Author: Trella Hemmerly Haldeman Romine

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Trella Hemmerly – 1985-06-14

Friday, June 14, 1985
Marion Star “News of Other Years”
40 years ago
A Marion man, Raymond F. Romine, Was awarded first place by judges among Ohio entries for the 1944 Thanksgiving Association poetry contest. The poem “GI Joe”* was one of several hundred from Ohio.

* should be G.I. Thanksgiving

“What’s that?” he said, “You’ve sympathy for me?
Then keep it –I don’t need it . See that fellow
Four beds down? We were in the same engagement;
He’ll never see again. He was an artist, before,
Doing well. You know what he says?
He says he can still see sunsets , and hills of goldenrod ,
And stuff like that , in his mind’s eye, sort of;
And even if he can’t paint , he can still dictate
His impressions. So, he’s going to be a writer!
A WRITER? And he’s thankful just for that ,
Honestly thankful!
Me? I can learn again to write, and draw , and do things–
I’ve only lost my writing arm; I have another,
And BOTH EYES!
This is my twenty-first Thanksgiving; and the first one
I’ve ever been truly thankful for my blessings.
No , I don’t really need your sympathy,
But thanks anyway.”

And I have all my faculties:
How do I stack up with chaps like these?

(1st Prize, Ohio, NTA Contest, 1944)
Announced May 12, 1945

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Trella Hemmerly – 1985-06-08

Saturday, June 8, 1985
Worked on Forum membership list until 5:30 a.m. and slept until 10:30 when Mame Harmon woke me saying she would send her check for $160 to Steven Drown. “Tired of all the nitpicking Garden Forum members.” Told her of the letter and ballot I was sending to all members and to hold her check until the vote was in.

Dave to ACT test. Called me from Mary’s about 1:00- invited to a party at Chris’s cousin’s on Fairground Street tonight and wanted to stay in town. Told him to come home and work. He’s cleaned station wagon and my car but refused to help me clean garage and left without telling me he was going. Now 12:30 and he’s not home.

Reading Anya Seton’s “Devil Water” again.

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Trella Hemmerly – 1985-06-06

Thursday, June 6, 1985
Norm Fogt out to dig white lilacs to plant at Quarry Street cemetery. Also gave him Iris and peonies. Mary called saying Jessie and Loren there and they would bring sandwich meat out for lunch. Loren at Community Medical Center for blood sugar test and doctor appointment. nice visit. Garden all day. Tried water in pool again after cementing but it’s still leaking. Set out more impatiens and the marigolds west of greenhouse- tired of waiting to get greenhouse.

Dave had dental appointment at 10:30- three more cavities filled. Worked at Mary’s and goofed off at Chris’s. Val Flavel called after talking to Ken Chaney who had called this morning about speaker to dedicate Spanish-American War monument. She says the Veteran’s Park Association did not ask Steve Drown to come up. Only called him and he didn’t return call so the visit was Mame’s idea.