I don’t remember a lot about the Seventies. Basil was a manager in the San Diego Post Office, and I was just staying home. I played bridge at the Westwood Club with several very nice friends here in Rancho Bernardo. I sewed a lot. With five granddaughters, I could have spent most of my time sewing. I also embroidered and did crewel. Anyway, I did keep busy.

In 1978, Basil was given the chance to teach at the Postal Academy in Washington, D. C. We jumped at the chance. When we arrived, everything was covered in snow. That just doesn’t happen here in beautiful San Diego. We spent a week in a motel, waiting for the moving van to bring our furniture. Our apartment was on the ninth floor, right across the street from where Basil would be teaching. We had underground parking at the apartment building and one night some thieves ripped us off. As I remember, they only took our spare wheel from the trunk.

While there, we could see and explore all the historical places we had always wanted to see. The first, I think, was Arlington National Cemetery just across the Potomac from Washington. We visited all the historical spots in Pennsylvania, since Marlana lived in Lancaster (pretty much a historical site itself.) We also explored Virginia. So many places to see there! The Robert E. Lee home, of course, is in Arlington Cemetery. Touring the home of this great man was an inspiration. Fredericksburg was a very interesting place. The fence behind which the southern army fought is still there. In the museum, they told us that kids and teenagers are still finding relics of the Battle of Fredericksburg and bringing them to the museum. On one street corner is the block from which slaves were sold. We also visited Richmond and the spot where some pilgrims landed and disappeared. That was Roanoke Island, and the colony Sir Walter Raleigh Founded. Virginia Dare, the first white child born in America, was born there.

We also traveled North. Basil had a few days off from classes and we headed North. It was autumn and the color was magnificent. We ended up at Niagara Falls, on the Canadian side. When it was time to call it a day, we were in the middle of nowhere. We found a motel (of sorts) that also had a place to eat dinner. NOBODY spoke English, and we didn’t speak French. When we woke up the next morning, Basil got up and looked out the window. He said “It has been snowing—everything is covered.” I thought he was joshing me, but he wasn’t. We hurried to pay the motel bill and got out of there.

We headed South and across the border to Vermont. We ate in a neat, clean little restaurant run by two ladies (who spoke English!). Of course, we ate eggs, bacon and pancakes with Vermont maple syrup. From there, we headed South toward Washington. We drove across Lake Champlain and on to Maine, where we turned South and took in the historical places of New England. In New Hampshire, we drove by the mountain where The Old Man of the Mountain was visible. We were lucky to see him before part of his face fell off. We also crossed a real historic covered bridge. We stopped in Boston for a day and took the tour of Boston. I like Boston’s tour system—you take a bus to whatever sight you want to see. Stay there as long as you wish, then take another bus to the next attraction. We visited the USS Constitution (better known as Old Ironsides). Basil went below decks, but I didn’t. They told us not to try to see Bunker Hill, since the gangs were there, fighting the Second Battle of Bunker Hill. We saw Fanuel Hall. When we reached the end of the tour, we picked up our car and headed South again.

You have to give a lot of credit to the people who introduce you to our history. I remember in particular the lady who was our guide in Historical Philadelphia. We visited Christchurch—the one attended by George Washington. Her description was wonderful! Mr. Washington would step down from his carriage, throw his cape off his shoulder and enter the church. They had assigned seats, and we sat in Mr. Washington’s seat. Another I’ll never forget was the elderly lady who was our guide at Montecello— the home of Thomas Jefferson. There were only six or eight in our group, including a teenage boy and girl.
They were not paying attention to the story and she very gently said “Young people, Mr. Jefferson would not like your talking in his home.” Those kids didn’t say another word until we were finished.

We had quite a few visitors from home while we were in Washington (thank goodness!). Roy and Theo Williams (next-door neighbors in Spring Valley) stayed a few days and we enjoyed them immensely. Esther Frost, long time friend, also spent some time with us. Dick and Neda Teichman (post office friends)came for a few days. We all decided we would go up to see the Statue of Liberty. It was quite a trip! The motel we stayed in was being renovated, but the beds were comfortable. Basil, Dick and Neda climbed to the top, but I passed on it. I would have loved to see the view from up there, but I also knew I couldn’t make it up all those stairs.

When Basil’s two-year teaching assignment was over, Dick called and told Basil he would fly back and help Basil drive home. Dick was really a good guy. Basil tried to dissuade him, but he insisted he was packed and to pick him up at the airport (which we did). The movers came and moved us out. It’s scary watching everything you own go from the ninth floor balcony down to street level, but everything made it. It was late when they finished moving us out, so we got a motel for the night.

Heading West was a very good feeling! Basil and Dick took turns driving. We spent the first night in a motel in a village somewhere in the Carolinas. Next we stayed in Atlanta, and from there to Winnsboro, Texas, with my brother, Howard and his wife, LaDelle. Dick was in heaven there—LaDelle was a very good cook and Dick loved to eat!
We spent a couple of nights in Paris, Texas, with Basil’s Aunt Myrl Rainey. We had to get a motel for Dick, because Myrl didn’t have enough beds. We made the short hop from there to Dallas to stay with my sister, Velma. After visiting all the relatives in Dallas, we really headed West. Dick loved to drive, so he did most of the driving.

When we got to Don's home in Escondido, our furniture was waiting for us. They moved it into the house the next day. We were HOME!!!! Basil had to work in the Post Office here for one year after the Washington stay, which we really didn’t mind. He retired in February, 1982, with thirty-seven and one-half years of service.