Author: Trella Hemmerly Haldeman Romine

Saturday, July 20, 1991
Bob, Kathi, Sarah & I to Stead Airport where Sarah took a ride in a Great Lakes open cockpit bi-plane. Pilot let her fly it & she hardly came back to earth. Then Bob took the stunt flight. But plane too far from airport for us to see it.

Friday, July 19, 1991
[Kathi’s 50th birthday]
Up early – before sunrise to leave for Gardinersville – 3 Balloons ready to inflate in park. Getting into basket wasn’t as difficult as I thought & rising up as high as the Sierras was a thrill – Only a peek at Lake Tahoe then came down a lot. Good pilot who ranches nearby. Landed at Minden arirport right on target between other 2 balloons. Sarah & Kristi helped pack the envelope & then in van back to Park for Champagne breakfast – Tradition from first French flights.
To Reno Wildlife Park along Truckee – Ducks, birds.

Thursday, July 18, 1991
Up at 7:00 to the WMRN telling of the request to Exhume Pres. Harding’s body to check out rumor that he was murdered by The Duchess – Florence Kling Harding. Request by author – a play to sell more books on Mrs. Harding – his project – Used my 15th bag of mulch.
Watered copiously. Washed clothes, packed, called Ralph Boger & Martha Neville to alert to my being gone. Mary & Geneva picked me up, lvg home at 2:45. At Pt Cols at 3:50 & David, Karen & Susannah* arrived at 3:55. Continental 833 departing at 4:50 (4:40 scheduled) – 2 hr 44 min to Denver 30,000 ft. Short walk to connecting flight. Kathi met us-
Kristi arrived from Castle Air Force Base.

[* does she mean Sarah? She was going to Reno with her, not Susannah.]

Wednesday, July 17, 1991
Watering from river, but the blobs of pollution floating by worry me & I try not to get wet with it!
Tooks newsletter in to Laipply’s & to HH to update Brick order duplicates. Have file of about 85 orders ready for Mike Lyon at Glen/Gery.
Stopped at Meijer’s & got ‘no trespassing’ signs for Delmar to put up. Cleaned out refrigerator for supper & got things picked up around the house. Mary out about 8:15 & showed her where things need watering.
Picked up things from all over the house & to bed about 10:30.

Tuesday, July 16, 1991
90/61
MCHS Newsletter 4 hrs
Set out silene regia, tall creopsis, liatris & whorled milkweed that Bob Harter gave me. Watered most of day from river.
Entered update to MCHS data base. Made changes in Newsletter to accomodate late stories & to clarify Transformation Fund in 2 accounts. Able to use Ventura to do this thanks to David’s lesson Saturday.
In at 1:30 to Bob Stout’s office to execute will & living will. To Heritage Hall to copy article on Prof Bill Mitsch.
About 6:00 Jason & friend came to tell me ‘We were riding by on bikes & saw a fire on the deck. So we took hose & put it out.’ Burned table cloth & seat of one of Fannie’s chair. They ‘had no idea how it started-‘ But when I found 2 girls sitting on the patio smoking I put 2+2 & got the answer. Think Jason lied about ‘riding by’. Called the Sheriff & reported it.

Monday, July 15, 1991
To Waldo Cheese & Meat by 9 & picked up food tray for party for Richard Francoviglia. $17 – piled high – lots of food but not arranged well. Ohio Hist Center when I check in for Tricia to help – here came Richard to help. So had to tell him about the party. Only about 16 Board members on hand & most had letters for his scrap book. Others sent so about 25 – Put copy of the plaque on the front in a see thru pocket. Board meeting over by 2:00 so party was early. Hope no one came at 3:00. Richard invited me to his office to see pix of house he & Ellen bought – a Mansion!
Also got a flyer on his book Hard Places – story of mining. I supplied Marion Power Shovel & Huber info for it.
Stopped for gas & free car wash at Hudson Ave Shell & at Harters to take shots of Bob’s prairie – 100 species in 200 sq ft.
Home about 6 – had stopped at Buehler’s for another quiche – but froze it.
Too tired to go to Huber Board Meeing. Don’t approve of building on land we don’t own or can’t lease (Tri-Rivers site) & Dr. Mauk doesn’t want to hear that so just as well I didn’t go.

Sunday, July 14, 1991
Bob & Sue Harter & grandsons Zane & Zachary arrived about 10 & it was great to have his appreciation of my prairie plants – served quiche, melon & lemonade on the deck. Then to Rt. 95 RR Prairie – 2 sites – Wild White Indigo in seed & Royal Catchfly blooming. Must have had a little rain there because the Claridon Priaire looks much more stressed. Bob spotted a nest on ash branch above pond – turned out to be blue gray gnatcatcher – watched adults feed three young.

Saturday, July 13, 1991
MCHS Bricks 4 hrs
Worked at computer all morning on brick records. 1184 bricks ordered but 35 are Postmasters and 4 are label bricks.
Mary out & we decided to go to Delaware for supper at the Mill in Buehler’s – got a quiche & had the salad bar.

Friday, July 12, 1991
[No entry]

Thursday, July 11, 1991
MCHS Newsletter 8 hrs
Fertilized annuals in front beds & watered patio beds. Called Voisard to see what they planned to do about pump for river – says Ron will be out tomorrow when David is here. Rusty called about fixing greenhouse sills. Suggest concrete bags to replace rotted wood.
Worked from 12 to 8:00 on MCHS newsletter. Tried to import it into Ventura, but get stymied.
Forgot to look at partial eclipse of sun about 3:30. Didn’t notice any darkening as I worked at computer at west window.
Got notice from Exec Dir of Amer. Assoc for State & Local History that I have been chosen for their award for contributions to local. state or regional history.
Bonnie Bell (Ed Johnson’s program Prairie Video producer) called. She had visited Dottie Morris in NJ since Willa Morris was her great aunt & Bob a favorite ‘Uncle Bob’. Had good visit.