Saturday, March 3, 2012

Autobiography 008: Off to Alaska!

Carola begins the story of when she and her husband and family moved to Alaska in 1945 as World War II was coming to an end. She also tells about how Gene tried to suggest that they stop selling newspapers on the war plant floor to avoid workers wasting time on the way in during the morning, but it turns out that the owner of the L.A. Times was in a partnership with the owners of the plant. Whoops.

Transcription

    A few lilac ??scrap?? from some overhanging bushes. Lilacs grow everywhere here + smell so good.

    Friday washed umpteen sheets + had a nice??, windy day to dry them outside.

May 18

    Saturday Wayne was playing golf in a tournament so Linda too me to lunch at Bongo Billies but first we did some errands. Fooled around town. Took the Scrabble game + plahyed while we ate lunch. Of course she beat me but there's always another time.

    Sunday, May 19, went to Sunday school instead of early Church then 11:00 o'clock Church. I think that I like early Church best.

    Thur. May 30 - ??Walked to senior center for lunch - terribly hot. Walked but took ride home - ??Eve."" Helen called ??*the larger** they picked me up to go to dinner, early, about 4:30 -- ??too full with that cherry pie - ??sure was good, though.
    ??Ceil?? ??leaving for Calif. tomorrow. AM ??daughter in law died??.

<page>

In this book will try to remember ??back?? over the years. Not a day by day diary but places + people Denmark, Alaska, Europe, Zaire, Africa - H + ?? Max visits to?? ??Lushua + trips in Africa.

    When the war ended in 1945 Gene's job at McDonald-Douglas ended and they seemed to know that the the (sic) war was over. Gene's brother Bill lived in Alaska so as the war so as the war plant in ??Long Beach?? told Gene that he could probably work in Anchorage at the Army base. We had a new car as Gene was taking passengers from ??Anneheim?? to Long Beach to work. His job there was plant ??suggestions??. He had to check into ideas for ??trols? etc ??these?? workers turned in. Also he turned in one which was to quit selling ??newspapers?? on the way into the plant. Workers then wasted about 20 minutes reading the paper. But he was ??called in by the boss as ??Chandler?? the owner of L.A. Times was in partnership with the ??war plant?? owners!

    So as Alaska looked good to Gene we ??stored?? everything + loaded the car, kids + ??all?? + took off as the war was still a ??block?? but we couldn't find out whether <end>