovely dinner in Millies, then
some friends came in, including
Julie Elliot, she has improved
considerably, had a long chat,
spent a lovely evening and then
home.
[More on Van de Kamp’s here]

24th August

24th August. Thursday. Jack & Dian
called for me at 12-15P.M. and took
me to their country club, there I
met Annette & her children, also Ruth
and her children, had a lovely
lunch, and sat by the pool watching
them all swimming. Dian, Jack and I
went back to their flat, and was
later joined by Sybil, we all sat
down to a lovely meal prepared by
Dian. We then went to the music
centre, had a walk round, it is a
beautiful place, then went in to see
the show “Dumas and Son” with
Edward Evert Horton, and
Hermione Gingold, a very good
show indeed. Came out at 12-15 then
went for a coffee, and back to
Ethel’s, a really marvellous day.

[Dumas and Son premiered in California on August 1st at the Music Centre. More here, from the Pasadena “Independent Star-News”]

23rd August

23rd August. Wednesday. Awoke, had my
shower then breakfast, wrote a couple
of cards, packed my grip and after
lunch will get the bus back to LA
and back to my faithfuls, Ethel, Al,
and Millie. Phoned Ethel when I got
back and she picked me up at
Sepulveda Blvd, came home to a
warm welcome, a lovely dinner,
and a present of a house frock and
lovely hand bag from Ethel &
Millie. After dinner Ethel and I
went for a nice walk, came home
watched T.V. and now for bed.