The One Where We Had Piles of Snow

My eighteenth birthday - the Seattle area was hit with a snowstorm that week.  It was not very typical for us to miss more than a day or so of school due to snow.  Snow might fall but due to our marine layer, it warms up, turns to rain and we get our "Seattle Cement" (heavy, heavy slush).  I guess a lot of kids would LOVE to have a snow day and no school for their birthday.  But I remember feeling pretty disappointed  not to "get" to go to school on my eighteenth birthday.  It was a Wednesday and at least the second day in a row school was cancelled.  And it just kept coming!  It was beautiful but I wanted to be with my friends.  At the last moment that night, my Dad drove our ginormous red 1967 Chevy Bel-Air and picked up a few of my friends for a slumber party!  I remember sledding at midnight - the snow being perfectly packed.  It was a fun, spur of the moment party and I had a blast.

L-R standing: Karla, Me, Eileen, Suzie. Kneeling L-R Mimi, Heidi and Tina.

The Seattle Times that evening (courtesy Seattle Public Library)


We must have missed several more days of school due to snow and the situation affected my high school's graduation. Our class did not have enough days of attendance to graduate. They let us walk our commencement as previously scheduled but we had to attend a day-long workshop at Bellevue Community College to earn our diploma.

So what I remember about the birthday where I was officially an adult old enough to vote was playing like kids in the snow.

The One Where My Dog Ate The Treat Baskets

I had a dress-up tea party for my ninth birthday.  To this day I remember how amazing I thought Sheila Morrison's dress was!  I'm not even 100% sure that I recall her name correctly or really anything else about her.  But I remember that dress!

Randi(?) also had an awesome hat, wig, "fur" jacket and full skirt ensemble. I'm on the right wearing a glittery gold number.






Tea party!


Little ladies

or not . . .


Twister fun


My dog, Charcoal was a beagle/lab mix (he's in the above photo "little ladies"). I don't recall that we ever really had to worry about him stealing food. However, he decided to sample the treat baskets that my  mom made and set aside on her dresser. It was so disappointing not to have a goodies to send home with my friends. Bad dog!

The One Where Grandma Dropped My Cake

My fourth birthday was a party at my Grandma and Grandpa Johnson's apartment across from Woodland Park Zoo.  It was both sets of grandparents, my parents, my two year old sister and me.  I don't know that I actually remember it happening (but I think I do!) but Grandma Johnson dropped my cake in the kitchen.  My memory is that it was while she was carrying it from the kitchen into the dining room singing but I look at this picture and notice her finger all bandaged up and a towel under her hand like something had just happened so now I don't remember the circumstances.  This is one of those events that she was reminded of for years.  I'm not sure I actually remember the cake-tastrophe or just the reminders she always got.
The missing frosting and decorations are evidence.  I'm sure we ate it. And lived to tell the tale. My sister looks a little concerned.





Grandpa Johnson showing us a Polaroid while we play with "Mr. Potato Head" and "Pete the Pepper"

A new slinky and I see "Cooky the Cucumber" behind me - I really don't have any recollection of Mr. Potato Head's friends!




My sister got a bulldozer! (We always both got a little something on each other's birthday)


New gigantic piggy banks for both of us!




My mom and more Polaroids


Grandpa Hawes


Grandma Hawes blowing out a candle - My Grandparent's wedding anniversary was in January so Grandma Johnson had a cake for them, too!  (I think all the frosting got used on my cake so theirs is a little lacking on the side - I really don't think Grandma Johnson dropped two cakes!)

Grandma and Grandpa Johnson (I wish the exposure was a little better)


Thank you for sharing with me my birthday of yesteryear on my birthday week!

My Fifth Birthday
My Eleventh Birthday

Happy Birthday!

Today is my Mother's birthday! In her honour (using her native Canadian spelling), I'm posting beautiful vintage birthday cards. They are well before her time - and most are even before HER mother's time.


"All happiness for your Birthday" mailed September 1907


"Birthday Greetings"


"A Glad Birthday"


"My best wishes for your Birthday"


"Birthday Greeting" Mailed January 1916


"Loving Birthday Greetings" Mailed October 1911(?)

Slightly strange . . .

"Birthday Greetings"

But this is just an awful birthday card - it does seem cards of this era sometimes relied on guilt to convey a greeting. Very odd.

"Birthday Greetings - May you never waste your time moping. Be up and doing. Smile and work" Mailed April 1918

Wishing you a beautiful birthday, Mom!!

Eleventh Birthday Party

Last year I posted about my Fifth Birthday Party.  I came across these negatives last month (when I acquired my Dad's negatives including the aerials I've been posting).  My eleventh birthday - 40 years ago!  It was rather an awkward stage - but these photos make me smile.


I bet we got a good bargain after Christmas on the cute Gingerbread tablecloth and napkins.



The three girls on the right of this photo are named Kristin, Kristin and Kristine!


I got braces the summer before this.  I recall being the only student in fifth grade wearing them.  My orthodontist said I had a mature mouth.  Dutifully, I did exactly what he asked me to do including wearing my headgear religiously after school until the next morning except for mealtimes.  I think I kept overcorrecting - apparently his teenage patients weren't as diligent about following instructions as a 10/11 year-old so my teeth moved comparatively quicker.

My haul includes a Woodburning set, Hollie Hobbie collector plate "A True Friend is the Best Possession" (in photo "11" above, you can see two decoupaged Hollie Hobbie wall plaques - we were fans . . . ), Craft Master Acrylic Paint-By-Numbers, giant Hershey chocolate bar and red stuffed toy mouse.


There were 13 numbers on the dial on the top of that black-and-white TV behind me . . . we got channels 4, 5, 7, 9, 11 & 13 with those rabbit ears and it seemed like plenty of choices.


My sister (and her perfectly straight teeth without the need for braces . . . ) all ready for a slumber party!


We lived in this house in Eastgate (Bellevue) between 1964 - 1973 - we moved to Woodridge about a month after these photos were taken.

I must have gotten a diary for Christmas a few weeks earlier - these are the entries for the first half of January 1973 - with my creative spelling and all!

January 1: Last night we stayed overnight at the Sebrings house since Janis had to babysit us and their kids. Today we went to grandma’s house and in their basement we found a 1940 and a 1945 paper with the headlines, “Rosefelt Dead”. After dinner I had a surprise party since my birthday is in just eight more days. From my Grandma Hawes I got 10 dollars and from my Grandma Johnson I got four dresses! They gave me my presents today because they thought they wouldn’t be here on my birthday. On the way home we played “Three Coin” and I won most of the games.

January 2: Today was the first day of school from Christmas vacation.

January 4: Kevin O’Brien gave away 1687$ on KJR!

January 5: It snowed last night and we were one hour late going to school. We got our carpet today. Went to Crowders house for dinner and went sleding down there long hill and got back from their house 12:45 AM. *Everet died today

nicest bus driver

January 6: Dad put in are carpet today. The stretcher for the carpet put two holes in the walls.

January 7: Went to Fredrick & Nelsons to get Moms paycheck and then went out for lunch at Jack in the Box. Then went to House of Values and got are own record. I got “The Partridge family at home with their greatest hits” and Kristi got “America.”

January 8: Had an Orthodonist appointment and a doctor appointment today. Then we went to a fabric store and mom got some material to make pants for me. I got to school right in time for lunch.

January 9: Got a new kid in are class at school. They sanded are hill so now we can’t go sledding. My presents today were a Girl Scout knife, pillow and flashlight I also got a minature Raggedy Ann and little reed chairs. I also got pants, vest, origami paper, bath oil, stationary and 2 dollar. I babsat Bunky tonight. Qualey

January 10: Today is Mr. Gaily’s and Becky D Birthday

January 12: After school there was a movie called “The Cat” and we saw it. I had a Birthday Slumber party. I invited Kristin Groundland, Connie Haslam, Kristine Johnson and Shari Yates. From Kristin I got a paint by number set and from Connie I got a stuffed animal and a big Hershey Chocolate bar and from Kristine I got a plate that said, “A true friend is the best possession” and from Shari I got a wood burning set.

January 13: I started my cosins letter today. I bought a bike lock for my bike today and the combination is on the frount of this book.

January 15: Kevin O Brien gave away 1163$ and 95$

January 16: On TV we watched “The Night Strangler” and it was filmed in Seattle.

This was the only year I was decent about keeping a diary which is pretty entertaining for me to go back and read . . . .  life in 1973 Bellevue for an eleven year old girl.  I really do wish my children's ancestors had kept journals or diaries - it would be a thrill for me to catch a glimpse of their ordinary everyday lives.

Gene Kelly

When I was in high school, as I recall many girls had a photo of Jim Palmer in his Jockey briefs taped to the inside of their locker door.  I, however had this photo that I bought at store in Pike Place Market that sold Hollywood promo items.


Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly in Anchor's Aweigh (1945)

Sometime during high school, I watched "That's Entertainment" and saw clips of Gene Kelly for the first time. When I first "discovered" him, I don't think we had a VCR at the time so I had to wait until the occasional old Gene Kelly movie came on TV to see more of him.  A friend took me to see Xanadu - he got to see Olivia Newton-John and I got to see Gene Kelly.  I even sent Gene Kelly a birthday card one year!

Last week - August 23rd - would have been Gene Kelly's 100th birthday.  He died in 1996; several people said they thought of me when they heard the news of his passing.  I was at a friend's house last night and she had recorded and kept for me last week's 100th birthday tribute on "So, You Think You Can Dance" with the contestants costumed and choreographed alluding to several Gene Kelly movie numbers.

And YAY! I found a Life Magazine Ad featuring Gene Kelly!

June 27, 1955 Life Magazine



See Life Magazine Gene Kelly photo images here Gene Kelly: Rare Photos of a Song and Dance Legend

Happy Birthday Week, Gene Kelly - thanks for the entertainment!

Dickie's Fourth Birthday

Happy Birthday to my Dad!  He grew up in Bremerton, Washington and I just came across these photos from his fourth birthday party taken at their house on High Ave. in August 1940 (I thought they'd complement my Fifth Birthday Party and my sister, Kristi's Third Birthday party quite well)

"Who's four years old today?!"  "Yer lookin' at 'im!"



"Eat your sandwiches before we cut the cake!"

My Dad's brother, Billy, is two boys to the right from my Dad. I know he was allergic to eggs for part of his childhood.  I don't know how long, but it might be why there are two cakes on the table for nine boys.  My Grandmother, Stella Fredrickson Hawes, gave me this recipe when I learned my own son had life-threatening allergies to milk, eggs, peanuts, and treenuts, (among other things)
Crazy Cake
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoons soda
6 Tablespoons cocoa
Sift all together. Make three holes. In one put 1 Tablespoon vinegar, in another 1 teaspoon vanilla and the last 5 Tablespoons oil.  Over whole thing pour 1 cup cold water. Mix until smooth. Bake in moderate oven. 





A birthday coin!


Child sized garden tools


And one of my favorite photos.  A birthday parade!



Obviously this is a few years later (twenty six to be exact) - but we're back in Bremerton at his parent's house on Preble Street celebrating my Dad's thirtieth birthday. Mom made all our shirts.

Happy Birthday, Dad!

Seattle's Smith Tower

Not to take anything away from the 236th birthday of the U.S.A. but it's also the 98th anniversary of the dedication of Seattle's Smith Tower according to this article from History Link -

On July 4, 1914, the 462-foot-high Smith Tower, located in downtown Seattle, is dedicated. At the time it is one of the tallest buildings west of New York and the tallest building west of Ohio.
Located at 506 2nd Avenue, the building took three and a half years to construct. The architects were Gaggin & Gaggin (Edwin H. and T. Walker Gaggin) of Syracuse, New York, and the owner was Lyman Cornelius Smith, a typewriter tycoon whose firm eventually became the Smith-Corona Company.

 More interesting Smith Tower history from History Link can be found in this informative article.

I've been growing my Seattle postcard collection. Here are some that include the primary Seattle icon prior to "Century 21", the Seattle World's Fair in 1962 when the Space Needle became the identifying Seattle landmark. I found this jumbo postcard at Ye Olde Curiosity Shop last summer - I think I paid one dollar.

"Seattle Business District. Tallest building in the city, the 42 - story Smith Tower dominates the downtown skyline. Other notable buildings include the Exchange Building, the Dexter-Norton (sic) Building and (in lower right foreground) the County-City Building. Seattle has grown rapidly in importance as a sea port and trading center, since its fine harbor and natural geographical location make it an ideal distribution point, and a focus of trade from the Far East. SA-4. Photograph Courtesy Seattle Chamber of Commerce. Jumbo Post-Card Company - 2017 South Michigan Avenue - Chicago 16, Illinois"

A few more:

"42 Story L. C. Smith Building, Seattle" "Pub. by the Puget Sound News Co., Seattle Wash." Postcard mailed in 1917


L. C. Smith Tower

This is a blurry postcard but you can still make out the lit Smith Tower in the distance. Can anyone help me date it? (It's pre Space Needle)

"Sunset on Mount Rainier as viewed from Queen Anne Hill, Seattle, Washington. Lights from the city center and waterfront enhance the beauty of this evening scene Ektachrome by Bob and Ira Spring"


"Union Oil Company's Natural Color Scenes of the West. Seattle, a major Pacific Coast port and gateway to Alaska and the Orient. Tour the West this year with 76 gasoline"
I love this postcard because not only does it have the Smith Tower but it has the Silver Slug - The Kalakala ferry!


Yep - almost cropped out of the postcard - the Smith Tower on the far right. Named building focal point is now the Space Needle . . .

"Seattle, Washington. This aerial view shows a portion of Elliott Bay, the waterfront, metropolitan area, Space Needle in the distance, Lake Union at upper right and the new freeway borders the far right of the picture. Color by Bud Kimball. Plastichrome by ColourPicture Boston, Mass. 02130"

Last summer, my pen-pal (since we were 14!), Marcus from London visited the USA. I had never been to the observation floor of the Columbia Center (Seattle's current tallest building) and that's where I took him to get some views of the region. I HIGHLY recommend it! The Smith Tower is a bit dwarfed these days but still a significant part of the Seattle landscape.

Someday maybe I'll get to visit the interior of the Smith. I really enjoyed this article from the New York Times of the family that lives in the Tower's Pyramid. Be sure to view the slideshow.

Happy 98th Smith Tower!