Author: David Haldeman

Friday March 9th 1979
Up at 6:30- Margaret had breakfast ready and then we went to the beach. Sandpipers legs look like scissors in fast motion. Royal terns, Bonaparte gulls, ring-billed gulls and smaller terns. Carl introduced me to all his neighbors and I picked loquats and kumquats. Back to Bratton’s about 1 and we took off to see Jay Fisher’s mobile home that David is trying to sell for $8,000. She has lots of nice cut glass dishes, including a butter dish that matches my Egyptian compote that was great grandmother Hildreth’s. Then through the traffic to the little town of Safety Harbor on Old Tampa Bay. The rest home’s lot extends to the bay and it is a very elegant home atmosphere. Costs about $500 a month, but I guess there is 3 in a room. Joy is 86 and can’t remember anything, but plays the piano so we sang with her. More traffic- back to Bratton’s for Vivian’s beef hash for supper. More like baked stew. Then we played Boggle and David almost beat me. Packed ready to leave tomorrow.

Thursday March 8th 1979
Drove down to Rieger’s [Carl and Esther Rieger, Venice FL] and got there about 12. Margaret Corwin has been there since January and Esther really needs her. She seems to just sit. Marge says she is so afraid Carl will die before her and Marie. We all went to the beach and walked for about 1 and 1/2 hours which didn’t bother my spur. Waves pretty high. Picked up sea trees for David’s model trains. Got Colonel Sanders chicken for supper. Looked at albums. I slept in Den.

Wednesday, March 7, 1979
[No entry]

Tuesday March 6th 1979
Slept until 12! Love their hard bed.
Raining all day- so talked and lazed around. Typed trip story and sent home.

Monday March 5th 1979
Left Ozark, Alabama at 7:45. Countryside very drab even in sunshine. Took I-10 across top of Florida panhandle and all I saw of Tallahassee was a water tower and a shopping center at one intersection. Pines and more pines. Missed where 19 crossed as I was taping Impressions! So took to 21 down to 19 and glad I did got to see Cross Creek Country- a whole different Florida- no filling stations until Perry which looked like a sleepy 1920 town until you got out along 19 where all the franchises settled. Lots of log hauling trucks. Cypress swamp and more pines. From Homosa Springs to St. Pete a solid line of traffic no wonder everyone turned off on 98(?) to go to the 20 miles to the I-75 and come in that way. At Bratton’s [David and Vivian Adams Bratton] at 3:45 and was warmly welcomed.
Delicious roast beef dinner and good talk- David’s 2 guardianships provide Many a tale. David Haldeman called that all five of them will meet me at airport Sunday in Savannah at 11:45 to drive back with me.

Sunday March 4th 1979
What a relief to see the sun shining! Got to the Holiday Inn East in Montgomery just before 9 and Jenny Easter walked in at 9. She drove up to Caffco entrance through tree-shaded road. Showroom very tastefully decorated. With the 25% gold medal discount, the box 10% and the showroom 10% it brought things down to 1960 prices! Talked to Dave Woessner and Dick Straub on WATS* line- had lunch at Morrison cafeteria then took my camera back for photos. Met Mr. Perry whose boat dock on Lake Martin is 5 feet underwater from yesterday’s rain. Had five inches here and 14 in in Pensacola.
Left Montgomery about 5:15 by country picturesque “darky” cabins against hills and a Cerise sunset. In to Ozark about 6:45 Holiday Inn $19 sandwich at Hardee’s and bath and bed by 8:30.

[*Wide Area Telephone Service (WATS) was a flat-rate long distance service offering for customer dial-type telecommunications in some of the countries that adhere to the North American Numbering Plan. – wikipedia]

Saturday March 3rd 1979 Everett home from his donut job for breakfast with us. Then Tommy, Beverly and I drove to Stone River Civil War battlefield and then to the Antique Mall where Beverly had worked. Got a packet of 26 stereo optican slides for $12.50. Lots of pretty antiques. Then to Pope Taylor’s for pork barbecue, cornbread, beans and coleslaw.
Beverly’s mother, Mrs. Lucky, had a tooth pulled yesterday but came out so I could meet her.
Left about 2:00- had been raining. Took State Route 96 back to I-65 and South. Very windy 25 miles an hour. Had been raining some but by the time I got into Alabama it was pouring and kept pouring and pouring. The Tennessee countryside was hilly and beautiful but couldn’t see anything in Alabama. Into Montgomery at dark but Holiday Inn full but they booked me at Clanton 50 dark rainy miles down I-65. Couldn’t even see the road just followed cars ahead. Finally got to Clanton about 7 p.m. Salad and coffee at restaurant. Bath. Called Mary. TV says 2 and 1/2 in rain. Tornado watch and it’s still pouring & thundering.

Friday March 2nd 1979
Left 6404 Coffey about 10 and drove through Kentucky and arrived in Murfreesboro about 3. Tommy [Thomas Hemmerly, cousin] just home. Beverly’s [Beverly Hemmerly, Tommy’s wife] mother had tooth pulled A.M., so stayed in her room. Beverly’s oven was acting up, but she had a good ham dinner with fresh green beans and oatmeal cake of Jessie Mai’s recipe.
Went to an open house for an 1850s house that a man restored and had it for sale for $80,000. Had oriental rugs in it for sale. Lots of beautiful people there.
Many beautiful homes in Murfreesboro- of all vintages.
Beverly has a collection of 40 antique lemon squeezers.

Thursday, March 1, 1979
[No entry]

Wednesday, February 28, 1979
[No entry]