Helen Baby sitting

When my sister Helen went to baby sit sometimes my parents were going to be gone so she would take me with her. She sat with a boy who was in my room at school and only lived a block from us. He liked to be entertained which Helen was not fond of doing so I would entertain him. I think we played board games. I learned to let him win as he did not like to lose. When it was time for him to go to bed my parents generally picked me up. If not I laid on the sofa and went to sleep. I don't think Helen gave me any of the baby sitting money but on the other hand my parents did not pay her for sitting with me.

Mayor's Christmas Tree

My husband was crazy about holidays and we observed every one. We even loved Arbor Day. Had a special cake for dessert that day. He had a good friend, Jerry Cohen, who was involved in many things to improve Kansas City. One of his favorites was the Mayor's Christmas Tree. People bought chances on a car and the money went to different charities in Kansas City. At first the winner got a car but they found people would not accept it for it made their taxes too high. They changed to a rental car for a year. Every year on the day after Thanksgiving we went to Crown Center early and got ready. The tree was there with all the lights and decorations. There were big wooden toys for children to climb on and sometimes if you were lucky they handed out candy treats. The Boy Scouts handed out candles to everyone and people could ice skate. The children ran around through the area which was fountains in the summer. The next day I would drive the two of them around while they delivered some of the stuff. One year Jerry's nephew won and they were in a state as to what to do. Ray argued he should have the car. Sometimes I sold chances. They did not draw the winner until the next morning. When it rained we had the ceremony anyway. That is when I really liked to sell tickets inside Crown Center. The choir was made up of people all over Kansas City. Some celebrity--a football player a radio star, etc.-- turned the lights on.

First permanent

When my sister Ethel was married they decided something should be done with my hair. It was naturally straight. They gave me a home permanent. They had just come on the market. I looked lovely for her wedding and the permanent stayed until I washed my hair. Later I went to a Beauty Shop and endured the rolling up of hair on a machine. I know the beauty shop was on the second floor and they sat me by a window. The building was old and I was sure would catch on fire while I was hooked up to the machine. They timed the minutes. It was always great relief when they took the curlers out. Then they washed my hair again and I set under a dryer for a long time. It seemed like forever and although I liked the person doing it I always hated it and did not see why I could not have had naturally curly hair.

ANOTHER THANKSGIIVING

When Cindy was four her birthday was the day after Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving morning it snowed four inches and driving was slick. We were not going to the Plaza this year as we were going to the airport as my mother was coming in from San Diego. We met her at the airport along with the Jensens who met us there to take my mother back to Topeka. This was the downtown airport so we were on the north side of the Kansas River, We told them goodbye and started home. The driving was terrible and we could not get back across the river, Finally everyone needed the bathroom so we stopped at a fire station in Kansas City, Kansas and they let us use their bathroom. We finally found a bridge open and got home. The next day was Cindy's birthday but all our guests were neighbor kids so they got to her party all right. They had called off the light turning on due to the weather and so we saw it on Sunday night.

Thanksgiving

When I was growing up. We had some great Thanksgiving days. My mother had a tendency to ask people to come. There was a single lady at church that came often, soldiers from Fort Riley, later in-laws of her children so you never knew who would be there. She was not a great cook. One year we had duck instead of turkey and it was really greasy. She liked to make rolls and they were good. We had cinnamon rolls with raisins until one of her grandsons said he did not like raisins so she made some just for him. One Thanksgiving vacation Helen went to Kansas City to have her eyebrow replaced she had lost in a wreck so she was bandaged up. The soldiers were very sympathetic. My Mother loved to have a crowd. It was too bad she was not a great cook but we were used to it and she did enjoy the holiday.

My Grandmother Burkhardt and her resting place

My Grandmother Burkhardt lived in Scranton, Kansas. It was named that because there are many soft coal mines around which I investigated when I was growing up with my cousin Lorraine. My grandmother never remembered my name and I was always "Edgar's kid". When she died she was buried in a cemetery along Highway 75. On the Memorial Day after her death we went to the cemetery south of Scranton to lay flowers on her grave. My dad was shocked when we got there as she was buried by the wrong Burkhardt. I do not remember who it was but it was not my grandfather. My dad made arrangements to have her buried by the right husband. I bet she had not rested in peace until then. I remember my grandfather as he was the only one I had. My other grandfather had died in, I think, 1911 and was buried as the second person in Topeka's Mount Hope Cemetery. I think my grandfather Burkhart's name was Joseph and he always was very kind to me and knew my name. He also knew I was Edgar's kid.

When I met Joyce Hall

Barry Goldwater was running for president and he came into a dinner in Kansas City. Ray was nice and took me along. He went to sit at the Press Table and the waiters looked around for a place to put me. The waiter saw a vacancy and sat me down. I did not know any of the people which was not unusual. I never got to order as they just brought me something which was the usual thing the waiters did. It looked great and I was hungry. I had one bite and the man across from me raised an uproar that I had eaten the plate he ordered. The waiters quickly brought him the same thing I was having. That was my introduction to Joyce Hall. I met him many times after that but he did not remember me as I am rather forgettable. He was very active in President Eisenhower's activities and we attended them. Sometimes it is nice to be forgettable.