Monthly Archives: July 2004

 Audrey:  I’m resting. There was a lot of things to do this week. We had a party. We did things. Oh. I’ve lost my shoe! I’m in my chair and I can’t see it.

(Then Mother and I spontaneously recited Diddle, Diddle, Dumpling merrily together and ended with a good laughter.)

Audrey: “The Owl and the Pussy-cat went to sea  In a beautiful pea green boat.  They took some honey and plenty of money, Wrapped up in a five pound note.  …

(Audrey recited Edward Lear’s entire poem without a hitch. I had a copy of Mother’s memorized works on my desk to assist Mother, if necessary. It was not necessary.  She recited piece perfectly.)

Audrey: Yes, I went into high English. When I recite that with you children, I have all the kids get up and dance.

Audrey: It’s about a chase. The stag is a male deer that hears the call …black hounds. The English men on horse with the dogs (hounds)…the deer get away…the deer dashes into a special place and the dogs dash by…One of the horsemen falls in love with lady of the lake…he had almost gotten lost in the woods and others gave up and left…even his horse dropped dead…he was all alone looking for someone…he toots his horn…he calls…she came thinking it was her dad…she brings him back to England…and married the horseman and continue the Royalty…the lady was royalty…so they become the King and Queen of England.

Audrey: In the eleventh grade. I had to stand up and read Lady of the Lake in school. I had to memorize part of it. That stayed in my mind and whenever I traveled, I would say that over and over in my head. My mind was clear and all I did was say it over and over in my head.

Audrey: (As a child) East Greenwich, West Warwick and West Greenwich. As a young adult, I went to Providence.

Maisie said let’s go the Statehouse. At the Statehouse they had (on the wall) all these places to go. (We went) in an office and they told us what to do. Maisie said “Let’s go there (RISD)”. You could go the first year whether you had talent or not.

I could see Maisie work was not good. Her stuff was so terrible. I felt so bad for her, but I couldn’t help her and I couldn’t tell her. She did the best she could. Nobody complained. The second year her name wasn’t there on the list. I stayed there and that was it.

Audrey: Yes. I liked Maisie. We had a lot of fun. …

Audrey: Kettle, Violet Kettle. It is an English name. Her uncle, Tom Kettle, had the letter T and then a picture of a kettle by his drive way. It is pronounced just like a kettle.

Violet was an only child. Her mother didn’t want any more children. She was lazy. She had a bad time having Violet and she didn’t want any more children. Violet and her mother were very good friends. She was nice to Violet. She just didn’t want any more children.

Violet’s grandmother was a Spencer so we are cousins. Her Spencer grandmother married a Kettle. She was a Kittle and married a Kettle.

Audrey: I swan but very funny. I’d keep my head above water. I can’t stand my face in water. We swan in Carr’s pond. We used to walk up to Carr’s Pond. Edith, Ed and I used to go there. I was under ten years. I would sit on a big stone in the middle of the sand. I watched Ed and Edith swim. I went with them. They went swimming and I sat there. I didn’t learn to swim. I don’t think they ever offered to teach me. Dad could swim and I think Grampa did, but I don’t think Grandma liked the water.