Joan & Hal Larson

Tuesday October 1, 1991

We sleep in and fool around but then spring into action as Joan and Hal are coming over tonight.

Smokey (their cat) is a bad boy. He pees in the blue chair again this morning and is banished to the laundry room.

After lunch I leave for Lemona house to show it to 2 different women. Only one shows up and I hurry home.

Joan and Hal arrive about 6:30. We take a quick tour of the yard the trailer. We take them to our favorite little Japanese restaurant. They like it as much as we do. After dinner they want to head home so our evening with them ends at 9 p.m.

Joan and Hal were our neighbors who lived across the street on Lemona Avenue, the house I grew up in. Unlike the houses on our side of the street, which were typical 1950 ranch style homes on standard lots, Joan and Hal lived on a huge lot with a small custom-built home. They were very strict with their two daughters Kris and Leslie, who both attended catholic school. When it was time for dinner, Joan went out in the front yard and blew a whistle, and the girls were expected to head home immediately. Thank goodness for cellphones nowadays! Leslie was my age and Kris was 2 years older. They shared a huge bedroom where we often played board games together.

Smokey is Mom and Frank's long-haired cat. He caused them so much grief by peeing in that plush blue chair. They tried all kinds of sprays and mechanical methods to keep him off the chair. He was an indoor cat and had a litter box in the laundry room, but was stubborn and rebellious, always trying to show them who's boss by peeing in inappropriate places throughout the house. I don't think I will ever be a cat person. I love my 2 Boston terriers Brutus and Zoey.