The Next 10 Years....

It was 1957. Eisenhower was president. We all ate white bread, used real butter, ate red meat, drank whole milk, our cars were big and our houses were small and sturdy. We embraced the American lifestyle.


There was still a love story in store for our mother. She had corresponded with her future husband while she was in England, then spent a year of dating before jumping in for her second chance at marriage. This one worked out better.



It wasn't always easy being a blended family, but somehow we all survived. In 1960 and 1963 I gained 2 new sisters. I spent much of my teens babysitting, not just at home but for many neighbors. It was difficult getting the hang of our new environment. Once I was so excited to go to an after school dance in Jr. High, and while I was dressed in a beautifully handmade taffeta formal gown, the rest of the girls came in sweaters and plaid skirts. I quickly came to understand the meaning of the term "Sock Hop".


In 1960, we moved from Logan, Utah to Southern California. It was a great time to live there. There were still fruit orchards and open spaces. I watched the Beatles perform on the Ed Sullivan Show it was kind of a sunny, innocent time and place. Disneyland was 9 miles away and the beach was maybe 15 miles from our green stucco rambler house.



I had good friends in Jr. High and High School. We went to the Pasadena Rose Parade and slept all night on the sidewalk. We had parties at each others houses. Once one of my friends ran through a closed sliding door at one of the get togethers. Two of the guys who wanted to become doctors saved his life by applying pressure to the correct points. One of them did become a Urologist. The other became an Attorney. I went to a few Proms and dances and of course had painful heartbreaks.


In 1966 our Dad sold out his interest in the business and we moved back to Logan, Utah. I was too young not to go along. I tried to go to beauty school and dropped out 1 month shy of graduation...yes, I'm a beauty school drop out. I gave a fair haircut but hated permanents and hair coloring. That's where the money and harmful chemicals are.


My Mother had found adventure and romance and the coming decade would hold the same for me.