1968 - Another confirmation picture

Myself on the temple steps at Confirmation with Cantor Cohen. You can see my peers scattered around in their hairbows and their sashed dresses. Nobuko is in the picture, enjoying herself in the moment, taking part as she always did. Who is between us? I don't know!

1968 - On the temple steps

Mom, Pam, Sandy, Charlie at Sandy's confirmation. On the steps of Temple B'nai Israel on Riverside Blvd in Sacrameto. I had a number of new dresses for the occasion. What was the deal chartreuse on mom. The poufy hair and pointed glasses. She sure was slim though. Charlie's definitely getting taller.

1968 Action ping pong shot

Father making a good shot in ping pong. Charlie is on the other side but who is the other person. The size looks like Sandy but the hair is all wrong. Somehow the body looks wrong too, maybe Mary Ann?

1968 - Nobuko and her prom date

Nobuko and her prom date Jim O'Neill. Another AFS member made her dress for her. Check out the long gloves and the fancy hairdo. She looks so happy. Dang, I had a crush on that guy myself....oh well.

1968 - Sandy and Nobuko at confirmation

Sandy and Nobuko on one of the events around Sandy's confirmation. Which truly seems like non-Jewish event. But it is or was. I had my hair done, I remember not being happy with it but realized that I had failed to explain or understand what was going to happen. I liked that yellow drop waist dress, it had an interesting fabric. Nobuko, as usual, is with the program. Taken in the old sanctuary of Temple B'nai Israel in Sacramento. That room has been completely redone (see earlier in this blog)

1950 - Parent's wedding picture; bride's family

Found some old pictures in a trunk today. This is the picture of the family of the bride at mom and dad's wedding, April 16, 1950 in a local restaurant in New Haven CN.

Poppy, Nanny, Uncle Bunny, Aunt Ruth, mom and dad

1968 - Sandy and Pam - confirmation?

Pam and Sandy posing in the back. I'm ALL DRESSED UP, I think it's confirmation or something. I think that was an old dress of somebody's, maybe my mothers? Anyway I liked it but the skirt was shortened to 1968 standards. I think my hair was 'done' and I'm wearing a special clip with ribbons on it. I'm wearing a charm bracelet and I'm guessing my father's ASG ring which I liked very much. Probably a mogen david around my neck. Pam looks impressed being next to her big sister.

1968 - At beach on east coast

A family gathering at the beach on the east coast. Guessing on the people

Three girls on the left are likely (in order of age)

Susan Rosenberg
Pam Ginsburgh
Joanie Rosenberg

The woman second from the right is Marilyn Rosenberg, my mouther's cousin. Maybe my cousin Mary Ann Leichter (not sure) in the middle. Don't know who is on the right.

1968 - Party in Connecticut

A backyard parrty in 1968 in Connecticut. I think it's the Leichter home on Foote Street in Hamden. Whew, I don't recognize any of the people except my grandfather, Poppy, Irwin Baumann, in the center of the photo. Maybe my mom can recognize these folks

1968 - Pam and Kimmy

Kimmy across the street was Pam's childhood friend. Here Pam and Kimmy pose somewhere pretty. Kimmy was an only child and was doted on my her older parents. Pam got to go to a lot of nice places with that family. I don't know where Kimmy is today...

1968 - Candy Striper

Picture of Nobuko and Sandy on front steps of the Willhagin home. I was a Candy Striper volunteer in high school. I used to volunteer as an aide at a home for retarded children. I used to care for some of the small children and sometimes the babies. I don't remember much about it except that it was hard work. I was determined to do it but I didn't particularly enjoy it or find it rewarding. Thikning back on those small children, even babies, I never remember seeing parents or family members. These kids were institutionalized. It was a rather new facility, pleasant, light and clean. But hard times and dark futures for those young people.

I'm all decked out with cap and gloves, I wonder if I'm going to some event?

1968 Beach gathering on east coast

This was taken at a beach house, maybe on a beach in Delaware or Connecticut. Don't know if I can identify the people, help!

Back row

Aunt DeDe (Irwin's sister)
Regina (my grandmother
??? short older lady
Irwin (my grandfather with the red hair)
Uncle Mel (my great uncle)

Middle row

Marilyn Rosenberg (my mother's cousin)
David Rosenberg
Malcolm Leichter (my cousin)

Kids in inner tube

One is probably Joanie Rosenberg

Don't know who is standing in the shadow in the back

1967 - Stonehenge

I think that my father went on a business trip to the UK. There was no reason to keep most of those slides but I did choose this one of Stonehenge circa 1967. Can't say much about it as I was not there

1967 Sandy and Mary Ann

I think we are at the Japanese Garden in San Francisco. I remember the blue pea coat though I think I lost it in some unfortunate way (again, the rage in 1967) We are wearing skits, hosiery and funny shoes. People would not dress like that now but, then, according to my mother...if you went to The City (San Francisco), you dressed up. Period. Maybe even with white gloves.

1967 - The Gittlesons are visiting

I don't remember this visit; why they visited Sacramento but that's the front of the Wilhaggin home.

Front Row: David G, Alan G. Carla G, PM
Back Row: Don, Mim, Charlie, Father, Sandy

All looking healthy and fit, so glad. My father passed away at the age of 80 last April. I've lost track of the Gittlesons. My mother thought they were living in Palm Springs. Two years ago, Dennis and I went there for a tournament and my mom strongly encouraged me to contact them, perhaps they would like to go to a game, they are always fun. I worked hard to find the number. Called and left a message. Called again and got Mim, she said she knew who I was but was distracted and could not talk right then. That was it; I figured they were 80 years old also and had other things on their mind. I did not try any more.

I have my hair going good again, how DID I do that? That kind of ribbed sweater top was called a poor boy sweater. All over the department stores in 1967.

My father always that hair cream sort of curl on the top of his hair, I thought it was permanently there, but clearly not.

My mother must have taken the picture.

1967 - Sandy with good hair

How did I ever get my hair to do that? I'm sure this side part page boy slightly poufy was my goal. But I hardly have any hair which is a real disability. However, here's the proof. I got it to look like that at least once

1967 - Party for the Zwisslers

We're back to the underexposed pictures of the going away party for the Zwisslers. You can see my mother with her silvery black outfit, Gayle in the background. Don't know who the other guests are. Much more acceptable to smoke then

1967 - Pam and her dance stool

This was just what Pam mentioned in her comment. Here's her stool that she danced with in Mrs. Pearson's class. My father bought it and painted it orange. Here she is demonstrating her dance moves

1967 - Scout Charlie

Charlie all decked out in his scout regalia on his way somewhere. Where, Charl? Check out the high tech back pack!

1967 I made that dress

When I was in middle and high school, sewing your own clothes was considered very desirable for girls. Everybody should learn to sew because, if you could sew, you could make just about anything you want for a fraction of the cost. Very sensible, virtuous and accomplished if you could sew.

My mother could knit but not sew very well but she was keen that I should learn to sew. Unfortunately I have very poor fine motor coordination and spatial skills. And I wasn't ALL that interested in clothes. My mother really encouraged me, incentives. But I didn't like all the detail work, I was not very good at visualizing the product, it never came out right and I was generally lousy at it.

What I wanted in the 9th grade was colored shoes. Everybody wore colored shoes with nylons (what WERE we thinking?). In those days, girls had to wear dresses (ditto). My mother said that if I made a dress, she would buy me colored shoes to go with it. Not the desired capezios, of course, but colored shoes.

So here's the dress, an A-line dress of a green floral print. And, if you look real close, you can see that I am wearing the promised yellow shoes to go with it. Like everything I made, it didn't fit right and I soon abandoned the whole idea.

Never to be taken up again, I still don't do hand or craft work.

Pam in front of me, I think she's wearing a costume for a dance or gymnastics recital. I don't know what the orange thing is.

1967 Party for the Zwisslers

During this time, the Zwisslers moved to Southern California and my parents threw a big going away part for them. Catered and everything. I remember my mom and I went shopping for the fancy dress that she would wear. At I. Magnins (the swankiest that we knew about) we found this brightly colored top and printed skirt. Kind of gypsy print with a bright orange top. My mom looked fabulous in it and I LOVED it. We were so excited about it and the my father vetoed the whole outfit. Too bright and gaudy. My mom was so mad and so was I. So she returned it and bought a conservative black skirt and this silvered fancy top. Then, at the last moment, Lew Zwissler couldn't be at the party! And it was in his honor! So they displayed him in effigy, I think it was my younger sister's Raggedy Ann doll. This is the biggest party I can remember they ever gave.

Pictured are my mom and Gayle Zwissler. Look how young and slim they are!

1967 Nobuko and Japanese culture

Nobuko hosting a gathering in our back yard with some girls from Rio (not unlike the girls from Shorewood who came to Gowoon's part 40 years later). Nobuko is showing her things she brought from Japan including the kimono. I'm also wearing a kimono right behind Nobuko.

1967 Kimonos

Nobuko has arrived and she has brought, as gifts, kimonos for Sandy and Pam. We still have that kimono of mine around here somewhere. I regret that it has been tossed around a bit. In the backyard of the Wilhaggin home

1967 - Charlie at Emerald Bay, Lake Tahoe

Nice picture of Charlie overlooking Emerald Bay at Lake Tahoe

1967 - Nobuko at Tahoe

Nobuko, our eschange student fromJapan has arrived and we are in Emerald Bay in Lake Tahoe

1967 - Another beach walk

Another walk along the beach at Rio del Mar late in the day. Sometimes I like pictures taken from in back of people are more interesting

1967 - UCSC entrance

The three kids at UCSC's entrance. I believe these are some of the original buildings from the Cowell ranch. I think the one we are looking at was used for Grounds and Maintenance at that time. An old barn had been renovated to be a theater. You get to the entrance but it's another mile or so until you get to the campus buildings. I remember going there with Paul Miller in 1969 and (not too lit), he kept saying, but where is the campus?

Just for clarity, I attended UCSC 1970-1974

1967 More UCSC

I really want to include all of these UCSC pictures as they hold promise for the near future and the distant past. Mostly we hung out at Stevenson and Cowell, maybe we didn't go up the hill to Crown.

1967 THIS is Stevenson

I didn't really recognize the entrance but read the sign and THIS is Stevenson college, one of the four original colleges on the east side of the campus (I attended Crown, also one of the 4) I'm ijn the foreground with the yarn bow in my hair. Checking it out, I was already scheming to go here but didn't really know how it could happen. Pam in the center. Though the gardens look dry, you can see the redwood forest. I LOVED the redwood forest. Could not get enough of it.

1967 - View from UCSC

From below Stevenson/Cowell, looking at the construction (must be of the Field House). Beyond the fog are vistas of Monterey Bay.

The most beautiful place ever. I thought that in 1967 and I still believe it

1967 UCSC

A shot of the 15 year old Sandy standing at the edge of Stevenson/Cowell. Overlooking the Field House complex then under construction. I look pretty young and my hair is short. Maybe I'm younger....

1967 - Another shot of Cowell College

You know, this could be Stevenson...I don't really remember. Cowell and Stevenson were below and Crown and Merrill were above.

I don't remember what that part where you go down the stairs. But it's definitely early ucsc. We're checking it out

1967 - Cowell College

On to 1967 for hints of things to come. I have to admit then when I went through these slides, I discarded many slides of unidentified college campuses. My father always loved to visit college campuses and he was always interested that we should be interested. But there were a bunch that I didn't recognize.

But this one, I do. Cowell College of UCSC in 1966 or 1967 (University of California, Santa Cruz). Near Aptos. My father always loved this place and, in this case, I agreed with him. He thought i should go there and I did too. It's brand new in this picture. The grass is in but not all of the landscaping. Cowell College was one of the original 4 colleges, ( eventually went to another once, Crown College)

We are here taking a visit, I think that's Pam in the corner

1966 - Boy scout thing...

Charlie will have to explain this one. On the way to Philmont? Maybe he will recognize some of the kids. I remember mom's straw hat. Pretty lake

1966 - More walks on the beach

One of the nicest Aptos beach pictures. Everybody's having a good time. It's cool and on the beach

1966 - Cocker spaniels and BIG rollers

This is definitely one for the blackmail file. That summer, Scotchy, our cocker spaniel, insisted on tangling it up with a skunk that lived in the neighborhood (a lot more empty lots at that time). The skunk would apparently come in or close to the yard, bait the dog, the dog would go nuts with barking and the skunk would let him have it. Repeatedly. So the dog always smelled. For some reason, we believed that the only way to get rid of the smell was to bathe the dog with tomato juice. Any truth to this? I have no idea. But we dutifully did this.

That summer, my cousin stayed with use for awhile and here we are doing the deed. Yup, that's me with the orange juice can rollers in my hair with the hairnet.

The question needs to be raised. Did any of this setting of hair and pins and uncomfortable sleeping ever work on my baby thin hair? No, it never did. My hair has no body whatsoever and never took a set or did anything other than lie dankly close to my head. My whole life. Even now. That, however, did not stop me from trying with adolescent determination.

1966 - Cousin Mary Ann

My cousin Mary Ann came for an extended visit. The background suggests a trip to the Japanese Tea Garden in San Francisco? Hey, how come I've gained 60 pounds and Mary Ann hasn't??

As far as my family is concerned, Mary Ann is the brains of the operation....

1966 - Pam going to birthday party

Another shot of a small person in the front entryway of Wilhaggin house. I photoshopped it a bit. Purple dress holding gift, headband, no glasses, left eye squinting

1966 - Father caught a fish

It's a BIG fish. But where? Looks like some kind of river scene. Rogue River? Just comes to mind....

1966 - Sandy with Carla G in lap

This must have been on the same visit to Bea and Dave G. 14 year old Sandy with Carla G in her lap. I'm still doing pig tails. I remember the pink blouse, had a matching skirt. Keep in mind, we are still several years away from girls being able to wear pants to school.

1966 - Outside the casino

Very odd picture until you can visualize the real life context. We're at Lake Tahoe. We can't go inside because we are under 18. But mom goes inside and she's got a slot machine my the window and is signalling out side to us. She has our nickels and she's losing them for us. Wonder about those entertainers there on the marque.

Still an odd picture

1966 - Visit to Bea and Dave G

We went to visit Bea and Dave Gittleson in Los Angles. They are the parent of Don Gittleson, friends of my parents. I know they haven't seen them in many years. At the behest of my mom, I called Mim Gittleson, they live in Palm Springs, when I visited there two years ago. My mom thought we should visit. But they are 80 years old also and I couldn't connect and they were not interested. The elder Gittlesons lived in a stucco bungalow on an old-fashioned Los Angeles street (if there is such a thing). Kind of dark and arched with a small yard with tropical plants. I think they were near the Fairfax district. There we are, I think I remember the outfit. It looks like it's warm and we sit out in the yard instead of an air-conditioned interior

1966 - Pam in yellow

Pam, on her way to birthday party (check out present on the hood) in front of the 1965 dodge Dart in front of the Wilhaggin home. Looking down on Exmoor Circle towards Wilhaggin Drive. The pole sticking out with the yellow thing on top is the top of the car aerial with some plastic flowers (daffodils) affixed to be able to spot the car in a parking lot.

Pretty yellow print dress with matching head scarf. All the rage in 1966.

1966 - Sandy in bathing suit

This one's got to be semi-famous. One in a series of pictures my father took where he would take FOREVER to snap the picture. You were supposed to hold the pose for a LONG TIME while he turned the mysterious dials of the precious camera. I mean, this was very complicated and you had to be very patient. He would never share what he was doing that was so difficult, that was not for children. And he would get angry if you didn't stay put. However, not everybody cared what he thought and pets and small children wandered away no matter how furious he got. Case in point, we are supposed to be holding the pose but the cocker spaniel is out of here. He's gone, he's no longer interested despite my entreaties to get him to stay.

We have whole series of these pictures.

But there I am, in my 14 year old glory. I remember the suit, it was a bit baggy but it worked. Needless to say, I don't look the same at age 55. My hair's the same color and I still have knobby knees.

1966 - Ginsburgh men on the front walk

Here they are, my father, brother and grandfather posing on the front walk to complete this set of family group shots. Charlie was 12 in this picture, he would get his height later. The Ginsburgh men.

1966 - Ginsburghs on front walk

My grandfather, Harold Ginsburgh
My grandmother, Betty Ginsburgh
My father, Allen Ginsburgh

pose on the front walk of our Wilhaggin house. They are dressed up to go somewhere...or not. My grandmother always had proper wool suits and sensible pumps. She often said that she couldn't see any resemblance between herself and her children and, from these pictures, I can see what she means.

My father is about 40 years old in this picture.

1966 - Mom and Pam in front yard

With a cigarette...but this is 1966; I think she quit soon after this. I remember her quitting early in my high school years. I'm thinking it's fall. It's chilly, not the jackets. The leaves are off the mulberries but they haven't been pruned (Father usually did that New Year's Day). Calendulas blooming in the flower bed.

1966 - Grandpa on front walk

This actually is a cropped and enlarged picture of my grandfather, Harold Ginsburgh in the front walk in front of the Wilhaggin house in 1966. In the next few days, there will be several similar family group pictures. In one of the pictures (not this one) you can see me peeking out of the front window.

I don't know where we were going but my grandfather was dressed as usual in his slacks and jacket and tie. In later years, he would show a more informal dress style by wearing a string tie. He's in his middle 60s here. My father looked like him. As usual, he's full of tight wound energy, he was always concerned that everything should work properly to HIS standards which were high indeed. He tried to go along with the family activities but he let everybody know that not everything was being done as properly as it should be.

1966 - Sandy driving in Disneyland

Yes, there must have been a trip to Disneyland in 1966. Here I am 'driving' a car on the auto ride. Pigtails.

1966 - Sandy on a carousel

I'm on a carousel but where? Is that Carla Gittleson?