Monthly Archives: July 2004

Audrey: I look at these books. I want to read my own books over and over again. Caty, A Biography of Catharine Littlefield Greene by John F. and Janet A. Stegeman (is a book I love). I gave talks on her life.

(Audrey was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Her DAR chapter was the Catharine Littlefield Greene chapter. It broke Audrey’s heart when her local chapter was dissolved because of lack of attracting young members as the older members were dying off).

Audrey: She was the wife of Nathaniel Greene (who was second in command to George Washington during the American Revolution). Everyone thought the world of her. She never let herself grow up. She always wanted to be a little girl. All she wanted was to be noticed and get a lot of attention. Greene was so busy with the (American) Revolution, but wherever Greene went she went with him. (The Greene’s home is a historical building right here in Coventry where we often had our Daughters of the American Revolution Meetings.)

(I’m looking at) Emily Dickinson’s large print book. I want to read all the old books again. I wish Emily Dickinson’s three books were in large print. Mae Evarone sent these three books to me many years ago.

Audrey: I see Vaughn all the time. We had a walk around. He took me in my (companion) chair on the cement sidewalk. (We had) flashlights and looked at everything. I see people all the time. It’s nice and sunny. Everybody keeps coming and going.

I won twenty five cents at Bingo. I have a special smaller table in the art gallery dining room.

Dawn has a boyfriend in Florida. She has a brand new house. Spen and Carol are up in New Hampshire. It’s nice and sunny as it can be. Amber, she pops in every once in a while.  She gets my books in the right places.

Audrey: Macarone and Cheese! Grandma made it in the oven. And, of course, Jonnie cakes! (While a student at RISD), I took my lunch and drink from home. I was never much of an eater.

Audrey: Mae. Grandma just liked it. MaryJane (no space between Mary and Jane) was shortened to Mae. Everybody called her Mae. Grandma’s mother was Edith Spencer who married Charles Vaughn.

Audrey: Aunt Edith lived with Aunt Martha in the city. Martha lived on Greenwood Avenue. Aunt Edith sold jewelry when she got of age. Aunt Edith was very pretty so when she smiled, everybody ran after her.

Audrey: I know quite a few of the birds. I can see three or four squirrels playing on a tree. They run up and down. They run up and down on the rock. Now they are all pulling on a blue piece of cloth. They are having a great time on the tree. The blue thing is not a cloth. It is an oblong stiff thing. There is a bird on the ground, a black and gray one.

Vivian, she is gone (not my roommate anymore). She comes and goes. I see her in the hall.

Audrey:  I’m fine. It’s very sunny out here! I can’t remember everything. It comes and goes. We had a Price is Right game and I won a pocketbook. I think it is pretty. It is braided and has a brown leather handle. I use it all the time with my mirror and napkins. I always had a mirror with me. I always had a mirror tucked away in my pocket or pocketbook. I was always trying to look at my hair. I always thought I was ugly. I thought my eyes were nice, but I had a long chin and a long face, so I wasn’t happy with my looks. If I looked cheerful, I’d get along O.K. Way back, when kids picked me to the most beautiful, way back at Rocky Hill Grange, I was so surprised. I was a Sunday School teacher. The kids liked my actions-not my looks (I thought).

Recently two or three people mentioned my good looks and I said, “What can’t they see?” (to myself). When old clothes make me look funny, I feel funny. But when I dress up. I feel better. I kind of felt I am a little bit different. I was always inventing things to make me look better.

After I got married, I didn’t feel so bad about myself. I caught somebody and that’s all that matters. I always had a beautiful little child with me, and they didn’t look at me. I always had pretty kids.

Audrey: All my kids were so beautiful. Same difference. I thought the world of you kids. Having seven kids, it was such a blessing to have a baby in your arms. They say the terrible two, but I loved the terrible twos.

You were all darling. When Crystal was in the crib, she said “Mother, come get these wet guys (wet diapers). Doug was a quiet boy and Heather was quiet, too.  Spen was full of mischief.  Crystal was full of mischief.  Vaughn, he was the last baby.

We went over to Aunt Jeannie’s everyday in the afternoon and chairs were all outside. Aunt Jeannie loved to watch the kids. She had our toys over there. When Aunt Di came, she put our toys on the refrigerator. Di did not want kids there and the lady upstairs didn’t want kids. Dick, he would always yell at them. He said he wanted to throw her in the river to get rid of her.

Oh, I loved the grandchildren. Belinda was the first one. Little Hannah is doing her thing and so is Emma. Meagan has this beautiful thick head of hair. Mathew wants to be a chef. Jessica is full of life and Mark’s children are all so beautiful.

Audrey: I tried to call my mother every day. However, Anna often came and needed the phone, (so we couldn’t talk very long).