Author: David Haldeman

Monday, April 4, 1977
[No entry]

Sunday April 3rd 1977
River flooded on opposite bank and lower Woods.
In at 12:30 to do Indoe wedding. To shop and finished unpacking shipments so we’ll have room for plants coming in.

Saturday April 2nd 1977
Criswell wedding at Caledonia service afternoon
Bernard, Mary and Carl, Mary and Rocky into shop about 5:30 to see my Philippine display and then we left for Bucyrus to have dinner at Holiday Inn. Had to wait an hour but talked. Bernard very restless. Had autopsy on Rosina. Cancer even in her heart but she never complained of any pain. In coma at end. Back here and I served strawberries and ice cream and dried mangoes.

Friday April 1st 1977
I called Kathi to see if she and kids would like to come home so she could work before Easter. She called back with reservations will be in Wednesday evening about 11 at Columbus

Sunday July 23, 1967
15,284 9:45 AM
Francis and Jessie Mai had been to market and such a super as she had ready. Pork chops smothered in gravy, fried fresh corn, lima beans, green beans, squash with onions, jello fruit salad. We brought some of the shrimp in and this time cooked it like experts. This was much larger than we got at the wharf, and even with all the other food tasted good. We served it cold again, like shrimp cocktail. And talk. It doesn’t matter what Jessie Mai is saying, it’s fun to listen to her talk. She is so enthusiastic about everything. David fold up early and went to bed in the bedroom, and after doing the dishes-a pleasure when you are wiping Haviland china and Wallace sterling–we talked some more, about Marie, JM’s sister, and her troubles and so to bed.

Breakfast, and more conversation. And then JM gave me the lovely chrysanthemum picture I had admired which she had painted. Now I have enough pictures to make a grouping above the sofa. We took some pictures, gave them same peaches, and took off at 8:45 their time, but we put our watches ahead to 9:45. Called Mary Rockwell to see if she would come to Columbus to pick me up tonight while David is in rehearsal. Said OK, and that they were really rushed at the shop Monday and Tuesday.

Off I 75 at Georgetown. Ate at Fava and had good southern or Kentucky Fried chicken. David found the Newport radio station that plays nothing but jazz so we sped along at 70 mph listening to Thelonius Monk, Stan Getz and an eulogy to John Coltrane. Since we would be getting to Columbus much before 7 took a side trip to Ft. Ancient. My childhood memories of the museum. with the skeletons laid out as they found them, and the ghosts of the 200 BC Indians haunting the mounds was dispelled by the 20th century picnikers. But it was just as hot as I remembered. And if they pennit the trespassing on the mounds it won’t take too long until they are worn down. The road
[here ends the trip diary]

July 22 Sat:
9:35 AM 14,753
Hard to pack up and say goodby. Took some pictures after breakfast and pulled out at 9:30. Deckers loaned us a. styrofoam cooler so we stopped in Biloxi and got ice 60¢ and 3 lbs of shrimp (1.59)

Noon
Through north part of Mobile and across the many rivers that empty into Mobile Bay, where the Battleship Alabama is anchored. Huge and grey. When it was to have been scrapped the people of Alabama bought it as a war memorial and tourist attraction. As we drove across Mobile Bay the water was only a foot below the road level, but David was more interested in the Falcon bus with 4 girls plus with a sign around the US in 31 days, visiting 28 states, and they were listed. But when we finally passed them the plus 1 turned out to be a grey haired man and the 3 girls were his wife and probably 3 daughters.

12:30PM 14,870
Took a good many route numbers to get back to I 65 north of Mobile at 12: 30. Temp is 86 and we have the air conditioner on so it is very comfortable. The sky is beautiful with high white thunderheads. We passed paper mils in Mobile-Scott with huge bails of pink green and yellow stored, and it’s easy to see why as we pass mile after mile of pine. Seeing cattle egrets among the cows pastured next to the freeway, and large areas with pitcher plan ts growing.

2:30 PM
Couldn’t resist stopping for peaches, as there have been many little stands. On US 31 south of Montgomery we bought a peck of peaches (filled to the brim), and some Harrison corn – white kernal and good fer frain ‘n ballin ‘- and some green apples for David. peaches $2, corn 50¢, apples 40¢.

2:45 PM 15,000
Through Montgomery with no problems, took an alternate route and had to wait on a train, but probably turned out to be shorter, anyway.

Back onto I65 north of Montgomery, starting to get into ridges of hills, soon we will be at the foothills of the southernmost part of the Appalachians. Shell gas and hot fudge sundae for mom (she refused to drink the gas and we had to store it in the gas tank) and I had a cheeseburger and grape pop. I almost didn’t buy there because it had two windows and one was marked colored, but then I saw it was integrated inside, so went ahead. People down here can’t understand my speech. I guess I’ll have to start talking slower, grandma! When I ordered ketchup and mustard the other day, the girl said what two or three times, and then she explained th at she tought I was saying cut up some mustard. Then when I got the ice for the shrimp, I asked the guy if thav had some crushed ice out here (out in the ice machine.) He said “You wanna truck your ass out here?! )&¢*8!
We’ve had the air conditioner on all the time and we’re still getting 14 mpg.

Friday, July 21, 1970
A really lazy day. David slept until 10:15. We took a walk along the beach and found a few small pieces of driftwood. No shells on this beach, but lots of small dead catfish–even found the skeleton with the crucifix, and a porcupine fish.

After lunch Kathy and I went to Ocean Springs to visit a pottery that one of her neighbors tod us about. Mr. Paul Anderson is the potter, and if we hadn’t looked so long at the pottery we could have watch him work. Mostly the things are from his wheel, and they were lovely. The glazes were especidy interesting-he makes them all, and the clay is local. To get there we passed a picturesque marina and wound through a woods underlaid with pine needles and ferns. Got a much better feeling about Mississippi than the commercialism of Rt 90. The Andersons run the whole operation. Mr. Anderson is the potter, Mrs. Anderson the business­woman and the young daughter-in-law the salesgirl. I bought several pieces, with glazes called gulf shoals, and spring green and blue cloud. Then I gave her my check and offerred identification she said only good people buy “Shearwater pottery”.

At Gulfport stopped in the dock and bought a pound of shrimp for supper. Got out the cookbook t,rJing to find out how to cook it and was in tie midst of trying to peel it, take out the black vein and so on when Kathy brought Candy in and she said “Do y’ll need a lil ole Suthem gal to sho ya how to cook shrimp? We sho did cause all you do is put shrimp seasoning in boiling water and dump the shrimp in, head, shells, vein and all. Cook 10 minutes or so, watching them turn a lovely shrimp color, drain, and serve over ice with sauoe made of catsup and horseradish. And were they good. Even Kathy ate some when we peeled them for her. We had asked the man at the shrimp house how to cook them and he said he never ate them. He sure is missing a lot.

I washed my hair and bup light brown “Nice and Easy” on it to cover the grey, and as Don and David were deep in a chess game, Kathy tried to teach me. But it’s pretty complicated for me. So then we tried monopoly, which I hadn’t played for 30 years, and I don’t think I ever won a game, but I sure cleaned them all out in 1 1/2 hours. Tonight I had the headache, so didn’t join David for a moonlight walk out on the tidal flats.

Thursday, July 20, 1967
8:30 AM 14,563
After breakfast With Kathy, David and I left for New Orleans. Kathy had decided that after two days of jaunting around she had better rest. She and Don haven’t been to New Orleans yet and they talked of joining us for the evening, but Don needs to study 4 to 5 hours every day and he wouldn’t be able to do that if they came. So they are planning a trip for their anniversary celebration.

Passed the lovely ante bellum homes in Pass Crhristian ( Chris-tee-ann), and the shrimp boats in the harbor. Got nearly to the toll bride and realized. we had spent our last 25 for popcorn at the movies, so back past the lovely home-admired the varied fences this time, and got gas so we could cash a travellers check.

Rt 90 (the Old Spanish Trail) is a 2 lane highway, with the beginnihgs of a 4 lane started. It goes through low pine forest, with a smattering of sweet gum and live oak.

9:15 AM 14,597
As we crossed into La. over a bridge crossing the Pearl River the country changed immediately to grassy swampland. The water we glimpsed occasionally was covered with white flowering water lilies, As 90 crossed the outlet of Lake Ponchatrain we could see the bridge carrying I 10 across the lake. Now the road is lined with fishing camps, and we can see the tide running in under the numerous bridges.

9:50 AM 14,625
At Rt 47 we turn south to head into the bayou. A new high bridge crossed the Mississipoi River gulf outlet, but it is not yet open so we wait on river traffic and cross on pontoon bridge. To our right we can see the skyline of New Orleans across the swamp. -and the city dump. Dead cypress, draped in Spanish moss rise above the water.

10:20 AM 14,631
Entering Chalmette Battlefield “The Battle of New Orleans” 1814. The reconstructed ramparts which overlook the field where the British charged–and lost 2,000 now have the Kaiser Aluminum plant on the far background. The Mississippi has taken over 850 feet of the battle line and the Beauregard Mansion is constructed on the former battlefield. The levee back of the mansion hid the Mississippi so we climbed it. The river is not as wide as the Ohio at Cinci, but large ships were anchored.

11:00 AM
Back through Chalmette and again s on 39 through little rundown river towns. We had planned to drive south on 39 and cross at Pointe a la Hache and go even further south on he delta. But since this would be a 160 Mile trip decided to cross to Belle Chasse on the free ferry. Bot sno-cones and potatoe chips to eat while crossing (only thing available.) Crossed the Mississippi in about 7 minutes, and even that was somewhat up river. It really is the muddy Mississippi, but the edges are flooded.

12:00 PM 14,649
Through the Belle Chasse Tunnell, N on 23. The crepe myrtle bushes blooming in the yards is the only beauty in this area. Commercial and dumpy houses with the smell of burning garbage. At Gretna turn on Business 90.

12:30 PM 14,659
French Quarter. Rampart and Dumaine. Jazz Museum. A very small museum, with Louie Armstrong’s first trumpet, and the .. steps from Mahogany Hall where Jass was first played. You can listen to Jazz recordings and see the history of Storyville–the Red Light District of New Orleans where Jazz was born! Reproductions of newspaper articles show in what low esteem Jazz was held by 1917 New Orleans– Music of the basement of life-without rhythm or melody. A young man told David that the best place to hear jazz now was the Red Garter.

I bought a French Quarter Book and we just started wandering down the picturesque streets. Balconies overhung the sidewalks everywhere with the lacy iron grill work as bannisters. Much of the area is unoccupied, but the are are many antique shops, gift shops, night clubs, art galleries. We wandered down Pirate Alley alongg St. Louis Cathedral and watched the artists. Bought a watercolor from William Collins and took a shot along Pirate Alley with my Exa of the same view, with his help, and the assurance that I couldn’t maka a bad with an Exa. Went into the Cathedral-the oldest in the US -finished in 1794. A trip into Jackson Square, from which we could see the Pontalbe buildings on either side. Built in 1848 to keep attention focused on the French Quarter section, they were the first apartment houses in the US. Stopped at the coffee shop and the donuts without a hole looked delicious, but I didn’t think I could take coffee with chicory so we didn’t wait to be served. Visited the Vieux Carre candle shop and it had every line of candles and candlesticks I’ve ever seen, including all accessories.

3:00 PM
Walking was getting a little tiresame, and the shops all began to look alike – although same of the antique places were really elegant–and as nothing musical came to life until 8:30, we
decided to start back to Deckers via the Lake Ponchatrain
Causeway which takes the highway 27 miles across the lake.

3:20 PM 14,668
Looking back we could see only the few skyscrapers and the high arched bridges over the Mississippi. The level of the land seemed to be below the lake. The usual smog hung over New Orleans.

Trip back along 190 and 90 seemedd short. Stopped to buy watermellons at 3 for $1.00 As we crossed back into Pass Christian it started raining. Have been lucky today. Temp about 80 and no rain until now.

5:30 PM 14,751
Back to Colony House–Kathy and Don’s apartment and our private one. Supper with the Deckers, and to bed early because David has a headache.

Wednesday July 19, 1967
Happy Birthday to Kathy! She’s 26 today. Nice to be with her on her birthday. Don had a sign up “Happy Birthday, Kathi” and her gifts under it so we added ours. David had brought her 3 big paper flowers from New York, and I gave her money, and Mother and Mary sent money ‘Which she used to buy, shorts, slacks, tops, underthings–all in maternity styles. Got a pin for one of her maternity dresses with Grandma Ruth’s money.

Started our trip with a jog to the west to drive by the beautiful ante bellum homes in Pass Christian. It was like leafing through a book of famous homes. They face the gulf but on a street separate from Rt 90. Then back through Long Beach and Gulfport and out to the Marina Restaurant–built out into the Gulf, with docks for more than 100 pleasure boats, some in the yacht size. The restaurant is set in Japanese gardens, and my seafood plate was delicious. David had fried shrimp again. While there we could see a storm coming in off the gulf, and watch a medium size boat take off right into it. Stopped at the Edgewater Plaza shopping center on our way back. A lovely department store and an enclosed air conditioned arcade with tropical plantings. A variety of shops face the arcade, and at a Newberry’s store I found the green Poor boy sweater I’ve bean hunting. On sale at $1.00!

We had been dodging showers all afternoon so decided to go on home, have a quick supper and make it to the movie “Up The Down Staircase” Almost did by 7. All enjoyed it, and David said the teaching situation at Eastmoor in Columbus, while not as bad, had reminiscent scenes. Home in the rain again.

Monday, July 17, 1967
Breakfast with Francis and Jessie Mai and another quick look around her antiques, and at the paintings on the walls all done by Jessie Mai. I like her flower pictures best, but she does landscaipes very well. One year she did nearly 80 paintings and last year 50, but now that she is selling real estate she has put her paints away. She has sold most of her “pictures” as she calls them. The house is completely furnished in antiques, or good reproductions, and in such good taste.

8:30 Leaving, and it’s another beautiful morning, cool and sunny. Downtown Nashville, around the capitol is quite impressive -a true city of tomorrow. The IBM and Southern Baptist Convention Building were outstanding. Steel, in an almost lace pattern, covered the windows on the whole outside surface of the buildings.

Out of Nashville on I40 and into the hills of Western Tennessee — tree covered and beautiful, but without this Interstate 4 lane highway they would be treacherous to drive. I see why AAA routes us to Memphis and then south to take advantage of them. Daddy would certainly have enjoyed these new roads.

Along the road has been planted scotch broom. Now it is fully leafed out, but when it would be blooming it would be a lovely sight.

10:00 AM 13,870
Crossed the Tennesaee River and even down this far is backed up by the Kentucky Dam near Paducah. News on the radio of the nationwide rail strike-with notices that no parcel post would be accepted to points more than 150 miles.

10:30 AM 13,908
Hear Jackson, Tenn saw our first cotton fields, and complete with sunbonneted woman and straw hatted man–hoeing. These are small fields, tucked in odd corners that are a little flatter than the general area. A kind of small black eyed susan covers the road cuts. The cotton looks like very sturdy well cared for soy beans.

10:45 AM 13,925
Stopped for gas and lunch (our stomachs think its 11:45) and I gathered some seed of the pretty yellow composite and asked the proprietor what the yellow flower was. He replied “That aint no flair. Thasa wide. We cull it bitta wide. (bitter-weed) When I told him I collect seed he said I shu didn’t want that growin’.
Especially if I had any cattle, it makes millk bitter.

12:05 PM 13,987
Outerbelt I240 around :emphis so w saw nothig except a few housing developments. Ten south on I 55. Mostly woded area through low hills. Plantings of red pine along the road would reduce mowing costs. At Granada I 55 ended and route 51 south was a narrow two lane, but traffic not bad. Now we see more what Mississippi is really like. It’s true that every state looks alike from a freeway. Now there are many small cotton fields, sorghum ( which David tasted at breakfast and decided in
favor of honey), quite a lot of cattle, an occasional. house in the southern colonade tradition, and many small houses in the rural areas that aren’t too pretensious. However in Granada houses occupied by Negros were much above the Senate Street level.

3:15 PM 14,105
Canton Miss, gas stop and we getting consistently 13 mpg which is better than I expected.
Here the downtown area was all negro. Back onto I 55 and into Jackson.

3:45 PM
The throughway south of Jackson was through pine forests, first hilly and then levelling out as we came into Gulfport. Big ships in the docks, and lovely homes set among huge trees along Beach Blvd. Found the Deckers apt house with no trouble, a new pink brick structure. And soon Kathy and Don were rushing
out to greet us.
Their apt is lovely–David was quite impressed. It reminds me of their house at Stead. And since there is a vacant two room apartment tte manager-a cute tanned
blonde-put it at our disposal:. Kathy had made up the beds and furnished the bathroom, and even had a vase of flowers. So we have our own sleeping quarters with a view of the Gulf.

After supper we showed a few slides, and turned in early. The weather has been perfect. Only up to 82 in Gulfport yesterday.