The House on Rock Harbor Road -- December 27, 1962

Jumping ahead to the end of 1962. Wendell is still in a reflective mood, but the piece ends with a new addition to the family! (No, not me.) This illustration of Rock Harbor (looks like a pastel) is one of my father's from 1961.
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Yesterday was warm for a few hours early in the afternoon so I went into fields across the way—the fields that edge the marsh. At the line of the highest tide I gathered thatch and marsh grass layered there and carried it back to bank against the house, on the northeast where the wind blows the hardest and coldest up beneath the shingles. The marsh is still as good a place as any to gather wood for my collages, wood, that is, and other bits of floating stuff.

Uptown after lunch I picked up a dead bird by Nickerson’s store window. Perhaps it had survived the cold only to have its life dashed away by flying into the invisible wall of the window. It lived that its neck might be broken trying to get a sight of the manger scene and the crèche.

For Christmas, a pup. Liz, part collie, part golden retriever. A fat happy pup, that is about as big and fat a happy (pup) as you would want to see.

The House on Rock Harbor Road -- November 29, 1961

Without mentioning how long it's been since I've posted (April 12th), here is the next installment in my father's journal. And the season matches (late November). This entry I have to admit is a bit scattershot, but spotlights Wendell's sense of humor and fascination with the family's everyday activities.

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Let’s get a few things straight. Like dates, for example. This Friday morning (Dec 1) we make settlement on Lorraine Cabins, hereafter known as Drummer Cove Cottages. This should mark some sort of high point or low point in our lives.

Today I got a check to cover costs and got an insurance policy to cover fire, EC, property, and liability damage. There is some small question of a lawyer at the closing, [name redacted by editor, but I will divulge for a small fee], the friend of a friend of a friend, who met us for our June closing is under indictment on two counts taking funds from the local ambulance association, and trying to rig his mother-in-law’s will for a better property settlement, (or) something of the sort. So I’m not sure if we’ll have him represent us or not.

Other activities:

Great books discussion group every other Monday evening at the Orleans Elementary School (Wendell).

Ballet classes (Robin). 2:15 PM Saturday afternoon. Again at the elementary school.

Methodist choir (Wendell). Thursday eve and Sunday AM.

Sunday school teachers (2nd grade), Moo, Sunday morning, thus a fast and tight schedule is had by all.

Mother’s club (Moo), church, this week, in fact this evening a children’s fashion show. Models: all three girls.

Cindy had her picture in The Oracle and Post-Standard (what are you doing there in the picture, Cindy?). “Johnny Bear and I are scrunching up our mouths like this, see?” And we saw. And so did hundreds of others.

Much running around to decorate and trim and find a Santa Claus suit (it’s not at the cleaner’s or Willis Gould’s or at the fire house or at the Federated Church). And all we can find is the wig. Whoever borrowed it last Christmas didn’t return it. Well, if you promise not to tell I’ll lend you mine, but you’ve got to return it in good condition.

Weather: Cold. Windy. Snow flurries. Partly cloudy.

[The picture is of Wendell and Muriel in September 1953 - long before Cape Cod was a twinkle in their eyes.]