A QUICK LOOK AT 1958
Time marches on. Nothing ever seems to happen, but when you pause at the year's end, there are lots of nice things to remember. As usual, Les crisscrossed the country several times, covering east, west, and the gulf coasts, together with his share of the interior. The long trips were by plane, but the 1952 Chrysler, comfortable as an old armchair on wheels, did its fair share of miles. On one trip, taking Larry back to school, we were side-swiped - so now Les is considering a trade-in on one of the small foreign cars He wants something he can park without driving around the block forever looking for a big enough space.
Life at the office was interesting. Just after New Year's, a good friend from Venezuela, Walt Bitterling, dropped in for a visit. He and Les had a great time reminiscing about life in that oil-rich country. In March, a suite of shiny new offices was completed. Les coordinated the move to 15 E. Gregory Blvd. The summer air-conditioning was wonderful! During the early part of the year Les finished a book, "Engineered Hydraulics in Fire Protection." Now comes the problem of getting it published. Ever since last May he has been busy on Air Force research...how to put out fires in the new and exotic high energy boron fuels. The vapors are toxic, even in very small concentrations, as he found out on several occasions. One effect, he swears, was hearing beep signals at odd intervals. It was just like being tuned in on a satellite!
During 1957 the house got a lot of carpentry and electrical work. In 1958, attention was primarily directed to the cellar. About 3/4 of the rough stone walls were veneered over with smooth patio block. A shower and bath were installed. Most of the water piping was replaced. The laundry area was put in first class condition, a badly needed improvement. A darkroom was constructed in one corner, and though not finished, it was far enough along to be used to develop the negatives for the photo on this card. During the summer we scraped and burned off a lot of flaking paint Then Larry painted the trim a light green. We couldn't finish the whole house before he had to go back to school, but at least everything that shows from the street is covered. Polly picked the paint color and acted as slave driver to keep the boys on the job. She's been busy with her music all year. The spring was especially a busy one, with accompanying for music classes at Paseo HS every day, sandwiched in with playing for rehearsals of "Pirates of Penzeance" at Southwest HS. This fall, she's concentrating on her work at Southwest HS, and playing for the choirboys at St. Andrews church. She's also accompanist for the Xmas programs at Barstow School. Occasionally she pinchhits as substitute organist. Club activities take a lot of time. The schools have Tooters Clubs in support of their musical groups. Polly is President of the Border Star Tooters Club, and a director of the Southwest HS Club. With all this to do, she dashes here and there in her little Plymouth, but still keeps 6421 Washington on a more or less keel, turning out a lot of meals and laundry for her menfolk. In her spare time last month, she collected for United Funds, the Kansas City community chest.
Mother came for a visit Columbus day and stayed until just after Thanksgiving, helping us cook and eat the turkey. Just as she got back to Buffalo, the first of New York States' proverbial winter weather started. The plane landed at Rochester, duplicating its performance from last year's visit. She had to backtrack by bus.
Getting a picture with Larry in it is a problem. When he's around during the summer, we never think of Xmas cards. By November we realize Gettysburg is a long way off, It sure would take a big telephoto lens to do us any good! He's 18 now, a sophomore majoring in History. He likes AF ROTC, and made airman 3rd class. It might be a career, for he is seriously thinking of AF Chaplain work. He played clarinet in the Gettysburg marching band again this year. That meant a band camp a week before school opened. The football boys aren't the only ones that need preseason practice! When not hitting the books, Larry heads for the library, his sparetime job. He hasn't gotten to 6 ft. tall yet, but has hopes.
When he's not thinking ROTC and parading the cadets around the Southwest drill area, Edward is a 15 year old scientist. He had an excellent magnetic amplifier exhibit shown in the Kansas City Science Fair, and has begun to delve into things electronic. His current activity is Junior Achievement on Monday evenings, working in a company organized to make and sell tote trays. Ed was ready for lifesaving several years ago, but there wasn't time to take it then because of moving and getting resettled. This summer he caught up on that little detail, and now proudly wears his Lifesaving emblem. He got a new trumpet this year, and toots merrily away in the school band. Saturdays he plays in a selected band at the K. C. Conservatory of Music. During the year Ed has grown tremendously, and is up to 5'5". He's bigger than Polly now. Almost every other day he needs a bigger size in clothes and shoes. His clothes don't change in size, but he sure does.
Dan, at 12, has school as his primary job. Last year in 6th grade he was put in an experimental group. This year he's in a special 7th grade for accelerated t raining. He's learned to swim, too. The first hard part, overcoming fear, is over. Now he can navigate on his own power in the water. A dancing class has been formed at Border Star. Dan attends and enjoys it greatly. The improvement in his French horn playing has been appreciable. The sour notes aren't as frequent. The good notes sound better. He plays in the school orchestra as does Ed, also in the
Conservatory band. It's been a good year.
We put a second air conditioner in the house to take the edge off the occasional hot spells we have here. The bulk of the changes of the house for the sake of comfort and convenience have been made. We've been able to relax and enjoy life in Kansas City. Les could loaf occasionally without worrying about all the jobs waiting for him to do. Our Iowa cousins have dropped in on us several times enroute to Oklahoma kinfolk. Polly and Mother managed a trip to Oklahoma themselves, going down through the Ozarks to take in the autumn scenery. The leaves were just turning color about then.
We still have our two cockers and a cat. Buffy is getting to be an old lady in some respects, but that black rascal Pixie gives her so much competition for our affections that she can't relax. They are quite a pair, just as different as day and night. For many years Peter was a standoffish sort of cat. She tolerated us, but not much more. Now she's mellowing a lot, and purrs at the slightest attention.
