I came into possession of a diary that Mom kept for a while during our trip across the U.S. to California and beyond to Japan. Her birthday is this week and I thought this would be a great time to share this diary with her children, her grandchildren and her great-grandchildren and those who have married into the family.So, here goes...(anything written in italics is my commentary)
May 6: Dear Diary, Today I have made up my mind that Missouri isn't a bad place to live. So I must be getting old or some things don't matter as they once did. (Mom was never really crazy about Missouri. I remember her saying one time that she had hoped so never had to live there. However, before moving to Japan, we did go to Missouri so that we could visit with my Grandmother Mix (Cattell) and visit with other family members on my dad's side of the family. This was one of those rare times I can remember visiting that grandmother and spending time with my cousins).
May 7: Dear Diary, Today I cooked dinner for my mother-in-law. Tonight I am keeping my nephew, Larry, while his parents go to the movie.
May 8: Dear Diary, I have come to believe that my step-daddy is crazy as a bedbug. What Mom ever saw in him is beyond me. Such a nut!!! (Yes, that is Granddaddy Bedbug. Seriously, I don't think anyone can remember his name. This picture was made outside Grandmother's house).
May 9: Dear Diary, I had my hair shampooed and set today. The last time I guess in the U.S.A. for a long time. Tonight I felt very tired after cooking and doing dishes.
May 10: Dear Diary, I am trying to get my packing finished. We start on our trip in the morning.
May 11: Dear Diary, Today we left Missouri. After traveling about 400 miles, we are in the great city of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Lots of wheat and oil wells.
May 12: Dear Diary, We are now in that great state of Texas. It feels like summer here. It is wonderful to see all the different country.
May 13: Dear Diary, What a surprise we had today. While traveling in New Mexico, we ran into snow. Quite a change after being where it was 98 degrees the day before.
May 14: Dear Diary, A great Mother's Day this has been. I got to see the Painted Desert, Petrified Forest and the Grand Canyon. It was all very beautiful . (Apparently Mom and Dad took turns taking pictures. I've also noted how we girls seemed to always be wearing dresses, not shorts, while traveling. Notice also that Mom was even wearing a dress).
May 15: Dear Diary, Today we have traveled 515 miles. We are in California and we are all very tired. We are out of the desert. Everything is pretty and green.
May 16: Dear Diary, We are in California now. A very beautiful state. Today I met another of Jim's aunt and uncle. They are very nice. (These were Aunt Ethel and Uncle Earl Hanneford who were my Grandmother Cattell's aunt and uncle. They lived in Palo Alto, California).
May 17: Today we met Lynn's folks. They are very nice. We had lunch with them. (Lynn was the woman who married my Uncle George Cattell. They divorced years later).
May 18: Dear Diary, A very busy day this will be. We will arrive at Travis today. I am getting very tired. I had my hair fixed again. (Travis is Travis Air Force Base near San Francisco, California where all flights heading to Japan began).
May 19: Dear Diary, We took Betsy over today. Sure miss her. Tomorrow is D-Day. I have butterflies in my tummy. sure hope everything goes well. (Betsy was our 1957 Chevrolet station wagon. It took her about two weeks to finally arrive in Japan).
May 20: Dear Diary, Today is D-Day. Wish I felt better. But it won't be so long to wait now.
May 21: Dear Diary, A very short day about 6 hours long. The trip has been smooth so far. Got to Hawaii at last. A wonderful place. (Though it may not be true, I remember being greeted with leis when we embarked and it was rainy and either dark or became dark. We had to stay in the airport terminal for our plane to be refueled).
May 22: Dear Diary, Sure is warm on Wake Island. I wouldn't want to live here. But the water is pretty. 
(Wake Island (also known as Wake Atoll) is a coral atoll having a coastline of 12 miles in the North Pacific Ocean, located about two-thirds of the way from Honolulu. The plane had to refuel, so we landed and were then loaded on a bus and taken to a dining hall where we were fed a hot meal which I remember as odd since it was so hot and I don't remember any air conditioning).
May 23: Dear Diary, I am in Japan now. Sure hope I like it here. The plane trip wasn't near as bad as I thought it would be. But, I'm still tired. (I remember the plane ride as being very, very long and very, very noisy).
May 24: Dear Diary, We saw some of the homes today. Not too bad, but not much of a yard. I'll be happy to settle down again. (The military had a listing of houses that could be rented by military personnel. Before moving into a house, it had to be inspected so that when we moved out, it was inspected again using the checklist).
May 25: Dear Diary, I don't feel too good - I have a headache. The people here are so very thoughtful. I wonder how they were ever in war.
May 26: Dear Diary, Today I did my first wash in Japan. Also had lunch with Edna and family. A real nice day. (Edna's family was our "sponsoring family" who helped us get settled. She was also an inactive member of the Church who took Mom to Relief Society work meetings and introduced her to the Church).
May 27: Dear Diary, Today we walked to the BX (base exchange). Got my first pair of shoes. They are white sandals with bamboo heels. Real cute.
May 28: Dear Diary, What a day. I am so tired of staying cooped up I could scream. Nancy fell off the ladder to the bunks. Took her to the doctor.
May 29: Dear Diary, I went to the BX again today. Put the kids in the nursery. Got myself a new pair of p.j.'s. I think they are real cute. My darling brought me a flower.
May 30: Dear Diary, A very nice day. We took a walk to the library. Got some books to read.
May 31: Dear Diary, The inspectors turned our house down. So I wonder if we'll ever get settled down again.
June 1: Dear Diary, Our house has passed inspection at last. Maybe we'll get settled down again soon.
June 2: Dear Diary, We cleaned our house some today. It's beginning to look real good. Wish I could get a letter from home. Got a gift from Edna.
June 3: Dear Diary, Our household goods came today. Sure was glad to see them again.
June 4: Dear Diary, Today I made curtains for our house. Tomorrow is moving day.
June 5: Dear Diary, We made it. I was so happy I got a new stove. I'm well pleased with our furniture. (If I remember, furniture could be rented from the base since it was difficult and expensive to ship your own).
June 6: Dear Diary, It is great to be back in my own home again. I did wash today. They they dry good.
June 7: Dear Diary, Today I took a trip to Fussa. Got myself lost. But I did enjoy my trip very much. Bought me a large straw bag. (Fussa was the little town down the road from the house. Mom spoke no Japanese at all yet she still managed to purchase an item using foreign currency and find home).
June 8: Dear Diary, I am getting the house to look like a home. It is so good to settle down again.
June 9: Dear Diary, The rainy season has set in. I'm glad I have the house cleaned up real nice.
June 10: Dear Diary, I got my stainless steel set today. It is very unusual. Also my bud vase to match my creamer and sugar.
June 11: Dear Diary, Edna and family and my family went to Tachi today. It was a beautiful day in the 80's. (Tachikawa was a neighboring military base about 5 miles from Yokota AFB where we were stationed).
June 12: Dear Diary, I had the girls hair cut today. All for only 300 yen. It is hard to believe no more haircuts for me. (Don't know what Mom meant here...maybe that she didn't have to cut our hair only more due to the low price).
June 13: Dear Diary, Today I made "Tiger" some p.j.'s and went to the commissary. A very busy day. (Tiger was Jimmy's nickname).
June 14: Dear Diary, Jimmy got his first haircut in a barber shop. 25 cents. I bought Jim's Father's Day gift. Hope he likes it.
June 15: Dear Diary, A beautiful day, but I don't feel much like working. Good news! Old Betsy has arrived. Can hardly wait to see her.
June 16: Dear Diary, I got my maid at last named Kay! So I took off most of the day and enjoyed myself. I gave her a raise already - 450 yen to 500 yen. (That was about $1.23 per day and this was for babysitting).
June 17: Dear Diary, Oh happy day! We got dear old Betsy today. My what a wonderful sight. Now I have to get my license.
June 18: Dear Diary, This is Father's Day. Jim liked his gift. We had dinner at J.A.S. The children were well-behaved. (J.A.S. was Johnson Air Station another base located near Yokota that was about 10 miles away).
June 19: Dear Diary, Summer school starts. The joe-suns are very happy. I guess I'm happy, but I have another headache.
June 20: Dear Diary, I got lost again in Fussa. I began to think I would never find my way home.
June 21: Today we went to Tokyo. I would love to go shopping there.
June 22: Dear Diary, Tonight we helped Edna and Gene celebrate their anniversary which as last night.
June 23: Dear Diary, We had a wonderful time last night. It was nice to get out again. I haven't been anywhere today.
June 24: Dear Diary, Today we go to the Squadron picnic. It is raining. Hope it clears up. (later) What a lousy picnic.
June 25: Dear Diary, What a day. We started out for J.A.S. Wound up near Tokyo. Got lost but we did have fun. Had lunch at Tachi.
June 26: Dear Diary, This has been a busy day. I have rearranged my furniture. Also letting Kay go. (Kay was actually Keiako if I remember. She was the first maid that Mom hired for about $23.00 each week. She would do the cleaning and ironing and babysit for us kids. I think the reason that Mom let her go was that we kids were more than she could handle).
June 27: Dear Diary, Today I told Kay I didn't need her for awhile. She is gonna help me get a full-time maid when I need one.
June 28: Dear Diary, I hope the rain stops soon. (From about mid June, for about a month, it is the monsoon season where it often rains. In September, typhoons are widespread in Japan and occasionally they can cause great damage. The rest of the year, the climate is very mild throughout the country).
June 29: Dear Diary, I sent Kay to Joann's. I miss her too.
June 30: Dear Diary, Thank goodness for paydays.
July 1: Dear Diary, We took the Bears to J.A.S. today. Had dinner at the Club!
July 2: Dear Diary, Jim is working. Guess we'll take a walk.
July 3: Dear Diary, I had my first lobster tonight - $1.25 (oh, my gosh!!!) It sure was good.
July 4: Dear Diary, Jim is working so not much we can do.
July 5: Dear Diary, I forgot to write in you some time.
July 6: Dear Diary, I had my hair fixed today. The sun has shone for the first time all day for quite awhile.
July 7: Dear Diary, Another beautiful day. They are painting our house.
July 8: Dear Diary, Today we got our stereo. I think Jim is happy now.
July 9: Dear Diary, Today we met some old friends from MacDill. The Bole's. We had a nice visit.
July 10: Dear Diary, We saw all the puppies today. All one hundred and one. It rained again this afternoon.
July 14: Dear Diary, I feel so bad. I guess I'll have to get better to die.
July 15: Dear Diary, This is Jim's birthday. Guess I had better bake a cake.
July 16: Dear Diary, The cake was very good - a coconut one.
July 17: Dear Diary, I'm feeling some better today. The weather is a little cooler.
July 18: Dear Diary, We hired another maid tonight. Her name is Emiko.
July 19: Dear Diary, I sure hope the maid works out. She was to work a little early this a.m.
July 20: Dear Diary, Emiko is a jewel. We will be happy with her.
July 21: Dear Diary, Had my hair shampooed again today. I just love all the hair styles I get.
July 22: Dear Diary, Not much doing today. Had blueberry pancakes for dinner tonight.
July 23: Dear Diary, Got two angel fish today. I think maybe there will live.
July 24: Dear Diary, I think all of our guppies are dead. Guess we'll go out for dinner tonight. (Mom and Dad loved having a fish aquarium and loved having it stocked with tropical fish).
July 27: Dear Diary, I got Jim a watchband and box of cigars for his anniversary. (Yes, that is Dad with a cigar hanging out of his mouth and that's me looking at him adoringly because he was and is always such a smart man and knew how to do everything).July 28: Dear Diary, This is the big day. Ten years. Carol was happy with her radio. My darling got me a big bottle of cologne. We are going out. (This was my pink Bakelite radio that I LOVED. Wish I knew what happened to it - wish I still had it. I used to stick it up under my blankets on Sunday nights and listen to some kind of mystery theater which used to scare me and thrill me. I'd turn it down just low enough to hear it and hope that I wouldn't get caught listening by Mom or Dad).
July 29: Dear Diary, Had a wonderful time last night. The Bears bought me a white carnation corsage. Had a steak dinner.
August 1: Dear Diary, Tonight I won at Bingo - $30.00 but seven of us, so we got $4.30 each.
August 4: Dear Diary, Went to the Club tonight. Had a wonderful time. Saw two men. They were great.
August 7: Dear Dairy, I bought Ruth a necklace for her birthday. Sure hope she likes it!
August 15: Dear Diary, This is my birthday. Jim bought me a box of chocolate covered cherries. I miss Mom's cake.
August 19: Dear Diary, We had a shop picnic today. Did we have a ball!August 26: Dear Diary, I am now a Brownie leader. Sure hope I can do a good job. Susan is in my troop. I have 18 girls.
August 28: Dear Diary, This is school day. All the girls go. Nancy is a little scared. I think she will be okay. They go to Hamura. Nancy lost her second tooth.
October 19: Dear Diary, Had my Mother-Daughter Tea today for my Brownie Troop. I think it all went well. All the girls were present.
October 23: Dear Diary, We have been here five months today. I am very homesick. I wish it would stop raining.
These are the last of the entries Mom made in her diary for this year. I only wish she'd written more and in detail.
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