My neighborhood growing up

My neighborhood growing up
19th Street, Port Townsend

Wednesday, June 3, 2015

middle of the week

Always curious when I see a police car go past my house slowly.  Just call me Gladys Kravitz!

Having another bout with "distress in the lower tract" this a.m.  I've been keeping a food diary (sorta) but apparently I'm still not close to knowing for sure if it's something I'm eating that is causing this unsettling problem.  Going to go off coffee again and see if I can't eliminate whatever it is I'm not supposed to be eating.  I did have a slice of cheese in my turkey sandwich the last couple of days so I'd better omit that tiny thing too.  How irritating!

I woke up early (5:30 a.m.) and much to my dismay, couldn't go back to sleep.  Just hate it when that happens.  I might as well get used to it, though, because this is apparently how the game is now going to be played.  My last lab results on blood draws showed better numbers than the previous test (which I had when I was sick but wasn't positive I was sick) so I guess I'll just assume that whatever is wrong inside isn't something that is going to kill me.  On the other hand, well...never mind...we won't go there. Ha Ha

Which reminds me of a show I watched on Netflix last night that gave me some out loud laughs. Or was it Amazon? I don't remember. Anyhow, I don't often get out loud laughs from tv these days.  It was Louie, the stand-up comic and he was discussing death. Always an interesting topic. He said: (although I'm paraphrasing)

People seem to be very concerned with death.  I don't understand that. They're especially interested in what happens after death. I can tell you exactly what happens.  Everything continues as it was before. Dogs catch frisbees in the park, we have another Super Bowl...  Everything goes on but you're not included. All the activities in the world take place without you. Cause you're gone.

Somehow that tickled my funny bone.  I know. I'm weird.

The activity outside my window this morning is a guy in a tractor clearing curbside weeds. Too bad they can't come in and clear out the entire block of scotch broom. It'll never happen, though. If the guy who owns the land ever decides to build, then it will be cleared. Course then I'll be annoyed with all the hammering and construction and new people moving in. There's just no pleasing me. Ha ha


Saw two pictures in the Leader this morning (online edition) that I absolutely loved.  Am hoping I can get a reprint of the aerial view.

below is a picture from 1954.  I have it in jigsaw puzzle form on my wall.
I entered my clue in the PT Film Fest contest this morning.  I've never gotten it right in years past but I'm positive this time that my guess is correct. Now if I can just win something. Would especially like to meet the star as he's one of my favorites.

I spent two and a half hours at the PA library yesterday looking at reels of film on microfiche of past Leader issues.  Had specific dates written down that I'd copied from the Jefferson County Genealogical page of married names and dates.  Was hoping there'd be pictures but I guess they didn't do that much in those days.  

Was kind of interesting to see how weddings were written up compared to today. These days you usually just see a picture of the bride and groom with a caption underneath.  In the old days, you got to read about who poured punch and cut the cake and they were big on telling you about the flower arrangements.

As usual, I was dismayed that I never talked to my aunts and uncles and my folks about their wedding days (and all kinds of other topics too)  I wondered, for example, why my dad's twin (my uncle Jim) wasn't dad's best man or at least an usher. And while I know why my dad wasn't Uncle Jim's best man (he was overseas in the marines) I do wonder why Jim and Lillian opted for a small wedding at a house near North Beach while dad had a bigger wedding at a church in Chimacum. And why did my Aunt Elva take out a license in PT but travel to Hoquiam to get hitched.  Drives me crazy that I'll never know the answers.


I decided to type out my folks' wedding announcement and Jim and Lillian's as it didn't reproduce that well.

October 22, 1942 Leader
Alice Gray Nisbet Bride of John Blankenship

At an attractive wedding performed by the Rev. Ralph Stevens in the Chimacum Methodist Church Sunday evening, Miss Alice Gray Nisbet, daughter of John L. Nisbet of Chimacum, became the bride of John Blankenship, son of L.G. Blankenship of Port Townsend.
               The church was decorated with autumn vines, ferns and flowers. Willard and David Purnell served as altar boys and lighted the scores of white tapers that illuminated the church.
               The service was read at 8:30 o’clock before an altar banked with pink and white chrysanthemums, dahlias and ferns. Preceding the ceremony, Miss Mary Eleanor Pitney sang “Oh Promise Me,” accompanied at the piano by Miss Frances Westergaard, who also played Lohengrin’s wedding march on the organ as the bridal party proceeded to the altar.
               The bride, given in marriage by her father, wore a gown of white chiffon with full length veil of bridal illusion. In her shower bouquet were gardenias and ferns.
               Miss Mary Janice Bishop, the maid of honor, wore white silk voile and carried pink and white carnations. The bridesmaids, the Misses Ada Thoren, Lois Kilmer, and Lena Mae Coulter, were dressed in pastel gowns of blue, pink and green and carried harmonizing arm bouquets.
               James Thiele served as best man and the ushers, close friends of the groom were Fred Scott, Thomas Tjemsland and Michael McCullem.
               A reception in the church parlors followed the ceremony. Mrs. Chris Westergaard, aunt of the bride, poured, assisted by Mrs. H.F. Purnell, at a table lovely with sunburst centerpiece of pink and white tapers in a crystal bowl, and a huge three-tiered bride’s cake. Mrs. John D. Phillips cut the ices and Mrs. Hilda Cook presided at the punch bowl.
               Miss Bishop, the maid of honor, cut the cake after the bride and groom made the first cut. The bridesmaids assisted in serving the 125 guests present.
               The bride has lived the greater part of her life near Chimacum and has attended Chimacum high school. The groom was graduated last year from the Port Townsend high school and is employed at the National Paper Products Company.

February 3, 1944 Leader:
Under the WA WA Column from High School News
Lillian Luttrell Weds
At 5 p.m., Thursday, January 27, at a simple home ceremony, Miss Lillian Luttrell was married to Jim Blankenship. Only close friends and immediate members of the family were present
The bride was attired in a light green suit, with brown accessories and a corsage of gardenias and mock orange blossoms.
Jeanne Robbins was maid of honor, Gene McCart served as best man.
There was a beautiful four-layer wedding cake, white, with pink rosebuds.

Well, today is the day that I scoot on back to the sewing room and get started on projects I've put on the back burner.

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