Oh, February

Somebody tell me spring is coming. P L E A S E.

Look at this picture. Could it be any more February? No sunshine. No leaves. No flowers. Just cold, cold rain. Or fog. Or snow. (I've been living in my Land's End red suede bad weather shoes for weeks. Ordinarily I don't mind rainy gloom -- it's actually good "writing weather," but alas, I have apparently reached my saturation point.

So. What's good about February? There must be something.

Well, let's see. It's Number One Granddaughter's Birthday Month. (She just turned seven.) You know how special that is.

It's also Writer Friend Linda's birthday month. And Nursing School Friend, D.B.'s. And High School Friend Harriet's. I love them. They've all been an important part of my life -- February Gifts, as it were.

It was my maternal grandmother's birthday month, as well. She was Christmas personified when I was a little girl (she started the prep work right after Thanksgiving), and I adored her.

And there's the February Worldwide Excuse To Eat Chocolate (aka Valentine's Day).

Oh, and The Bride Fair (and its Super Librarian Love, American Style Digital Bundle) became available at amazon, Barnes & Noble, Sony Ebooks, Fictionwise, Books On Board, Mobibooks, eHarlequin, etc., for downloading to assorted ebook readers and in some places, directly to your PC. (amazon says the software for downloading to a Mac will be available "soon.") I'm really happy about The Bride Fair. All writers have "favorites" among their published works, and this book is one of mine. If you haven't read it, I want you to. Really bad. If you have read it, I want you to read it again. (It's how I am. One of my main raison d'etres for writing at all is the desire to be read.)

Okay, what else?

I got a refund check from Walmart Pharmacy last week because they over charged me for my prescriptions. My fault, they more or less said, for not keeping them apprised. I offer everybody but the Walmart Greeter my assorted medical insurance cards. I, without fail, offer them to the pharmacy people EVERY SINGLE TIME. If there's a way to keep them more "apprised," I don't know what that would be short of wearing one of those "Eat at Joe's" kinds of body signs when I go to get a prescription filled. Still, money is money-- every penny counts -- and I did get some back. That was definitely a good February thing.

And what am I learning from this post? Well, I guess it's that February isn't really crappy. It only looks crappy.

Till next time...

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day

Wishing You Love and Chocolate...

Love Those Weather "Computer Models"

Here's our "dusting" of snow:

Final Update On The Cadet Diary

The Cadet's Diary is on its way to the Museum and Archives at The Citadel. It seemed the best and most fitting place for it. I'm glad it found its way into my hands, albeit briefly.

The Cadet Diary #7 -- The Final Entry

March 23 Monday (1936)

I lost the diary for about two weeks is the reason I haven’t written in it lately. I mooved (sic) down with Ashton this Saturday 2 weeks ago. Thank God I’m not rooming with Moss anymore.

Got my glasses last Friday afternoon. They still hurt my eyes a little bit, even though I just wear them when I read.

I got sick last Wednesday nite a week ago and stayed in the hospital until that Saturday morning.

The General inspected Saturday. We didn’t get pulled or commended.

Went sailing with Mr. Frazer (?) yesterday. Lift (?) Sift(?) Lif 1 (?) about. We left about ten thirty and sailed under the bridge to the Yacht Basin and got some sandwiches to take with us. Went on out to Fort Sumpter and stayed out there for about a half hour and then sailed out to Morris Island and beached he boat. Had a fine time playing on the beach and looking at the jetteys (?) jetlays (?). Sailed back before the wind in about 2 hours. That’s pretty good time because its (sic) about 14 miles out there.

Nothing unusual today except that we put on cotton shirts after dinner

I am pretty sunburned in the face.

Thus ends the Cadet Diary -- and what a journey it must have taken. I know only about the last leg of it, that it went from here (Cline's Antiques):

To here (my AlphaSmart typing place by the fire):

Thanks to the internet (I speak fluent "google"), I've managed to discover a few answers to my earlier questions. I know that at the time the diary was written he looked like this:

I know that he did indeed graduate and that the 1939 Citadel yearbook said this:

...Hugh will always be remembered for his dry, humorous expressions. His slow drawl and nonchalant manner have made him almost a legend among his classmates. Never seeming to care for rank, he has been a private all the way through. If he had really set his heart to the task, Hugh would probably have made an excellent officer. The height of his ambition was to be able to know more songs and recognize more orchestras than his crony "the Beetle-brow." Therefore, if anyone wanted any information in the musical circles, Hugh could always oblige. No one ever saw this lad from Charlotte studying, but he met the demands of the Business professors. His keen intellect and friendly personality will no doubt be as useful to him in the business world as they have been at The Citadel.

Ret., Co. F (4); Pvt., Co. H (3, 2); Pvt.,Co. M (1); Richardson Rifles (2, 1); Charlotte-Citadel Club (4, 3, 2, 1).

I know he was born on the 30th of June in 1918 and he died on the 11th of March in 1997. I know that he had three older brothers and that at some point he got married. There was no information regarding any children.

I find it interesting that he didn't seem to care about the military aspect of the Citadel, but he doesn't seem to be quite as firm about not wanting to participate as did one of his classmates, who, the yearbook noted, was given a promotion -- and who promptly gave it back.

I learned, too, that the seemingly hapless Colonel Gaston (I base this opinion on the fact that oranges were thrown in his direction) had been replaced by 1939. There was a special mention in the year book of the "new regime" and the fact that Colonel Gaston had "retired." These changes apparently had the cadet senior class's approval:

...School reopened under a new regime. Colonel Holliday, P. M. S. K T., replaced the retired Commandant of Cadets, Colonel Gaston. With the new commandant came a new set of Assistant Commandants, Major Kalloch. Major Sinkler, and Captain Alexander, replacing Lieutenants Graves and Keith. The new Commandant's Department wisely realized the futility of functioning without the Corps' backing, so the Senior Class' cooperation was secured. We were given more responsibility and more liberty,the things for which all Citadel senior classes have striven. We feel that this administrative change has done more for our college than any amount of physical growth could do.

So that's it. As suggested at the top of the blog, "writing Life" is my thing -- but I didn't necessarily mean my life. I hope you've found the long ago cadet's observations interesting. I certainly did.

The Cadet Diary #6 --The Ash Can "Mistery" Is Solved

Saturday-Feb 22 (1936)

Washington’s Birthday and here I am all cooped up in this place. No kind of inspection at all today. Lounged around the room all morning and was over in the gym about 5 o’clock when the first call went off in Murray Barracks. Put on my tie and overcoat and ran over here. Just did get here in time to meet the 2 minute steel(?). Now I know how it feels to be a fireman. Drop whatever you are doing and be on the guard – fully dressed in three minutes.

They announced that general leave would begin immediately. They had been having a cadet Committee meeting and had evidently caught somebody -- Moss got back from the dentist about that time and said that Muldrow and Dukes had confessed. He said that they had all got together and drew straws to see which two would confess so the corps could go on leave.

Tried to take a shower but the water was to (sic) cold so I waited till about seven o’clock and it was still cold.

Went up town and had supper at the G. and S. by the lonesome. Bought a few odds and ends that I had been needing including some rubber caps to go on the bottom of the chair so I wouldn’t fall down when I leaned back. Went down to Silver’s to see about that lamp. It’s a pretty good looking job (Transcription Note: girl) that works in there. I’ll have to get a date with her.

Came on back about ten o’clock and went to bed. Oh yes I forgot to say that was Kendrick’s liquor they found in Dial’s car. He read out his own special order Thursday. He was reduced from captain adjutant to private and is deprived of all leave privileges for three months receives 50 demerits and 50 tours. Thats (sic) going to seem odd having a senior on the quad with you.

Sunday Feb 23 (1936)

Eyes are almost well now. They had another cadet-committee meeting during and after chapel this morning. I think they’ve about got them all now. They say that Kendall told on all of them.

Served 4 confinements this afternoon.

Monday Feb 24 (1936)

Didn’t get back from the hospital until class call this morning. Moss didn’t have the room cleaned up very well, but he had a vacant period before the OD came by and got it fixed then. Trotti pulled me for having on a dispreptable (sic) shirt at drill. Thorpe saw it at dinner formation and if he didn’t tell Trotti to report me, I’m going to star it and say I toe it while doing exercises. It’ll probably be a 3 and that will give me a tour to walk Saturday.

Andrews says he is one over on demerits now, but he had a neat press today so he’s exactly even now. He had sure better watch his step.

Went to Chem. Coaching class tonight and worked a few problems . I’m going to have to do some powerful studying now since I haven’t read any at all in a week. I’m also afraid we have to hand in the History note book tomorrow and I haven’t touched mine this month or the last either

Tuesday Feb 25

Didn’t get back from the hospital until after class call again. Got pulled for unidy press, but I starred the report. Got a letter from Jeane and Harry (Transcription Note: Harry is likely a brother) this morning. Jeane says she found that letter I wrote her last October. Harry says Burke had his tonsels (sic) taken out.

They read out all the special orders in the mess hall today. All the boys envolved (sic) got three months restriction and 100 tours for planning the thing. Muldrow and Andrews got 6 months restriction and 150 tours and ten demerits. That puts Andrews 8 over he says. Muldrow got busted.

Mr. Dial got reported for disrespect to Shumate. He wouldn’t say “sir” to him and when asked for explination (sic) he said “I’m not used to saying sir to anyone that is no older than I, and I don’t intend to start now.”

Took part of the test in English this afternoon. H (?) Achurch (?) H A Church (?) started to correcting it and said I had so many errors that I could have another shot at it Thursday morning. I’ll have a class from 9 in the morning till six in the afternoon with an hour off for dinner and supper. Slept all evening and went to coaching class after supper.

The Mystery of the Cadet Diary Continues With #5...

Sunday Feb 16 (1936)

Walked post for 15 minutes over time last night. The damn sergant (sic) of the guard must have gone to sleep and forgot to ring the steel – at any rate it wasn’t rung until 12:30.

Everything was quiet last night. Not a single light bulb or any thing went off.

Played a little more ping pong with Taylor this morning after chapel until we broke the ball.

The dough and the cadet-committee had a meeting this morning and called over all the hell raisers in this barraks (sic), one at a time and asked them about the ash can throwing. I don’t think anybody talked. Mr. Croft said that the whole barraks (sic) was going to be restricted until they answered the great mistery (sic). They’ll have to oath (?) about 30 boys if they get everybody because there were at least 2 boys to every trash can.

It was announced this morning that main barracks would be granted leave this afternoon but we’d still be restricted. Went over and talked to Bob Gill and Kologiski this afternoon till about four o’clock and then came back and read until supper. I sure hope they don’t throw anything off tonight. I want to get out of here at least once or twice before Easter.

Monday Feb – 17 (1936)

Finished inking all the visible outlines of that hard plate in drawing today.

Special order was read out in mess hall today upon the recommendation of the surgeon, the restriction is hereby lifted.” (sic) Another read “All leave privileges granted to cadets quartered in Murray barracks are canceled until further notice. (sic)I don’t think we’ll be restricted for more than one week-end though.

Got my pants pressed this afternoon.

The infantry shot off a fire cracker just a little while ago, but they didn’t have a formation as they usually do. I don’t guess they don’t want leave either. It sounded like another dynamite cap. They say that the dough is afraid that there’s some dynamite over there and somebody will be fool enough to set if off. Moss has got to walk posts tonight.

Tuesday Feb-18 (1936)

Woke up this morning and couldn’t hardly get my right eye opened. By dinner time it was as red as all get out so I went over to the hospital and Miss Malloy put some red stuff in it. She said I just had a cold in it, but after she got through it looked as if I had the pink eye.

Shumate caught Mr. Dial for having whiskey in his automobile while it was parked behind the barraks (sp). He was O.D. this morning but after he was caught he was put under arrest and Jones was O.D. I heard him talking tonight and he said if they gave him fifty demerits it would put him way over.

Made a deal with Mr. Andrews in the mess hall today. Every time we have cream puffs for dessert, he gets mine and every time we have that chocolate stuff, I get his. Went back over to the hospital this afternoon at 5:30 and I have to go back in the morning at sick call. I hope she gives me an excused recitation. I’m going to tell her I couldn’t do any reading tonight.

Friday Feb-21 (1936)

(Hell?) (Still?) “Excused recitation. (sic) Went to English class but they had a quiz, so Mickel and I came back to barracks.

In Math class Maj Myers jumped on me for talking to Bryant. He’s about the only teacher I have that wouldn’t have reported me. Had another quiz in Chem. So I returned to barracks again. Cleaned the rifle, shined my shoes real good and touched up the brasses. I kind of suspected that there would be no inspection so I didn’t put everything on and sure enough they announced there would not be an inspection but everyone was to oil their rifles and the company commanders would inspect them in the rooms at 1:15. Thorpe jumped on me for not having the butt-guard oiled properly.

Went over to the hospital after dinner and got the drops put in my eye. They are not entirely well, but are considerably better.

Its (sic) rained hard all day with an extremely cold hard wind to boot. They blew call-to-quarters at Seven (sic) o’clock and the N.C.O.I.C.O.Q. checked at 7:15. We could visit after he came by. Got in a fast and furious ping-pong game up in Mayos (sic) again. That seems to be the only thing I can find to do on the weekends while we are restricted. I wish they would hurry up and catch someone for that ash can job so we can get out of here. The time slipped up on me and taps blew at 11:PM, while I was still up in Mayo’s room. I had to come back and put the bed down and get undressed in the dark.