1961 - Trip to Disneyland

Here's Sandy and Charlie with Father in 1961 in Tomorrowland at Disneyland. Likely this was my father's favorite place, seems appropriate that he would pose in front of Rocket Ship to Mars. I remember the outfit, there was a plaid applique cat on the top that matched the shorts

The next shot shows us in front of one of the eating areas in Tomorrowland, must be early in the morning, the shadows are long and the place is empty but immaculate. My parents would be one to get there just as it opened. Think Charlie is a bit excited at being there?

It was customary to buy your children hats. I had that hat for a long long time, it had my name embroidered on it. When I was in 6th grade, I contested a math problem with my math teacher. I was sure I was right, finally he said in exasperation "If you are right, I'll eat your hat". I was right, I knew it. So, the next day, I brought this purple felt hat with the Loooooong pink feather and presented it as his next meal. Uh oh, this guy knew he was in trouble, what was he thinking about that problem? So, the next day he returned my hat and drew elaborate diagrams on the board of his digestive system with a detailed explanation about why exactly he could not eat the purple felt hat with the pink feather. And he gave us all candy bars instead. I was kind of a shy kid but I was a hero that day.

1961 - Charlie and Sandy on the coast

I think this may be the same trip as the Disneyland pictures I will soon be featuring. I'm guessing where this is...somewhere in So Cal. Most of the southern California beaches aren't rocky like this. Maybe around Santa Barbara? I don't remember the shoes

1961 - Mom and Dad at Crater Lake

Individual pictures of Mom (age 37) and Dad (age 35) on their visit to Crater Lake.

I was not on this trip so don't have any further comment!

1961 - Crater Lake

After that respite, I will return to the slide collection. Starting with 1962 was rather arbitrary. The slides run from 1961 - 1978. I'm going to return to 1961 and run chronologically from now on.

I will open with a scenic, Crater Lake. I haven't been there for years but I hope it looks the same. In southern Oregon, the lake is in a crater of a giant old volcano.

Not sure if this was the actual first box of slides. Mom and Dad took a few days and drove to Southern Oregon without kids.

Rio Americano High School

We swung by Rio Americano High School in Sacramento. Sandy graduated from this school and Charlie attended for two years. Twelve years ago we visited in the summer and the place looked terrible. Sign was broken, windows broken, plants dead, lockers bashed in. Pathetic.

But now Rio is looking up. We got there just as school was letting our which meant there were a lot of students and others around. Place had some buzz going. Coaches organizing after school sports. Signs and posters on the walls. The trees had grown. Nice outdoor seating area. Both signs out front in good repair. Grass. In general the place looked good.

Good to see it.

Wilhaggin House - Back yard

The back yard was immaculate and beautifully tended with lots of trees, shrubs and flowers. Really a shady oasis. The patio was much the same with an improved patio. There was a bay window off the kitchen, you could tell that the original cabinets were still there.

Wilhaggin home - front view

We also had the opportunity to visit the Wilhaggin house on Exmoor Circle where my family lived from 1964-70 (my middle and high school years). The owner showed us around the front and back yard (which I requested) but not inside. The owner Marie L. has lived her since 1975. There had been several owners between the time our parents sold in 1970 and when they moved in. They've lived her a long time (32 years). They moved here from the Bay Area ('the peninsula' haven't heard that term in a long time) in order for her husband to take a position with the Brown administration.

This house was also in good shape. The fruitless mulberry trees in front of the house were long ago pulled out because they were 'too messy'. The junipers were gone also (I'm sure Pam is glad about that. Those must be birch trees in the front


Not sure if that was the original surface of the entry




See, no junipers! I don't think that bush in the center of the lawn was there previously.



A nice brick walkway

Arden Park house - current owner

I'll end the series of pictures of the Arden Park House with a picture of Dennis and Dennis W, the current owner(two Dennis's) in front of the house at the end of the tour. Looks like they've been buddies for years. Dennis W was tremendously gracious showing us around. I'm very grateful for his time and generosity. The house is certainly in good hands despite his grumblings about past struggles with 'Orangeburg' piping (postwar cut-rate piping which was basically coated cardboard)

He also told us about the neighbors. The Wohlebs are still next door, I went by and talked to Dr. Wohleb who was very frail, through the screen door. He did remember my parents and mentioned the xmas cards that mother still sends.

Dennis W refers to the area as "The Park" I can't identify a comparable area in Seattle. During my youth, I thought it was a tremendously mundane area of suburbia without much character. Looks different now with the huge trees and it's own identity.

Farewell to Arden Park!

Arden Park house - backyard

The backyard was quite transformed mainly by the buidup of the dirt in the swale and the addition of a swimming pool. The half fence in the back is gone and there is a small orchard planted in that section.


This first picture is taken from the patio at the back of the house looking into the backyard. The crepe myrtle that used to be in the middle of the garden is now quite large. Dennis W said that they had pulled out a lot of trees and greenery that had kind of choked the yard. He did remember the cottonwood tree in the back corner that was such a mess.



The next picture shows the left side of the yard towards the back fence.



The next is looking back up at the house. You can see the breezeway now covered and the workshop with the storage cupboards in the back. Beyond the addition is a storage shed where the plum tree used to me. I don't remember the tree in the foreground but Dennis W said that it has saved them a lot of money on cooling.



The back of the house from behind the swimming pool. The brick planter boxes are gone. Dennis W wanted to know who had had that thick slab of concrete poured.



Closeup of the new patio.

Arden Park house - interior

Limited pictures of the interior:

The living room (as might be expected) seemed so much smaller. The doorway towards the left that had the doors with the butterfly screens was now a solid wall. The room opened up across from the door widely into the sunroom which is the old screened in porch. The entrance from the old porch into the master bedroom was closed off, now shelves behind the dining table.




The 'big bathroom' is updated but looks basically the same.

A fireplace and a bathroom addition has been added to the master bedroom. There is also a sliding door and deck off the master bedroom





A fireplace and a bathroom addition has been added to the master bedroom. There is also a sliding door and deck off the master bedroom
This is what we used to call the 'den' along with the current owner Dennis Webb. There used to be a door on the right that led to the laundry room and the door to the 'little bathroom' Now the door is on the left, as you go through the door, to the right is the new entrance to the 'little bathroom', its orientation has been reversed. To the left is a short hallway which goes through what used to be the breezeway to a room which is the old workshop. You can recognize father's cabinets. To the right is another room which had been a small kitchen but is now a wine cellar. Door to the left leads to the backyard.

Arden Park house - front yard

I am including several pictures from the front of the Arden Park house including the brick planter around the now huge tree. Many of the bushes in the front of the house are the same.

Apparently the Taylor's daughter Barbara lived in the house next door and recently passed away. There's a huge renovation going on over there, basically most of the walls are being taken down to the studs and beyond. Dennis W, the homeowner said that the house sold for 935K "as is" and several hundred thousand more dollars is being poured into it.

There's a new front walkway, that light post might have been there before. Configuration of the garage doors is the same, there's now a sliding glass door at the back of the garage.

The trellis is still there though the brick wall is gone. Still a shady spot in front of the living room window. The big camellia bush by the front door is gone but the other camellia bush on the other side is still there.

In general, it's looking good!

Arden Park house - front view

We will take a break after enduring all that 1962 to see some current shots of the Arden Park home.

The Arden Park house taken Monday 9/17/7 from across the street and the undated shot from the early sixties (the parents sold this house in 1964).

The biggest difference is the HUGE trees. That giant tree with the brick planter around it only shows up as a small bare thing earlier. The even smaller tree in near the garage is now gone. You can see the little indentation in the lawn where it was. The brick wall is gone but the trellis remains.

You can recognize the bushes below the front windows. There are no trees visible over the house in the older picture. Dennis W (the current owner) says they cleared lots of foliage out of the backyard. Garage configuration the same. In general, updated and attractive.

1962 - Unknown dressup occasions

We will finish up 1962 with two unknown dressup occasions in our front yard. In the first Sandy and Charlie are in the front yard with mom, I don't remember my dress and I have no idea how I got my hair to do that as it is so thin and limp but, folks, there's the proof. My mom is wearing maybe some kid-made necklace or belt? Paper flowers? Unknown.

Edit: Just noticed that Pam's eye is patched here. May be why she has turned her head so far to the left on the tricycle.

The second occasion also one features me in a dress I don't remember. But i definitely remember my mom's dress, I think she had it for a long time and I always liked it. Notice she is wearing a splint on her arm. She had some neck problems which presented as problems in her arm (That DEFINITELY sounds familiar) She eventually had successful surgery in San Francisco (before or after 1962?). Interesting that Charlie and Sandy both have neck problems in middle age.

Pictures feature the front yard and the no-touch car. Farewell 1962!

1962 - Piano duet

Sandy and Patty Shupe on their way to their piano duet performance. This was a big show involving young piano students playing duets in a very large venue (probably the Memorial Auditorium) Many many rows of pianos were set up in rows on the auditorium floor. The children filed in and sat in pairs at the pianos. Then we all played the same duets. My partner Patty and I had somewhat matching pink dresses, I don't know if that was planned or not. This striped freshly ironed ruffled pink dress made me somewhat uncomfortable because the buttons went all of the way down the skirt. Apparently we are both wearing crinoline slips that made the skirts pouf out. White socks and mary janes, natch. Looks like I could make my hair curl. Also features a picture of Charlie and Sandy; I must have been proud of the purse I got to carry.

Another dress up occasion for well-brought up children.

1962 - No Touch Car

The brand new 1962 Plymouth Belvedere wagon, without even have a front license plate dominates the foreground of the picture. My father dubbed it the 'no touch car' with my brother in mind. Likely unfairly, but maybe not. I think he still suffers the injustice of always being the one accused if something showed up awry.

The appearance of the neighborhood, those neat homes across the street, holds more interest for me. This next weekend, Dennis and I travel to the Bay Area for a memorial and, on Monday, drive to Sacramento for a 'heritage photo session'. I've written the current owner of this home plus the Wilhaggin home asking if I could come back and take 'after' pictures (which I intend to post here). Both called me (Yippee!) and said we could come. We were last in Sacramento in 1995.

1962 - Pam on a slide

3 year old Pam going down the slide. She looks pretty intent. Where are we? Something tells me that we are at the playground at the family recreation center at Aerojet. We didn't go out there very much because it was so far away but I was always very impressed when we did go. Big swimming pool, elaborate playground. Companies just don't do that anymore :(

Is it Aerojet? The willow/oak trees in the background are giving me that clue.

1962 - Pam in red suit in Aptos

Pam in a red bathing suit and glasses in Aptos in the summer of 1962. She's squinting, is that her 'good eye' she's squinting? What is that little kid thinking, do you remember, Pam? There aren't too many pictures of me before age 10 and the parents didn't have the camera.

Don't know who's in the chaise lounge next to you. Somebody wrapped up, blanket and thin arms in long sleeves. Doesn't look cold though.

I know that Pam's vision's problems were first identified from a photo viewed by Gayle Zwissler's mother. Mom was proudly showing around the baby pictures and she said "Goodness, what is wrong with that baby's eyes?" Mom grabbed the picture away and the eyes showed as crossed in the picture. She took Pam to the eye doctor straightaway.

A curious thing about the pictures of Pam. In 1962, she's hardly every smiling, always looks strained and troubled. Because of the patch and the glasses? But we'll see in later pictures that she's usually smiling brightly and mugging for the camera.

1962 - Dinner in Monterey?

It must seem like we got dressed up and went out to dinner a lot but that was not true. Going to a restaurant was a once-a-year occurrence in my family and involved serious wardrobe requirements. Even now, when my mother hears that my husband and I are going to be ushers at a memorial, she says "well you better get him a new shirt!"

Where are we? My guess is that we are in Monterey on an outing during the vacation, possibly going out to dinner. Doesn't look like Santa Cruz or San Francisco and certainly not Sacramento. The gray sky and costal fog was likely a welcome respite from the brilliant harsh valley summer. Usually I can remember the dress that I'm wearing but not in this case, nor do I remember the polka dot outfit worn by my mother. Notice we are all wearing proper white sweaters. That was what you were supposed to wear when you were dressed up. Must be summer because my mother is carrying a white purse!

Wouldn't want to take my 8 year old brother into a restaurant too often...

Even I might be getting a little tired of 1962. But we soldier on!

1962 - off to the beach

In Aptos at my 'favorite' house across from the beach. From the shadows and our poised stances, Charlie, Pam and Sandry are just leaving for the beach across the street. I'm in my hat and my Brahms sweatshirt. Pam looks tiny, as she was. Better run that boy at the beach before he drives you nuts!

Typical succulent coastal flowering plant there on the left.

1962 - Aptos

For several years, my family spent a week every summer in Aptos, a small beach community on Monterey Bay between Santa Cruz and Monterey, California. We rented a series of small vacation homes near the beach near Rio Del Mar beach. My favorite house was this one, right across from street from the beach. A quiet State Park beach at that time, with great surf and not too much development, you could walk the beach at sunset (my mother's favorite).

Definitely 1962 in California. Check out the cars in the parking lot and the signature bright light. Easy to get to the beach, just across the low brick wall.

Us and the Beittel kids again. They might have rented a house there also. All six kids probably eating lunch at the picnic table. On one side, I'm in between, Lynn and June, likely acting as the superior big sister. Squirrely Charlie, Mark and Pam (always looks so small) on the other side. Noontime, look at the shadow, we will likely be at the beach in the afternoon.

A welcome change from the unrelenting summertime heat in Sacramento. Sometimes it was foggy or windy there. I loved the area even then, grateful that I could attend college right nearby. The palm trees suggests Southern California but...

You can expect many pictures of Aptos in this series. Wonder what this prime piece of California real estate looks like now. Not likely to have a modest vacation rental on this corner!

1962 - One in a series

My father spent a long time time taking pictures with his slide camera. He mysteriously twiddled the dials scowling at the settings. You had to stand there for quite some time before he would actually snap the picture. Sometimes, his subjects did not cooperate despite his orders to "Keep still!".

This same day at the small amusement park, he saw 4 year old Lynn B petting the goat, very cute. But he took a long time getting things just right. Meanwhile Lynn had lost interest.

One in a series of pictures like this.

1962 - Sandy and Lynn in the fun house

The same day at the small amusement park in the Santa Cruz mountains. There was a 'fun house" probably with odd mirrors and lights and who knows what. I was always the oldest in these excursions, the babysitter and the dishwasher, the one who was supposed to be responsible. I thought of myself as vastly superior. Possibly the 'fun house' was a little scary and i was supposed to take Lynny through, there was a window to look out and my father took the picture. Don't think Lynn (age 4 or 5) liked this, she's holding onto my hand pretty tight.

1962 - Ginsburghs and Beittels in Santa Cruz Mountains

The Ginsburgh and Beittel families got together frequently, for Thanksgiving and for some summer outings. They have remained close friends and we recently mourn the loss of Dan Beittel.

This was a visit to a small amusement park (likely long gone) in the Santa Cruz mountains.

Besides the usual
Sandy age 10
Charlie age 8
Pam age 3

The Beittel kids are (please correct if I have the ages off)
Mark age 7
June age 5
Lynn age 4

And the moms in this picture, Claire and Sue Beittel.

What a passle of kids. Fro left to right
Sandy, Pam, Mark Charlie June, Lynn

There is a lot of height in the Beittel family but you can see how miniature Pam looks here, there's only one year difference between her and Lynn in the pink and red dress. I remember that "Brahms" sweatshirt, it was very cool IMO.

1962 - Mom and Pam at the beach

But what beach? The foliage and the flatter terrain implies the east coast to me. It just doesn't look like a California beach to me. I think we did make a trip to the east coast some time around here. But Charlie and Pam are not in the picture and I doubt mom would have taken the camera if she went by herself. Anybody have any clues?